Cray
Page 6
She steps back and closes the curtain around my bed.
Oh, shit. Naughty nurse fantasies start going through my head.
I sit up a little, but my leg makes me lie back. That’s going to take a little time.
She lowers the edge of the bed and climbs in with me. “I mean it, Cray. I love you.”
“I know and I’m in love with you, Naomi.” I brush a hand over her hair. “I heard the girls call you, Mom.”
“Yeah, apparently they’ve wanted to for years, but they didn’t know if I wanted it or was ready.”
“And?”
“It was the best Christmas gift ever.”
“You are the best Christmas gift ever, Officer Wade.” I kiss her forehead.
Her hand rests on my chest and her head on my shoulder.
“These pain meds are good.” I close my eyes.
“Thank you for saving Zoe.”
“Thank you for saving…” I kiss her forehead. “Me.”
Epilogue
Naomi
“Hey, babe, do we have more burgers?”
I point to the fridge. “Second shelf, right side.”
“Thanks.” Cray kisses my cheek as he walks by.
It’s our first holiday celebration where he’s part of the household. He moved in a month ago and I’ve loved every moment of having him here. Some moments much more than others. Like last night…my pussy quivers thinking about it.
“Happy Fourth of July!” Cece, Hemi’s wife, calls from the front entry. I look around the corner. Her belly is growing every day.
“Hey guys. Everyone’s already out back.”
Hemi shifts their daughter Jovi, only seven months old, to his other hip and puts a salad in the fridge and Cece walks onto the back patio. “I don’t know what it is, but it looks weird and I wouldn’t put it past her to have made something with pickles and ice cream at this point.”
“You think this is the last one?”
“Oh, hell yes. I’m scheduled for a snip-snip next week.”
I laugh, but still and swallow. “I’m pregnant.”
He stops and turns slowly to face me. “Does Cray know?”
“No. I’m a little freaked out. This wasn’t expected.” At all.
“Just tell him. I know he’s going to be thrilled.”
“You’re sure? We’d talked about traveling since both girls were going to be gone and now, I don’t see that happening.”
“Then the dream changes. And yes, I’m sure. Just tell him.”
That was true. I’d once dreamed of being a police officer and I made that come true. And now a dream I never imagined would come true was right here.
Cray steps inside. “Hemi.” They give each other a bro-hug and Cray kisses Jovi’s head. “Hey buttercup.”
Hemi motions with his head as he steps out, closing the door, mouthing, “Good luck.”
Cray grabs the mustard and ketchup from the fridge. “Babe, do we have pickles?”
“Maybe.” I stand there looking at him and remembering back on the last seven months.
He finished my tattoo. It’s definitely a work of art and Eve both laughed and cried seeing it. She never expected me to put her art on my body, above the fireplace, sure, but not on my ass. She thinks that Cray said it should go there so he could see my ass. Maybe. But I was okay with that.
He also began and flew through physical therapy, going back to work in just under two months.
Benny and his accomplice were spending their days sleeping with their heads three feet from their toilets, behind a sliding door, and dressed in orange.
Cray also got therapy-therapy, reluctantly. But it changed him for the better. He continued gaining back his trust of not only all of us, but himself. And although we knew it would be a journey, we also knew it would be a worthwhile one.
“Cray?”
He still had his head stuck in the fridge. “Yeah, babe?”
“I’m pregnant.”
Three plastic bottles crack to the floor and mustard lashes out like a yellow ribbon from the container.
“You’re what?” he turns his brow furrowed. He steps over the mess and his gaze darts between mine.
I purse my lips and gain up the courage. I have a badge that says I have it in me, but right now I’m shit scared. I can do it alone, but I don’t want to. I want him by my side.
“I’m pregnant and obviously, it’s yours.”
In the next second he’s lifting me into the air and screaming out. “Yes!”
Our friends outside all yell out “Congratulations!” as one. When you’re part of this group, you’re family.
“You’re okay with this?”
“Okay? I…I’m gonna be a dad. I’m gonna have someone trust in me, like I trust in you. I can’t wait.”
I sniffle and he wipes tears away after setting my feet to the ground.
He chuckles. “I guess I don’t have to wait for this now.” He digs in his jeans pocket and then his eyes widen. “Shit. Where is it?”
“Where’s what?”
He digs into the other pocket, he puffs his cheeks and blows out a long breath. “This…” He pulls out a lovely solitaire diamond. Perfect. “Naomi Elizabeth Wade, will you marry me and give this baby my last name?”
He’d come around to understanding that he wasn’t his father and his last name wasn’t his legacy. He was Cray to me, but he accepted that he’d always be a Creager.
“Yes, Theodore John Creager, I will marry you and take your last name.”
He slips the diamond on my hand and kisses the promise into our memories.
Hemi wipes his face as he stands outside the screen door. “Told you,” he mouthed.
I mouth, “Thank you” back. I took a deep breath as Hemi goes back to the group. “Did Hemi know about the ring?”
“Yeah, he helped me pick it out, why?”
“No reason.”
“I think I’ll have Oz tattoo mine on my finger.” He kisses my cheek and heads out back. “Hey, everyone, we’re engaged and we’re having a baby!”
And the crowd goes wild.
I laugh and smile.
The Graffiti Street boys might have been bad in the past, but now they are good…really, really good.
~THE END~
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About the Author
Brynn Hale is a Midwest girl who can spot--and swoon over--a hard-working guy a mile away. She believes in winks across a crowded room, guys who do the dishes, a blue-collar alpha will always win a heroine's heart, and a martini or craft beer is the perfect accompaniment to her stories.
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