by Ella Jade
“Why couldn’t you tell me the truth?” Her tone was laced with frustration. “Why?”
“Because it’s a horrible truth.”
“I came here to yell at you for setting this up.” She held the paper out. “I didn’t know how to respond when I received it so I just came here without thinking.”
“I suppose you’re entitled to yell at me if it makes you feel better but I’m not going to take back that offer. That’s a done deal.”
“After seeing you just now with Jason, I can’t yell at you. I was so hurt and upset you kept that secret from me that I didn’t realize how difficult this whole situation must be for you.”
“I’m learning to live with it.”
“Why did you give him up?”
“At the time it was the only choice that made sense.”
“And now?”
“I don’t regret my decision. I do regret the pain I caused and the terrible things I did to Brody and Claudia, and my girlfriend at the time.” He rested his hand on hers. “And you. I’m still hurting people, but I’m not the same person I was a few years ago.” How would he ever get her to see that? “Not when I’m with you.”
“My heart hurts for you.”
“No, don’t make me the victim. I don’t want you to do that. Everything is exactly the way it should be.”
“You hurt and I’ve known for a while that you had some serious demons. I just want to help you.” She took a deep breath. “If we’re going to share a life together I need you to be honest with me about everything.”
“Wait, you still want to be with me?” He didn’t want to misinterpret what she said. “Even after I lied to you?”
“You withheld the truth from me and I know you had your reasons. Am I upset about it? Yes. Do I wish you could have trusted me enough to tell me? Of course. But knowing the truth doesn’t change how I feel about you. If anything I love you more.”
“You do?” He couldn’t stop smiling if he tried. “I love you too but I thought after the other day we were done.”
“Couples fight. They have arguments. I probably shouldn’t have left but it was a lot to take in. I still want to be with you.” She crinkled her nose as she thought for a moment. “Unless...” She bit her lip. “Were these papers your way of saying you don’t want to be with me?”
“No!” He got off the sofa and knelt in front of her. “Those papers were my way of honoring my promise to take care of you. I didn’t think you would want me around but I would always be there for you.”
“I want to be there for you too.”
“You are.” He slipped his hand in the breast pocket of his suit jacket. “After I asked you to move in with me I did some soul searching and realized I wanted much more than that. The other night I was going to tell you the truth and then I was going to give you this.” He opened his hand to reveal the diamond ring he’d bought her. “I’ve been carrying it around because I needed it close to my heart. I need you close to my heart.”
“You...” She dropped her gaze to the ring and then back to his eyes. “You want to marry me?”
“I want to marry you as soon as possible. I want to give you my last name.” He rested his hand on her stomach. “I want this baby to have my last name too.”
“You do?”
“Don’t seem so surprised. I went to yoga with you so if that doesn’t convince you that I’m in this for the long haul I don’t know what will.” He tried to lighten the mood because she appeared anxious.
“It’s just putting your name on the birth certificate is a big deal.”
“We’ll take one step at a time. If you’re not ready to make that decision I understand but I do want you to be my wife.” He slid the ring on her finger. “Justine Carlucci, will you make me the happiest, luckiest man alive and marry me?”
The tears flowed out of her eyes and down her cheeks. “It’s gorgeous.”
“If you say yes, I swear I’ll be the best husband to you and I’ll try to be a good dad to little. I’ll probably make mistakes but I promise I’ll always put you first. I have to learn as I go but I want to do better for you.”
“Yes.”
“Yes, you’ll marry me?”
“I’d be crazy not to.” She joined him on the floor, resting on her knees to face him. “I want to spend forever with you.” She took his hand and placed it on her stomach. “As a family.”
“I’ll be the man you need.”
“You already are.”
He took her face between his hands, tenderly brushing his mouth along hers before kissing her with nothing but love and admiration. A few tears from his own eyes slid down his cheeks. He’d spend the rest of his life worshipping her. He’d been given more than he ever thought he deserved. He wouldn’t waste a second of their forever.
Epilogue
Three years later...
It was a seasonably warm Thanksgiving Day so Gavin and Brody took the kids out into the backyard and watched them run around. Jason was such a good big cousin to Cali. When the little girl was born, Justine insisted that they name her after Gavin’s family. She’d called Carson one last time when the baby was born and he was as adamant as ever that he wanted nothing to do with the child. She even went as far as to invite him to the hospital. He declined. So within a day, Gavin’s name was on the birth certificate and his lawyers made sure there would be no issues later. Their daughter would be known as Cali Callahan. It had a fun ring to it.
“Look at them run,” Brody said. “Jason adores her.”
“He takes real good care of her.” Gavin watched as the children ran around the large backyard. “They’re lucky to have one another.”
“We’re doing a fantastic job of filling this family with heirs.”
“Dad would be thrilled.”
“We’re going to need them all if our company keeps growing the way it is.” He got up from the stone bench he’d been sitting on to get a better look at the kids “Once the London deal gets finalized we’re going to be inundated.”
“We can handle it.” Taking Callahan Industries international was one their father had always dreamed of. Brody wouldn’t rest until he negotiated a deal that made that possible. “We always do.”
“We’re going to have to go to London right after the holidays. Will Justine be okay with that?”
“She understands.” He smiled as she came onto the patio. “We did good in the wife department.”
“That’s an understatement,” Brody agreed. “They put up with us.”
“How are the kids?” Justine asked as she approached them. Gavin put his arms around her waist when she stood next to him. “Behaving?”
“They’re perfect,” Gavin said. “They get along so well.”
“Where’s Claudia?” Brody looked to the house.
“She’s getting ready to feed the twins.”
“I guess I better go see if she needs help.”
“Knowing her,” Justine said. “She has everything under control but I’m sure she’d love you with her.”
“Can I leave Jason out here with you guys?” Brody asked.
“Of course.” Justine motioned toward the kids who were now playing inside the playhouse. “Cali would freak if you tried to take Jason away from her.”
“I’ll see you in a bit.” Brody headed inside.
“Twin boys.” Justine shook her head. “I don’t know how they do it.”
“A Nanny, housekeeper, and a personal chef.” Gavin laughed. “Rich people problems, remember?”
“How can I forget?” She turned to face him. “I’m living it.”
“You’re not complaining, are you, Mrs. Callahan?”
“Never.” She kissed him. “I love my life.”
“How’s our little boy doing?” He rested his hand on her growing stomach. “Does your back still hurt?”
“Nothing too bad.” She watched the kids run around the playhouse. “This pregnancy is a little tougher than the last one.”
“
March will be here before you know it.”
“Easy for you to say.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m doing all the heavy lifting.”
“You handle it like a champ.” He kissed her cheek. “You amaze me.”
“I hope next week is easier than last week because I have a busy schedule.”
“You have a more than capable staff at the theater,” he reminded her. “If you have to take a few days off I’m sure everything will be fine.”
“I know but with the next production scheduled for February, I need to be there as much as possible.”
“I’m not going to try to talk you out of it. I’m much too smart for that.” He smirked. “I trust your judgment. If your body tells you to slow down, you will.”
“I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize this baby.”
“I know.” He squeezed her hand. “I wonder how dinner is coming along?”
“I stopped in the kitchen on my way out here.”
“How’s the turkey coming?”
“Your mother and Shannon are drinking wine as they supervise the staff.” She giggled. “The staff is being very gracious.”
“Until they don’t show up tomorrow.” Gavin ran his hand through his hair. “My mother can be a little much.”
“Oh, poor Claudia told me all about it.” Justine sat on the bench. “I can’t believe Angela was ever like that. She’s always been so good to me.”
“She changed a lot.” His mother had come a long way. So had Gavin. “Where’s your dad?”
“He’s on his way.” She fidgeted with her hands. “He’s bringing a friend.”
“Like a girlfriend?”
“Please.” She held up her hand. “I’m not ready to go there yet. Let’s just say friend.”
“You know.” He took a seat next to her. “We were just friends too and if I recall we had a lot of sex back then.”
“We were never just friends and we still have a lot of sex.”
“I guess you’re right.” He put his arm around her. “I think it’s good for your dad to have a friend.”
“Me too.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “He seems to really like her and he’s bringing her here on Thanksgiving to meet us so it sounds serious.”
“Hopefully my mother and Shannon won’t scare her away.”
“We should probably go inside and see what’s going on.”
“Before the day gets too hectic, I just want to tell you how thankful I am you’re my wife, the mother of my children, and the love of my life.” Without her he didn’t know where he would be. “Happy Thanksgiving.”
“I love you too and I’m very grateful for everything we share.” She kissed him. “I love our new house, our family, and our life.”
“Uncle Gavin!” Jason ran toward them and hopped into Gavin’s lap. Cali ran behind him, trying to climb up too. Gavin picked her up and set her on his other knee. “We’re thirsty.” When he looked into the boy’s eyes, he saw his own staring back. That reality had gotten easier as time moved forward but he’d always hold a special place in his heart for him.
“I guess all that playing has worked up a thirst.” Gavin smiled at Justine. “Let’s go inside and get some juice.”
“Apple?” Cali asked.
“I have apple juice,” Justine said as she got up. “We can have a snack too.”
“I like snacks.” Jason scooted down and followed Justine into the house, taking her hand as they walked.
“How about you, angel?” Gavin carried Cali across the patio, noting how she looked more like Justine every day. Her olive skin and dark brown eyes accentuated her exotic Italian features “Do you like snacks too?”
“Yes!” She draped her tiny arms around his neck. “And I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you more.”
If there was one thing he’d learned in this journey, it was that redemption was not about being perfect. It was about doing better. Justine and his kids gave him the opportunity to be better every day.
The End
Do you want to see how the Callahans got their start? Check out Brody and Claudia’s love story in Something More.
This brings a secret baby romance to a whole new level. He may be fine with the pregnancy but what happens when he learns exactly who the father is...
A shocking secret threatens to tear apart a rich and powerful family.
Claudia Samson, housekeeper to the privileged Callahan family, finds herself alone and pregnant after a brief fling with Gavin, the youngest Callahan son. When she informed him of the pregnancy he accused her of running a scam and made it clear that she was on her own.
Brody Callahan, Gavin's older half-brother, has devoted his entire life to running the family business. He doesn't realize what he's been missing by throwing himself into his work until he finds Claudia asleep in the family guest bedroom. He has discovered his very own Sleeping Beauty. Intrigued by the young woman, he vows to get to know her better.
Although Claudia is instantly attracted to the charismatic businessman, she knows her secret will destroy any chance they have for a future together, but Brody's hard to resist.
Meanwhile, as Gavin watches Brody and Claudia's relationship develop, he begins to devise a plan to use the secret to his advantage. He wants full partnership in the business—something he was denied by both his brother and their deceased father—and maybe now he can finally obtain it.
Can Brody and Claudia survive the storm, or will the secrets and blackmail destroy both them and their love?
Content Warning: graphic sex and some explicit language
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0764NYC5M
About the Author
Ella Jade has been writing for as long as she can remember. As a child, she often had a notebook and pen with her, and now as an adult, the laptop is never far. The plots and dialogue have always played out in her head, but she never knew what to do with them. That all changed when she discovered the eBook industry. She started penning novels at a rapid pace and now she can't be stopped.
Ella resides in New Jersey with her husband, two teenage boys and a feisty Chihuahua writing companion. When she's not chasing after her kids, she's busy creating sexy, domineering men and the strong women who know how to challenge them in and out of the bedroom. She hopes you'll get lost in her words.
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