Pregnancy Scandal: Bad Boy Bachelors of Orange County BK 2

by Gray, Khardine

  “I’m fine.” My blood pressure had stabilized before I left the hospital.

  “You sure? I feel like I should keep checking to make sure you and little bit are okay.”

  I giggled. He’d taken to calling the baby ‘little bit’ because I’d said I thought I only looked a little bit pregnant.

  I still couldn’t believe it was me talking and thinking about pregnancy. I wanted to have a bump and couldn’t wait to actually look pregnant.

  “We’re okay, Gilly. We promise.”

  “Okay… well, I also came to tell you something, and give you something.” His eyes brightened.

  “Sounds mysterious. Do I have to pick?”

  “No, I think it will mean more if I tell you the something I have to tell you first and give you that other thing after.”

  I laughed again. “I’m all ears.”

  “It all hit me today, and I realized I wanted to do both because one without the other didn’t feel right. You remember that beach house we used to admire when we were kids?”

  I saw that place in my dreams. It was the last house on the beach and had a mass of space around it. Because it took the corner too, part of the backyard was the beach, and you could walk right out into the sea if you wished.

  “My gosh, of course I do.”

  “I just bought it.” He nodded like he was talking about buying pizza.

  I sucked in a sharp breath. “What? What are you saying to me?”

  Carla Donnelly, leading actress of soap opera Part of The Whole, lived there, and as far as I knew, she’d said she was going to be in that house for life.

  “The house went on the market on Monday, and I put in an offer. I just closed the deal. There’s a little wait because there are some renovations that need to be done, but I think we should be in the place in the next four to six weeks. I know you just moved from here, but when I saw the house for sale, I couldn’t pass on the chance. I knew you’d love it.”

  I stared at him open mouthed. “Gilly, I can’t believe you bought a house. A house for us.”

  “Yeah. It was perfect, baby. Where I am now really isn’t ideal for us as a family. It’s a bachelor’s pad. So, I’m trading in the bad boy bachelor lifestyle for a family-sized beach house and a garden.”

  I laughed and kissed him. “Thank you. Oh my gosh, thank you so much. Gilly, this is so exciting.” I squealed.

  He laughed but then got a really nervous look on his face. “It’s exciting, and I can’t wait to get in there with you. So… that leads to the other thing.”

  I looked at him wondering what he could possibly have to give me that was better than the news of owning our dream house.

  “What is it? I’m anxious and all antsy now.” I laughed.

  He settled me down and stood up, towering over me with his height.

  “Abby… one of the best memories I have of us is when we were sixteen. I was running along the beach with you on my back. It was the day after junior prom, and we’d met up for a movie and decided to head out to the beach.”

  I nodded, remembering. “That was a really good day.”

  Nothing spectacular actually happened. We’d just hung out all day like we usually did, but that day, we talked about all manner of things. Everything from college to what we wanted to do with our lives. It was then that he told me he wanted to play pro ball.

  “I remember how it was just us, and I felt like if all there ever was, was us, I’d be happy with that. Like if we were the last two people on earth, it would be okay. Like if I never played football again and didn’t have all the fans and the fame, it would be fine as long as you were there.”

  My heart expanded, and warmth glowed within me. He’d never shared that with me before.

  “It was the same for me, Gilly.”

  “It was the same then, but now I’m crazy about you.” Something twinkled in the depth of his silver eyes, and he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a little black jewelry box.

  My heart stopped at the shock that shook my soul when he snapped the box open and my eyes took in a truly beautiful princess cut engagement ring.

  I saw it, and my brain processed what it was after.

  Then Gilly didn’t just get down on one knee. He got down on both. He was on both knees before me and held out the box.

  “Gilly…”

  “Abby Cartwright, you’ve been my best friend since birth.” He smirked and gave me a lopsided grin. “I never realized, though, that you aren’t the girl you’re just friends with. You aren’t the girl, either, who’s the girlfriend. You’re the kind of girl you want to keep forever. You’re the woman you want for a wife.”

  I was already crying before he said ‘forever’, and by the time he said ‘wife’, I could barely see him.

  I dried my tears as he pulled the ring from the box, smiling wider.

  “Abby, I promise to love you every day for the rest of our lives, and after. I promise to be the kind of man our baby deserves, and that you deserve. Will you marry me?”

  “Yes,” I gasped and threw myself into his arms.

  We both fell backwards, laughing as I kissed him, and he held me, kissing me back.

  Reaching for my hand, he took the ring from the box and slipped it on my finger. It fit and felt like it should have always been there.

  Always…

  Just like us.

  Epilogue

  Abby

  * * *

  One year later …

  “I heard babies can learn all manner of things. It’s scientifically proven that the brain is definitely more active in the very early years.” Mia nodded.

  I looked at her and narrowed my eyes. “Mia, I personally think teaching a four-month-old football philosophy will bore the poor child to tears.”

  Football philosophy…

  That was what Gilly called it, and of course, he had to insist that it was the heart to being a great player. Knowledge and power, he’d droned on right from the minute Zack was born.

  I swore to God Gilly was obsessed with being a father, and now my husband had taken to taking these philosophical walks on the beach with our son and talk his little ear off about football while they watched the waves roll in and out.

  There they were, just ahead of me. They’d been out there for close to an hour while Mia and I sat on the beach watching and doing our weekly sisterly catch up.

  I may complain and act like they were annoying, but it was fun. It was fun and my everything. They were my everything. Treasures and keepsakes of my heart and soul.

  It was amazing how my life had changed in so little time. It was amazing that all those changes were one step closer to happiness.

  “I think it’s cute, Abby. It doesn’t matter what the hell he’s telling that baby; it’s cute as hell to watch them,” Mia stated, looking over at Gilly and Zack with fond admiration. She even brought her hands up to her cheeks, swooning.

  I laughed. “I completely agree.”

  “I’m proud of you, Abby. I’m proud and happy that you did this. You guys did this, and it makes my heart happy that you followed your heart.”

  The gentle sea breeze lifted the ends of her hair and made it dance about her face.

  “Thank you for your help and encouragement. I’m just glad we found our way.”

  “You really did,” Mia agreed.

  It was probably a little more work than simply finding our way. We’d done it though.

  Gilly and I got married three months after he proposed. I’d wanted to have a wedding before I had a bump, and everyone pulled together to help us plan the dream wedding we’d wanted in Italy.

  It was amazing. Truly amazing. Then we went on a month-long honeymoon in Europe and went to all the beautiful countries and cities. We came back just in time for the official football training season, and it felt like we’d gone on an adventure of a lifetime.

  Then Zack came, and that was a whole other adventure. Gilly was the perfect husband and father. Always taking care
of both of us, always there, even in the middle of a very crazy football season, which ended again with The Centaurs winning the Super Bowl.

  I couldn’t have asked for better.

  I glanced at Mia, who was also perfect. The perfect aunt. And it looked to me like she wouldn’t have minded her very own Zack and Gilly.

  “You next, Mia.” I giggled.

  “Me? I don’t know. I’m still trying to find my guy.”

  “And you weren’t before?” I quirked a brow.

  “I don’t know. Things are getting busy with work, and I like having fun. Carpe diem. I need a guy like that, who’s every part of the meaning of that word.”

  “Adventure?”

  “Just not boring.”

  I just agreed with her. It would be interesting to see who ticked that box for her, especially with her still casting the occasional glance at Eric. One whole year later. Her looking at him, him looking at her, yet nothing happening. Sounded like something brewing in the pot, and one day, it would bubble and spill over… Just my opinion.

  Gilly made his way back to us. Zack rested his little head on his daddy’s chest. I couldn’t get over how small he was. He looked like a little dot against Gilly’s massive shoulders.

  A little dot that looked exactly like Gilly. Like the mini version of him. Same color hair, same silver eyes. Beautiful perfection wrapped into one. Just like my Gilly. “He’s asleep,” Gilly said with a smile when he got to us. “Lesson over for today.”

  “You and your lessons.” I laughed.

  “I have an idea,” Mia said, standing. “How about I look after Zack and you guys get some time together?”

  I smiled at my perfect sister.

  “Thank you.” I gave her a hug, and Gilly handed Zack to her.

  He gave me one of his dazzling smiles and crouched down.

  “You ready, Mama? How about a ride on the beach?” He pointed to his back.

  I gasped and dashed over to him, hopping on his back.

  “You two… Seriously.” Mia chuckled, shaking her head at us.

  Gilly laughed and rose with me. Then we started walking down to the shoreline.

  “We haven’t done this in forever, baby.” Gilly chuckled.

  I pressed my face to the side of his head, loving the feel of him.

  “I know. I love it.”

  “We should fit this in before baby number two comes.”

  I laughed. “Baby number two, Gilly? Something you’re not telling me?”

  “Yeah, actually. I’ve decided to have a baby, another one.” He glanced back with a grin on his face.

  This was starting to sound a little like the conversation I’d initially had with him to launch this plan of mine.

  “Oh my gosh, that sounds like excitement and a half. Us with two kids.”

  “Yes, exactly. There should be more mini versions of us. I was thinking as much as ten.”

  “Oh my God.” I giggled.

  “Just imagine the baby-making fun. I reckon if we get started now, you could give birth early spring and then repeat that for the next ten years.”

  “You have this well thought out, Mister.”

  “Sure do, the baby-making fun is the best part. Try until you succeed, and even when you do, you keep going.”

  “Ten kids though?” I mused.

  “Okay, fine. Let’s take it one baby at a time and scale up from there. See how we do.”

  “Okay, Gilly.” I laughed and hugged him. “I love that.”

  “I love you Abby.”

  “I love you too.”

  * * *

  Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed reading Abby and Gilly’s story.

  Up next is Mia and Eric’s story in Auction Time. Out very soon.

  Happy reading. Enjoy xxx