by Mia Kayla
"Again," the doctor urged.
So I did. I pushed as hard as I could. Then I felt a lightness, heard a baby's cry, and collapsed against the hospital bed.
The baby's cries grew louder and louder. It was the most magical sound. I lifted my head from the bed and watched the nurse hand the baby, wrapped in a blanket, to Jimmy.
A slew of emotions passed over his face, and then his eyes lit up as he stared down at our child, the flesh of our flesh, our first-born. With such love on his face, he leaned down and kissed the baby lightly on his forehead. "He's beautiful." Jimmy's voice quivered with such emotion as unshed tears lined his eyes. "Just like his mother."
He placed the baby on my chest and I was in absolute awe. I took in his every feature, from his dark brown hair to his cute button nose. But what was most amazing were his eyes. Not a deep chocolate brown like his father's but a warm caramel—like my father.
"He...He's beautiful." My voice broke as I took in my father's eyes on our newly born baby boy.
"Victor," Jimmy said with finality, causing me to look up at him.
That name hadn't been one of our options. It was either Brandon or Kyle, and we'd decided we'd meet our newborn son before we named him.
I had never asked Jimmy to name our son after his deceased grandfather. I didn't want to pressure him into making a decision, just to make me happy.
"He looks like a Victor."
My eyes filled with more tears, along with the hormones, the emotions, the feeling of bringing a new life into the world rushed to the surface. I touched the peach fuzz on the top of his adorable head. "I never believed in love at first sight, but now I do. I've never seen anything more beautiful."
Jimmy wrapped his arm around me and pulled me in as we looked down at our little angel. Kissing me softly on the lips, he said, "I have."
Present Day
Victor's crying and my mother's voice brought me out of my thoughts.
"You'll swallow this wheel." My mother had taken the toy car from Victor, because the wheel of the car had broken off. So she stuffed the little toy in her oversized purse.
Victor screamed beside me, but the next second, my mother took out a lollipop, glancing at me for permission. I nodded, unable to speak as my shoulders tensed while I watched the next play. The scoreboard indicated that we had two minutes left and we were still damn tied. Thankfully, we had the ball.
My knees bounced as Jimmy got into position. My baby girl jabbed me in my ribs, and I sensed she was nervous, too. In a circular motion, I rubbed my stomach, trying to calm us both down while taking deep breaths to slow my pulse.
And then the ball snapped back to Jimmy and I hopped onto my toes. He veered left and right, trying to find an opening. As he faked a throw, he cowered over the ball. And I saw it, as if I had read his mind, a sliver of an opening.
And he took it. He weaved through the players and was running to take the win for the Super Bowl.
My belly bounced as I jumped up and down, waiting, watching and holding my breath to see if he made it to the end zone. It happened in slow motion.
Thirty yard line.
Twenty yard line.
I gripped Claire's hand as we jumped up and down together. And then it happened.
Unable to stand the silence anymore, I screamed at the top of my lungs, as if I was giving birth all over again. “Touchdown!” Tears gushed down my face because I knew how badly he wanted this. And I was so proud. How could I not be?
The next second we were in a family hug, kissing Victor, hugging again and jumping up and down where, for a moment, I had forgotten that I was packing forty pounds over my normal weight and pregnant with a living child inside of me.
My stomach hardened indicating that I needed to take a break. Braxton Hicks had intensified these last couple of days, so I decided to sit down as the hoots and hollers in the room intensified.
Two big burly men moved to my line of sight. Both were wearing suits as though they had just stepped out of the movie Men in Black. "Mrs. Brason. I'm Clark and this is Clay. We're here to escort you to the stage."
I shook both of their hands, taking in Clark's hand colored with ink. An intricate dragon spanned the top of his fist.
I nodded understanding the protocol, or 'Jimmy's protocol'. He'd paid these men to escort me to the stage.
I reached for my bag but Tattooed Clark reached for it. "I'll carry that ma'am."
"Okay." I nodded, turning to my mother and reaching for Victor. He fit in that perfect spot right on my chest, his legs swinging around my hip to avoid more pressure on my stomach.
With the palm of his hands, he rubbed at his eyes, an indication of his tiredness and reminding me we were way past his bedtime. I was surprised he'd lasted this long.
When I held him in my arms, my lips automatically flew to his forehead and then his cheeks. His round chubby cheeks were so kissable. Everyone's lips tended to go there. As if it was secretly written on his cheek, "Kiss me."
Clark left with my purse and ushered Claire, Glen and Mom out of the room. I followed, holding my boy in my arms. He laid his head on my shoulder, and I hoped he'd stay awake long enough to see his daddy and hear his speech.
Clay stopped right in front of me. "I'm to carry you down." He looked a little bashful as he held his arm out.
"I'm sorry, what?" I couldn't hide the confusion from my voice.
"It was Jim's orders. He was very specific."
I laughed out loud at the absurdity. This massive male was going to carry me, my pregnant belly, and my baby boy down to the football field. I doubted that was safer than me walking.
"It'll be very crowded," he insisted, though he turned an even darker shade of red. He must've realized how ridiculous it sounded.
"That's okay. I'll walk," I said, moving past him.
He scurried to the exit. "It was strict orders."
I lifted an eyebrow as Victor sucked on his thumb and we both looked up to meet his stare.
"I'm sorry, but you, kind Sir, are not carrying me downstairs. My doctor has strict orders that I must, in no way, feel stressed out, or else this baby in my stomach might make an appearance."
The look on his face was epic as I strolled right past him.
I walked onto the field just as I had planned, though Clay had been right—it was chaotic. They were preparing the stage for everyone to give their speech, to celebrate their win. Champagne had been popped, streamers were strewn about on the ground. Everyone was on the field—family, media, and the players. Claire, Glen and my mother were right beside me. My mother took Victor from my arms and bounced him on her hip.
The security guards caged us in as we walked through the crowd. I tiptoed, trying to find my man amongst the players, and then like a sonic radar beam, I found him. He was being interviewed by a sportscaster, answering questions but his eyes were scanning the crowd. When our eyes locked, he excused himself, and smiled a big winning grin that told me how much this win had meant to him.
After three years of making the playoffs and one year of making it to the finals and being so close only to lose, this... this moment made it all worth it. And because my hormones were running rampant, I started to tear up. My man had made it. We had made it. And all was right with the world in this moment.
He rushed toward us and kissed me, softly. "We did it, baby. We did it." His eyes twinkled with such emotion.
"Yes we did."
My mother and Claire congratulated their son. Victor screamed for his daddy, and Jimmy took him from my mother, throwing him up in the air. "Yeah, buddy! We won us a ring."
Victor laughed as Jimmy tossed him again and again, like a little human football. Cutest thing ever. Until Jimmy threw him higher.
My eyes widened, and a spike of fear shot through me. "Jimmy, stop!"
Jimmy placated me and put Victor down on his feet. I took a breath of relief until I saw the mischievous glint in his eyes. The next second, he lifted me, his arms under my knees. I squealed and au
tomatically my hands wrapped around his neck to steady myself.
"Jimmy, put me down! Put me down! I'm too heavy!"
He started to lift me higher, and I squirmed in his hold.
"Jimmy, stop! My water will break. You watch!"
He leaned in closer, speaking quietly, only to me. "Good, then we can start on number three."
"Whatever." I scolded, rolling my eyes.
"Whatever, you," was his lame comeback, but I laughed.
I cupped the side of his face and leaned my forehead toward his. "I'm so proud of you, baby. You did it. Your greatest accomplishment."
His eyes shined with such joy as he bent down to kiss me, and then he nodded toward Victor. "No, baby." With his strong hands, he lightly placed his palm on my belly. "This—us—is my greatest accomplishment."
THE END
Join my newsletter
Be the first to know about my upcoming releases.
Receive never seen before excerpts.
Win a chance to receive an ARC (Advance Review Copies) before my books go live.
You can sign up at www.miakayla.blogspot.com.
Thanks for taking the time to read and review Everything Has Changed. Please leave an honest review on Goodreads and/or the vendor where you purchased your copy.
Goodreads
Let’s keep in touch! Here’s where I’ll be hanging out:
Facebook
Twitter
Mia Kayla on Goodreads
And read an excerpt of my novel
Marry Me for Money on the next page
Prologue
THE WOMAN WAS BEAUTIFUL. SHE looked like a supermodel ready to walk the runway. The blackest of black eyelashes swept upward, accenting the depths of her emerald eyes. Curls of mahogany sat on top of her head while the apple of her cheeks were highlighted with a slight pink as if the sun had kissed her.
I should have been excited. I should have been anxious.
But as my heartbeat thrashed in my ears, all I felt was dread.
I sat on the stool, staring at the girl in the mirror. I wondered who this girl was. I wondered where the old girl had gone and how I could get her back. The problem was I couldn’t. The lie was so deep, the charade so long that there was nowhere else to go, but to move forward.
It was an out-of-body experience as the chaos of the circus around me was happening. I hardly noticed the woman in front of me as she swished her little brush of pink gloss on my pouty lips.
Everybody was getting ready for the big day.
My big day.
Four photographers were scattered around the room, catching every moment and every detail from the shoes to the invitation to the flowers.
Orchids.
Orchids didn’t give off a scent like every other flower. Too much water would drown them. Not enough sunlight would kill them. They were useless and high maintenance.
So, when the florist had asked me what kind of flowers I would like for my bouquet, I’d said, “Orchids.”
It was the flower I despised the most. It wasn’t because of its lack of beauty or its uselessness, but I didn’t want anything that I would pick for my real day.
The photographers moved to the king-sized bed, and they snapped pictures of the regal designer wedding gown. This was another thing I never would have picked for myself. I remembered my last fitting. I had barely squeezed into the strapless couture dress. I would never choose a dress that I couldn’t walk, dance, or eat in. I hated it, and that was the reason I’d picked it.
My stomach growled from starvation. I had no appetite the night before, and today Kendy, my maid of honor, wouldn’t allow me to eat. It was so unlike her. I guessed it was for my benefit because I could barely fit into my dress. Either way, my stomach was eating itself because it had nothing else to feed off of.
The time went by slowly as if it were dragging on purpose to punish me for living the biggest lie of my life. Everyone always said their wedding day had flown by. This day was killing me, killing me softly and slowly.
All I wanted was for it to be over, but the day had just begun.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. If I can only get through this day…this one day…
I just needed to get through today.
Pick up your copy of Marry Me for Money today!
Purchase Marry Me For Money
AND THE HEAVENS HAVE OPENED up and I'm finally done. Thank you Jesus!
I'm sitting on my train ride home, writing the acknowledgements of my finished book. The first draft of Jimmy and Bliss's story was completed around April 2014 and it is only now that this book is in your hands.
I thought releasing my first book was hard... but this second book was even harder. I've heard from other writers that these symptoms are perfectly normal and diagnosed as second bookitis.
You think it's easy to write a book. You sit at the computer type it out and press publish, right?
I wish it was that easy.
It took a flipping army and then some to get this done. And I couldn't have done this without my own personal army.
I'm going to try to make this short and sweet. I have much love and gratitude to each of you that have helped me get this book to its final form.
First I'd like to thank my husband and my baby girls. I write on my commute to and from work. I write on my lunch break and after I put them down to sleep. I try not to let my writing life leak into their special time but when I'm on a deadline, it sometimes happens. I love them for loving me and for their understanding. They're my life and I thank them for letting me live my dream. I hope that this inspires my children to live theirs too.
To my husband-the rock in our family-I love you truly, madly, deeply-like the love song. Thanks for loving my temperamental self, working so hard for our family and for cooking for us on the daily. To infinity and beyond baby!
Every author has his or her own writing process and I have mine. One being, I write to the end. No one sees my book until I type the words I long to type…'The End'.
But there are so many stages of editing that take place to get the book to final form.
Without further ado, I'd like to thank my beautiful betas. Seriously, where would this story be without some hard-core betas? Every writer has a few stored in their pocket. To Sarah Clune, Amy Konczyk, Author Jade Goodmore, Michelle Hart, Melanie Panchal and Sue Mahlerwein-Thank you so much for taking the time to read this story and giving me your feedback. Thanks for your support with my first book and with this second!
To my Indie Chicks-You guys make me laugh each and every day. I love our drama free group. We encourage, help, pimp and root each other on. I'm so glad I have you guys. #Ilovemyindiechicks #indiechicksrocks
To my fellow indie chick, Elisabeth Grace-Thanks for your constant support and continually answering my many many questions. You are truly one of the kind! You are one of the most genuine writers out there in this business and I know you'll never change as you climb to the top. That's one of your endearing qualities!
I'd like to thank my sprinters-My writer pals that keep me accountable-K.L. Grayson, I would still be sitting on this book if it wasn't for our late night writing sprints. You guys make me laugh and boost me up when I'm having my normal writing insecurities. I love our deep and dirty plotting sessions. Our group is truly one of a kind.
Michelle Lynn! Everybody needs a Michelle in their life. Thank you for being you and helping me with Jimmy! Thank you for meeting me at Starbucks and writing with me until we close the place out. This journey would be a totally different one without you in it. I'm so glad I met you. You lift me up when I'm down and truly understand how I feel. I value your support and advice, but most of all, thank you for being a friend.
To my mentor-My romance diva-Kimberley Troutte, thanks for your constant support and helping me plot this baby out. Talking to you always makes me feel better about the whole writing process and the normal emotions that a writer is going through.
Megan-My Shoe-You are a G
odsend! My gosh, your constant encouragement and rooting me on kept me going. You helped me soften Jimmy into the lovable teddy bear he truly is. Girl, your messages make me smile-big and cheesy style. I love your positive outlook in every situation. You're more than just an editor. You are a writer support group in one person. I love you forever and ever Amen!
Jovanna, you have an eagle's eye. You don't miss a dang thing. I swear, even though I've been through the manuscript a million times, you still catch an error. You're a Rock Star Editor to the max. Hollar!
Angela, where did you fall from? You fell from the sky and into my lap. I love working with you. You're such a cheerleader for us writers and we need that. Thank you for giving Jimmy one last look before he went out to the world. I can't wait to see where we take Brian. I'm sure he's going to be the best book yet!
Alexis from Indie Girls Proof, thanks for your feedback and your proofreading skills. You're so easy to work with and very professional. I'm using your suggested teasers, girl.
To my promo team-Wordsmith Publicity-Thank you for doing what I hate doing which is the marketing portion of releasing the book.
Christine from Perfectly Publishable, thank you for your super fast formatting powers. I send you the manuscript and then BOOM. In two minutes it is in my inbox. Amazing!
To my blogger friends-Danielle from Short and Sassy Book Blurbs-Thank you for beta reading Everything Has Changed. I appreciate you giving me the needed feedback for Jimmy and Bliss. I'm thankful for your constant Channing Tatum eye candy and will forever have a boyband friend in you.
To Kylie from Kylie's Fiction Addiction, you are one of the very first bloggers that PM'd me. I'm so happy at what you've accomplished over at your discussion group. I'm so very proud of you. Thank you for being so supportive and thanks for beta reading for me. You are awesome to the tenth power.
