Running Into Love - The Complete Box Set

by Annalisa Nicole

  I got a call from my parents telling me that they plan to remarry. My sister and I can’t be happier for them. They plan on going to the courthouse and have a small ceremony with just Chloe, Max, myself, and Amelia. They don’t want to make a big fuss over their second wedding. They do however, plan an extravagant second honeymoon to Paris. Good for them, they both deserve it. My father and I have repaired our relationship, and just like Amelia said, it’s better to forgive than to be angry and cut someone out of your life.

  My sister and Max are still seeing each other, and Max has quickly proven that he has the best intentions toward my sister. He comes every Sunday to family dinner at Amelia’s parent’s house. I can never repay him for helping me find Amelia and my sister. The fact that the two of them are together now is priceless.

  Willow and Asher just celebrated Abbey’s first birthday and she couldn’t be cuter. She’s already walking and is the complete center of their attention. I know from listening to Amelia’s conversations with Willow, that they’re now trying to have another baby.

  Amelia is now thirty-seven weeks pregnant and as cute as I think she is, she’s miserable. I wanted to plan another trip, just the two of us, before the baby makes three. I was thinking about her parent’s cabin in the mountains. She has such a special place in her heart for that place. I know it’ll cheer her up. I arrange with Asher, for Amelia to have a long weekend off. So this Friday morning, I’m taking my beautiful pregnant wife to the cabin.

  “I’m so excited to go to the cabin. We haven’t been there since you proposed. Our weekend might have to be spent indoors though, it looks like we might get some bad weather,” she says concerned.

  “Spending a four day weekend alone, indoors with my beautiful wife, sounds perfect to me,” I say and rest my hand on her stomach.

  I still remember the first time I felt the baby kick. I love to gently place my cheek on her belly and feel the baby kick me through her stomach. I bought several books that I read to the baby every night before we go to bed. It always seems to calm the baby down and let Amelia sleep.

  Just as we get inside the cabin, it starts to rain buckets. The wind is howling and the trees are swaying. I build us a nice cozy fire, even though it’s late August it gets chilly in the mountains.

  I unpack the food and put everything in the refrigerator, when I come back in the family room, Amelia is fast asleep in the chair next to the fireplace. I cover her with a blanket and kiss her on the cheek. She’s so tired lately. We’ve been remodeling one of the bedrooms into the baby’s nursery. She’s poured her heart into every last detail. We haven’t found out the sex of the baby, so the room is painted a cool mint green. Everything is ready and waiting, for when we bring the baby home from the hospital.

  I let Amelia sleep for a few hours. I know her body needs the rest. I can’t believe in only three short weeks our lives will be blessed and we’ll have a son or daughter. Amelia’s already planned on taking six weeks off work, then returning and putting the baby in the daycare with Abbey at work. I know it’s a relief for her to be close to the baby.

  As Amelia sleeps peacefully in the chair, the weather outside turns from bad to really bad. The rain hasn’t let up and at this pace, the roads might get washed out. I head into the kitchen to make dinner. Amelia wakes up from the smells and wanders into the kitchen.

  “That was an amazing nap. The fresh mountain air always makes me sleep like a log,” she says and snatches a tomato from the salad. “Can I help you with anything?” she asks.

  “Nope, I want you to take it easy and go sit back down. I’ll bring dinner out to the family room when it’s ready,” I tell her, then swat her hand playfully.

  She’s been saying how fat she is, but I only see her as my beautiful, sexy wife carrying precious cargo.

  She puts her hands on her lower back and walks back into the family room. I think a massage is in order after dinner. I put the finishing touches on dinner. I made chicken parmesan and a green salad with garlic bread. I dish two plates and head out to the family room. Just as I hand Amelia her plate the power goes out.

  “Good thing we have a fire going,” she says, putting the plate on top of her belly.

  She digs into her food, then stops her fork halfway to her mouth. I only catch it out of the corner of my eye, but she continues to eat, so I don’t give it a second thought. She finishes her meal, then I take our plates into the kitchen. I see her wince and I rush back into the room.

  “Amelia, what is it?” I ask concerned.

  “Nothing, it’s probably just Braxton Hicks contractions. My lower back’s been killing and all of a sudden I got this really sharp pain in my belly, but it seems to have gone away. It’s fine now. You need to relax, I’m not due for another three weeks,” she tells me this as if I’m not an OB/GYN.

  I know how far along she is and I also know that at thirty-seven weeks it isn’t unusual to go into labor, either. She seems to be fine now, but I’ll keep a close eye on her.

  Chapter 18

  Amelia

  The back pain is what woke me up from my nap. Shortly after that my stomach starts to hurt. I’m not due for another three weeks, so I’m pretty sure they’re Braxton Hicks contractions and this is totally going to suck having to deal with this for the next three weeks.

  The storm outside hasn’t let up, it’s raining cats and dogs and the power is still out. It sounds like there’s a tornado outside, the wind is howling so badly. Oh, here comes another contraction. As I stand to walk around, the unthinkable happens, a gush of liquid flows down my leg.

  Oh my God, my water just broke. We’re nowhere near a hospital and we’re in the middle of a huge storm in the mountains. I look to Kyle with such fear on my face, he instantly shoots out of the couch and sits me back down.

  “Amelia, don’t panic, stay calm, we’re going to get you in the car and get you to the hospital. Everything’s going to be OK.”

  As soon as he says that, there’s a huge crash just outside the door. Kyle rushes to the door, throws it open to see what it is.

  “Now, don’t panic and I need you to stay calm. This is your first pregnancy, labor usually takes several hours. I need to try and call for help. There’s a big tree that just blew over, it’s blocking our way out and down the mountain.”

  He reaches for the land-line phone and it is dead. He digs in his pocket for his cell and there’s no service. I immediately start to do what he just told me exactly not to do, panic. I’m three weeks early, my water just broke, and I’m stranded on a mountain. Kyle senses my fear and sits next to me on the couch.

  “Honey don’t worry, you’re in good hands. Remember I’m an OB/GYN, I deliver babies all the time. This is no different. We’re going to have our baby right here in this cabin. Everything will be fine. Do you trust me?” he asks me calmly.

  “Yes I trust you, but Kyle, I’m a big wimp, I didn’t plan on doing this el natural. You don’t have any drugs. I can’t do this. I really can’t do this. Please, we have to try to get out of here. Oh God, I’m having another contraction.”

  I try to remember the stupid classes I took and how to breath, but damn it, it’s not helping.

  Kyle looks at his watch, I know I’m seriously freaking out and he has that look on his face.

  “What?” I ask him.

  “Your contractions aren’t that far apart. We need to get you ready. Let’s go into the bedroom. I’ll get you comfortable, then I need to try and find some supplies. We’re going to have ourselves a baby very soon.”

  It seemed to take forever to walk to the bedroom, we have to stop while I have another contraction. All I can do is put my forehead against the wall, stand still, and pray it passes soon.

  Kyle gets me comfortable on the bed, then starts to leave. I immediately start to panic.

  “No, don’t leave me. Please don’t go,” I yell.

  “Honey, I’ll be right back. It’ll take me only a few minutes to get what I need. I’ll be right back, I promise,
” he says, kisses me on the forehead, then leaves the room.

  It sounds like he’s tearing the place apart, but to his word he comes back in no time. He places everything on the bed next to me, then says he needs to examine me.

  Ok, now I know he’s my husband and he knows me better than anyone down there, but this is just strange. Another contraction hits, I suddenly don’t care. He waits until it subsides, then takes a look.

  “You’re close, honey. We should start to push soon,” he says calmly.

  Start to push? What in the hell is he talking about? What happened to this is your first pregnancy and it will take hours? I’m not ready for this. Oh, God, now I feel like I have to push.

  At 8:49 PM we welcome our son, Noah Maxwell Peters, into the world. He’s absolutely perfect. I count all ten little fingers and ten little toes myself. Kyle was amazing during the birth. I honestly couldn’t think of a better place for our son to be born, than in the cabin I adore. I’m so honored that it’s his father that brings him into this world. All the excruciating pain vanished the second I lay eyes on our son. Kyle places him on my stomach, with tears in his eyes, and Noah screams bloody murder.

  Kyle gets everything cleaned up, then snaps photo after photo. We chose not to stick with the A theme with our son’s name. We both love the name Noah and know the instant we see him, that it fits him perfectly. Kyle wanted to name him after Max since, without him there wouldn’t have been a Noah. I think it’s honorable and I couldn’t be happier about it. The storm outside has calmed down, but the phones are still down.

  The next morning we call for help with the tree and help is on the way. We have our son wrapped in makeshift cloth diapers and a blanket, since we were totally unprepared for his arrival.

  We aren’t due home until Monday night, but Kyle and I think it’ll be fun once we get off this mountain, to get checked out at the hospital, then show up for Sunday dinner at my parents with Noah and surprise everyone.

  By the time the tree is cleared and the rest of the road heading out of the mountain is drivable, it’s late Saturday night before we get to the hospital. They keep us both overnight, but we’re both completely healthy.

  Sunday morning we take our son home, to his house and his nursery. I’m so excited to get him into his own room and into his own clothes. The hospital provided a onesie and a baby blanket, but having him in cute little baby clothes that I picked out, is just precious. He’s been the perfect baby too, he’s so content and hardly fusses at all. He gets up every few hours to feed, but I don’t mind at all. I don’t know, it’s just so peaceful nursing my son, I have to say, I enjoy it.

  I don’t know what to do with myself for the next few hours, before we go to my parent’s house. I can’t wait to introduce the newest member of our family. I think I actually might die from excitement. Oh wait, I know what to do, sleep.

  I get a twenty-minute nap in, but I’m just too excited and I end up watching Noah sleep instead. I wait until just before it’s time to go, to dress our son in the cutest baby outfit and secure him snug in his car seat.

  We arrive just a little late on purpose, to make sure everyone is already here. Then with Kyle in the lead he opens the door, then the baby and I step in behind him. Everyone looks confused and surprised to see us. Everyone is here too. Both of my parents, Asher, Willow, and Abbey, Adrian, Aiden, Ava, Chloe and Max and even Mary and Steve, Kyle’s parents are here.

  “What are you two doing here? You’re not supposed to be back until Monday,” Willow says.

  I step out around Kyle, with baby Noah sleeping soundly in my arms. Everyone’s face is a mixture of shock and love. My mom, Ava, Chloe, Willow and Mary all stand and rush over.

  “Amelia you weren’t due for another three more weeks. What happened?” my mother asks concerned.

  “It’s a long story. Let’s just say Noah Maxwell Peters just couldn’t wait to meet his family.”

  Kyle

  The look on Max’s face is priceless when Amelia announces our son’s name. Dinner ended up going cold, while Noah is passed around to each and every member of the family. That look of utter love, peace, and joy on my wife’s face as she watches her son being passed around is a look I will never forget. Even Max holds him and suddenly this rough and rugged man melts into a cuddly teddy bear.

  It’s now November, Noah is two months old and officially the cutest baby ever. The whole family is planning a getaway at the cabin. It’ll be a little crowded, but no one minds.

  My parents are in Paris on their honeymoon and even Chloe is coming to the cabin, with Max too. Amelia can’t wait to get everyone on the ice. I’m not so sure about giving skating another try, but I could never refuse anything my wife asks of me. The car ride up the mountain is not a fun experience, I think Noah screamed the whole way.

  Both Abbey and Noah are now sleeping soundly in the cabin as everyone unloads the cars. There’s about seven inches of new snow and it’s as beautiful as the day I proposed to Amelia. Asher and I get to work in the kitchen making everyone lunch. The girls are talking a mile a minute in the other room. Max, Samuel, Adrian, and Aiden are bringing in firewood.

  We all gather around the fire, eat our lunch, and make plans to go out to the pond to go ice skating after everything is cleaned up.

  Everyone is about to get bundled up, when Willow stands and asks for everyone’s attention. Asher takes his place next to her side and holds her hand.

  “Before we all head out, Asher and I want to talk to everyone about something,” she says, pauses, then looks up at her husband who is looking down at her with love.

  “We want to tell everyone that we found out a few weeks ago that we’re expecting,” she says.

  Everyone erupts in cheers. The girls all rush over and hug Willow, while the men shake Asher’s hand.

  It’s a cool, crisp day and several people from the surrounding cabins have gathered at the pond and are already skating.

  My mother-in-law, Samantha, agrees to stay back at the cabin and watch her grandchildren with Samuel. Amelia laces up her skates and is right at home skating around like a professional figure skater. She’s twirling and doing all sorts of fancy maneuvers. She sees me off to the side and skates over to me, grabs my hand, and pulls me back onto the ice. We skate together at a slow pace and join the rest of the family. We all huddled in a tight group, skating around the pond.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I see someone losing their balance heading right for Adrian at an alarming speed. I can’t get the words out fast enough, it’s like watching a train wreck.

  “Look out Adrian,” I yell.

  But it’s too late. They collide, sending the other skater to their bottom. It’s a woman judging by the outfit.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry. Are you alright? Here let me help you up,” Adrian says and bends over to help the woman up.

  We’ve all stop, then skate over and look the poor woman on her ass on the ice. The woman looks up and I’m confused by the angry look on her face. It was an accident after all and it was her fault. Adrian did apologize. What’s her problem?

  She swats his hand away and clumsily gets herself up on her skates. She takes her hand out of her glove, then smacks Adrian across the face. I’m just in shock that she’s taking this so far.

  “Hi, Doll,” Adrian says.

  Say what? Why is he calling her doll? I look to Amelia and she has an angry look on her face just like everyone else, except for Willow and Max, they look just as confused as I do.

  “Honey, why did he call her doll?” I whisper to Amelia.

  Adrian is massaging his face where the woman slapped him and has a goofy, smug grin on his face.

  “That’s Adrian’s ex-wife, Shay,” she tells me.

  The End

  The Running Into Love series will continue with:

  Adrian Wellington and Shay Bradshaw in

  Second Chance—Running Into Love Book Three

  You can find the recipes for, To Die for Pot Roast and Chocolate
Chip Pudding Cookies on my website.

  Acknowledgements:

  I want to thank you the reader for continuing to support me in this wild, crazy, amazing adventure.

  I want to thank my beta readers Adrianne, Erin, and Julie, you guys are amazing. Thank you so much for all of your valuable feedback. I love you all!

  Thank you Najla, from Najla Qamber Designs, for my amazing cover. It’s everything I envisioned and so much more. It’s absolutely beautiful, I love it.

  Thank you to my editor Sara, from Serendipity.

  Thank you Ena Burnette from Enticing Journey Book Promotions you are an amazing sweet person! You are awesome at what you do.

  Thank you Tami, from Integrity Formatting, you are so kind and wonderful!

  I want to thank my husband for supporting and loving me in everything I do. I love you so much.

  To my two boys, you are the light in my life that was given from above. Thank you for always standing by me and encouraging me to follow my dream.

  Julie Franke, thank you for always being a constant in my life. Thank you for always listening to me and encouraging me to live my dream. I love you to the moon and back.

  To my bff Julie (easy to keep them straight they’re both named Julie) I love you more than words can say.

  Kellie Montgomery from Eye Candy Bookstore, thank you for always being there for me when I need someone to talk to. Thank you for your friendship and your mad PR skills. You are a superstar!

  Di from Di’s Dazzling Dezines, thank you for the amazing, awesome Kindle Couch creations! I love them all and you SO much!!

  Alissa Glenn, thank you so much for your mad grammar skills! Thank you for proofreading and making my book shine!!

  Thank you again, readers, reviews, and bloggers for continuing to stay with me on this amazing journey. Thank you for continuing to read what the crazy characters in my head make me write. Thank you for all the wonderful personal messages, emails, and the reviews. I read each and every one of them. From the bottom of my heart thank you!