Finding Fate

by Charisse Spiers

  “Gigi!” he yells seconds later, the moment gone. I look up to her standing at the bottom of the porch steps in her jacket, waving at us with a smile on her face.

  Maddox opens his door and helps Madden out. “Go ahead, buddy. We’re right behind you.”

  He takes off without a second’s lapse. I can tell Maddox is emotional and trying to get himself together. “I wasn’t expecting that reaction.”

  He stares at me for a few seconds. “I’m telling you now, if that’s all he wants in life, get ready to be The Brady Bunch, because you’re going to stay knocked up.”

  I smile. “I guess it’s a good thing I’m Greek then. Big families are expected.” He just sits there staring at me, clearly still emotional. “Too soon for Greek jokes?”

  His smile finally breaks. “I was just sitting here thinking of how everything comes together so perfectly, as if it was always going to work out.”

  I nod my head. “Probably was. At some point I was going to be done waiting on your ass to come looking for me and go hunting. Only so many girls were getting freebies with my man before the guns were coming out.”

  He huffs, making me smile. He hates when I bring up the girls he’s been with, which makes it more fun. Most guys wouldn’t feel bad about it. He does. And that’s why I’m able to let it go and joke about it now.

  We’re slowly on the right track to fixing everything that went wrong. We got our prom dance at Riggan and Sayler’s wedding reception that was designed to be like a winter wonderland ball with ice sculptures and white twinkle lights and real swans for viewing in a massive fountain that was closed off so they couldn’t get out or people in. Right then I decided winter weddings are my favorite. Pictures came with it from the wedding photographer. I thought it was odd that for a few moments he took several pictures of us at their wedding, but the second I saw Sayler smile at Maddox, I knew they had worked that out, and I loved her more for it that she was so selfless on a day that should be all about her.

  It was everything I thought it’d be and more.

  I’d never seen a very pregnant bride, or gotten an upfront view to something so beautiful, but she was stunning in her long sleeve off-white dress with the entire chest, upper back, and sleeves made of a lace design. The bottom started just below her boobs and cascaded to the floor over her belly like a waterfall. It was slimming. It was elegant. It was beautiful. I even saw Riggan—someone so masculine with all of his tattoos—cry a little when she walked down the aisle.

  “I don’t know if it’s funnier that you aren’t joking or that you are,” he says, pulling me out of the memory. “You with a gun would be dangerous.”

  I smile. “As long as you know that I’d do anything to keep you mine. A girl steps onto my property I have every right to pull the trigger. It’s a law.”

  He grins at me. “I’m pretty sure by property they’re referring to real estate.”

  “Eh, it’s all in the eye of the beholder. I’ll just plead insanity after the fact. Everyone else does it.” The bulge sitting fat and happy on his groin catches my eye. I glance down, my lips spreading. My eyes meet his. “You like my crazy. Most men would run.”

  I love the heat in his stare. “Most men aren’t me, baby. Your possessiveness has always been a turn-on for me. I have a confession.”

  He’s so serious I become nervous, and considering the topic of our conversation, my thoughts escalate to dangerous. “Confessions are rarely good. Fuck. What? Just tell me.”

  “You remember that day when Konnor and Presley showed up with you in Miami? When I woke up to you gone, I thought you’d gotten a taste of us again and it wasn’t what you thought so you bolted.” He takes one look at me. “Yes, Gabby, I know it was stupid, especially now that I know that’s likely when you got pregnant, but I’ve never been able to think straight when it comes to you and that night meant everything to me.” I can’t help but smile. He knew better. A man’s ego is his downfall. He runs his hand over the top of his head. “When those girls were there and I knew I was dead where I stood after one look in your eyes, I was secretly hoping you’d do a little damage before you let them walk away. I know it’s wrong, but that day at the water park when you gave that lifeguard an ass whooping over me is still one of my favorite memories.”

  I grab my door handle and open the door, quickly getting out. “Where are you going?” he asks as I shut the door on his question. I can feel his eyes on me as I round the front of the car, and without a pause, I jerk his open and come inside the car, gripping the back of his neck as I lay one on him. He groans into my mouth as his kiss quickly turns needy.

  I pull away, laughing when he tries to fight me. “Since we’re reminiscing, do you remember that time you showed me the inside of one piece of your dad’s heavy logging equipment because I wanted to see what you do when you work with your dad? I never understood what operating heavy equipment meant.”

  His cheeks flush as he remembers. “The guys on my dad’s crew gave me shit for months after they found your handprints on the windows of the skidder from where we fogged them up. I was scared they were going to tell my dad. They wiped them down instead.”

  “I remember you telling me about that. We have some time before our flight. Want to reenact it?”

  His breathing turns rampant. “Go get on the four-wheeler while I get the shop keys and make up something to tell Mom and Dad.”

  “Have I ever told you how much I love that you go along with my crazy schemes?”

  “Your crazy schemes always benefit me and add to the best memories I have.”

  I glance down at his lap. “How are you going to hide that when you walk inside?”

  He smirks. “I’ve been hiding hard-ons from my parents since I started getting them. I’ll be fine.” Then he slaps my ass. “Now go.”

  I back out of the car and take off running. He’s right about one thing. All of our best memories have each other in them. I smile. I got him. We have a lifetime to make more.

  Sixty

  Presley

  Konnor grabs our luggage out of the back of the SUV. I jump up and down clapping as I stare out at the snow-covered roof of the cabin. I was worried we’d miss it. Now that we came here for a white Christmas last year, I’m not sure I ever want to change our tradition.

  The chimney is smoking, confirming it’s good and warm for us, and the lights are on, giving a soft glow against the beautiful mountainous backdrop of the Rockies. Riggan and Sayler have been here since their wedding. Since she’s due to have a baby in a little over a month, her doctor cleared her for flying, but not a long distance, so she asked if they could just come early and spend several days alone before everyone else joined. I think she wanted to stay true to the whole winter theme too.

  The back gate of the SUV closes and Konnor steps up beside me with a suitcase in each hand, mine the bigger of the two. “Can you believe it’s been an entire year since we’ve been here? So much has happened since then. We weren’t even married then, and now here we are, married and having a baby.”

  “Time flies when you’re having fun,” he says, making me laugh. No truer words ever spoken. One day we’ll be able to say we’ve spent a lifetime together. I wonder how many people can say that in the world.

  I glance at him. “Did you remember to get the most important part?”

  He leans over and kisses me. “Yes, baby. I got them.”

  I grin at the handsome man in his black half zip sweater and jacket and light wash jeans. He’s sexy when he wears black. I’ve always loved his inky black hair. I hope our baby gets it. “When are Maddox and Gabby going to be here? I can’t wait much longer. I’m dying to know if we’re right.”

  “I think their flight was scheduled right after ours. Depending on their layover compared to ours, they could already be here. They didn’t have to come as far since they left way earlier to take Madden to Maddox’s parents’ house.”

  I squeal. “Let’s go.”

  I start to take off runni
ng in my winter boots, but I don’t get very far before two arms wrap around me, halting me. My back hits a muscular chest. “No running. The driveway is covered in snow and ice.” His hands go to my baby bump, and the way he rubs it makes me want to go to sleep. “I can’t handle you slipping and falling. You’re carrying our baby.”

  My shoulders fall. “You’re right. I’m just excited. Let me roll a suitcase. It’ll slow me down.”

  The door to the cabin opens and Maddox walks outside in a long sleeve shirt and jeans with no jacket. He shivers but continues to walk toward us. I pull up the handle of Konnor’s suitcase as Konnor picks up mine. “Leave it,” Maddox says, taking it from me. “Pregnant girls don’t carry heavy shit.”

  “I was going to roll it. Konnor scolded me for running so I figured it’d help. How long have you guys been here?”

  He shivers again. “About thirty minutes.”

  “Where is your jacket?”

  “Inside. Gabby said y’all pulled up and for me to see if Konnor needed help with luggage. I went outside without thinking about the fact we’re not in the south anymore. I’m not used to this kind of cold. My nutsack is going to be a raisin because my nuts are in my stomach.”

  I laugh, because I’ve heard Konnor say stuff like that a lot. Last time was when he stepped in the cold shower because I turned the water on for us and remembered I had not put the clean towels in the linen closet yet. Instead of making sure the water was warm or turning it off completely, I just left the bathroom. I came back to him yelling cuss words. Pregnant brain really is a thing.

  Konnor smirks. “Thermals, bro. Your nuts will thank you. Buy some before we go skiing when the girls go into the city for shopping and spa day the day after Christmas. All I’ve heard about is after Christmas sales since we started packing.”

  “Hey, just because I can buy with no limit doesn’t mean I don’t try to save money. Why would I not want to get more for less?”

  “You gonna give the baby hypothermia or let the girl come inside?” Gabby shouts from the doorway, making me smile. I love her personality. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like her. She has zero filter, more so than me, and doesn’t give a damn what anyone thinks about her. She radiates a fun aura that makes you just want to be in her space, and she’s an amazing mom to that little boy. To a stranger looking in, you’d think he’d been with her since birth. It’s a miracle she’s even a nice person after everything she’s been through. She has the patience of a saint even when he’s full of energy, and she’s got Maddox wrapped around her finger, even if she doesn’t know it. I’ve known him for a while now, and I’ve seen him with girls, but the second she came into the picture he was a totally different person.

  Maddox can see my amusement, wearing a massive grin of his own. “Remember that expression when you want to judge me for how I feel about her.”

  “I’ve done no such thing. I love her too. She’s one of my husband’s best friends, and he’s never been that close to a girl aside from me. I can’t even be jealous because I feel the same way.”

  He glances back at her. “Quit your gripin’, woman. That kid is probably warmer than any of us!” he says, immediately ducking like he’s dodging a flying ball. I laugh, unable to help it, because the second it came out of his mouth the door shuts and she comes walking toward us like a woman on a mission, her blonde hair swinging. Maddox has always had that easygoing personality full of humor. It’s why everyone likes him. He makes friends with anyone.

  Me and Konnor are good. We’ve been here dozens of times. We’re wearing insulated jackets and layers. We could probably stand out here for thirty minutes before really getting cold. He grins at me where she can’t see him. “Not a fucking word from either of you.”

  She steps up next to him and crosses her arms over her chest, clearly freezing in only a sweater, not even giving him a second glance. “How was your flight?” she asks, her lips quivering. Maddox steps behind her and puts his arms around her to warm her up. She tries to shrug him off. “Go away.”

  He just tightens his hold instead of letting go. “I was just kidding, baby.”

  “You’ll remember how much I gripe when you’re cold tonight.”

  “I won’t be cold. I sleep where you sleep.”

  “Until I lock you out and you have to find a couch somewhere.”

  “Yeah? You don’t think I know how to sext message? You’ll let me in when that pussy’s wet.”

  She rolls her eyes, making me laugh harder, because she looks at Konnor. “How are you friends with him?” Then she shoves her backside against his pelvis, trying to knock him back, but he’s holding on pretty tight even if he wasn’t twice her size. “Puh-lease. I’ve had that hundreds of times, today included. A night without won’t kill me. Would you get off me?”

  “I love you,” he says. His smile hasn’t disappeared yet.

  Her bored expression is priceless. Even Konnor laughs. “Try harder.”

  He leans in closer to her ear and whispers something we can’t hear, making her face flush like it’s ninety degrees out here. Without warning, she grabs Konnor’s suitcase and starts rolling it toward the house as if he wasn’t holding her hostage at all. When the door slams, Konnor says, “What did you even say to her? I’ve never seen her face that shade of red.”

  You’d think Maddox was high based on the grin he’s wearing. “Like I’m going to tell you and make groveling easy for you. You put in your time with fucking up like the rest of us. I’ve gone without a lot of pussy in the past from her being pissed at me before I figured out how to work it in my favor. I’m not giving trade secrets, but don’t come looking for a thirty minute minimum unless you want to see how I kept a girl like her.”

  “Luck,” Konnor teases. “Pure fucking luck.”

  He laughs, grabbing my suitcase out of Konnor’s hand, and then turns and walks back toward the cabin, throwing over his shoulder, “Probably a lot of that too.”

  I pull each side of my jacket closed, the chill starting to sink in a little. Konnor wraps his arm around me and leads me toward the front door. “The real question is, can you believe this is our family? I would have never seen this as our life had you asked me way back when what I’d be doing in ten years.”

  I sigh in contentment as he reaches for the doorknob. “I know. Isn’t it great? I like our people. A lot.”

  “Me too,” he says, pulling me closer. “But we can keep that between me and you. Their egos don’t need to be any bigger.”

  Laughter tumbles out of me. “I must say, husband, I agree with you.”

  Christmas in Tahoe. I think it’s going to be a permanent fixture in our lives. At least, I hope.

  Sixty-One

  Gabby

  I dance and sing along to the Christmas music playing through the house as I stir the chocolate milk that’s heating on low in a pot on the stove, blissfully happy. For so long Christmas has been a bad time of year for me. I’m almost scared to enjoy it.

  I grab the pot by the handle and turn around to the coffee mugs set out, my eyes meeting with Konnor’s, who’s standing on the other side of the bar where he’s leaned over the kitchen island. “Anyone ever told you singing is not your calling?”

  “Bite me, asshole.”

  “I could, but I don’t think The Hulk would like that very much, and since he is a lot bigger than me, I’d rather not set him off again. That beast needs to stay caged.”

  “That would be no fun. I did warn you, though.”

  “Like anyone would have believed you. He’s happy all the fucking time, until someone flips his Gabby switch.”

  I pour the heated milk chocolate into the festive holiday mugs for me and the girls, since spiked eggnog is out of the question. Bummer. I love that stuff. “You ought to have seen him this one time when he snuck me out for the night and an older guy from school called my phone after midnight because he was drunk at a party and wanted to ask me out.”

  He smirks. “He answer the phone?” />
  “Yep. After I tossed it at his head and told him he could shove it up his ass because he accused me of talking to guys behind his back. Didn’t even stick around to see what he had to say. Didn’t really care at the time. He pissed me off. He picked me up about a mile down the road because I was walking home.”

  “And? Don’t stop there.”

  I grab the bag of miniature marshmallows and top off each cup, before reaching for the peppermint sticks. “He put his truck in park and jumped out, leaving the door open. I didn’t stop. Guess I was more important than the truck, because he followed me for a good ten minutes running his mouth before I told him to go home because it was over.” I glance up at Konnor with a villainous smile. “I was full of shit. I was never going to break up with him over something that stupid, but just once I wanted him to know how that felt after he did it to me when he found out I was thirteen. He didn’t have to know I would have taken it back had my plan backfired. He cried and apologized a million times, even though he’d probably kill me if he knew I told you.” I zone out as I think. “Still probably the best sex we’ve had to date. He never did that shit again, though, or questioned my faithfulness.”

  “Funny how much I can picture all that in my head like a comedy,” Konnor says. I grab a handful of marshmallows and throw them at him, making him laugh. “On a serious note, all those nights with Autumn, I used to wonder why you never brought guys home. I didn’t know many girls like that. So much makes sense now.”

  “I tried. Everything. Dates. Hook ups. Going to parties in groups. Especially after I turned eighteen and it was obvious he wasn’t coming back. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t wrap my mind around letting that happen with a guy when I was in love with someone else. They never compared. They never made me laugh or my heart race. I never felt nervous. They never hooked me with a simple glance like he did. I love the push and pull with him. The fighting as much as getting along. That’s why I was so angry when those two girls walked out of your house that morning dressed like sluts. It was a reminder that I could never let myself step out on him like that even when I knew he probably was. He was raised the conservative one and I got the paralyzing conscience. I think that’s why me and you hit it off. That night in my car after Presley walked in the bathroom on us, when you started telling me about everything with her, it brought back so many memories for me. I could see your head was a mess, and I know I gave you shit about Autumn a lot, but it’s because I was jealous you could silence the guilt just long enough to live messy. Ya know?”