by Layne, Lyssa
Katy smiled, assuming he meant before their normal make-out session, and leaned down to answer that she was all for it. He kissed her softly, but then leaned back looking into her eyes.
“Katy, I want to make love to you.”
Suddenly, her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. Rich kissed her again softly, calming her nerves in a way only he could do. “If you’re ready. If not, no worries. I’ll enjoy you another way.”
Katy’s face felt warm and she slid off the counter, his body pinned her against the counter. She kissed him again and then took his hand, leading him to his bedroom. He grinned as he followed behind her obediently.
***
Katy moaned in pleasure as she bucked her hips against Rich and she felt herself climax...again. They’d never made it back to dinner. She rolled off him, lying flat on the back, her chest heaving as she caught her breath. He rolled to his side, sliding his hand over hers, linking their fingers and kissed her shoulder.
Katy smiled and in between breaths asked, “Remind me why we waited?”
He laughed. “Because I’m a gentleman.”
Katy leaned up on her elbows. “Right, that thing with your tongue and fingers together didn’t seem very gentlemanly.”
He laughed and kissed her. “Hungry?”
As he asked, her stomach let out a loud growl. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
He stood up and Katy watched his naked body as he walked to the kitchen. She leaned over the edge of the bed to maintain the view. She laid back with a grin on her face and stared at the ceiling, enjoying the moment.
When Rich came back in the room, he sat beside her and gave her a bite of pasta. She moaned again, her taste buds firing in pleasure this time. He fed her a few more bites in between kisses along her chest.
He waited for her to finish her bite then asked, “How’d it go with Menotti?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Did you have anything to do with it?”
He held up his hands to show his innocence. “As much as I’d love to have you in the same city, Menotti makes his own decisions. He was very impressed with the way you worked on the valve replacement.”
That was exactly what Katy wanted to hear. Dr. Menotti had called her into his office to offer her a job at the hospital starting in October. She was as much honored as she was shocked. She had hoped it wasn’t Rich’s doing, because she still wasn’t ready for anything serious quite yet.
Rich kissed her again. “Are you considering it?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t say no.”
He grinned. “You know, I hear Baltimore is a great place to start over.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Andy, the Garrity ladies, his grandson, and Anthony Monroe were enjoying the Labor Day holiday at his house. While Abby’s clan debated baby names, Andy and Katy sat on the back porch watching Nicky dig in the dirt.
“You seem happy,” Andy said almost like an accusation.
She looked at her father-in-law and gave him a soft smile. “I am, I really am. After Nick died, I didn’t think I’d ever be happy again, but I’ve finally come to peace with him and I’ve found my happy place.”
Andy patted her hand. “Good, that’s what I want to hear.”
He left his hand on hers as they watched Nicky chasing Duke around the yard. She was grateful for everything he’d done for her. She knew he was lonely and that his sons’ families were all he had left, but it was time Katy start to think about herself.
Duke started barking toward the fence. Katy looked in that direction and saw Jesse standing with a bouquet of roses in his hand. Andy called Duke and picked up Nicky. He patted Katy’s hand again. “I’m inside if you need me.”
***
Jesse slowly walked over to Katy and offered her the flowers. She accepted them, burying her nose in them and taking in their sweet scent. Setting them on the table, she hugged him close. They hadn’t seen each other since he’d come into the ER a couple months ago.
He hugged her tightly, not wanting to release her, knowing when he did he’d have to start groveling. Katy felt the same urge to prolong the moment, but for totally different reasons. He leaned back, still holding her at the waist.
“Katy Garrity, I’m ready to be 100% honest with you,” he said and pulled out a chair for her to sit down.
She took a seat and Jesse took her hand as he began to tell her about his past. “Eight years ago, I did what I did every night when I got off work. Nick and I went to O’Malley’s, had a few beers, and that night, I took home a college co-ed named Rachel.” Jesse’s eyes stared at the ground as he spoke, too ashamed to see Katy’s reaction.
“Four years ago, I received an email from Rachel asking if we could meet up again.” Although they’d only spent one night together, Jesse remembered her clearly. She was an education major and she definitely looked like a kindergarten teacher. Maybe five feet five inches, she had the darkest brown eyes with matching hair and naturally tan skin.
The night they spent together, she repeatedly told him that she didn’t normally go home with guys she just met, but she had broken up with her boyfriend and was trying new things. New things they tried, she was open to about anything Jesse suggested which made for an interesting and very fun evening.
“I met her in the city for dinner. She told me that she’d finished her degree and was teaching in a small suburb in Jersey. After dinner, she informed me that apparently the condom broke and she’d gotten pregnant.”
Katy’s hand squeezed his and he looked up into her concerned face. He relaxed slightly as he saw her expression. He should have known Katy wouldn’t be upset with his past actions.
“She showed me a picture of a gap-toothed little girl with my green eyes and jet black hair. Her name is Sophia. Katy, I was shocked! I thought it was going to be a blast from the past, not that I was going to leave there a father.”
He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair as he continued. “I called Nick as soon as I left her and he met me for a beer. Nick tried to convince me to man up and do the right thing. It took me a few months before I took his advice and called her.”
Katy took his hand in both of hers, rubbing it gently while he tried to find the courage to tell her the rest of the story.
“I started visiting Sophia once a month. It was a far cry from being a father, but I was just trying to figure out the whole situation that had been sprung on me. I didn’t want to be a dad, I was still living the bachelor life and enjoying it too much. ”
Jesse tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He’d never told anyone about Sophia and Rachel except Nick. His buddy swore he’d take it to the grave with him, and he did. Despite what Missey said to him at the St. Paddy’s Ball, he knew Nick would never have told her.
Now came the hard part. Jesse looked into Katy’s eyes as he started again. “Right after I gave up my apartment and moved in with you and Nicky, Rachel found out she had cancer. At Christmas, the doctors gave her six months to live. Rach and I talked and agreed I’d raise Sophia when she passed. Rachel passed away in April. That’s when all the legalities began. As much as I love you, Kate, I’m all Sophia has and I had to fight for her. I didn’t want her bouncing from foster home to foster home, but the court wouldn’t let me take her since I lived in another state.”
When Jesse finished, Katy wiped her eyes and sat back in shock. He showed her a picture of his seven-year-old daughter. She ran her thumb over the little girl’s face. “Jesse, she’s beautiful.”
He nodded proudly. “I can’t wait for you and Nicky to meet her. I found the perfect house for us just outside of Brooklyn. It’s just like my parents’ place, with a fence, great school district, and room for more kids if we want.”
Katy looked at him confused. “What?”
“Well, there isn’t enough room for all of us in the house now, so I started looking for something else.” He saw her expression and frowned. “If you don’t like it, we can find something else.
Really, Katy, wherever you and Nicky are, that’s where Sophia and I want to be.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about this before? I would have supported you, helped you.”
“I didn’t want to burden you. It was my issue and I needed to take care of it.”
She leaned her forehead against his. “Raising Nicky as a single mother was my issue, but I let you help me.”
He nodded. “I know. I guess my pride got in the way.”
Jesse kissed her gently. She moved her hands to the sides of his cheeks and kissed him back. He’d missed her familiar kiss. Like the last time they saw each other, they kissed endlessly, making up for lost time.
Jesse mumbled, “I love you.”
Instinctively, Katy whispered the same thing. Jesse kissed her one more time then moved to the ground, kneeling on one knee. He reached in his pocket and pulled out the diamond and ruby engagement ring he’d bought for her birthday.
He looked up into her eyes. “Katherine Olivia Malone Garrity, you and our children are my entire world. I can’t stand to be away from you for another day. I know I’m not Nick, but I will do everything I can to be the man you deserve. Kate, will you marry me?”
Katy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Jesse had finally gotten his act together and come around, but it was too late. She’d accepted the Hopkins offer. She and Nicky were moving to Baltimore.
EPILOGUE
Katy rubbed Alayna’s pregnant belly as they sat in Andy’s living room. She felt the baby kick her hand and she smiled. She’d forgotten what it felt like to have a baby kick her belly. She hoped one day she got to feel it again inside her.
“Isn’t it amazing?” Katy asked her niece.
Alayna nodded. “It’s crazy that there’s a person...growing inside me!”
Nora rolled her eyes from across the room. “Yeah, Layney, that’s what being pregnant means!”
Alayna threw a pillow at her sister. Their mother, who was cuddling on the couch with Anthony, scolded the girls to stop because Andy was trying to put Nicky to bed. Things seemed to be going well between Abby and Anthony. Abby invited Katy to stop by and see the nursery before she flew back to Baltimore.
Katy kissed Alayna’s belly, then told everyone good night. Tomorrow was the day of the New York City Marathon. She’d been training all summer for it and tomorrow was the test. She walked up to Nick’s old bedroom, where she was staying and saw Andy holding a sleeping Nicky.
He smiled as he saw her and whispered, “I was just telling him about his father’s winning touchdown pass in the state championship.”
Katy rubbed her son’s back. “Looks like he wasn’t interested.”
Andy shrugged. “Well, he can always take after his dad as a firefighter.”
Katy narrowed her eyes at him, her hands on his hips. He laughed and kissed her cheek. “I’m teasing, Katy Bug. Get some sleep.”
He left the bedroom to lay his grandson down and Katy crawled into Nick’s familiar bed. Every time she lay in this spot, she felt a pang of sadness because she’d slept more times in the bed without him than with him.
Blinking her eyes open, she panicked that she forgot to bring her Garmin. She jumped out of bed, digging in her suitcase to locate it. Sliding her hand over the inside pocket, her fingers touched an envelope hidden in the corner. Pulling it out, her heart raced as she read her name scribbled in Nick’s handwriting. He must have slipped it into this bag, which was supposed to be her hospital bag. However, due to the circumstances, the luggage had never made it to the hospital.
She leaned against the bed and rubbed her finger over her husband’s penmanship. It wasn’t until she saw a drop of water land on the paper that she realized she was crying. Slowly, she flipped the envelope over and pulled out the letter which had been tucked inside for almost two years.
To my beautiful wife and mother of my son,
To think that this time last year, we didn’t even know each other, and today, we are welcoming our son to our family. From the moment I saw you tending to Doyle, I knew you would be the mother of my children. Of course, I didn’t want to tell you that until now because I was worried you’d run away and I’d never see you again.
It’s been an amazing ten months and I cannot imagine life without you. I know when we met, you were scared to love, but I thank God every day that you gave me your heart. I understand your worry and while I can’t promise to always come home to you safely, I promise I will always handle your heart with care. If one day, I shouldn’t make it home, know that I will always love you and watch over you and our son.
Katherine, you have completed my life by becoming my wife and now giving me this precious child. My only goal is to make sure you know how much you are loved. I am looking forward to all the adventures ahead of us that we’ll experience hand in hand.
Katy, thank you for our son, thank you for loving my family, and more than anything, thank you for making an exception to your “no dating firefighters” rule. I love you more than you’ll ever know.
Gra Go Deo,
Nick
She sighed and closed her eyes as tears poured down her cheeks. She could picture him giving her a pep talk for her race tomorrow. He’d always supported her when he was alive and was her biggest fan, even after he was gone.
***
Katy was at mile twenty. She’d flown through the first half of the course no problem. She was able to see Andy and the girls about every four or five miles. It was nice to see familiar faces with signs cheering her on. She hadn’t seen them since mile nineteen and knew she probably wouldn’t see them again until the finish line.
Her feet were getting heavy and she could feel a blister growing on both her big toes. Her body was chafing in places she didn’t want to think about and she was sick of eating energy gel. She only had a 10k left to run so she tried to distract herself from the miles ahead of her and started thinking about all the miles she’d put behind her.
She stumbled on a slick spot on the course and smiled. When she had slipped on a sheet of black ice and landed on Nick, that’s when she’d known she was going to marry him. He was everything she never knew she wanted or needed. He treated her like a queen, he loved her, he loved their unborn son, and she was looking forward to growing their family together. She spent the first few months after he died being furious at him. How could he have left her like he did? She wasn’t strong enough to raise their son alone. She needed him more than ever during that time, but there was no bringing him back.
Katy glanced at her Garmin and saw it roll over to twenty-one miles. It turned out she hadn’t had to raise Nicky alone, Jesse had stepped into Nick’s role taking care of both of them. She’d fallen in love with him and started imagining their life together, slowly pushing Nick out her mind. She hated doing that, but she knew it was the only way to move forward. Then Jesse blindsided her by running away. He’d had good reason, she understood once he explained everything, but by then she had made up her mind to start over.
Twenty-two rolled onto her watch. Four miles to go. Then there was sweet, gentle, Southern Rich. He was like no other man she’d ever met. He was a true gentleman, never pressuring Katy to do anything she didn’t decide on her own. He let her set the pace in their relationship, which she appreciated. She also loved the fact that intellectually and professionally, they were on the same page and he constantly challenged her to be a better doctor.
Katy saw that she only had a 5k left to run. She picked up the pace slightly despite her aching hips and sore soles. She pictured her father. He was the one who started this whole mess of men in her life. If he hadn’t died, she wouldn’t even know any of them. She would be married to Jeremiah with a couple kids of their own by now, competing with him to be the top doctor at the hospital.
Mile twenty-four. Jeremiah had always been good to her. When her father died, he stayed by her side and took care of her even when she pushed him away. She broke his heart when she married Nick, yet he’d comforted her again wh
en her husband died and had brought her son into the world. Jeremiah had taken the news of her move better than she’d expected. He wished her the best, promised to come visit, and told her he’d met someone. He wouldn’t give her any details other than he was happy and he thought she was the one.
One mile left and Katy’s runner’s kick turned on. She looked into the crowd and saw Andy and the girls jumping up and down, urging her on. She turned into the final stretch and saw Jeremiah and Tiffany clapping and screaming at the top of their lungs. About fifty feet from the finish line, she heard his Southern drawl first before she saw Rich shouting her name.
She crossed the finish line, tears streaming down her face. She hobbled out of the chute and looked up to see her son. He was clapping excitedly and holding a medal that he placed around his mother’s neck. She kissed him and held him on her hip, despite how much her entire body hurt.
“Awesome job, babe! I’m so proud of you!”
He placed his arm around her shoulders and squeezed her tightly. Katy rested her head on his upper chest. In this moment, all was right. She had accomplished her goal of running a marathon. She was a cardiothoracic surgeon at one of the most prestigious hospitals in the country. She was the proud mother of an ornery little boy whom she loved more than she’d ever be able to tell him and she was in the arms of the man she loved.
Andy took Nicky from her and her son’s grandpa teared up as he said, “Katy Bug, I’m so proud of you.” A lump formed in Katy’s chest as she knew her father-in-law’s words meant so much more.
