by Melody Anne
She looked over Molly’s head, her eyes connecting with his and gave him a completely unguarded smile and he couldn’t resist pulling them both into his arms. He vowed to always keep them safe.
“Thank you, Trenton. Thank you so much, I love you,” she sobbed, which shook him to his very core. She’d never spoken those words, before. He knew she was vulnerable at that moment but he knew it was right. He knew they were going to be okay. He kissed her gently, wanting to feel her soft lips beneath his own, wanting to make sure the moment was real. Molly giggled, breaking their spell and he kissed her on the nose, which caused her to giggle even more.
“I need to talk to my family and then we’ll have a big dinner to celebrate,” he told Jennifer, kissing her again. She smiled at him and took Molly upstairs, he was sure to bathe her and check every square inch of her body. He headed over to his father, needing to speak to him.
Just as he was about to pull him aside, there was a knock on the door and the agent he’d called stepped inside with a huge smile on his face.
“We caught the guy. The idiot was in a rundown vehicle that wouldn’t start so he was still in the area. He was barely older than a teenager and trying to make some easy money. The good news is I don’t think he had any desire to hurt the child, but he will still be locked up for a very long time and your family has nothing to worry about,” the agent said.
“Thank you for your hard work. I’ll let my wife know,” Trenton said, shaking the man’s hand. He left them and Trenton pulled his father aside, needing to talk to him. They took a walk outside and as if his father knew he needed to gather his thoughts, he walked silently next to him.
“Dad, I’ve been really unfair to you. When we lost mom, I couldn’t cope with the pain, so I withdrew from the world, including you. I knew it wasn’t your fault but you were my father and I did blame you, and I’m sorry. I never thought about the pain you must’ve been experiencing, but now with Jennifer in my life, I can’t imagine what it would be like to lose the love of your life. I’m sorry for pulling away, and I’m sorry for the pain you must still live with today,” Trenton told his father.
“I love you, Trenton. Those words mean more to me than you could ever imagine. I also withdrew from everyone, just trying to figure out life without your mother. I loved her more than anything in this world. She was my rock, and the glue holding us together, but I think we’re on the mend. I think we’re still the family we’ve always been. We just got lost for a while,” George said.
The two men gave a genuine hug, feeling the pain begin to fade and it was again like things were when his mother was still alive. Trenton felt complete
“I need to talk to Jennifer,” he said and jogged into the house. He couldn’t wait even one minute more to hold his wife in his arms. He needed to shout his love to the ends of the world and he needed her forgiveness for the way he’d held back from her, because nothing else mattered if she wasn’t by his side. He’d been so afraid of opening his heart, he’d almost passed on the greatest relationship he could possibly be in. He loved her, she gave him something he didn’t even know he’d needed until she was a part of his life.
He quickly scaled the stairs and found her in Molly’s room. She must’ve been exhausted from her day, because she was sound asleep and Jennifer was rubbing her head, staring down at her. He walked over to both of them and rubbed along Jennifer’s back.
“She was tired so I gave her a bath. There’s not a single bruise on her, thank goodness. I laid her down and she was out instantly. I haven’t been able to leave her side, though,” she said.
“She’ll be fine, now. Come with me, I want to talk,” he spoke softly. She looked up, startled by the tone of his voice and then reluctantly rose from the bed and followed him over to their room.
“What is it?” she asked nervously. She was afraid her declaration of love may have scared him.
“Jennifer, today has been the worst day of my life. I’ve never been so scared. You and Molly have become such an important part of my life, and I can’t imagine being without both of you,” he started, and her worried frown disappeared.
“We feel the same,” she told him cautiously, not sure where the conversation was leading.
“I’m sorry for the way I’ve acted with you. I’ve guarded myself for so long I haven’t known any other way, but the thought of losing Molly today woke me up. I love her and would love to adopt her, making her my official daughter. I also love you Jennifer, and want to make this marriage a real thing,” he said, watching her face. It took her a few moments to understand what he was saying and then she surprised him, by leaping into his arms.
“Yes, Trenton! Yes, a million times over. I love you so much and I want this to be about us and nothing else,” she cried, filled with joy.
“I also want about twenty more little Molly’s running around,” he said with a huge grin. Her eyes widened at his words and her heart burst to overflowing.
“I don’t know about twenty, but I think I could manage one more in about seven months,” she said and waited for her words to sink in. His eyes grew large and then he surprised her by dropping to his knees and grabbing the bottom of her shirt, lifting it up to look at her still flat stomach. “It’s too soon for me to be showing yet,” she added with a giggle.
“You really are pregnant?” he asked her with hope shinning in his eyes.
“I haven’t taken a test, yet, but I’ve missed my last two cycles, and I’ve had horrible morning sickness.”
“Thank you, Jennifer. You’ve given me so much more than I could have ever imagined I would even want. I love you and I’ll protect you the rest of your life,” he promised. He kissed her stomach reverently, causing the tears to spill from her eyes. She was filled with more joy than she ever thought could be possible. They made slow, sweet love and made the family wait on them for quite a while. None of them minded one little bit.
Epilogue
“We have done really well,” George said quietly, as he held his tiny granddaughter in his arms. She was only two weeks old and the most precious thing in his life. “I can’t believe I have two beautiful granddaughters in only a year’s time,” he said with awe.
“Well, us Andersons have never been known to do anything by half measures,” Joseph said, holding one of his own grandkids. Both men would be extremely happy to have a child in their arms daily for the rest of their lives.
“Jennifer’s such a wonderful woman and she loves Trenton so much. Since she’s come into his life, I see my boy happy and filled with life once again,” George said. He’d grown close to his daughter-in-law. She was a true ray of sunshine.
“Grandpa, it’s time for dinner,” Molly said, as she ran into the room. “Dad says they’re going to eat everything if you don’t hurry,” she finished.
Jennifer and Trenton had officially adopted Molly and she’d started calling them mom and dad one day. They hadn’t made a big deal out of it but George saw the joy in both of their faces that Molly loved them so much.
“Okay, baby girl, we’re coming,” he reassured her. She ran off ahead of them. The two brothers walked into the huge dining room, where their family was surrounding a huge table. There was laughter throughout the room and the men took in their family with a sense of joy and peace, unlike anything else they’d ever achieved in their many years.
“No amount of money can replace a great family,” Joseph said.
“Agreed,” George said, patting his brother on the back. “Thank you for bringing us together, again.
“So, who’s next?” Joseph asked with glee. He couldn’t wait to get started on the next kid.
“I’m thinking it’s time for Max to settle down. He’s certainly been coming around more since we moved, but we still haven’t gotten back to where we once were, and I think a good woman would fix things,” George answered.
“Well then, we’ll have to figure out a plan after diner,” Joseph said. As if Max knew they were talking about him he looked up
and gave them a suspicious look. The kids were getting slightly suspicious since they were all falling so quickly. If they could confirm their suspicions, the two men would be in serious trouble.
“Let’s enjoy a great meal,” George said and then the two men joined their family.
See Melody’s Other Titles
Billionaire Bachelors Series
*The Billionaire Wins the Game
*The Billionaire’s Dance
*The Billionaire Falls
*The Billionaire’s Marriage Proposal
Baby for the Billionaire
+The Tycoon’s Revenge
+The Tycoon’s Vacation
+The Tycoon’s Proposal
Young Adult Fantasy Book
=Midnight Fire – Rise of the Dark Angel Book One
Royal Family Unknown
Coming Soon:
*The Billionaire gets Rescued
=Midnight Moon – Rise of the Dark Angel Book Two
Exert From Billionaire Wins the Game
Prologue
“It’s just not right Katherine!” Joseph slammed his fist down on the table, making the dinnerware shake.
“Those kids simply don’t listen to us, not one of them. Can’t they see we aren’t getting any younger? I should’ve had grandbabies bouncing on my knees years ago.” Katherine smiled to herself as she listened to her husband complain about his disobedient children.
She knew what he said was nothing but empty words. He adored their kids as much as she did. She had to agree with him though that women holding babies would be an excellent addition to the house. She’d always dreamed of rocking grandkids and chasing down toddlers.
“Now Joseph, you know if you go meddling again the boys are going to disown you,” Katherine warned her husband.
“If they don’t do something about this grandbaby situation I’m going to disown them,” he growled, though with zero conviction in his voice.
“Since you retired last year you’ve had way too much time on your hands Joseph Anderson. The boys have all been tossed a lot of responsibility already. Are you sure you want to add more to their plates?” she finished, knowing the answer already.
“The boys are ready for love and marriage. They just need a helping push.”
The decision had been made. He would have at least one grandchild in his empty house before Christmas.
Katherine suppressed her sigh, knowing there was nothing she could say that would change her willful husband’s mind. Where did he think their sons’ acquired that particular trait? Even with their flaws she couldn’t possibly love any of them, including her husband, more than she already did.
“Lucas will be first,” Joseph said in his booming voice startling Katherine out of her reverie. “I’ve already found him the perfect bride.”
Joseph leaned back in his chair with a very pleased expression on his face. Finally he had a project to keep himself occupied, with the prize of grandkids as a reward. Lucas was in for some wild adventures come Monday morning.
Chapter One
“You can do this. Walk in there with complete confidence. Who cares if this family is worth more than Bill Gates and Donald Trump combined. You were hired for this position and you need this job.” Amy Harper continued to lecture herself on the elevator ride up to the twenty-fifth floor.
She brushed the few strands of escaped golden hair from her face, more out of nervousness than necessity. She considered herself to be of average looks and actually tried to downplay the assets she’d been given. She wanted to be respected, not lusted after like her mother. She had long hair that she couldn’t find the will to cut off, although when out she always placed it in an unflattering bun.
She always hid her curves from the world. She’d been well endowed, in what an ex-boyfriend had called all the right places. Her green eyes gave away every emotion that she was feeling and no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t manage to eliminate, what she considered, a fatal flaw.
She still couldn’t believe she’d been hired as executive secretary for Lucas Anderson. Anyone who’d lived within a thousand mile radius of Seattle Washington knew who the Andersons were. Their company had many different divisions, which required a very large staff. They dealt in everything from construction and farming, to high end corporate takeovers. Although their headquarters were in the US, they did business all around the world and she was excited to be a part of it all.
As she made the long ride up in the elevator her mind flashed back to the previous week when she’d interviewed for the job.
Her interview with the head of the family had terrified her, but she’d found he was a really decent guy. He was kind and if she’d met him at a café instead of his million dollar mansion she wouldn’t have even known he was worth more than royalty.
She’d gone to his place expecting a very formal interview with a rigid man. She’d been pleasantly surprised by the reality. He’d welcomed her into his home and seemed to care more about her as a person than what was on her resume. That was a good thing considering she’d recently graduated college and the only other jobs she’d held had been anything but corporate.
She’d originally met Joseph at a college fair towards the end of her senior year and he’d given her his card and told her to call after graduation. She’d done so and he got her in for an interview faster than she’d ever imagined possible. She assumed it was because she’d graduated in the top five percent of her class.
Amy snapped back to the present as the elevator chimed her arrival. “Do not blow this job Amy. If it all works out you could have that child you want so badly by Christmas time next year.” With her final words of encouragement to herself she took a deep breath and waited for the doors to open.
When she stepped onto the twenty-fifth floor she was momentarily paralyzed with fear. It was the most beautiful office she’d ever seen. The doors opened up to a massive lobby area with a round cherry wood desk. Behind the desk was a stunning blonde who looked more efficient than Amy ever hoped to be. She felt increasingly frumpy and inadequate as she stepped forward.
Behind the desk was a hallway to the right, where she assumed the offices were.
“Can I help you?” the woman asked Amy.
Amy snapped out of her temporary paralysis and walked forward. “Yes, I’m Amy Harper. I’m the new executive secretary for Mr. Anderson. I start today,” she finished with as much confidence as she could rally.
The woman looked at her blankly for a moment before finally reaching for her phone. “Mr. Anderson, I have Amy Harper here who says she’s your new executive secretary.” She paused for a few moments, “okay…yes sir.”
She hung up the phone and turned back towards Amy, “Mr. Anderson says he already has an executive secretary and has hired no one new. He also said if you’re a reporter, trying for another story on his family, all his answers are no comment.” The woman looked dismissively at Amy and then said “have a nice day Ms. Harper.”
She didn’t give Amy another glance. She just turned towards her computer and acted like Amy wasn’t in the room. As far as she was concerned Amy was dismissed.
“Um, excuse me,” Amy looked at the secretary’s name plate. “Shelly, I was interviewed last week by Mr. Anderson. He told me to be in the office at eight am sharp, so you may want to just check again,” she said a little bit more powerfully. Shelly glanced up, as if shocked the disturbing woman was still there.
Just then the elevator chimed and in walked an older woman with smiling blue eyes. “You must be Amy. I’m sorry that I’m late. I got stuck behind an auto accident,” the woman said as she approached. “My name’s Esther and I will be working with you this week, getting you all trained to be on your own. Joseph called me and let me know he found my perfect replacement,” she said with humor in her voice.
Amy took a deep breath and felt some relief that the job really wasn’t just in her imagination. “It’s so good to meet you Esther. I was a little nervous when Shelly said there was n
o job,” she finished, not even glancing at the secretary.
Esther looked over at the woman in question with disapproval. “She answers the phones here temporarily and didn’t know that I’m retiring. I’m sorry about any lack of communication,” she said. It was obvious there wasn’t any love lost between the two of them.
“Walk with me and I’ll show you your new office. You should love it but if you want to make any changes please feel free to do so. You’ll be spending many hours in there, as I’m sure Joseph already told you, so it needs to be comfortable for you.”
They walked down the hallway and through a large oak doorway into a massive office. Was everything in the building done on a much grander scale than your average building? There were floor to ceiling windows against the back wall, letting the early morning light shine through. She was grateful for the natural light.
In the middle of the room was a huge three sided desk. On top of it sat a top of the line computer and an overflowing in and out box.
“Come in, come in. Have a seat. I’ll show you what you need to get started and before you know it you’ll be excellent on your own,” Esther said kindly.
The two women worked together the rest of the morning. Amy felt slightly overwhelmed, but she really enjoyed the company of Esther and was starting to pick up on some of the tasks they were doing. After lunch she felt comfortable enough to admit to Esther she really wasn’t qualified for the position, but she was a very fast learner and would study day and night to learn the systems.
