My eyes narrowed.
“You’re up to something,” I whispered, head tilted to the side. “I can feel it.”
It was his turn to smirk. “That I am.” Lips meeting my cheek, he pressed a sweet kiss to my flesh. Then, “Remember when I told you that you deserved the world?”
I nodded. “I do.”
“Well, beautiful girl”—he traced a fingertip down the side of my face—“this is me giving it to you.” The meaning of his words were lost on me. “I love you, Ashley Jo. Always.”
He didn’t give me a chance to reply before turning and walking toward my father, my curious eyes following him the entire way.
“Ashley, sugar.” Turning my head to the right, my eyes instantly found my Mama. Voice filled with anxiety, which wasn’t normal for her, she nervously shifted her weight between her feet, much like I did when on the verge of freaking out. “I need you to stay calm.”
Stay calm?
“What in the world is going on?” I asked, brows furrowed. “You, Chase, and Dad are all acting battier than me, and that’s saying something.” Seriously, it was. “He didn’t really buy me a pony, did he? Because if so—”
I snapped my mouth shut and looked back toward the gate when it creaked back open, the high-pitched noise acting as a beacon for my confused self.
When I saw Chase step through it, a small pink backpack hanging from his shoulder that same confusion increased.
Exponentially.
“What is he—”
In the blink of an eye, time stopped as my ability to speak vanished. The world beneath my feet shifted, and I swear to the heavens above that my heart ceased beating.
Gut-punched...
That’s what I felt.
Hands flying to my mouth, I slipped off the table, stumbling to my feet. Leaning forward the slightest bit, a sob jolted my body as I stared at the little girl walking beside Chase, her hand tucked safely in his.
A little girl who, in the space of a stuttered heartbeat, I knew was mine.
Dropping my hands, I let the tears that had rapidly filled my eyes fall as I fought to remain upright. Legs nearly buckling, I almost hit the ground, but Mama reacted quickly and curled an arm around my waist, taking some of my weight.
“Breathe, Ashley Jo,” she said, tears of her own falling. “Just breathe, baby.”
Mouth gaping, I fought to find the words, but they simply wouldn’t come, because right there, standing less than forty feet away was my baby...
Mine.
“Mama,” I cried, heart nearly bursting out of my chest. “She’s—”
“—here,” she finished for me, knowing exactly what I was about to say. “And her name is still Addie. Children’s Services honored your wish since you did the right thing by surrendering her in a safe environment.”
“How?” The simple word miraculously rolled off my tongue, the single syllable strained and nearly incoherent.
“Chase hired a private investigator to find her,” she answered, her body quaking against mine. “When we found out she was still in foster care and had never been adopted, we contacted Patty, you and Gracie’s ex-social worker. After I explained the situation to her with the help of your Aunt Maddie and Hope, she jumped at the chance to assist us in bringing her home to you, where she belongs.”
Oh God...
“Turns out, it wasn’t all that hard. Thanks to your Daddy and me keeping our foster license current, she was able to transition her into our care”—she paused—“starting today. It was perfect timing too since Children’s Services was about to move her anyway. The foster family she’s been with the last few years are retiring. Patty said they’re good people but getting up there in age.”
“W-what,” I stuttered. “N-now?”
“Now,” Mama replied. “You go meet your daughter. She’s been looking forward to meeting you for the past two weeks.”
Two weeks?
Reading the confusion on my face, she continued. “Chase has been visiting her. Said that since he’s going to be her Daddy and all, he thought it should be him that helped transition her into our care, and eventually yours, instead of Tony and me.”
Daddy?
My mind was spinning.
Hard as I tried, I couldn’t think.
But although I could barely formulate a reply, one question formed on the tip of my tongue. “Does she k-know?” I asked, chest filled with so many emotions I couldn’t decipher one from the next.
“She’s six, sugar. The only thing Chase and Patty told her was that you loved her very much and couldn’t wait to see her. We’ll handle the rest as it comes. One baby step at a time.”
Wiping away the tears that spilled down my cheeks before splattering onto my chest, I took a deep breath. “Can I... can I go see—”
“Go, hug your baby, Ashley Jo,” she cried, unwinding her arm from my back. “It’s been a long time coming.”
Though I was terrified, I couldn’t wait another second.
Running on the need to hold my child—mine—in my arms for the first time since I gave her up to protect her, I moved my feet, one step after another.
Halfway to her, I stopped.
And I stopped because she suddenly turned her head in my direction. Stomach twisted in a thousand complex knots, I sucked in a breath and then swallowed a sob as her pretty brown eyes locked with mine.
Tugging on Chase’s hand, she briefly glanced up at him. Her lips moved, but I was too far away to hear what she was saying. But then—then!—she looked my way once more and pointed a single finger straight at me.
That was the moment my heart stopped.
Swear to God, it stopped.
Then, it nearly burst when she parted her little lips and shouted the words I would have sold my soul to hear.
Those words? There’s my Mama!
I didn’t know if it was the right thing to do or not, but with a million raw emotions and driven by the need to pull my child into my arms, the place she should’ve always been, I took off, running straight for her.
“Addie!”
To my surprise, she ripped her hand free of Chase’s and ran full-bore toward me, her long dark chocolate hair gleaming in the afternoon light. “Mama!”
Seconds later, I came to a stop and dropped to my knees, arms spread wide. Her chest collided with mine, and I wound my arms around her tiny body, holding her tight. “Mama,” she said, burying her face—one which was nearly identical to my own—in my neck. “You’re here.”
Cupping the back of her head, I rocked her back and forth, tears pouring. “I’m right here, baby,” I whispered, my body shaking. “And I’ll always be here.” I paused, fighting to keep from falling apart. “From this day forward.”
Even with her slight weight in my arms, and her steady heartbeat bleeding into my chest, I couldn’t believe that she was there with me.
Addie...
My Addie.
Leaning back, my sweet girl placed her little hands on my tear-streaked face and looked me straight in the eyes. Head tilted to the side, she gnawed on her bottom lip, the same as I always did when faced with uncertainty. “Promise?”
“I promise,” I cried, dropping my forehead to touch hers. “On my life, I promise.”
It was a vow I would keep.
Always.
* * *
“Happy birthday, Sweetness...”
Laying on my bed, a sleeping Addie curled snuggly into my side, I looked over at Chase, who laid behind her, his strong arm draped protectively over both of us.
Eyes locked, I remained silent.
The words simply wouldn’t come.
There were so many things I wanted to say to him, but no matter how much I wrestled with my frazzled brain, my tongue wouldn’t work.
But that was okay.
Because Chase understood.
Smiling, he traced his fingertips up and down my side, drawing invisible patterns against my skin. “Baby, I know you’re overwhelmed, so I just want yo
u to lay there and listen to everything I have to say.”
I softly nodded.
“For the past few weeks, I’ve been making plans.” That much was obvious. “Big ones. And every single one revolves around you”—he nodded at Addie—“and her.” Scooting an inch closer to my girl, he continued. “First things first, I’m buying the vacant lot next to Ty’s. It’s the last one on the street, and Grandmama won’t sell it to anyone but us.”
Wait.
Grandmama owned that lot?
Well, color me surprised.
“Then I’m building you a house. Whatever kind you want. I don’t care as long as you and Addie live in it with me.”
Tears returning, my vision blurred.
“Brantley has already volunteered to represent us in family court so we can get your parental rights to Addie re-established. He’s assured me it won’t be a problem. We’re young, but we’ll have a nice home, money, and no criminal convictions. Not to mention, you’re her mother. It may take a year to finalize everything, but until then, she’ll remain right here with each of us.”
My chin wobbled. “Then what?”
“Then,” he said, smiling from ear-to-ear. “You’re going to marry me.”
Eyes flaring, I froze.
“Want to know a secret, Sweetness?”
Tears falling, I nodded.
“The moment Grandmama showed me your picture and asked me to keep an eye on you, I knew you were special. But when your terrified eyes first met mine the following day, that’s when I knew...”
Circling his wrist with my fingers, I squeezed him tight. “What did you know?”
He swallowed, his eyes awash with moisture. “That you weren’t just some girl I was going to keep an eye on, so her crazy ass Grandmama wouldn’t shoot me.”
“Yeah? Then what did you think I’d be?”
Pulling his wrist free of my hand, he ran a knuckle down the side of my face. “I didn’t think anything. I knew that you were the mate to my soul and the other half to my heart.”
Turning my face into his hand, I started to cry. “Thank you, Jock,” I whispered, trying desperately to keep myself under control. “Thank you for saving me,” I continued as every broken piece of my heart began to stitch itself back together. “And thank you for loving me when I couldn’t even love myself. But mostly, thank you for her.”
A lone tear—this one belonging to Chase—fell. “This is just the beginning,” he whispered, his voice strangled. “Tomorrow is the first day of our forever.”
As always, he was right.
Chapter Forty-Two
Chase
One Year Later
One play.
With seven seconds left on the game clock, that’s all we had time for. And since we were twenty yards out of field goal range, it was up to me pull a miracle out of my ass and find a way to score.
It wasn’t an easy task.
Not when my receivers hadn’t been able to catch a damn thing all night and the only reliable running back I had exited the game at halftime with what the team doc suspected was a torn ACL.
Riddled with injuries, my team was falling apart.
And during the goddamn Super Bowl no less.
Seriously, fuck. My. Life.
Needing to move my ass, I stood at the line of scrimmage and bent down, sliding my hands under my center as sweat dripped from my brow.
Heart pumping, I stared at the opposing team, trying to read if they would blitz or fall back and play it safe.
They’re blitzing.
I gritted my back teeth together at the realization.
“Come on, Jacobs!” One of the dumbfucks standing on the defensive line yelled. “Don’t be a pussy!”
I wasn’t a pussy.
Not by any stretch of the imagination.
But the last thing I wanted was to lose with my entire family sitting in the stands directly behind the end zone I was facing. Especially not with what I had planned for after the game.
We’ve gotta win...
Determined to do just that, I glanced toward the end of the field and locked eyes with my girls. Wearing matching jerseys with my name scrawled across the back, both were standing, their hands clasped together, watching me.
Feeling my eyes on her, Addie—my sweet little Addie—lifted her hand high in the air and waved while screaming something I couldn’t hear over the roar of the crowd.
Standing directly beside her was Ashley, my ball cap, the one I’d been wearing the day we met, perched atop her head. Behind her sat my brother and next to him was Heidi, who held my niece, Brielle, in her arms.
The rest of my family—Crazy Old Biddy, who was wearing a beer hat, included—filled the next two rows, their faces a mixture of excitement and nerves.
But it wasn’t them that I was focused on.
It was my girls.
Both of them.
One corner of my mouth tipped in a smile as a plan hatched in my head. More than ready to execute it, I called out, “Set, Green 80, Green 80, Hut-Hut!”
The ball landed in my hands on the second hut.
Dropping back, I cocked my arm, ready to pass as my line formed a shield around me, blocking the headhunters that were coming for me, more than ready to plant my ass into the ground.
In a flash, the pocket collapsed.
Surrounded by opposing jerseys, I lunged to my right, barely evading a sliding hit from one player, followed by a near tackle from another.
Eyes on the route I needed to take, I tucked the ball against my side, and made a run for it, using my speed to swoop, swerve and stutter-step my way out of danger.
Breaking free of any last threats, my gaze found Ashley and Addie again. Both were screaming, jumping, and cheering their asses off.
For me.
Seeing that...
It renewed my determination to reach the end zone. And to do that, I ran straight for them, the two girls—one big and one small—who were my entire world.
With only twenty yards left until the end zone, I could finally see Addie’s lips well enough to read the words she was screaming.
Those words? Daddy, run!
Daddy.
That was all it took for my heart to swell. Like Ashley, I loved Addie so damn much I could hardly stand it. She may not have looked anything like me, and my blood may not have ran through her veins, but Addie Jo was my daughter, just as her Mama would soon be my wife.
Bottom damn line.
Boom!
The sound echoed around the stadium as I crossed the goal line without so much as being touched, securing the touchdown my team needed to win.
But I didn’t even care about that.
Not really.
Instead, my focus was on climbing the wall beyond the end zone.
So that’s what I did.
After ripping off my helmet, I clutched the ball tight and scaled the padded wall, quickly reaching my family. Fans screamed my name, and a few tried to reach me, but my brother, Hendrix, Evan, Brantley, Moretti, Kyle, Felix, Keith and Pop all did a good job of keeping them back. Grandmama waving around her goddamn flyswatter like she was brandishing a sword didn’t hurt either.
I was reasonably sure that come morning, her crazy ass would be plastered all over the internet, but I didn’t care. The only thing that mattered right then was doing what I’d planned to do for the past month.
“Hey, Peanut,” I said, lifting Addie into the air. Hugging her tight against me, I buried my face in her hair, breathing in her strawberry-scented shampoo. “Did you see me score?”
“Yes!” she screamed, pulling back the slightest bit. “You won, Daddy!”
My heart hammered against my chest. “I did, baby.” Tucking the ball, the one which I’d just scored the winning touchdown with under her arm, I smiled. “This is for you.”
“Thank you! Mama look, Daddy gave me a ball!”
Long as I lived, I’d never tire of hearing her beautiful voice.
Swallowing around th
e emotions threatening the steal the air right out of my lungs, I glanced over at my brother, purposely avoiding Ashley’s gaze. If she got one good look at my eyes, she’d figure out what I was up to real quick.
“You got it?” I asked him, chin in the air.
He nodded and slipped me the small velvet box, somehow managing to keep it out of her view. Then, clutching it tightly in my hand, I set Addie back on her feet.
“Jock,” Ashley whispered, her voice barely audible over the roar of the crowd. “What are you doing?”
I didn’t answer her.
Instead, I dropped to my knees.
Not one. But two.
Ashley’s mouth fell open as Addie squealed in excitement. “Look, Mama!” she screamed, repeating her words from moments before. “Daddy is gonna marry you like in the movies!”
“Oh God,” Ashley said, her hands flying to her mouth, eyes glazing over.
“There are only two places in this world that I exist,” I said, taking her hand in mine. “And that’s wherever you are, and wherever Addie is.”
My Peanut giggled, warming my heart.
“I have loved you since I was eighteen years old, and I have loved her since the moment I learned her name. And just so we’re crystal clear—there is not a damn thing in this world that I want more than to spend forever with both of you.”
I paused and slipped the chocolate-diamond ring—one I’d chosen because it was unique and beautiful just like her—free of the velvet box it was housed in. Then, I held it up for her to see. “Do me a favor, Ashley Moretti.” Another pause. “Marry me so that I can keep both of you forever. Please?”
There was no hesitation on her part.
Shoulders trembling, she nodded.
“Is that a yes?” I asked, hopeful.
“It’s a yes,” she said, eyes sparkling. “When it comes to you, Chase Jacobs, it will always be a yes.”
Always.
It was the sweetest word I’d ever heard.
Epilogue
Ashley
Every Kiss You Steal: A Redeeming Love Novel (Book 7) Page 33
