Captivated On 5th Avenue: Book 3 (5th Avenue Romance Series)

by Abbie St. Claire

  I stared at my reflection in the mirror behind the bar. I didn’t like the man I saw. I had hurt the woman I loved. Deeply.

  “She’s hard-headed and protective when it comes to Ty.”

  Jorge patted my shoulder. “Somebody needs to be. His dad has put him through some serious shit, man.”

  Jorge removed something from his jacket.

  “Look, she’s going to kill me for doing this, but, I think you need to know. She loves you unequivocally. Stayed committed to getting you home and just about lost her mind when you left. Man up and go talk to her.”

  He flipped over the card on the bar and left.

  I stared at the words with sadness. I’d really screwed our lives up over and over. How could she love me?

  Really love me…

  Your presence is requested

  by

  Chelsie Petersen

  and

  Ian Briggs

  To celebrate our marriage

  December 23rd, 2015

  six o’clock in the evening

  In our home:

  17455 5th Avenue

  Dallas, Texas

  Reception to follow

  Our wedding

  In my old house

  How did she pull this off?

  I had to see her, but it was so late. I knew she would be asleep, and if not, she should be, and it would probably mean I was stressing her out even more by keeping her up. My idiotic poor judgment. I didn’t listen to her. I walked out on her—again. When would I ever learn?

  I looked around and I couldn’t remember how many beers I’d had—driving was not an option.

  With the urge to make everything right, I called a cab.

  It was déjà vu all over again. She was sitting on her bed reading when she should’ve been asleep. I was peeking through the tiny cracks in her blinds, craving everything about her.

  So many times before, I had to be right when all I really cared about was being with her.

  Pride got in the way…

  I rang her cell phone. “Yes.” Her voice is terse.

  “Can we talk?”

  I watched her wipe tears.

  “Sure.”

  “I am so sorry. I was a complete jerk and overreacted. I’ve had to protect Oliver from so, so much. We are going to have hiccups with our boys, our careers, sex even. It’s bound to happen, but I ran. You’re so right to be disappointed in me. I broke my promise to you.”

  “I shouldn’t have said the things I did. But, we have bigger problems. Real, underlying problems, Ian. I feel like, in the last year, my life and Ty’s life have been turned upside down. More down than up. As a responsible parent, I just can’t do this anymore.”

  She laid the phone down and broke into tears. Watching her wrecked me.

  “Chelsie, please God. Pick up the phone.”

  I watched as she cried and felt helpless. I did this to her. To them. She was right.

  She pushed the button and ended the call while I watched as she ran to the bathroom with her mouth covered. She was sick—again.

  Panic consumed me.

  I let myself in the garage with the code and opened the back door with my key. I found her lying on the floor in front of the toilet.

  “Oh God, please be okay,” my voice more a prayer than a mumble.

  She started vomiting again.

  “Go away,” she begged in between heaving.

  “No. I love you. You. Are. My. World. Don’t ever forget that. You’re not well and I’m taking you to the hospital.”

  “No,” she cried. “It’s just morning sickness. It will go away. Grab some crackers from the nightstand.”

  I did as she asked and put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead.

  “You have a fever. I’m taking you to the hospital.”

  Fear consumed me. I’d never been more sober.

  It took some doing with my arm, but I scooped her up and got her in the backseat of her new Navigator. I woke up Ty and got him in the front seat. He was so sleepy. I found her phone and got her purse from the kitchen counter.

  The hospital was only a mile or so away. It wasn’t the hospital where Dr. Clay practiced, but it was the closest one and that’s what mattered. They started her IV and she didn’t even flinch. Another sign something was seriously wrong. The ER doctor called the obstetrician on call and a series of test were ordered.

  “Baby,” she mumbled.

  Ty slept in the chair while I paced the room.

  She slept the entire time they were scanning her, but the baby was fine, the doctor said.

  I didn’t know whether to smile or cry. Something was still seriously wrong with Chelsie.

  When Dr. Bennett, the obstetrician, came in, she was worried. “I don’t have many answers. Everything is great with the baby, but Chelsie is in distress. Her blood pressure is elevated, labs are out of line, she’s dehydrated and from what you’ve given for her history, I’m concerned she’s not getting enough nutrition to sustain this pregnancy. Do you know if she’s ever suffered from bulimia or anorexia?”

  “No, not to my knowledge.”

  “This could be no more than stress, but I want to keep her here for at least a day until we can talk with Dr. Clay and get a plan. If she keeps going like this, your daughter and your fiancé’ may have a tough ride.”

  “It’s a girl?”

  She raised a palm to her forehead. “I’m sorry if I let the cat out of the bag. You chose not to know the gender?”

  “Yes, but that’s great news. She will be excited. She wanted a girl, we both did.”

  “Transport’s here waiting to take her upstairs. We’ve given her nausea meds; she’s going to sleep for hours.”

  “Okay, thank you, Dr. Bennett.”

  Once we got in the room and the nurses finished all of the vitals and chartings, I put Ty in the bed with Chelsie so they could snuggle like they did at home. I found the recliner to be more comfortable than its appearance. Unable to sleep, I replayed so many happy moments with her and our family.

  I had a fight on my hands to get us in the right lane—but I was determined to win.

  * * *

  “Good morning,” she spoke with a raspy voice.

  “Try afternoon,” I teased. “How do you feel?”

  “Better than I deserve,” she quipped.

  “Seriously, how’s your nausea? Any pain?”

  “My side hurts, but my stomach is fine. In fact, I’m hungry.”

  “That’s some good news. Where’s your side hurt?”

  She pointed to her right side, just under her ribcage. “I bet you have gallstones.”

  “What? No way.”

  “Makes sense. What did you eat for dinner?”

  “Taco salad. Why?”

  “Let’s just wait on Dr. Bennett. She’s supposed to be here any minute.”

  “Where’s Ty?” Still groggy, she looked around the room for him.

  “Denise came and got him this morning. He slept with you right there most of the night. You slept more peacefully than I’ve seen in a while. I want to talk, but let’s wait. Just know I love you and I’m not going anywhere, even if you try to push me away.”

  “Okay.”

  She fell back to sleep, and I watched the first snowfall of the season. It was only a slight dusting, but to Dallas, that was a big deal, especially if ice came with it. When Dr. Bennett arrived, Chelsie was still sleeping.

  “Is it possible she could have gallstones?” I questioned.

  “It is, and that test is already ordered. They should be getting her any moment for the ultrasound. Has she been awake at all?”

  “Yes, but only for a moment. She’s got right upper quadrant pain but no nausea. Her last meal was a taco salad.”

  She typed in the electronic chart. “You know your way around medicine. What’s your story?”

  “Retired orthopedic surgeon. I belong to a family of general surgeons. With her symptoms, it resonated.”

  “Good call. I
thought about her last night and called back to order the gallbladder and kidney ultrasound. Should know something by the end of the day.”

  As Chelsie slept, my mind focused on her and our daughter. Should I tell her the sex? I leaned towards not, just because she wanted that experience when the baby was born. The internal anxiety I suffered from facing my sins was rearing turmoil within me. I had to talk it out with someone or I’d explode.

  The next knock on the door was transportation to take her to radiology. They came with a stretcher and I was happy to see they didn’t make her ride in a chair. I went downstairs with them, but while she was being examined, I had to wait.

  I called Dr. Starrett and as soon as he was free, he returned my call.

  “Frank, I’ve screwed up,” my confession full of emotion.

  “I’m all ears.”

  An hour and a half later, after a myriad of tests and exams, Chelsie dove into the meal that was waiting for her in her room, and I felt much better.

  “This might be bland to some, but it tastes amazing to me.” She downed a piece of toast in about three bites.

  I wanted to tell her to go slow, but seeing her ravenous after weeks of stress and not eating, I couldn’t.

  “I called Dr. Starrett. You need to know how sorry I am. We cannot be over. We just can’t.”

  “What did he say?”

  “To give you space. To stop being so afraid of your disappointment in me, because it’s similar to the fears of a child.” I adjusted the blinds to see outside, worried that if I met her eyes, it would shatter me to see disappointment. “To believe that the love is there, just let it rise to the top organically and stop trying to force things.”

  “Look at me, Ian.” Her voice was soft and pleading.

  I turned and gave her my undivided attention.

  She stopped eating her soup. “To stop controlling things, you mean?”

  “Yes and to admit that I’m so crazy about you, it hurts.”

  She stared at me, her eyes telling of her fears. “I know you love me, but the kid thing is our biggest issue. You were awful to me, then you left like you have before. I punished Ty before you even left, but you refused to talk to me. It’s so frustrating!”

  “I’m learning to communicate, I promise. It’s the areas in which I can’t control that still give me anxiety, but I’m a work in progress.”

  “We all are. Even Ty has been giving me growing pains. He’s going to apologize to Oliver, you just didn’t give him and me a chance. You never do.”

  She ran her fingers through her hair frantically and stared off into the distance. Sadness held her expression.

  Scared shitless she was going to give up on us, I needed to plead my case. I sat down on the end of the bed. Her bedside table of food kept the healthy distance between us. “The kids will always be between us. How we handle them is essential, especially now that we have our own on the way. I want them to feel love equally. I know now that I have to be a team with you where the boys are concerned. Oliver has admitted to me that he was bullying Ty. He’s been punished too, and he will be apologizing when we’re all back together. Where did pillow puffer comment come from?”

  She shook her head. “Kids at school.”

  I rubbed her leg, filling the need to make some kind of connection with her. “We can be a family, it will work, I promise. Don’t quit on me. Or Oliver.”

  She smiled. First, one I’d seen in days. If only I could hear her beautiful laughter. “That’s a low one, mister.” She pushed the food away. “I’m as much to blame. Ty is spoiled, I know that and need to work on it because he’s getting a mouth on him which needs nipping.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me closer. “I love you. All of you and your issues through my own. My deepest fear is not being enough for you and someday you leave me for good.”

  “That will never happen.”

  “But it did. You left without a word again, for days this time.”

  “Not because I didn’t love you or want you. Because I was ashamed.” I didn’t look away—she needed to see and feel my sincerity.

  “We have to put our pride to rest for this to work. I won’t have another failed marriage.”

  “I don’t want to fail either.”

  I pulled her to my chest and held her. There was nothing better than holding her in my arms.

  “Be one with me or don’t be anything.”

  I stroked her hair. “Hmm, is that a proposal?”

  “Yes,” she giggled.

  Amazing sounds to my ears. “Then yes, I will be one with you. Always and forever…”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chelsie

  With everyone back under the same roof and my relationship with Ian back to normal, we were in crazy mode. Holiday parties at the bar, holiday buying at the boutique and a secret holiday wedding in less than forty-eight hours.

  The movers were fantastic and with Shawna and Denise’s help, I’d put Casa De Briggs back together as best I could. There were lots of boxes full of personal items that Ian had stored, which I didn’t feel were my place to unpack, so I left them in the garage. But the furniture and decor were back where they belonged. It was a big undertaking and if someone had recorded us, it would’ve been hilarious to watch us sneak around during day time hours after Ian left and between kid duties.

  Parker and I switched roles, and I took over the boutique while he created my winter wonderland dream at Ian’s house.

  “The boxes are labeled Christmas in the garage. You can park your car in the middle bay so that Ian won’t see it. Here’s the remote. And thank you.” I hugged him.

  He pulled away and pointed his finger at me. “Don’t touch my displays or I’ll have to fire you.”

  “Yes sir,” I quipped.

  Ian had been spending so much time at the bar, I worried whether he was getting enough rest. I was still having stomach issues, but it was better. At least, we knew it was a fixable problem once the baby was born, although I dreaded having gallbladder surgery. Since they only found thick bile and no stones, they were going to let me try to control my symptoms with diet. Talk about bland food.

  I met Ian for lunch at the bistro. “Hey babe, how’s the party crowd?” I teased him. I didn’t even know when he came in the night before. I was out cold, and he didn’t wake me up for a little rendezvous, which meant he was exhausted too.

  “We can’t keep up but, business is awesome. We’ve opened the other side for seating, but we don’t have that second bar well started yet, plus we still have the same limited storage situation, which means bottles of wine are being delivered daily. We’ve switched to tap only beers which have helped.”

  “I heard Jason tell Sabrina that Y'all were booked every night with multiple parties?”

  He nodded. “Yes, that’s why we opened the other side. It’s like a private room right now, but we can’t have it if we’re doing construction. It works, but it would be a lot better if we had a bar on that side.”

  “Do a portable bar until you can get one built. Or, Parker can make you temporary drapes like the front windows in a flash, and then you can hang construction plastic behind it. Renovations during the day, seating at night. You want me to call him?”

  “Yes. Where is he? I haven’t seen him in like, days.”

  Oops. I set myself up for that one. “He had a holiday project he wanted to work on. Besides, I wanted to be near you, and I couldn’t resist being in the boutique during the holidays. You know it’s my thing.”

  He finished his chips. What I would give for one but, it wasn’t on the gallbladder diet. “Yep, purses, shoes and lingerie. I know your thing.” His wink told me we were on the same page.

  “Wish that counter of yours didn’t have company,” I teased.

  “Dammit. I know. Later, if you’re up?”

  “Definitely later.”

  He kissed me and rushed back to unboxing bottles of wine.

  I called Parker about the drapes. “You are totally blonde,
Chelsie. You wouldn’t make an excellent criminal; you’d tell on yourself.” He joked.

  “How’s Project Wedding looking?”

  “It’s finished, but you have to keep your promise and not come look.”

  “Already? Wow. Oh my gosh, I’m so excited. But, okay, I promise.” I squealed and everyone in the bistro turned and looked at me.

  “I’ll pick up fabric and poles and have him going in a couple of hours.”

  “You’re unbelievable. I don’t know how to thank you.”

  “I do. It’s called a raise and the apartment upstairs the minute it’s open.”

  “Done.”

  Did he know something I didn’t?

  * * *

  Later that night, I felt Ian crawl up my body. He remembered my need. My hands smoothed over his body—he was naked already. There was no talking, just touching and feeling. Slowly, he pulled off my T-shirt and explored my breasts. They were enlarging and very sensitive. The minute he bit my nipple, desire consumed me. In need of friction, I pulled my knees together. As he’d asked me to do many times, I used my middle finger to massage my clitoris. It was only seconds later that I cried out in release.

  He slid down to the juncture of my thighs and lapped my clit with his lips before fucking me with his tongue. My toes curled from the pleasure he provided, and I craved even more of him.

  As if he read my mind, he pushed my thighs up to my chest and entered me. I wanted to scream out to my feelings of delight, but I couldn’t since the boys were so close. I used my hand to muffle my sounds.

  When his body stilled, I felt the spasms of his cock way inside me, his pants of ecstasy escaping. When he pulled out, I felt bare without him inside me but, after he laid down behind me and snuggled close, we couldn’t have been more one with each other.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  It was Monday, December 23rd, our wedding day. We were both off, the boys were out of school and there was much to be done for the Charity Christmas event that Ian thought we were attending. Denise wanted to take the boys out after lunch and wear them down a bit, and I knew that was a great idea. She was taking them to her place to get them dressed, so Ian didn’t see them in their tuxedos.