Back to the Heart

by Sky Corgan

  The accident. The almost collision with the semi was what had caused this. A delayed reaction.

  There was no going back now, though. The baby was coming, and nothing was going to stop it.

  Ana lay in the delivery room, screaming and crying and cursing Rick Fasken. Even with Brennan by her side, knowing that he was going to be her husband soon, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to go through this again. The pain was at least ten times worse than she ever could have imagined . . . until they gave her an epidural.

  Her labor was intense and long. It wasn’t until almost seven o’clock at night that Ryan Lee White came screaming into the world at six pounds and three ounces. He was so tiny, and Ana was in love. It was like her entire world had been whittled down to just him. Nothing else mattered.

  The doctor rested the newborn baby on Ana’s chest, and she marveled at how tiny his little fingers were. He was the most gorgeous infant she had ever seen.

  “My son,” Brennan said with a smile. Her heart bloomed, because he was, after all, Brennan’s son. Rick Fasken might have given Ana his seed, but he certainly wasn’t a father.

  “Your son,” she told him, and though she didn’t ever want to let little Ryan go, it was important for him to bond with the man who would be his father for the rest of his life. Hesitantly, she offered the baby up to Brennan, and when he took the child into his arms with such wonder and appreciation, Ana knew for certain everything that had happened to her in the past six months had been for a reason. They were meant to be a family. For the first time in Ana’s life, she was right where she belonged.

  EPILOGUE

  Six months later . . .

  Ana was certain that when her father built the barn on their ranch, he’d never envisioned a wedding taking place inside it. There was no better place for her and Brennan to tie the knot, though, since the barn held so many memories for them. And Ana could swear she felt her father looking down on them as they said their vows. It was the perfect venue for their small gathering of family and friends.

  All of Ana’s life, she’d thought she would want a huge wedding, but when she and Brennan had sat down to discuss the details, this was the first place that came to mind. They could have an extravagant honeymoon, but she wanted to get married where it all began, in a surrounding that meant something to her.

  And here they were side by side. Brennan slipped the ring on Ana’s finger, a finger that felt naked without it. They said their I-dos, kissed to seal their marriage, and walked down the aisle together as husband and wife.

  When the ceremony was over, they went back up to the front of the room to take pictures. Ryan was dressed up in the most adorable little baby tux, and they held him together, smiling and laughing and having a wonderful time.

  It was hard to believe that a whirlwind romance, a handful of lies, a tragedy, and a baby had led them to this place. They’d recovered from everything, though. Well, almost everything. While Brennan now had full mobility, he still suffered with headaches from time to time. The doctor said it was likely he’d never be back to one hundred percent, but Ana was fine with that. Even at ninety-nine percent, he was one hundred percent better than any other man she’d ever met. And now that they were able to make love the way they used to again, most of his self-confidence issues had disappeared. Ana thanked God that Brennan was there to help her raise the baby. All the assistance she had given Brennan when he was recovering from his injuries, he paid back tenfold as a father. For the first few months of Ryan’s life, he was the parent waking up in the middle of the night to do feedings and give Ryan care, insisting that Ana get her beauty rest. Even as parents, they complimented each other.

  The intimidation factor of Ana being with Brennan had been enough to scare Rick Fasken away from trying for custody. Once he’d found out that Ana and Brennan were a couple, he’d known he had no chance. Brennan had contacted him after the baby was born and made it very clear that he’d put all of his money and power behind keeping Ana and the baby safe. Ana wished she could have seen the look on Rick’s face.

  After the pictures were taken, they danced and laughed and made memories. Ana grinned contentedly as Molly and Mary chattered together like two hens. Their families merged perfectly, and everyone had a great time.

  When the festivities were over, a driver took them to the airport. They had decided to go to Paris for their honeymoon. Brennan hadn’t flown since his accident. Even when he had to go on business trips, he drove.

  “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” she asked as she clasped his hand, thinking about how dashing he looked in his tuxedo.

  After the wedding, Celia had asked Ana if she could have ever imagined that she’d marry the famous billionaire Brennan Demars, saying that it was like something out of a fairy tale. Oddly, Ana didn’t think of it that way. Because Brennan had never been famous to her, he had always been a man, a very handsome and charismatic man, but a man nonetheless. Even after she had found out who he was, his fame and fortune had never gotten to her. She would have married him even if he was broke.

  Brennan squeezed her hand. “No. I’m not sure I’m ready to get on a plane again, but if I don’t do it now, I might never do it. What I am sure of is that I want to make you happy. For that, I’m willing to get on a plane and pray that it’s the final bit of healing I need to put the crash behind me.

  “More than that, though, I’m ready to start a new life with you. This is a new beginning for the both of us, and I don’t want to step into it with any fear or reservation. Now that you’re my wife, I want us to live life to the fullest, and I want us to give this little guy the best life he can possibly have.” He poked Ryan’s hand, and the baby instantly curled it around Brennan’s finger, sending warmth shooting through Ana’s heart.

  This would be a new beginning for them, the beginning they were supposed to have before Brennan left for New York and everything got messed up. If things hadn’t happened the way that they had, though, perhaps they wouldn’t be where they were now. Ana didn't want to think about that. Everything was too perfect. All she knew was that she was looking forward to the rest of her life, a life no longer filled with doubts and uncertainties; and that new life started today.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Sky Corgan is the USA Today bestselling author of The Billionaires Club series. She lives in a little podunk town near San Antonio, Texas. When she’s not typing away at the next steamy romance novel, she’s busy planning for future vacations.

  Originally a horror author, when sex scenes and love stories kept magically creeping into her work, she decided to make the switch to romance. Now she enjoys writing stories that make your heart flutter and your inner yearnings awaken.

  You can get a FREE Sky Corgan novel and stay up to date on her latest releases by signing up for her newsletter.

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