“What did you do?” I ask.
“Got her pregnant, again,” Gabriel says, sheepishly.
I shake my head and laugh, slapping his chest.
“Go and talk to your coach Jax, I'll talk to Charlotte. Lace, you wanna keep my big, bad brother company? Get somethin’ in the cafe? On me,” I say, handing her my wallet.
Jackson and Gabriel both shake their heads and Lacey gives me back my wallet, smiling.
“Absolutely not,” Jackson says, reaching in his pocket for a bill. He hands her $50 and Gabriel nods, motioning for Lacey to lead the way.
“You sure you're okay with this? I can push it off until later, or tomorrow.”
“Don't be silly. If it's important, ya gotta go. We'll be here when you're done, okay?”
I cup his cheek and lean up to kiss him on the lips. His hand goes around my waist and he backs me into the wall next to the door. I wrap my hand behind his neck, deepening the kiss as my other hand holds him against me by his belt loop. Shit, I'm so horny. His touch sends a bolt straight through my body.
“Keep that up and in 9 months you’ll be the one in there,” I hear a voice say.
I push Jackson off me quickly, straightening myself and find my mother and father walking towards us.
“Mama!” I admonish.
“What? You're the one gropin’ this poor man in the middle of the labor and delivery wing. Y'all don't own a bedroom?” she says, shaking her head.
Jackson laughs and puts his hand out to shake with my father.
“Jackson Turner. Nice to meet you both.”
“Knew I recognized you, Goner. Great homer off that punk, Carson the other night,” says my father, slapping him on the back.
“Thank you sir. Appreciate it.”
“So, when did this happen?” my mother asks, eyeing us.
“Mama. Shouldn't you be askin’ about Charlotte? Don't start with me.”
I cross my arms over my chest and her face drops.
“We just talked to Gabriel, he said she was okay.”
“She is. I'm walkin’ Jackson out. Gabe should be back soon.”
I walk away towards the exit. My mama can be too much sometimes. With my uneasiness of being pregnant, finding a way to tell Jackson, the situation with Hugh, my case with Tucker and all the extra hormones, I need to cool off.
“What's the matter?” Jackson asks, running up next to me.
“Nothin’. She ain't funny and she's so dang nosy. I'm sorry,” I say, shaking my head.
“It's fine Sav,” he says laughing, reaching for my shoulder. “That didn't bother me. Don't stress about it, I thought it was funny.”
“I uh...we gotta talk about somethin’ when ya get back, okay?” I tell him, finding my confidence.
“I still have some time. I got ears, now?”
“They just paged me, they think she’s almost ready, you comin’?” Gabriel asks, running up to us.
“You go,” Jackson says to me. “Lace, why don't you come with me so Savannah can be in there? We'll come back after my meetin’ to see the munchkin, okay?”
Lacey nods her head, giving me a hug. Jackson gives me a quick kiss on the lips and Gabriel and I race back towards Charlotte's room. We get to her door and I push him inside. He turns around with confusion.
“You ain't comin’ in? She said she wants you in here when she delivers.”
“I uh...I'd rather just stay here. Get me when she's born. Love you brother. Take care of our girls in there,” I say, smiling.
He nods, still confused with my sudden change, but walks through the door, quietly shutting it behind him.
I told Charlotte that I would be there, I wanted to be there, but it's a moment for her and Gabriel. He wasn't there for Bella and Devin’s birth, he should have that moment with Charlotte this time, just the three of them.
Plus, now that I'm pregnant myself, and labor is only a few months away for me, I'd rather not get a preview of how incredibly painful this is going to be. I have my own ideas, I don't need the proof, too.
I pace outside the door, back and forth until the bottom of my feet start tingling. Finally, after what seems like five hours but realistically was only two, Gabriel comes out. His smile is contagious, and he has tears unapologetically flowing down his cheeks.
“She's...she's beautiful, Sav. My God, if I only knew…”
His mood instantly changes and his happy tears turn heartbreaking. I reach for him, pulling him in for a hug.
“Don't you dare, Gabriel Gavinwood. Don't beat yourself up over mistakes a different you made. Devin and Bella love you and this little girl is gonna have you wrapped around her little finger.”
He nods, wiping at his face
“I just...that was scary, Sav. I made her do that by herself, not only with one baby, but with two. What kinda monster, am I? Those kids...I shoulda been there, she was so young.”
I slap his cheek lightly and he looks down at me, stunned.
“I'm just doin’ what your wife woulda done, because dammit Gabriel, stop this. Snap out of it, it's done. Be happy and go be the best daddy you can be for that little girl and keep bein’ a great daddy to Devin and Bella.”
“You're right, you're so right. I'm sorry I...I don’t think I'll ever be able to forgive myself though Sav.”
“Maybe not, but that doesn't mean you can't try, and it doesn't mean you ain't allowed to be happy. Don't forget what happened, just learn from it. Now you know what not to do, you know what ya missed, so you'll never take them for granted. You're a great daddy already Gabe, that little one is a lucky girl.”
“Avery. Avery Gavinwood,” he says smiling.
“I love it,” I whisper. “Can I meet her?”
He nods, and we walk into the room. Charlotte is laying in bed and Avery is getting weighed. I walk over to the side of the bed and grab Charlotte's hand.
“Congratulations sister. How are ya feelin’?” I ask her, my cheeks hurting from smiling so wide.
“Tired,” she says smiling, her voice sleepy.
“She's beautiful. I'm so happy for y'all.”
“You're next, Sav. You and Jackson. That's gonna be one cute, little thang.”
She closes her eyes and turns her head away from us. I see Gabriel's head snap to me in the corner of my eye.
“Is she that drugged up or is there somethin’ y'all need to tell me?”
I hear the edginess in his voice and I flinch. I'm 37 years old, why is he being so pissy?
“You wanna drop that tone? It's called none of your damn business,” I say, putting my hands on my hips.
We hear a cry from behind Gabriel and I turn to look.
“She's ready for some love. Wanna wake up your wife for some skin to skin?” asks the nurse.
Gabriel walks over to the side of the bed, lightly tapping Charlotte.
“You want your baby girl, mama?” Gabriel says softly.
She slowly opens her eyes and smiles.
“It wasn't a dream?”
Gabriel looks to me confused.
“Baby cakes,” Gabriel says. “You okay?”
“I love you hott stuff. Ya know that? You are...my beast,” she says wiggling her eyebrows, dropping her voice to a low, sexy octave.
“Charlie…”
“What Gabey? Come over here and give mama some sugar.”
“Oh, baby Jesus,” I say, smacking my forehead.
I look over to the nurse for answers.
“I know she just had a baby but should she be this...this...“
“Horny?” Charlotte says, wiggling her eyebrows. “Wait for it Sav, Jackson ain't gonna be able to get within five feet of you without you jumpin’ his bones. Pregnant sex...ah,” she says sighing. “I am gonna miss it when we have this baby, that's for sure.”
Gabriel and I both look at each other and then to the nurse.
“I uh..let me go get the doctor,” she says leaving the room with Gabriel on her heels.
“Charlotte, you had the
baby. Avery, she was a month early but she's so precious and adorable and already seven pounds!”
“I...I what? How…”. She trails off looking over my shoulder at the other nurse holding Avery.
“Oh my God,” she whispers. “Can I hold her?”
I walk over to the nurse and gently take Avery as Gabriel walks in, followed by the doctor
“Oh Gabriel,” Charlotte says, crying. “We did it.”
“You did it, baby cakes,” he says, rushing over to her.
She grabs his face and they smash their lips together in a kiss as I hold Avery close to my body. She is so tiny, and perfect and my heart fills with absolute joy at the thought that this is finally going to be me in a couple of months.
“How are you feelin’, Charlotte?” asks the doctor
“Better now. I...I don't know, I just felt like I was in a dream.”
“It could have been the after effects of the epidural. Usually there aren't any side effects, but every woman's body responds differently. You should be back to normal in a few hours.”
She nods, a tear escaping past her eyes. She reaches out her hands for Avery and pulls down her gown a little, snuggling the tiny bundle close to her body. Gabriel snaps the gown back up, bundling them together.
“It's been so long. I forgot how little they are,” she says, smiling down at Avery.
Avery turns her head towards the sound of her mama's voice and I swear, that little devil smiled. Gabriel must have caught it too because he starts laughing.
“Between you, Bella and now Avery, I'm so screwed, aint I?”
Charlotte laughs and then looks over to me, her expression changing. I furrow my brow in question, but she shakes her head slightly. Bella. Damn, I almost forgot. Well what better time to tell a man his almost 20-year-old daughter is parading around in a tight shirt and panties for a calendar that all the world is going to see? Precisely when he's so high on happiness from his new born baby, maybe he won't have enough room in his big ole body for anger.
As if on cue, Bella and Devin come into the room. Charlotte looks up and she loses it. After-birth hormones are no joke. Tears are streaming down her face and she's crying so hard she’s bouncing the baby.
“I remember when this was y'all and now...now you have a beard, Devin. When the hell did that happen! And Bella, the national team? A pinup calendar? Gosh, y'all are so old, time does fly.”
My mouth drops open and I look over to Gabriel and Devin. Their smiles are slowly fading when Charlotte's words register. Dammit, Charlotte. First my pregnancy, now Bella’s calendar. I'm gonna make the nurse put a muzzle on me after I give birth.
“What was that, now?” Gabe asks, his face hardening
“Why don't you let Devin spend some time with Avery first, I'll go in the hall with Gabe and Bella,” I say nodding towards the door
Bella has panic written all over her face and I grab her shoulder and squeeze.
“I got your back, Bells,” I whisper to her.
We leave the room and Gabriel turns slowly, eyeing Bella.
“So, a calendar, huh?” he asks, crossing his arms over his chest.
“It's for a veteran's foundation,” Bella says quickly. “Half the profits go to this foundation and they send all the troops free calendars, to...ya know, lift their spirits.”
“Yeah I'm sure they lift somethin’,” Gabriel mumbles.
“Gabe!” I admonish.
“I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I just...you're my baby, Bella. I may not have been there when you looked like that,” he says, pointing to Charlotte's door. “But you're still my baby. I don't like the idea of thousands of men ogling my baby, naked.”
“She ain't naked, Gabriel. Have some confidence in the way Charlie raised her!” I say, smacking his shoulder.
“So, what are ya, then? I don't wanna see, just...is everything covered? No nip slip or anythin’, right?”
“Oh my God, this is not happenin’,” Bella whispers.
“Hey, maybe if ya can't even talk about it, ya shouldn't have done it,” Gabriel says.
“Heard that one before, didn't go so well then either,” Bella says under her breath.
I snap my head to her and gasp.
“Bella, you didn't,” I say, regret seeping from my voice.
“Didn't what?” Gabe asks.
“Nothin',” Bella and I say at the same time.
“Okay, enough of this. She's a grown woman, she's got a good head on her shoulders, put some trust in her. Everything is covered and it's for a good cause, we all good? Can we move on and focus on Avery?”
They both nod and Gabriel walks towards to door and I grab Bella’s arm to pull her back.
“Are you okay? If you wanna talk, I'm here.”
“I'm just an idiot, but I'm fine,” she says, shaking her head.
I see her eyes glisten, but the tears don't fall.
“I'm sorry Bells. When ya wanna talk, I'm here.”
She nods, coming to hug me and we make our way into the room.
Devin is holding Avery, looking down at her as if she is the absolute light of his life.
“I'm never lettin’ her go,” he whispers.
“Well you're about to, gimme her,” Bella says drying her hands by the sink, motioning for him to hand the baby over.
He huffs out a breath and reluctantly places Avery in Bella’s arms. I can see all the tension leave her body and she relaxes, kissing Avery on her head.
A knot forms in my stomach thinking about our conversation. Losing your virginity can either be such a liberating experience or a terrible one, depending on your partner. Based on her mood, it was probably terrible and the aunt in me wants to kill whoever hurt her. I feel such a strong connection to Bella and my instinct to protect her takes over.
“Aunt Savannah, you okay? You look like you're gonna hulk out on someone,” Devin says laughing, putting a hand on my shoulder.
“I uh...I'm fine,” I say, plastering on a fake smile.
I look over to Bella and she’s too busy falling in love with her little sister to notice my mood change. Good. I need to tone it down a notch. I'll get the story out of her soon and then I'll try and fix it.
Chapter 19
Jackson
I hold the door open for Lacey as we walk into the diner. This is going to be a hard conversation to have, but it obviously needs to happen.
Replaying Coach's words in my head makes me a little nauseous. I'm getting older, even though I can still crack a ball out of the park. Teams need that big bat, and they don't want to pay an arm and a leg for it. Since I'm at the end of the rope, they get the big bat without the young money.
“So, where we goin’ next? You have that, I just got traded and we have to move again look.”
Damn, she's good.
“I'm that easy to read, huh?” I say, smiling.
I try to throw some humor to the situation, but she just fixes me with a serious stare.
“Arizona. It's not official, but almost.”
“What about Louisiana? What about Savannah and the Gavinwoods?” she groans.
“I'm not too sure. I'll have to talk to her.”
She crosses her arms over her chest.
“Well do I get a vote in this?”
“I...sure, I guess.”
“I vote that we stay. I love the Gavinwood's, I love workin’ at Double Play and I lo-...I really like Savannah,” she says glancing down, realizing how much vulnerability she just showed.
I walk around the booth to the other side, motioning for her to slide over and I put an arm around her shoulders
“She loves you too, Lacey,” I reassure her. “We'll figure it out, okay? We can come visit all the time, promise.”
She's not convinced, and I feel her stiffen under my hug. Dammit. Why do I have to be torn in half like this.
The waiter comes with our food and we eat in silence. I glance down at my phone when I feel it vibrate on the table and see a text from Savannah. It's a picture of
her holding Avery and I feel that knot form in my stomach again.
Going, Going, Goner (Double Play Series Book 2) Page 16
