Текст книги "Fusion"

Автор книги: Tessa Teevan

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 21 (всего у книги 21 страниц)

2013

“OH, LEXI!” I GUSHED as soon as she stepped into the room.

She was an absolute vision, and every ounce of pain she’d experienced had led her to this moment. Tears shimmered in her eyes, and the nerves were practically radiating off her.

“You’re beautiful. Jace is going to positively die when you walk down the beach to him.”

She blanched just as I realized what a poor choice of words that had been.

It’d been nearly a year and a half since Jace and Lexi had reunited at the beach. Their road hadn’t exactly been the easiest, as it had taken Lexi time to come to terms with the dangers of Jace’s career with the Army. But now that we were standing in the hotel room on the beach, waiting for her to become Mrs. Jace McAllister, I could hardly believe we were here. I was worried at the strange expression on her face, though.

Just as I was about to apologize, someone beat me to it.

Ava tugged on Lexi’s dress. “You’re not ’posed to be sad, Aunt Lexi,” she informed her dutifully. “Be happy. I love Uncle Jace. Don’t you?”

Lexi laughed through her tears, dabbing the corners of her eyes. She smiled down at Ava. “Of course I do. I love Uncle Jace very much.”

Ava beamed. “Good. Because he makes you smile the way Daddy says Uncle Ty did. And I miss Uncle Ty, but I’m glad Jace is here, too.”

Ava barely remembered Ty, but every time she’d see his picture, she’d claim she missed Uncle Ty, so I wondered if she had more memories of him than I’d realized. My heart both shattered and soared at her words.

Leave it to a five-year-old to put it all in perspective.

“Ava, go find Grandma and tell her we’re ready.”

Lexi needed a moment to compose herself.

When Ava bounded out of the room, I gave Lexi an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that. You know Ava. No filter.”

Lexi waved me off. “She’s right, though.” She paused, her eyes boring into mine. “Is it unfair for me to be this happy twice in my life? I mean…I can’t imagine not being here and spending my life with Jace. The idea that, in twenty minutes, I’ll be Mrs. Jace McAllister? It’s incredible, and there’s nothing I want more in the world. But how can I even say that when two years ago I was happy as Mrs. Tyler Tate?”

“Oh, honey.” I crossed to her and set my hands on her shoulders. “You can’t think that way. You could dwell on the what-ifs, but they won’t change the facts. The reality is that Ty’s gone. Jace is here now. And I know for a fact Ty would want you to be happy. Jace is your present happiness. Jace is your life now. You deserve to be living and loving it.”

She sniffled and nodded. “I know. And you’re right. I’m deliriously happy with Jace in a way I never thought I’d be again. I wouldn’t be standing here, in this dress, about to marry my best friend, if it weren’t for you. I owe you, Sierra. I can finally admit I love you and your meddling ways.”

I grinned at her. “Just hurry up and give Ava some cousins.”

She laughed and gave me a wink. “We’ll start working on that right away.”

She hadn’t been kidding. Nine months later, Maya McAllister was ready to make her world debut.

2014

And now we’re back to where the story began.

Wasn’t it fucking awesome? Can you see how much I love my wife? My daughter? Hell, just my life in general. I told you I was a lucky man. Believe me now?

I’m kind of surprised we made it through the entire story before Maya was born. Unlike Sierra’s easy labor, Lexi spent twenty-seven hours in that hospital room. I don’t know how many times Jace paled when the nurses said she wasn’t dilated enough.

Unlike me, he hadn’t taken a peek. Smart man.

“I’m exhausted. Giving birth is hard work,” I say as I fall onto the bed. “Thank God Mom and Dad took Ava for the night. I’m wiped.”

Sierra chuckles and jumps on the bed, landing right next to me. “Just imagine if you were actually the one pushing a seven-pound, oddly-shaped human being out of your vagina.”

“Considering I don’t have a vagina, babe, I can’t really imagine that.”

She laughs and then goes silent. As exhaustion washes over me, I cover my eyes with my forearm.

I hear the way she sucks in a deep breath, though. It’s coming. She’s been keeping something from me for weeks, and she is about to finally spill the beans.

About fucking time.

After having spent the day at the hospital, I’m beat, but as soon as Jeremy and I get home—without Ava—I am reenergized. It’s been a long day, and when Maya finally made her appearance in the world, there was a whirlwind of activity. When she was placed in Jace’s arms, I wasn’t sure he’d ever put her down. The love that emanated from him was spell-binding, and I had to send up a prayer, thanking the Lord for bringing him back into Lexi’s life.

“Jeremy,” I say.

He groans, keeping his arm across his eyes. Nerves twinge in my belly.

“Jeremy, look at me.”

He removes his arm, frowning. “What’s up?”

“I have something to tell you,” I say slowly, hoping he won’t be mad that I kept this from him.

He sits up quickly. “It’s not true, baby. No matter what anyone says, even if she is the cutest baby on the planet, Maya is not mine. There’s only one Sullivan woman for me.”

I raise an eyebrow. “There better only be one woman period for you.”

“That, too,” he says, grinning.

“Why would anyone think Maya is yours?” I ask, scrunching my nose.

“Because she’s the cutest baby ever after Ava? Naturally, they’d assume…”

I roll my eyes, but I’m thankful he gave me my in. “I don’t know how to say this,” I begin.

He takes my hand. “Just spit it out, Sierra,” he tells me. “That’s the easiest way to say anything. Just say it.”

He’s right.

So I do.

“I’m pregnant,” I blurt out. Then I brace myself for his response. It’s been four years since the loss of our unborn baby, and we’ve occasionally talked about trying again but haven’t pulled the trigger.

Except, four years later, we inadvertently did.

Jeremy watches me, and I continue.

“As of this morning, I’m thirteen weeks. I know I should’ve told you sooner, but I wanted to wait until we were past…” I trail off.

He leans across the bed and takes my hand, pulling me into his lap. Then he positions himself against the head of the bed and cradles me in his arms. His fingers brush the hair out of my face, and he gazes down at me.

“I know, Sierra,” he whispers softly, causing me to still.

“You know?”

“Yep. I’ve known since your first appointment,” he admits.

“How?” I ask.

“You’re thirteen weeks, baby. I think I know you pretty well. I know I know your body really well. And then the doctor called to remind you about the appointment. I didn’t know for sure, but still, I just knew. Does that make sense?”

“Wow. All this time, I was so nervous something would happen, and I was trying to keep you from being disappointed.”

“Sierra, how many times do I have to say it? We’re in this life together. Anything you go through, I’m going through it, too.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I just really wanted to give you everything.”

“Baby, you already have.”

If he only knew how true his words would be.

Six months later, Ava finally learns that the world doesn’t revolve around her. There’s another moon in the Banks family orbit, and in the next five years, two more would follow. Boys this time.

Many people say love at first sight doesn’t last. Neither does young love. It’s true for many people. But ours has, and that’s all that matters.

Who’d have thought that a little girl in a high ponytail and a dirty boy in a Michelangelo T-shirt would’ve fallen in love and ended up spending a lifetime together?

Even though we had a rough patch, our lives have still been relatively easy. Our relationship isn’t full of angst, and after freshman year, the will they, won’t they was officially solved, because we dove head first into a relationship that ends up lasting the rest of our lives.

I could’ve had dark and stormy, swirling passionate romance that ran hot and cold, depending on the day. Many girls want that, and I get it. It’s fun, it’s adventurous, and it’s sexy, but that isn’t me. That isn’t us. Our love is a breezy summer day. Sure, there were showers in the afternoon and storms on the horizon, but they were always temporary. They’d come and go. But, on our love, the sun always shone.

As did our moons.

Our love, without a shadow of a doubt, was the best thing that has ever happened to me.

And most of all?

It was beautiful, it was ours, and it lasted a lifetime.

The End

THEY SAY YOU NEVER forget the ones you’ve lost, and that sentiment definitely rings true. I found out the hard way. But, at the same time, I’ve learned you can’t dwell on that—not when you have ones here who need you, your time, your energy, and your love. Your heart can be heavy at times, but it can also be immensely full.

Sierra always had a pinpoint hole in her heart for our lost one. But so did I. Together, though, we weathered that storm, set our ship back on course, and ended up with a beautiful family, even if one was missing.

Sleepily, I walk outside to pick the paper up when I see a flash a green out of the corner of my eye.

“Hey, Mister B!”

“Hey, Tucker,” I call to the kid next door.

His sandy-brown hair hangs in his eyes, which are also brown, big, and puppy-eyed as he asks if Ava is home.

“She’s at her grandma’s for the weekend,” I tell him, yawning as I glance down at the paper.

“Darn,” he said.

I look up to see he’s genuinely down that she isn’t home. He shoves his hands in his pockets then surveys me with all the seriousness an eight-year-old could muster.

“I’m gonna marry that girl one day.”

I go stock-still. Can you glare at an eight-year-old, ban him from your property, and forbid him from ever seeing your daughter again? I don’t care. It’s about to happen.

Just as I go to take a menacing step towards him, slender arms encircle my waist. Sierra’s voice is soft and warm.

“Morning, Tucker.”

“Hi, Misses B!” he calls, his smile crooked as he looks at my wife. “You look pretty today.”

I tense again.

“Thank you, Tucker. We’ll tell Ava you stopped by.”

“’Kay! See ya later,” he says then bounds down the driveway as if he didn’t just try to step all over my turf.

Sierra laughs against my back. Not finding it amusing, I turn and glare down at her.

“Ava’s grounded until she’s thirty.”

Sierra’s face softens. “Why is that?” she asks, an eyebrow raised.

“He just said he was going to marry our daughter. They already spend too much time together. No more. She’s grounded.”

“Oh, come on. Tucker’s a good kid. He and Ava are thick as thieves.”

“I don’t like it.”

“Why? Because he reminds you of someone you know?” she asks, that damn eyebrow ticking.

“Fuck yes,” I growl. “That kid is me!”

She grins. “Ava could only be so lucky.”

The Not So—Yet All Too Soon, According to Jeremy—Distant Future

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to have parents whose love story is the thing fairytales are made of? How am I supposed to live up to that? The bar was set way too high, and I wonder if I’ll ever measure up.

As my parents finish telling their story for about the thousandth time, I roll my eyes. Don’t get me wrong. I love my parents, and I’m fortunate they’re still blissfully in love after all these years together. Grossly in love at times. The amount of PDA I’ve seen in my own household would put the kids in my high school to shame. I’d never have a love like theirs, though. I don’t think I want it.

Finding your soulmate in high school? That’s like waiting for lightning to strike in the same spot twice. In other words, it wasn’t going to happen for this girl, even if my life was paralleling theirs a little too close for comfort.

Tucker, my best friend and the boy next door since childhood, was always a little too close for comfort.

They say history is bound to repeat itself—I say no way. But, sometimes, you can’t fight nature. And the way he made—and still makes—me feel? It’s the most natural feeling in the world. It’s like home. Comfortable. Cozy. And I want to wrap myself up in it and bask in the warmth in my heart.

Yeah, I have a feeling I am doomed, but that doesn’t mean I won’t put up one hell of a fight.

And then his parting words seep back in.

“I’m not your dad, Ava. I’m not chasing you until you realize we’re meant to be together. If you choose to leave, you’re doing so knowing exactly what you’re giving up.”

And then I make the biggest mistake of my life.

I leave.

Tucker is not my dad.

He lets me.

Stay tuned for Ava’s story in Words I Couldn’t Say. Coming 2016

Go back and read Jace and Lexi’s story in Ignite

You can also meet the rest of the Explosive bunch in Incinerate, Inflame, and Intoxicate. All available now!

You can also catch up with Knox and the rest of the Explosive bunch in Incinerate , Inflame , and Intoxicate . All available now!

Incinerate

Inflame

Intoxicate

Intoxicate

To everyone who helped make this book the incredible story that it is… Derek, Teri Beth Cameron, Polly Matthews, Bianca Smith, Michelle Tan, Mara de Guzman, Mickey Reed, Stacey Ryan Blake, Robin Harper, and Chris Matthews for challenging me to use mullets—I couldn’t have done this without all of you! If I forgot anyone, forgive me!

A special thanks to Mr. Ian Turoff—the best biology teacher EVER! I promise it’s not because of you that I went into writing instead of science. I wish every kid could be lucky enough to learn from a teacher as great as you.

Long Slow Beautiful Dance– Rascal Flatts

Want To– Sugarland

The Best Day– George Strait

Never Wanted Nothing More– Kenny Chesney

She's My Kind of Rain– Tim McGraw

Everybody– Backstreet Boys

Watch The Wind Blow By– Tim McGraw

Shut Up and Dance– Walk the Moon

Strokin'-Clarence Carter

Truly Madly Deeply– Savage Garden

You Had Me From Hello– Kenny Chesney

Foxey Lady– Jimi Hendrix

I Was Made For Loving You– Tori Kelly, Ed Sheeran

Kiss Me– Sixpence None the Richer

Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right– Billy Currington

When I Look At You- Miley Cyrus

Gone Too Soon– Daughtry

Cake By the Ocean- DNCE

Just Say Yes- Snow Patrol

Loving You Easy– Zac Brown Band

Tessa Teevan is a twenty something book junkie who is also obsessed with sports. Bengals, Buckeyes, Reds are who she spends her time rooting for. She works for the government during the day, hangs out with Air National Guard on the weekends, and is married to a guy 15 inches taller than her, making them quite the pair! They currently reside just outside of Dayton, OH with two adorably grumpy cats.

If she’s not writing or scouring through tons of photos of hot men, all in the name of research, then you can probably find her curled up with her Kindle, ignoring the rest of the world. She loves her sports almost as much as she loves her books. Her other obsessions include red wine, hot men, country music, and all things Grace Potter.

She adores hearing from readers, so please feel free to contact via any social media site listed below.

Website: http://www.tessateevan.com/

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Email: [email protected]