Forever Your Concierge Page 21

  "Already?" Travis' face went as white as a ghost and he got a panicked look on his face. "I thought first pregnancies take longer."

  "Everyone's different, sweetie," she informed him and left the room.

  "I'm going to be a father... I'm going to be a father," I heard him muttering to himself under his breath.

  "Travis, honey, are you okay?" I gripped his hand to get his attention.

  "What? Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little freaked out. I thought we'd have more time together during the labor before we got to the actual pushing part."

  "I know you like to control everything, but you can't control this. It will be okay."

  He shot Elizabeth a look and then turned back and whispered to me, "But what if you have complications like Lizzie?"

  "It won't happen." I ran my fingers down his cheek, hoping that wouldn't be the case and I hadn't just lied to him.

  "I won't last a day without you, Maya."

  "You won't have to. When this is all over, it will be you, me and our baby. A family. Focus on that." I couldn't believe I was being the levelheaded and sensible one in this situation. Those were Travis' strongest qualities, not mine. The strange twist in circumstances had me slightly freaking out. Was I too calm? Should I be as nervous as him? Did this mean I was going to be a bad mom? And oh God, what if something bad happened and I was way too nonchalant about it beforehand?

  The room became a whirlwind of activity as nurses worked to get everything ready for what was to happen next. Before I knew it, Travis was holding one leg and Elizabeth was holding the other. That was when my panic set in.

  "I can't do this." I tried to pull my legs from their grasp.

  "You're going to do great, Maya," my doctor assured me from her place between my legs. "You ready to push?"

  I shook my head and looked at Travis with wild eyes. "Please don't make me do this."

  "Shh, it's okay, sweetheart. Just do as the doctor says and before you know it you'll be holding our child in your arms. That's what we've been working towards, right? A family." His voice was so soft and unyielding that I found it slightly hypnotic. Thank heavens he was over his earlier meltdown and back to being my rock.

  I nodded and swallowed hard.

  "On the next contraction, I'm going to have you bear down. Okay, Maya."

  I nodded again, but my gaze never strayed from Travis'. When the contraction hit and I pushed, the only time we broke eye contact was when I had squeezed my eyes shut in pain. As soon as they opened again, he was right there with me.

  "Good job, Maya. Take a few deep breaths," I heard the doctor say.

  "I love you," Travis mouthed and kissed the tip of my nose.

  "Okay, give me a good, hard push this time," she instructed me again, and I pushed until I couldn't push anymore. My body slumped back on the bed, and I fought to regulate my heavy breaths.

  "Holy shit," Elizabeth breathed. "I might have given birth twice, but I never saw this."

  I opened my eyes and saw her looking between my legs to where the doctor said the baby was crowning.

  "Hey," I snapped at her. "Eyes up here. I love you but not that much."

  Elizabeth looked thoroughly chastised and kept her gaze above my waist after that.

  "Okay, last push," the doctor said enthusiastically. Of course she would be since it wasn't her vagina that felt like it was being ripped in half.

  Calling upon a strength I didn't know I possessed, I squeezed my eyes shut and grunted as I did what I was told.

  "It's a boy," she announced.

  "It's a boy," Travis said in astonishment.

  "It's a boy," Elizabeth squealed.

  None of it registered as I looked upon my son for the first time. His healthy scream made tears fill my eyes and when they put him in a blanket on my chest, I wept tears of joy. He was everything I had ever wanted and more.

  "He's perfect," I told Travis.

  "So are you. Thank you so much, Maya."

  "It was all worth it, wasn't it? All the heartache, loss and fights. It was all worth it to be able to hold him right now." I looked up at him and gave him a half grin.

  "It sure was."

  "I'm going to go let everyone know." Elizabeth placed a kiss to my cheek, gingerly touched the baby's head and practically skipped out the door.

  After the umbilical cord was cut and the room cleared out, Travis asked everyone to give us a few moments alone to get to know our son.

  "Hey, Max," Travis whispered from where he sat next to me on the bed. Max's fist was wrapped around Travis' index finger and he was sleeping.

  "I can't even find the words to describe what I feel when I look at him." As soon as they cleaned Max and gave him back to me, I hadn't been able to take my eyes off of him. I wanted to keep him with me all the time and not let anyone else near him.

  "Love seems like too tame a word." Travis' words told me he felt the same way.

  "For what it's worth then, even though it doesn't nearly say enough, I love you." I looked up at Travis and placed a light kiss to his lips when he turned to face me.

  "I love you too. I'm going to love you—both of you—forever."

  Epilogue

  Grant

  "You're beautiful," I whispered to my daughter when I walked into the room and took her in. She stood in front of a floor length mirror with a white satin and lace wedding gown adorning her body. Her blonde hair was styled with intricate curls and a lace veil hung precariously—how I had no clue.

  I was having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that this day was really upon me. It was bad enough when I had to walk Genevieve down the aisle, and even worse as I held a crying Elizabeth when our boy Devereaux said "I do" to his fair bride. Letting Amelia go was the ending of an era, if you will. She was our youngest. Our baby. And today I had to give her away.

  How would I ever get through the day?

  "Thanks, Daddy," she whispered back. Her eyes gleamed with unshed tears as she gave me a shaky smile.

  "Don't cry, honey. Daddy can't take that today," I told her, handing her my handkerchief that she promptly used to dab at her eyes.

  "I'm just so nervous." She smoothed her hands down the front of her dress and turned fully towards me. When she attempted to give me back my handkerchief, I waved her off and told her to keep it.

  "You sure you want to do this?" I had to ask her. I wasn't nervous in the least when I married Elizabeth. I would do it over and over again if it meant that we got to spend all these wonderful years together. I loved her more now than I did then, and I never thought that would be possible.

  After today, it was going to be just her and me —alone. For as much as I loved the idea of having free reign over the house and the ability to fuck Elizabeth in every place I possibly could, home was going to seem awfully empty and quiet without Amelia there babbling about one thing or another. She was even planning taking her dog, Otto, with her after the honeymoon.

  I was having trouble wrapping my head around all these changes.

  "Of course I'm sure," she chastised me with a roll of her eyes. "Why would you even say that?"

  "Because no one will ever love you like your daddy. Your mother might think she does, but she doesn't. And if you are nervous and want to skip out, I'm the one who's going to make it happen."

  Amelia crossed the room and gave me a tight hug before looking up at me with big blue eyes—the same color as mine—and the heart shaped face of her mother. She was simply stunning.

  "I'm ready, Daddy. I've loved Max since I was five years old, when he picked me up and held me while I cried after falling from the tree house. Besides, he dances with me," she explained quite simply.

  If there was one thing Travis taught his son well, it was how to treat a woman. I'd heard Amelia, Genevieve and Elizabeth talking enough to know that Travis danced with Maya in their living room all the time. Now their son was continuing the tradition. I couldn't say it upset me to know that he cherished my daughter enough to show her how speci
al she was. I just wished she wasn't looking to leave her old man behind.

  "Then I guess it's time to get you down that aisle to Max." I struggled to keep my voice light when my throat felt tight. "I can't believe it's really time to give you away."

  "It doesn't matter that I'm about to become Max's wife. I'll always be your little girl, Daddy."

  I cupped her cheek and kissed her forehead, unable to form a sentiment as perfect as hers in response. It was then that I reluctantly took my daughter's arm in mine and with tears filling my eyes, we walked out of the room and towards her future.

  * * *

  Maya

  Strong arms wrapped around me from behind and I instinctively leaned back against Travis. My arms joined his at my middle and I emitted a sigh of both contentment and melancholy. Today was an emotional overload.

  Watching our only child marry the girl of his dreams was a mother’s greatest wish. Amelia was made for him in every way and I knew she’d take good care of my boy. It didn’t mean I wasn’t sad that he was all grown up though, which meant the waterworks had started early and came frequently.

  It was hard letting go of Max. We had tried for years to have another baby, but after several miscarriages and a lot of money spent, we decided to be thankful that God blessed us with a perfect little boy. Because of that, I might have been a tad bit overbearing as he was growing up. I didn’t care though because no matter what he would always be my baby boy.

  “How are you holding up?” Travis asked. His lips brushed my ear as he spoke, sending shivers down my spine. Even after all these years together, I could never get enough of him.

  “I’m okay.”

  “You sure about that?” My husband knew me well. Through all our ups and downs, Travis never gave up on me, even when I lied and hid my true feelings. He always knew what was in my heart, even if I didn’t know myself.

  “Yes. I’m okay,” I said a little more firmly that time. “Just look at them. How could I not be?” I nodded my head towards the dance floor where Amelia and Max were in the middle of their first dance as husband and wife. The sounds of Ed Sheeran’s “Tenerife Sea” filled the room. I absolutely adored that they chose to dance to the same song Travis and I did at our wedding. It would seem that all the years of Travis and me dancing to that song either alone or with Max stuck.

  “Our son is an amazing man because he had an amazing role model, Travis. Thank you for giving me such a sweet, precious boy and for loving us the way you do.” I had to choke out some of the words thanks to the unshed tears causing my throat to close up.

  “You make it easy,” he murmured and kissed my cheek.

  “I love you.” I pressed my head into his neck in emphasis.

  “I love you too, sweetheart.” He kissed my head and then dipped his head to my ear where he whispered, “Forever.”

  “Do you see my husband?” Elizabeth exclaimed as she joined us. She looked radiant in her cream colored beaded dress. And her eyes danced in amusement as whatever she was watching.

  When my eyes went to where she was pointing, I burst out laughing at the sight of a visibly anxious Grant shifting from foot to foot on the opposite side of the dance floor. He looked so uncomfortable. It was completely out of character for him.

  “What is he doing?” I asked in between laughs.

  “He’s waiting for the father-daughter dance,” she informed us.

  “Maybe I better go take his mind off things,” Travis suggested. He kissed my cheek again and moved towards Grant.

  “I never thought I’d see the day that the Grant Morgan would be so out of sorts. He’s practically chomping at the bit over there. This is worse than when all three of your kids were born.”

  “I know. He barely slept last night. He was so anxious about the wedding. I hope Max doesn’t mind Grant being over at their house every other day. I don’t see him letting Amelia go as easily as he did with Genevieve. At least when Vivi got married, he only went over to her and Jake’s house once or twice a week for the first year.” Elizabeth gave me a smirk telling me she wasn’t kidding in the least.

  “I’m sure Max will find a way to deal with it. He adores Amelia and knows how much Grant means to her.” I looked at my friend and reached out to hold her hand. “Did you ever think we’d see this day?”

  “No. Sometimes I still feel like that young girl at NYU studying while you were causing havoc on our dorm room floor.”

  “Oh please. You were right there with me most days. No need to change the story now.”

  “Hey, I can remember it any way I want to. Back then I would have never thought we’d have everything we ever wanted and more. We’re so lucky.”

  “I couldn’t agree more. I feel more blessed than I have a right to be.”

  She gestured to where Max and Amelia were now standing with Genevieve and her husband and DJ and his wife. “We did good. Right? I mean look at them.”

  “We did.”

  “I love you, Maya. You’re my sister, whether we share blood or not.”

  “I love you too, E.” I wrapped my friend and soul sister up in my arms and fought back tears.

  Life has a funny way of giving you everything you need while at the same time showing you how rare it is to be so blessed. If there was one thing I was definitely sure of, it was that I had everything.

  It might have been a fight for us to get there, but it was so worth the journey knowing where we ended up.

  The End

  Acknowledgements

  I must start out by thanking my husband. I can never say thank you enough for all you do. I know it isn’t easy dealing with me and my crazy obsession with books, but I’m grateful you find a way to see past it all. This last year was filled with ups and downs, but at least we had each other.

  I’d also like to thank my family for all their love and support. You guys give me that push I need to continue sometimes. Love you guys!

  A special thank you to my beta readers: Debi Barnes, Jennie Wurtz, Bianca Smith, Miranda Sue Johnson, Sammy Campos and Elle Wilson. I can never say enough wonderful things about you ladies!

  To the Naughty Girls & Jewels – Forever and always keep your minds in the gutter!

  Last, but certainly not least, thank you to the blog-gers and fans who support me. You guys make all these crazy hours and stressful deadlines worth it! XOXO

  About the Author

  Jessica is the author of the Love Square series. She grew up in Central New York, where currently lives with her husband and three dogs. Her days are spent as a Security Analyst at an IT consulting company. In her free time, she enjoys reading books and developing ideas for her own stories. Writing is her secret passion that she's been fostering since elementary school, when she wrote her first book about a puppy. It has always been a dream of hers to be able to share her stories with the world.

  Other Books by Jessica:

  Love Square Series

  Love Square

  His Ever After

  Their Merry Little Christmas

  Our Naughty Honeymoon– featured in My Dirty Little Valentine Anthology

  Bound in Blue

  Concierge Series

  Love, Your Concierge

  Forever Your Concierge

  Standalone Titles

  Urban Love Prophecy

  The Taste of Mr. Davenport (Erotic Novella)

  Connect with Jessica Online:

  Web - www.jessicaingro.com

  Email - jessicaingrobooks@gmail.com

  Facebook - www.facebook.com/jessicaingrobooks

  Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/jessicaingro

 

 

 
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