convince him that what they do is nothing
short of amazing, but I know there’s a part of him that still won’t give
himself the credit he deserves.
Joe sees it too. I notice him smiling through Reid’s update
on Lizzy and Cane. “Good job, son.” Not afraid to show his emotions, Joe hugs
Reid with the fatherly pride that he’s deserved all his life.
Katie takes Braden from Reid and whispers something in his
ear before turning to the rest of us. “I’m going to go put this little guy in
the car. We better hit the road if we want to get to the college on time.” She
taps the face of her watch and everyone else falls in line.
I grab my bag as Reid grabs his keys from the dish on our
entryway table. “What did Katie just say to you?” I ask, straightening my cap
one last time.
He gulps before smiling, his eyes crinkling in the corners.
“She said that Mom would be proud of me.”
“Oh, baby. You know she would be. So would Shane.” Standing
next to him, we gaze at the framed faces of those we have loved and lost. I
wrap my arm around his waist as he kisses my hair.
Cars honk out in front of the apartment, our cue to get our
butts in gear, but I call him back into the living room as his hand hovers
above the doorknob.
“Reid. Wait. I have something for you today.” Nervousness
makes my voice tremble.
“For me? But you’re the one graduating.” He grins goofily as
he tucks his sunglasses into the slightly opened collar of his dress shirt.
I hand him his present, a small rectangular box, like one in
which you would put a piece of jewelry.
After ripping open the paper, he cracks open the box and
stares at me, dumbfounded. “Re-gifting already?” He arches an eyebrow as he
pulls the necklace that he gave me on our first Christmas together out of the
box.
“Not really. Look closer.” I take the necklace out of his
hands and repeat the words he said to me once before.
“This one is for you,” I say as I hold the charm with “R”
engraved on it. “And this one is for me. This next one is for Braden,” I let
the fourth charm slip out of my palm where it was concealed. “And this one—” His lips stop my words.
Smiling against my lips, he wraps his arms around my waist
and spins me in the air. “Really?” His voice is shaking with emotion.
“Yes, really,” I smile lamely, hopeful that he’s not upset.
“But we only…”
“I know. We only just decided, but I guess we’re just that
lucky.” We’ve talked about it in the last month or so and decided that despite
the challenges it might pose to our careers and my schooling, it was more
important to give Braden a sibling close to him in age.
“Damn straight we’re lucky!” He kisses me again and I can
tell he’s anything but upset.
“Maybe it’ll be a girl.” I’m not-so-secretly hoping for that
to be true, but when I see genuine fear dance across Reid’s beautiful face, I
have to laugh at him.
More honks interrupt our little bubble. “Okay, so that’s a
‘maybe’ on the whole girl thing,” I joke playfully poking him in the side.
“I’d be the luckiest man on Earth to have a daughter. Hell,
I’m already the luckiest man alive to share my life with you.” Lacing our
fingers together, he brings our joined hands up to his lips and kisses my
knuckles.
“I’m pretty damn lucky too, babe.” We share one last hug
before deciding to hold off on telling everyone else for now.
Today, we’ll celebrate one chapter of our lives coming to a
close, and tonight, well, I guess tonight ,we’ll celebrate another chapter of
our lives beginning.
Be sure to sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss a
single Love Series update
www.melissacollinsauthor.com
There are so many people who have been an integral part of
helping me get this series off and running. My family and friends, the indie
author community, countless blogs and promoters, but there would be no point to
writing these stories if I didn’t
short of amazing, but I know there’s a part of him that still won’t give
himself the credit he deserves.
Joe sees it too. I notice him smiling through Reid’s update
on Lizzy and Cane. “Good job, son.” Not afraid to show his emotions, Joe hugs
Reid with the fatherly pride that he’s deserved all his life.
Katie takes Braden from Reid and whispers something in his
ear before turning to the rest of us. “I’m going to go put this little guy in
the car. We better hit the road if we want to get to the college on time.” She
taps the face of her watch and everyone else falls in line.
I grab my bag as Reid grabs his keys from the dish on our
entryway table. “What did Katie just say to you?” I ask, straightening my cap
one last time.
He gulps before smiling, his eyes crinkling in the corners.
“She said that Mom would be proud of me.”
“Oh, baby. You know she would be. So would Shane.” Standing
next to him, we gaze at the framed faces of those we have loved and lost. I
wrap my arm around his waist as he kisses my hair.
Cars honk out in front of the apartment, our cue to get our
butts in gear, but I call him back into the living room as his hand hovers
above the doorknob.
“Reid. Wait. I have something for you today.” Nervousness
makes my voice tremble.
“For me? But you’re the one graduating.” He grins goofily as
he tucks his sunglasses into the slightly opened collar of his dress shirt.
I hand him his present, a small rectangular box, like one in
which you would put a piece of jewelry.
After ripping open the paper, he cracks open the box and
stares at me, dumbfounded. “Re-gifting already?” He arches an eyebrow as he
pulls the necklace that he gave me on our first Christmas together out of the
box.
“Not really. Look closer.” I take the necklace out of his
hands and repeat the words he said to me once before.
“This one is for you,” I say as I hold the charm with “R”
engraved on it. “And this one is for me. This next one is for Braden,” I let
the fourth charm slip out of my palm where it was concealed. “And this one—” His lips stop my words.
Smiling against my lips, he wraps his arms around my waist
and spins me in the air. “Really?” His voice is shaking with emotion.
“Yes, really,” I smile lamely, hopeful that he’s not upset.
“But we only…”
“I know. We only just decided, but I guess we’re just that
lucky.” We’ve talked about it in the last month or so and decided that despite
the challenges it might pose to our careers and my schooling, it was more
important to give Braden a sibling close to him in age.
“Damn straight we’re lucky!” He kisses me again and I can
tell he’s anything but upset.
“Maybe it’ll be a girl.” I’m not-so-secretly hoping for that
to be true, but when I see genuine fear dance across Reid’s beautiful face, I
have to laugh at him.
More honks interrupt our little bubble. “Okay, so that’s a
‘maybe’ on the whole girl thing,” I joke playfully poking him in the side.
“I’d be the luckiest man on Earth to have a daughter. Hell,
I’m already the luckiest man alive to share my life with you.” Lacing our
fingers together, he brings our joined hands up to his lips and kisses my
knuckles.
“I’m pretty damn lucky too, babe.” We share one last hug
before deciding to hold off on telling everyone else for now.
Today, we’ll celebrate one chapter of our lives coming to a
close, and tonight, well, I guess tonight ,we’ll celebrate another chapter of
our lives beginning.
Be sure to sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss a
single Love Series update
www.melissacollinsauthor.com
There are so many people who have been an integral part of
helping me get this series off and running. My family and friends, the indie
author community, countless blogs and promoters, but there would be no point to
writing these stories if I didn’t
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