Caught Between an Oops and a Hard Body (Caught Between series Book 2) (30 page)

“That’ll never happen, so just make sure you eat properly, get enough sleep, and keep up your stamina.” They walked side-by-side up the walkway toward the front door. She tilted her head slightly to look up at him. “Have you heard anything from Liz?”

“Nothing.” A troubled frown creased his brow. “I’ve left message after message, but she’s not returning my calls. Sunday night dinners with the family won’t be complete without her.”

Stephanie felt a squeeze of emotion in her heart for this man who loved too much, but hadn’t been loved enough…until now. “She’ll be back. She loves you more than you know. You’re her big brother, her family.”

At the bottom of the steps, Stone turned her toward him and kissed her, long and deep, and in her shoes, her toes curled. When he broke off the kiss, he murmured, “You’re my family now. And if your family will have me, they’ll be my family too. Marry me, Steph. Don’t make me keep asking till my hair turns gray and our son—”

“Or daughter.”

“Or daughter.” He smiled down at her, warm and intimate. “Don’t make me keep asking until our child graduates from high school.”

She frowned up at him. “Didn’t I give you an answer yet?”

“No.”

“Are you sure? I’m certain I did.”

His jaw clenched while humor glinted in his eyes. “I’m pretty sure I’d remember if you gave me a reply.”

“Then yes, yes I’ll marry you.”

He kissed her again and when they came up for air, she squared her shoulders and turned to the front steps. “Let’s get this over with.”

And before they were even up the steps, the front door swung open and her dad appeared, a glower fixed firmly on his face as he glared at Stone. “Quit giving Mandy’s neighbors a show and get in the house.”

“Oh, Daddy,” she sighed. She stepped into the house and Stone stepped in behind her, his hands on her shoulders.

“Sorry about that, Sir. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

“Be nice to Stone. I happen to like him.” She turned her head so she could smile up at her fiancee, the man she’d just agreed to marry. “A lot, actually.”

Her dad grunted. “Well, get all the way inside and close the door behind yourself.”

Stephanie moved forward, heard the door click shut behind her, and as she slid off her shoes, leaned forward to give her dad a peck on the cheek. She whispered into his ear, “Be nice to Stone, Daddy. He’s a keeper.”

When she stepped back, she looked into her dad’s eyes and saw him eyeball the taller man. Then he turned to her and tried to take her coat. She brushed his hands away. “I’ll just keep this on. It’s a little—uh—chilly in here.”

“Suit yourself.”

Stephanie stepped into the living room and headed straight for her mom.

“Happy birthday, Mom.” She enveloped Dora in her arms, gave her a kiss on the cheek, then released her and stepped back. Playing with the top button on her coat, she glanced over her shoulder to see Stone approach. He looked nervous, kind of nauseous, exactly how she was beginning to feel. Well, best get it over and done with, and deal with the fireworks afterward. She just hoped she wasn’t about to spoil her mom’s sixtieth birthday party. She turned back to Dora and started to unbutton her coat. “Stone and I have a special gift for you, Mom.”

Dora’s eyes teared up and she clapped her hands together. “Am I going to have a double wedding?”

Tom grumbled, “I’m not made of money, girls.”

Stephanie glanced over at her sister who was near the table. “I’ll have to discuss that with Mandy, but no, it’s not. This is something else, Mom, something you’ve been wanting for a long time.”

Disappointment crossed her mom’s expression. The tears in her eyes dried up and her forehead scrunched. “Let me guess. Is it a gift certificate for a whole body massage?”

“No, Mom—”

“One of those new fangled devices, what are they called? An e-reader? I hear you can download thousands of books on them without ever leaving your house.”

“No, Mom, although now that you mention it, you should have an e-reader. They’re fantastic. You can download books with a single click of the button and you can—”

“Steph.” Stone's deep baritone interrupted her and she realized she was rambling, stalling.

With a sigh, she unclasped the final button on her coat and felt Stone pull it off her shoulders. The room went silent as every eye turned to the red bow wrapped around her waistline. “Happy birthday, Mom.”

As Dora glanced down at the bow, the rest of the room went silent. Finally she lifted her gaze to her face and tears once again glistened in her eyes. “Honey, are you trying to tell me something?”

“Happy birthday, Mom. You’re going to be a grandma.”

And then Stephanie was enveloped in the comfort of her mom’s embrace and the room erupted with congratulations. Everyone was hugging everyone, congratulating Stone on becoming a father, giving him words of wisdom.

Everyone, that is, except for her dad. She saw him wipe his eyes, then leave the room. She knew there were times when he didn’t want to let go and this was probably one of them. First Mandy, now her.

But she knew he’d be back. He loved his family more than anything else in the world.

As she hugged her grandma, she looked across the room at the father of her baby, saw him almost overwhelmed by her family, but handling it magnificently, like the man he was.

Stone would fit right in, as soon as he got used to all of the hugging.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Stone had seen his future father-in-law stomp out of the room and he had an inkling of how he must feel.

Protective toward his daughter, helpless in the face of her choice in men. One day, he hoped they’d look back at this time and laugh, but for now, the older man was making it clear that he wasn’t quite ready to accept Stone into the family.

Which Stone figured he had coming. He swore to himself that he would never let his father-in-law regret him joining their family.

So when Tom walked back into the room and headed straight for him, a football in his hands, Stone steeled himself for a challenge of some sort.

Tom stopped right in front of Stone. “I bought this when Dora and I first tried to get pregnant. Kept it around all these years because I figured I could give it to my firstborn grandchild. I was going to give it to Mandy and Dane—” His gaze landed on his youngest daughter, travelled to his wife. Then he handed the football to Stone, who took it with surprise. “Since you two beat them, I want you to have it. Maybe you’ll get a shot at using it with a son. Or maybe one of your girls will appreciate the game like I do.”

“Thank you, sir. We’ll keep this in the baby’s room as a gift from his or her grandfather.” He glanced down at the football and lowered his voice so hopefully only his future father-in-law could hear. “Sir, I don’t know anything about being a husband or a dad.”

“Does this mean you’re planning to make an honest woman out of my daughter?”

“Yes, definitely. Stephanie finally agreed to marry me. It’s why we were—uh—kissing on the front walk.”

Tom clapped him on the shoulder. “Son, you’ll learn the same way I did. Along side your wife with your family to support you.”

Another round of noise erupted in the living room and Dora’s squeal of delight overpowered everything else. A moment later, Tom had been pushed out of the way and Dora had Stone in a mother-bear’s hug.

“Is it true? Do I get to plan another wedding?”

Stone laughed and as he hugged her back, he met Stephanie’s warm gaze. “It will be up to your daughter, Mrs. G., but I’m pretty she can be convinced without too much trouble.”

Then her dad was hugging him and clapping him on the back. “Welcome to the family, son. Maybe you can convince Mandy and Dane to elope to Vegas with you.”

“Oh, Tom,” his future mother-in-law sighed. “You know you always cry at weddings.”

Stone looked across the room, met Stephanie's gaze, and saw a sheen of tears in her eyes. He mouthed
I love you
.

I love you too
, she mouthed back. Then she touched her hand to her belly and smiled.

It would be hours before he got to show her just how much he loved her. But if there was one thing he was certain of, it was that they were both in this for the long haul, so they had plenty of time.

EPILOGUE

Seven-and-a-half months later
…

Stephanie sat on a rocker, her hand on her humongous belly, happy, content, and finally home.

Several months ago—immediately after Dora’s birthday party—they’d bought a beach house on Serendipity Island with the intention of using it for the occasional romantic getaway and family vacations. Instead, as the months passed, they’d spent more and more time here, discussing future plans, which included the best time and place for a small family wedding.

Mandy and her had discussed a double wedding, as their mom had suggested, but eventually her sister had decided against it. Not because she didn’t want to share the big day with Stephanie and Stone, but because she knew the moment the wedding band was on her finger, Dora would up the pressure for another grandchild.

And Mandy and Dane weren’t ready to take that step yet.

Thankfully, Stone was totally on board with the family factor. In fact, Sunday dinners with both sides of the family had become a regular routine.

Which was why, on this beautiful Sunday evening, with everyone lounging around the patio, their bellies full, enjoying the gentle lap of the waves against the shoreline, the warmth of the evening breeze, and the comradeship of each other’s company, Stone and Stephanie had arranged to surprise the people they loved the most with a wedding celebration.

Tonight, they were officially joining their lives together.

Everyone of importance was here, except for Liz who, right after officially canceling the wedding and breaking up with Roger, had quit her CNN job and vanished for parts unknown. Even her cell had been disconnected, which made Stephanie sad because it made Stone sad.

Roger’s new album—and the love songs he’d written for Liz—had hit number one in the charts, and remained there for all the months since.

Jim Junior toddled across the patio, a smiling Mariam close behind, and climbed up on his grandmother’s lap. Grace hugged the toddler, uncaring that his sticky hands left spots on her otherwise immaculate sundress…which boded well for her relationship with her still-to-be-born grandchild.

Beside Grace sat Stone’s dad, Jim. Grace and Jim had married on live TV, and the ceremony had brought in a record number of viewers which had increased the popularity of the
Eternally Yours
talk show. And for the past few months, with her devoted husband at her side, Stephanie’s almost mother-in-law had undergone treatments and was now cancer free.

Dora sat next to Grace, cooing at Jim Junior, while Tom and Mandy and Dane were in a lively discussion with Jim and Stone’s former assistant, Wanda.

Yes, the moment Wanda had heard about the pregnancy and Stone’s decision to spend more time on the island with his very pregnant wife, she’d returned to the law firm to make his life as easy as possible. The typically unsocial woman still had secrets, but she’d become as important to these Sunday family gatherings as everyone else in the family.

A movement near the beach house caught Stephanie’s attention, and she let her gaze drift toward the man approaching her.

Stone crossed the patio, his gaze fixed on her, so full of love her heart did a hiccup. She still couldn’t believe that he was hers and she was his.

Shifting on the rocker to ease the pressure in her lower back, she watched him kneel on one knee in front of her and lower his head to kiss their unborn child before pressing a light kiss on her mouth. “How are you doing, love?”

“Still very pregnant.” As an uncomfortable band squeezed around her abdomen and the discomfort in her lower back increased, she leaned forward and looped her arms around his neck. “Almost ready?”

He smiled back at her. “I’ve been ready since the day I met you.”

He straightened and gently helped her to her feet, always so solicitous and careful with her these days.

Then a sharp pain ripped through her abdomen, startling a gasp out from between the clench of her teeth.

Concern settled between his brows. “What is it, love?”

She inhaled deeply and laid one hand on her belly. “It appears we’re going to get a twofer today.”

He glanced down at her belly, then as he scooped her into his strong arms and against the solid strength of his chest, looked back into her eyes. “I love you forever, you know that, right?”

“I love you too.” She kissed him on the mouth. “Let’s get married, my love, then go have a baby.”

It was the beginning of their life together.

THE END

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CAUGHT BETWEEN SERIES

Caught Between a Lie and True Love (Book 1)

Caught Between an Oops and a Hard Body (Book 2)

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES

Always Remember (Book 1)