Living Again (49 page)

Ben’s eyes widened, and his dimples deepened. “Now
that’s
what I’m talking about.” He turned and walked quickly to the door. “Let’s go, Cam! I got to get home, bro!”

Kayley laughed. It was so easy to motivate him. She walked back to the kitchen to clean up the lunch dishes, turning on Ben’s playlist for her. She loved every single song because he picked them for her. She touched her necklace as she listened to
Beneath Your Beautiful
for the millionth time, never getting enough of listening to the words it seemed like Ben wrote for her.

Kayley buzzed around the house, her mind reeling with a thousand different to-do’s. Today was their Christmas party. Ben had “officially” moved in last week after his house closed, but other than more boxes being in the garage, it wasn’t really any different. He had been there almost full time before that anyway. The security of having Ben around was something she never took for granted. She had always known she was lonely before, but now that he was here all the time, she realized just how lonely it was without him.

Ben walked by the back window as Kayley stood in the kitchen, putting together a dip for the party. He was mowing the yard for her, a task she absolutely hated. Plus, it was a bonus to watch Ben without a shirt on outside. Thankfully, everyone coming was bringing something to share so she didn’t have too much to cook.

“Oh, stop drooling,” Emily teased, coming into the kitchen.

Kayley laughed. “Uh, I’m sorry, but do you remember that
you
were the one that practically drooled after him in the hospital?

Emily smacked her with a towel on the backside. “Shhh, don’t say that. I don’t want him to get a big head.”

“Well, since he’s outside mowing the yard, I don’t think he will hear you.”

“Hear what?” Ben entered the back door, and Kayley howled in laughter.

“Oh, just that Em…” a hand came over her mouth, stifling her response. She looked deviously at Emily.

“Nothing, Ben. Nothing. Your girlfriend was drooling over you out there. God, are the women in the neighborhood all standing outside with their tongues hanging out? You aren’t going to make any friends with the men of this neighborhood walking around like that. Seriously Ben, put on a shirt.” Emily popped a grape in her mouth, smiling sweetly at him.

Ben smirked at Emily, then turned his attention to Kayley. “Do you think I need a shirt?” He grabbed her and kissed her, entangling his tongue with hers. She instinctively put her arms around him, pulling him closer. Sweat or not, she could never get enough of this man.

“Get a room,” Emily teased. “I’m going to need a cold shower by standing here. Where’s Alexis and Cate?” She turned to leave the room to go check on the girls.

“We have plenty of rooms!” Ben called. “If you want to watch the girls, we can…” He broke off as Kayley smacked him in the gut.

“Did you need something?” she asked innocently.

“A drink,” he said, opening the refrigerator and pulling out a bottle of water. Watching him, Kayley’s insides tingled as his mouth covered the bottle top, and his throat worked at swallowing. Downing the bottle, he licked his lips and then sighed. “Hot out there for it almost being Christmas. I hope it cools off later or everyone will be miserable. What kind of Christmas party is it when you’re sweating?”

Kayley snapped her eyes back to his eyes. “What did you say?”

Ben narrowed his eyes are her. “You aren’t listening to me? Hmm, what could be distracting you?” Moving behind her, he kissed her neck, putting his hands on her hips.

Kayley leaned back, turning her head so he could have access to her neck. His hands came around her waist and laced in front of her, pulling her back against him. Nibbling her ear, he growled in her ear.

“I love you, Kay. I want to see you just in this apron, later. Think that could be arranged?”

She turned, circling her arms around his neck, running her fingers through the back of his hair. “I love you, babe. Thank you for helping me, for just being here. I want you to know there isn’t a day that goes by that I’m not thankful for you. All the little things you do around here for both me and Alexis, it never goes unnoticed.”

“Baby,” Ben leaned over, touching her face with his hands. “You and Alexis are the two most important people in my life. I will do anything for you.” He traced her eyebrows with the tips of his fingers. “I don’t think I could ever tell you in words how much I love you. That’s why I like to show you…as often as possible.”

“Oh, you’re
really
good at showing that,” Kayley winked. “I seem to remember this kitchen has seen how good you are.”

“If you don’t stop that right now, our guests are going to see a half mowed lawn and wonder what in the world happened here. And you know what I’m going to tell them? That my sexy as hell girlfriend rocked my world while wearing only an apron.”

Kayley shoved his chest. “You will do no such thing,” she teased back. “Now get out there and finish the lawn. No more kisses for you.” Ben pouted, heading for the sliding glass door and his lawn mowing task.

“You’ve got to see this,” Emily came into the room. “I just went to see what the girls were doing, and they are both curled up together on Lexi’s bed, fast asleep. It has to be the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.”

Kayley dropped the towel she had been using to clean up the kitchen and followed Emily. Stepping quietly into the room, Kayley put her hand over her mouth. It was the sweetest thing she had ever seen. Cate was laying there with Alexis tucked next to her, and both were fast asleep, stuffed animals and babies all over the bed.

“Oh my god,” she whispered. “That is priceless. Did you get a picture?”

“Yes,” Emily answered back. “On my phone. Cate loves her so much. I guess it’s good that she likes little kids, since she is going to be a big sister.”

Kayley watched the girls sleeping, then what Emily said registered. Her eyes wide, she pulled her best friend out of the room by the arm. When they reached the living room, she turned. “You’re pregnant?” Emily nodded and Kayley jumped up and down with her, silently screaming.

“How far?” Kayley put her hands on Emily’s completely flat stomach. “Were you guys trying?”

Tears sprung into Emily’s eyes. “I’m about ten weeks. I’m due around the middle of June. And, well, we’re always ‘trying’, but we’ve been wanting to give Cate a little brother or sister for a while. Now is the time, I guess.” Kayley hugged her tightly.

“I am so happy for you and Trev. And Cate! Does she know yet?”

Emily shook her head. “I think we’re waiting until Christmas to tell her, she will open it like a present. I was going to try to do that to you, too, but I just couldn’t. I found out a few days ago and it’s been torture trying to keep it from you that long.”

“Sit, sit,” Kayley led her to the couch, knowing she had a lot to do but not caring at the moment. “Do you feel sick?” With Cate, she had been sick all the first trimester.

“No, not so far, which is why I didn’t realize I was pregnant,” Emily explained.

“Is Trev excited?”

“He’s over the moon. He loves that little girl so much, he can’t wait. In fact, he told me he’d like to have as many more as I will have. That scares me slightly.”

Kayley laughed. “Just take it one at a time, Em. You’re a fabulous mom.”

“Speaking of being a fabulous mom, have you and Ben talked commitment? More kids?”

Kayley’s stomach fluttered. “He has said in passing that he wants to have a ton of kids with me. He also says constantly that he’s in this forever, that he wants to be with me. But I have no idea what his intentions are as far as proposing. We haven’t really discussed it.”

“But you want to marry him right? I mean, he lives here now, he calls Alexis his daughter, so it seems like a pretty done deal.”

Kayley’s eyes filled with tears unexpectedly. “Em, I can’t even believe that I want to get married again. I swore that I would never love someone like I loved Alex. But, I can’t help it. I am desperately and hopelessly in love with him. I hate to say it,” she looked around like someone might hear her. “But I think that I love him even more than I loved Alex. That sounds awful to say, because Alex was my whole life. But with Ben, everything is just so all consuming. He loves me fiercely. He’s never ashamed to show me how much he loves me, no matter who is around. And even though we’ve been together for a while now, I wake up every day with butterflies in my stomach, and go to bed every night thankful that he’s lying next to me. When he kisses me, I just melt. He always wants to be with me. And him with Alexis? My God. I couldn’t have ever imagined someone would love Alexis the way I do. He sees her as his. And he’s always careful to say that he knows he’s not her real dad. But, he
is
her real dad, in all ways that count. He’s the only one that has been a dad to her. So, long story longer, I want to marry him like I want to take my next breath. I want to finish the dream I never got to have with Alex, but this time, it’s going to be even better. Alex will always be a part of me, and I will always be thankful for the time I got with him. But I have no doubt in my mind that Ben is my future.”

Emily reached out and touched the teardrop necklace that Kayley wore and never took off. “It’s been almost two years,” she whispered. “I’m so happy for you and Ben. It’s like he was sent here directly from Heaven for you and Alexis.” Kayley put her hand over Emily’s, still on her necklace.

“Without you, I wouldn’t have made it here,” she said seriously. “I love you like you’re my sister, Em. Thank you for everything.”

The two friends embraced, thinking about the past, the present, and what was to come for both of them.

The party was in full swing, and Kayley hurried to fill up the punch bowl. Christmas music pumped through the speakers, and all of their friends chatted happily amongst each other. Her house was packed inside and out. Thankfully, it was a nice night, and the door was open to the patio, where they had tables, chairs, and a tent set up. Children ran around playing, and Kayley loved watching Alexis chase after them.

They had a great turnout of friends. Ben’s buddy Cam was there with his wife Kellie and their adorable newborn, and he had invited a few doctors from the hospital as well, and his sister Lindsay and her husband Paul. Aimee and Chris had come, and Emily and Trevor, of course. Rachel brought a new flavor of the month, Zack, and Kayley’s brother Kevin had come with his wife Cathy and their three kids. The same friends from her birthday party were there as well with their boyfriends/husbands, Brittany, Ashley, Kathy, and Stacy, as well as a new therapist at work, Jessica, and her husband Rick. Kayley reveled in every moment of it and was glad Ben suggested it.

As she finished with the punch bowl, she used a washcloth to wipe up the mess, noticing Kellie looking around. “Kellie,” Kayley called. She smiled and made her way to her. Kellie was an adorable new mom, with short dark hair and big green eyes. She had a great smile, and a sweet, quiet personality to match. She could see why Cam loved her, and thought they would be great friends.

“I was looking for Cam because I need to use the ladies room,” she indicated sleeping Kasen in her arms. “And that’s hard to do with an appendage.”