Road to Redemption (11 page)

I walked Alex back inside and took his jacket before making our way downstairs to retrieve Lily. Kayla and Kristen were helping my mom with the food, so I was free to help with the kids.

Dinner was amazing. I don’t know why, but I was a little surprised (happily, of course) at how well Alex, Kayla, and Lily fit into my family. Lily was totally relaxed with the rest of the kids, even helping with Callie in the high chair. I was falling in love with her almost as quickly as I was with her dad.

The dinner dishes cleared and dessert served, Kristen’s husband Gordon tapped his glass with a knife and rose to his feet. “Kris and I have an announcement.”

Alex’s hand settled on my thigh and I linked my fingers with his.

“We’re pregnant.”

We all let out a cry of joy and I saw that Anna’s eyes filled with tears almost as quickly as mine. It had taken my sister about a month to get pregnant with Elizabeth and then had several miscarriages and secondary infertility issues. They had pretty much given up thinking they’d ever have a second child.

I jumped to my feet and wrapped my arms gently around her, followed by the rest of the family.

“We’re optimistically hopeful,” Gordon continued. “She’s twenty weeks and the doctors say everything looks good. It’s a boy.”

More celebration happened, then we finished dessert, did dishes, still in celebratory mode, before congregating in the entertainment room for a family movie and egg nog. As I sat on one side of Alex, Lily on the other, pulled up against his chest, I couldn’t imagine a better moment in my life to date. I had my family and my man close and it was perfect.

T
HE SATURDAY AFTER Thanksgiving, Alex was picking me up to take me to a club get-together and I was a little nervous. Our status had changed since the last time I was there and according to Macey who’d heard it from Dani, it was a big deal. I was just glad Dani would be there tonight, considering Dallas was home, so I’d lost my backup.

Alex had suggested I pack a change of clothes in case it got late and we decided to stay at the club. He’d quickly followed up that statement with a promise that nothing would happen if I didn’t want it to. I smiled. Something was most definitely going to happen if I had any say in it.

I took care with my appearance, although, I dressed a little more casually than I normally did. I wore the same dark pair of jeans I’d worn at Thanksgiving, my knee-high boots, and a long-sleeved Harley Davidson T-shirt that Macey and I found the previous week. It was black, tight-fitting, and made my B’s look like C’s. It rocked.

My parents were at Kristen’s house for dinner, so I let them know not to wait up, and grabbed my jacket, bag, and purse, dropping them by the front door. The weather had been unusually warm all day, but I knew that couldn’t possibly last, so I’d packed a sweatshirt in case.

Sexy undies, check. Toothbrush, check. Change of clothes, check.

Yep, I was ready.

And nervous.

Crap! I was nervous. I didn’t get nervous, typically. I mean, tonight was a big night. I jumped when the doorbell rang, probably because I was standing directly underneath the bell part of it in the hallway, but I took a deep breath and made my way to the door, pulling it open.

Alex stood before me in jeans, boots and a leather jacket, and he was
hot
. Like, ohmigod, I have to squeeze my legs together hot. He was also alone.

“Hi,” I breathed.

“Hey baby.” He leaned down to kiss me and I was very tempted to drag him into the house and strip him naked. Unfortunately, he broke the kiss sooner that I would have liked. “Missed that.”

“Me too.” I smiled up at him. “Where’s Lily?”

“Kayla’s got her. You got a leather jacket?”

I nodded. “Yes. Why?”

“You’re on my bike.”

“Ah… okay.”

“You’ll be fine.”

“I’m not nervous. Dallas has taken me out a few times. I guess I’m just surprised you’re riding in this weather.”

“It’s perfect today and it’s important.”

“Come in, honey, I’ll find my jacket.” I stepped back and waited for him to enter before closing the door behind him. “Why’s riding important?” I asked as I opened the door to the coat closet. He didn’t answer, so I leaned around the door. He was watching me, his eyes reflective. “Alex?”

“Find your coat, baby, and we’ll talk.”

“You okay?”

He nodded. “Find your coat.”

I stepped into the closet with a frown and rifled through the copious amounts of outerwear my parents kept jammed inside. I found the black leather jacket that my brother bought me back when Dallas had first taken me out on his Harley. I hadn’t worn it in a really long time, so I had no idea if it still fit.

I closed the door and made my way back to Alex. He looked concerned, which I didn’t like on any level. “You’re kind of freaking me out a bit.”

“I love you.”

I gasped. “I’m sorry?”

“I love you, Payton.”

I bit my lip. “Why do you look like you’re going to puke?”

“Sorry.” He dragged his hands through his hair. “I’ve never said that to anyone before.”

“Alex?” I whispered, laying my hands on his chest.

He smiled down at me. “Yeah, baby.”

I stared up at him for a few seconds, taking stock of my feelings. I’d never felt this way about anyone, even the exes I’d claimed to love. What I felt for Alex well surpassed my feelings for Brendon and Curt. Alex was everything to me. Even in such a short amount of time, he meant more to me than anyone I’d ever known. “I love you too.”

I didn’t have time to notice his expression because his lips were suddenly on mine and I was lifted off my feet. Still in the air, I broke the kiss and dropped my forehead to his. “Will you do something for me?”

“Anything, baby.”

“Will you take me somewhere private where you can take your time?”

He hissed through his teeth. “I’m taking you to the boat. Now.”

I giggled. “I wasn’t saying it had to be now.”

He lowered me to the floor again. “If Kayla can take Lily home, we’ll go later.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

I clapped my hands. “Let’s go,” I said. Alex laughed and grabbed my bag, and I followed him out the door. “Oh, wait! Helmet.”

“I brought one,” he said.

“No, it’s okay. I have one. It’s in the garage.” I ran back inside and into the garage, grabbing the helmet my brother had bought me with the leather jacket. I set the alarm and locked up, joining Alex at his bike.

“No way in hell are you wearin’ that, Payton.”

“What? Why not? It fits perfectly and it’s brother approved.”

“It’s pink paisley.”

“I know.” I grinned. “He was pranking Dallas, but it works fine and it’s super cute.”

“You got your car keys?”

I nodded and he held his hand out for them. I dug in my purse while he held my helmet and handed the keys to him, which he promptly took, popped the trunk and dropped my helmet into it. “What are you doing?” I demanded.

He smiled and threw my bag and purse (once he’d put the keys back in it) into his saddle bags… the hard kind that were more like tiny little trunks on the side… and then handed me a black helmet that was nowhere
near
as cool as mine. “Really?” I droned sarcastically.

Alex nodded. “It’s Kayla’s. It’ll fit.”

“But mine’s so pretty.”

He cupped my neck and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Don’t need a pretty helmet when you make everything beautiful just by existing, baby.”

I dropped my head back and laughed. “Ohmigod, honey, you’re good.”

“You’ll see just how good in a few hours.” I shivered and he leaned down to kiss me, breaking the connection faster than I would have liked. “Hold that thought.”

I nodded and pulled on my helmet. He did the same, climbing on the bike and waiting for me to join him.

The ride into Portland was gorgeous. The sun wouldn’t set for another hour, and it shone off the Columbia as we headed over the bridge. We pulled into the parking lot of Big Ernie’s Body Shop (the front this time) and Alex maneuvered the bike into the end space next to other just as gorgeous Harleys. He lowered the kickstand and waited for me to climb off the bike before doing the same.

I pulled off my helmet, hoping my hair wasn’t completely wrecked, and Alex took it from me after grabbing my purse from one of the saddlebags.

He leaned down and kissed me quickly before stroking my cheek. “Tonight’s different.”

“It’s not a get together?”

Alex smiled. “No, it is, but you’re here on my bike, so everyone inside knows you’re mine.”

Understanding dawned and I looked up at him. “Oh.”

“Yeah, oh.” He kissed me again. “Mine.”

I nodded. “Yours, but that also means
you
are
mine
.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, Payton. I’m yours.”

“So long as that’s clear.”

“God, I love you,” he whispered on a chuckle.

“Kinda love you too, honey.”

He took my hand, kissed my palm, and then led me to an unmarked door to the left of what looked like the actual shop. A dimly lit hallway led to another unmarked door which opened before we reached it. Alex pulled me into a small foyer with a few easy chairs and a desk with television sat in the space.

“Payton! Daddy!” Lily squealed, and a flurry of blonde flew at her father.

Alex scooped her up and hugged her. “Hey, baby girl. Are you having fun?”

“Kayla bought me
Fwozen
!”

“Did she now?” Alex looked at me with mock horror.

I saw Kayla walking towards us, a look of smug contrition on her face. “Payton started it.”

I giggled. “It’s my fault now?”

Lily reached for me and I took her from Alex. “Hey, honey. How are you?”

She took my face in her hands. “Can I come to your house, pweese?”

“Not tonight, but another time, absolutely. You’re always welcome there.”

Lily hugged my neck and I melted. I mean, really, was there anything sweeter?

“How about we go back to the play room,” Kayla said.

“I want Payton.”

I grinned. “What if you show me? Then I can meet your friends before I hang out with your daddy for a little while.”

Lily smiled. “’Kay.”

I lowered her to the floor and she grabbed my hand, tugging me toward the door to the common room. “Wait, honey. Let me talk to your dad real quick.” I led her back to Kayla and Alex. “Is there anything I need to know?”

Alex chuckled. “No, babe. You’re good.”

I narrowed my eyes for a few seconds and then nodded. “Okay, honey,” I said to Lily. “I’m ready.”

She led me into the common room and then to a hallway at the back of the kitchen. The doorknob to the play room was a little difficult to turn for her little hand, so I did it for her and pushed the door open.

“Will you dance wiff me, Payton?”

I cringed internally, but smiled at Lily. “I’d
love
to dance with you, honey.”

One of the other women in the room smiled at me and Lily. “Hey, baby.”

“Hi Sawwy.”

The woman had red hair, big… Texas big, really heavy makeup, and wore leather pants, a tight long-sleeved T-shirt and a leather vest with ‘Property of Flinch’ on a patch on the front. “I’m Sally.”

“Hi.” I shook her hand. “I’m Payton. It’s nice to meet you.”