Second Look (A New Beginning Book 3) (30 page)

“Stop blaming yourself.”

“Thank
you
for not blaming me.”

Adam shook his head and then smiled. “It time for the fun phone calls. Who should we call first?”

Jennifer’s face lit up and she said, “You go first. Call your mom and tell her she’s a grandma.”

“I can’t wait to tell her, Jenn. She’ll be so happy!”

He leaned in and gave her a soft kiss before grabbing the phone.

After his mom answered, he told her to hold on so he could call Mandi for a 3-way call.

“What’s going on, Adam?” His mom asked him as they waited for Mandi to answer. “No worries, mom. I’m adding Mandi to the line before I tell you.”

“Just a sec, mom,” he told her as he heard Mandi’s voice.

“Hey bro,” Mandi said. “What’s up?”

“Mom’s on the line too, Mandi. Say hi,” Adam couldn’t keep the excitement out of his voice.

“Oh, uh, hi mom.”

“Do you know what’s going on here, Mandi?”

“Well, no. You guys called me. I was hoping you could tell me that.” Mandi laughed.

“Ladies, chill out!” Adam told them with a chuckle. “I have some news.”

“News? What news?” His mom asked.

“Jennifer and I are getting married!” Adam looked over at Jennifer and then reached out and grabbed her hand.

His mom and sister shouted at the same time. They were so loud he was pretty sure Jennifer could hear them.

“That’s great, Adam! I’m so happy!” His mom told him, her voice rising in excitement.

“It’s about damn time,” Mandi replied and it made Adam laugh.

“There’s more.”

“More! Are you going to have a baby, too? Am I going to be a grandma?” His mom’s voice was really excited now.

“Not exactly,” Adam said. “You actually already
are
a grandma.”

“Well, of course I already feel like Amber’s my grandbaby, Adam. That just becomes official with your marriage!”

“No, mom. You really are Amber’s grandma.”

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying? You’re Amber’s father?” Mandi interrupted.

“Yes, Mandi, yes!”

“I’m confused.”

“Mom, I took another paternity test. Turns out the first one was wrong. I really am Amber’s father.”

There was silence on the line and finally he heard her ask, “You’re her father? I’m her grandmother?”

“And I’m her auntie!” Mandi shouted.

He could hear his mom’s sniffles and finally he said, “Mom?”

She finally answered, “Yeah, Adam. I’m just so shocked. I’m not sure whether to be happy or upset.”

“I know mom,” he told her. “I know exactly what you mean. But I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life. I just wish dad could have met her.”

“Well, he did in a way.”

“What do you mean?”

“He got to see her picture in the hospital, shortly before he passed away. Didn’t Jennifer tell you?”

He glanced at Jennifer, his eyes wide. “No, she didn’t.”

Jennifer shrugged at him in question. He just shook his head and mouthed that he’d tell her later.

The rest of their phone call was filled with questions about Amber, the results and the wedding plans.

After their call finally ended, Adam and Jennifer took turns making the others.

Adam was able to see Jennifer’s face light up while she talked to her mom and dad to give the news. Her smile never wavered.

Everyone’s reaction was close to the same; they were elated about the engagement, most asking when and where the wedding would take place, and they were shocked but ecstatic about the news of Adam being Amber’s father.

“Now,” Adam said, “what do you say we have a little wedding talk, huh? Everyone asked the question when. How long do we have to wait? Where do you want to get married? When can you and my daughter move in with me?”

Jennifer’s mouth turned up. “I don’t want to wait long. I’d like the wedding to be small and soon. Very, very soon.”

Adam grinned. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

Then, he could see Jennifer hesitate. “What? Just say what you want to say. I won’t bite, I promise. Well, unless you want me to.”

Jenn rubbed her hands over her face and said, “It may sound stupid, but I’ll have to sell this house, and I think I’d rather just wait to move until after the wedding. Make it really special for us. Is that okay with you?”

Adam hid his disappointment and said, “I want you and Amber to move in with me as soon as possible, but I’ve waited this long so I can wait a little longer. But that means I want the wedding that much sooner.”

Jenn nodded her head in agreement. “I couldn’t agree more.”

For the rest of the afternoon, while they waited for Amber to get home from school, they planned their version of the perfect wedding. All that was left was to solicit help from their moms to have them help pull off their wedding as fast as humanly possible.

There were plenty of stolen hugs, kisses that turned steamy and in the early afternoon Adam chased Jennifer back into her bedroom.

As Adam and Jennifer waited at the end of the driveway for Amber’s bus to arrive that afternoon, Adam didn’t think he could ever be happier than he was at that very moment.

He wasn’t going to let another minute go by to start his life with his fiancé and his daughter and make every one of their dreams come true.

Epilogue

Adam

Adam couldn’t believe five months had gone by since the wedding and it was already springtime again in Minnesota. Where the time went, he wasn’t sure, but he was loving every single minute of it.

After the quick wedding and long, perfect honeymoon, their friends and family joined forces to help him get Jennifer and Amber moved into his house, although now it was theirs too. He wasn’t sure how they managed to make moving day so fun, but it was a party all day long at the house.

Adam had surprised Amber by having her room, located just down the hall from his and Jenn’s room, decorated by an interior designer friend of his.

He could still remember everything that was said that day and her reaction...

“Amber, are you ready to see your new room?”

“Yes, daddy! I’m excited to live here. I love your house.”

“Our house, honey! It’s yours now too,” he gently corrected. “Come on, let me show you.”

Adam grabbed her hand and led her to her new room.

The second they entered, Amber’s her mouth dropped open. Adam watched her as she looked around the room, taking it all in and touching everything.

He wasn’t sure how the designer had done it, but she managed to create Amber’s room to fit her perfectly.

Amber took it all in and found her voice, saying, “I love it, daddy! Thank you so much!”

She hugged Adam, jumped up and down, clapping her hands and then ran to her bed. She hopped on and hugged her big, fluffy pillows.

Just thinking of that day again brought him so much joy.

Amber spent a lot of time in her room since then, reading, playing and creating painted masterpieces that he had hung up on the fridge.

Adam tried find the right balance of spoiling Amber rotten and learning how to be her parent. He and Jennifer had a few disagreements on some of the less important parenting decisions, but Adam followed Jennifer’s lead on her parenting style.

It was now the third weekend in April, almost Easter. Adam and Jenn had a date while Amber was going to his mom’s house to make cookies and decorate Easter eggs. His mom also wasted no time getting to know her granddaughter and wanted to spend as much time as possible with her.

“Well, kiddo, ready to go see grandma?”

“Yippie! Let’s, go.”

Jennifer

She couldn’t believe how time flew by. Springtime in Minnesota was Jennifer’s favorite season, especially after the snowy winter they had. Amber loved the snow, going tubing, skiing and building snowmen at their new home. They even went ice fishing a few times, although the sound of the cracking ice always tended to freak her out.

Today was the day she’d show Adam and Amber their surprise and she couldn’t wait. She held onto it for weeks and the anticipation was practically killing her.

She told them to stay out of the baby’s room while she decorated so it could be a surprise, and was fairly certain they listened to her. She didn’t think either one of them had any idea what they were about to find out.

“Come on, the baby’s room is finally ready. I want to show you both the room now.”

“Sweet!”

Amber ran down the hall in front of her parents. She was just about to turn seven and she was so excited to become a big sister. She talked about it constantly to everyone who would listen.

Adam smirked. “I finally get to see the baby’s room? Wow! It’s been killing me to see what colors you chose.”

Jennifer rolled her eyes at his sarcasm.

They got down to the room and Jennifer held the door handle. “Ready?”

She waited until Amber and Adam both nodded their heads.

“One, two, three!”

She swung open the door, and as Amber and Adam walked in the room, she watched their faces.

Adam’s eyes and mouth were wide open and it took him several seconds to be able to speak. “Are you serious?”

“Mommy, why are there two cribs?”

Adam whispered, still in shock. “We’re having twins?”

Jennifer nodded, staring into his eyes.

“Oh my gosh!” Amber jumped up and down and then ran around the room. “I’m going to be a big sister to two babies right away!”

Adam finally seemed to snap out of it. He turned towards Jennifer, kissed her softly and then kneeled down to be even with her growing stomach.

“Hi there, little ones. I just found out there are two of you in there. I can’t wait to meet you both. You’re going to love your big sister and your mommy and I’ll do my best to be a great daddy. I love you.”

Jennifer couldn’t help the tears spilling down her face.

It was definitely the hormones, right?

A Note from the Author

Did you know? The best way to thank an author is to write a review!

Whether or not you enjoyed Second Look, I would greatly appreciate reviews on GoodReads or Amazon.

Visit my website to keep up on the latest about my books or to contact me: http://www.conniestephanybooks.com

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I truly hope you enjoyed
Second Look
. If you did, check out the other books in The New Beginnings series!

Book #1 -
Second Chances
– Available Now

Finalist for the
2015 National Indie Excellence Awards
:

A year after being dumped on her wedding day, Abby Simon was still left wondering what had gone wrong. It made Adam almost impossible for Abby to get over. Since then, Abby had been on a series of dates that usually ended in disaster, and she was ready to just give up on men entirely.

When Abby unexpectedly runs into an old crush she hasn’t seen in thirteen years, she can’t help but notice he’s hotter than ever. Max wouldn’t give her the time of day back then, but to her total surprise, he seemed very interested in her now.

Just as things are heating up with Max, Adam shows up claiming he still loves Abby and leaving her was the biggest mistake of his life. Adam finally gives Abby answers as to why he left and is asking for another chance.

Abby must now make the biggest decision of her life…which man deserves a second chance?

Link to
buy on Amazon
:

Book #3 –
Second to None
– Coming December 2016

Noah’s been in love with his best friend since high school. Too bad he’s always been too afraid to tell her. Cassandra is smart, gorgeous and absolutely perfect for him, but he’d rather suffer in silence than lose his best friend in case she didn’t feel the same way.

Cassandra can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to finding a man. She hasn’t found anyone worthy of going on even a second date and wonders when she’ll catch a break. At least she can count on her best friend, Noah, to cheer her up when she’s feeling lonely. He’s always been there for her and she isn’t sure what she’d do without him.

When Cassandra’s date stands her up, Noah comes over to help her drown her sorrows. Their night together finally forces Noah to admit his true feelings, but will Cassandra’s reaction end up tearing apart their friendship? Or will he finally get to call the woman of his dreams more than just his best friend?

Book #4 -
Second Time Around
– To Be Announced

Mandi’s love life has been non-existent ever since tragedy struck and she divorced the man she thought she’d spend the rest of her life with. Since then, she’s avoided heartbreak by steering clear of dating and instead she’s concentrated on building her career.

When a friend convinces Mandi to try online dating, she figures it’s pretty safe considering she doesn’t even have to meet anyone in person. She isn’t expecting to hit it off with Luke, a man who reaches out to her shortly after her online profile goes live. The more they get to know each other, the more she finds she really likes this guy. Who cares if she’s never actually seen a picture. He could be cute, right?