Beautiful Misery (The Beautiful Series) (10 page)

“Ok. I will go get you a plate for the burgers.”

W
alking into the living room I saw my parents sitting together on the couch, Carrie was on the floor with Evie, Gramps was sitting in the rocking chair, Jenna was on Larkin’s lap in the chair and Cobie was curled in the corner of the loveseat. Her resolve was fading. Her smile wasn’t as bright as it had been earlier and her eyes were showing more pain than happiness. She looked like she could break at any moment.

Taking a seat next to Cobie I pulled her to my side. Leaning down I whispered, “Ready?”

She nodded.

Jenna scooted around on Larkin
’s lap, uncomfortably. “Ok. So, we are all here. Will one of you please tell us why?”

Leave it to Jenna to not so subtly ask what the hell was going on.

She already had tears running down her face. Jenna looked from Cobie to me then back to Cobie. “Please tell me what is going on. Now I’m getting really scared. Don’t tell me you lost the baby. That can’t be true.”

Both Cobie and I
shook our heads. I pulled her closer to me. “I will tell them.”

She
looked up at me. “No, I have to. I need to.”

I kissed her nose. “I understand.”

Sitting straight, she reached for my hand. Wrapping my hand around hers I rested my other hand around her shoulders, keeping her close to me.

“I’m sure everyone is wondering why we made y’all come here so quick. No, we didn’t lose the baby. She is still healthy and perfect. I am the one that isn’t.”

Cobie’s mom walked on her knees so she was sitting directly in front of us. “What are you saying, sweetie?”

I squeezed her hand letting her know I was there. I would always be there.

“I had to have routine blood drawn two weeks ago. After they got the results they sent me to a specialist…”

Larkin cut in, “A specialist? For what? Cobie, cut the shit and just tell us what the fuck is going on.”

She pinched her eyes shut and spoke softly, “I have cancer.”

I barely heard her but the room fell silent. Everyone had heard.

Jenna gasped, smashing her hand over her mouth. “Cancer?”

My mom burst into tears.

Cobie’s Gramps asked, “What are they going to do.”

She
couldn’t speak. I spoke for her, “Nothing. Cobie and I made the decision against treatment. Treatment meant losing Londyn and that was not an option for us.” I brushed a tear away. “We are going to cherish these next few months and enjoying being a family.”

Carrie
wrapped her arms around Cobie’s legs. “Few months?”

Cobie took a few deep breaths and between cries said,
“Yes, mom. I have Osteosarcoma. It is a very rare and aggressive form of cancer. I have a year at most but Dr. Emmons said with my pregnancy the cancer would most likely progress faster than normal.”

“How long Cobie?” Larkin asked, his voice weak.

“Dr. Emmons thinks maybe a few months after Londyn is born.”

Larkin wrapped Jenna in his arms as they both cried. Jenna looked up, her eyes meeting mine. For the first time it didn’t hurt to look at her. What hurt was knowing the girl I had my arms wrapped around wouldn’t be here this time next year. I thought my heart was broken when Jenna left. No. That pain was nothing compared to what I’ve been feeling these past few weeks.

Carrie covered her face. “No. I don’t believe it. You’re too damn young. I already lost your father. I can’t lose you too. There has to be something.”

Cobie ran her hand over her mom’s shaking head. “
Mom, stop. I don’t want to spend these next few months angry. I have every right to be pissed at the world and turn my back on God. But, then I look at all of you and I feel Londyn moving around and I can’t be upset. I’m surrounded by those I love and I’m going to be a mom. That is something I always wanted and I get it. I’m scared. We all are. That won’t change anything. What’s going to happen will happen weather we are sad, mad, or glad. The fact is- Cobie’s voice shook- I’m going to die, soon. I want the months I do have to be good, happy memories. I don’t want cancer defining my life.”

My dad had been quiet the whole time, slowly rubbing my mom’s back. His deep voice startled me when he said, “Okay then. That is what we will do.” My dad looked at everyone is this room before he went on, “This isn’t about us. And, we would be selfish assholes if we didn’t respect what you’re asking. We all love you and G
age and support whatever decisions you two make.”

Smiling my thank you to my dad I added, “We both understand what we just threw at you. We are still trying to cope with it. We don’t want cancer to be our focus. We want life and Londyn to be are focus.

Cancer
.

That one single word destroyed my family, my life. I hated it. It wasn’t fair. No one should have to go through this. Especially a young, healthy, beautiful women who was about to have my baby.
I wanted everyone to believe that I was accepting reality. But, truth was, my anger was only growing.

The night was spent discussing what Dr. Emmons had told us and what our plans were.

We were all hurt. We were all pissed. We were all angry. We were all confused.

Fuck Cancer.

10

Cobie

I
needed to get away, I needed to think. There was so much going on and it was only going to get worse. After everyone left all my emotions came to the surface. I needed some air. Somehow Gage and I would have to figure this out.

“Cobie, wait up!”
I heard Gage yelling.

Stopping I kicked a few rocks with my boots, waiting for him to catch up.

Once he was close he started walking and dug his hand into his jeans pocket. Pulling out a small velvet box. He handed it to me but never said a word.

Taking the box from Gage I slowly opened it and was surprised to find a gorgeous ring inside. Snapping it shut I handed it back to him, shaking my head profusely. “Gage, what the hell are you thinking? We aren’t even dating!”

Gage smiled. “Cobie, relax! I know we are not together, we are friends. This is a promise ring. Not like the usual promise of one day I’ll marry you but a promise that I will always be here.”

Gage opened the box again and slid the ring out. It was a simple platinum band covered in pave setting diamonds
with a round garnet that was surrounded by diamonds. “Co, I promise that no matter what we are in this together. I promise to you and our daughter to be the father she deserves. I promise that whatever happens our daughter will come first. Cobie, we may not be in love but we will share a love that no one else ever will. We have the love of our baby and I promise to love you both until they put my old cranky ass in the ground. I promise- Gage’s voice broke- that when you’re gone I will share silly stories with our baby. She will know how beautiful her mom was and what an amazing person he mom was. I promise to never let her go a day without telling her how much you love her.”

Gage lifted my left hand and slipped the ring onto my ring finger.
Holding both his hands I said, “Gage, thank you. I don’t know how I would have done this or gone through this without you. You had every chance to run but you stayed. Very easily you can have said screw it and walked away. Knowing I will be leaving our daughter with you makes this journey a little easier. I will always be with you helping you raise her.” Looking at my ring, shining bright in the setting sun I asked, “Why did you get a red stone?”

Gage smiled and said, “It’s a garnet, Londyn’s birthstone.”

Staring at my new ring I couldn’t help the smile that crept across my face. Lifting my left hand I cupped Gage’s face. “You can be such an egotistical ass to the outside world but the real Gage Tucker is one of the sweetest guys I know. Thank you for this, for everything. One things for sure though,”

Tilting his head and letting that shit eating grin take over his face Gage played dumb. “What’s that?”

Running my thumb across his lips I said, “The sex is amazing.”

Gage winked when he said, “Yeah that
is very true. But you sure are loud.”

Pouting playfully I said, “
I’ve never heard you complain.”

Leaning his head back Gage laughed. “No, no I haven’t.”

Gage lifted me up and put his arm under my legs. Walking back in the direction of our house he said, “Maybe we should start practicing on you being quiet now. I’ve heard practice makes perfect.”

Tilting my head back to see Gage’s eyes I could see how dark and intense they were. They a
lways got that dark stormy sea blue when he was turned on.

Joking I said, “I’ll see what I can do, but I’m not making any promises.”

Nothing else was said until we were in the house. Gage laid me on the couch then slowly lowered himself over me. I grabbed his strong arms and felt them flexing the lower he got, holding himself up. Hearing the deep growl that came from Gage had me squirming, trying to ease the ache between my legs. Reaching between us I felt Gage’s hardness pressed against his jeans. I quickly unbuttoned his jeans and slid my hand inside. Once my hand was wrapped around his erection Gage rested his forehead on mine. “Fuck, Co! Lay down. Now!”

Removing my hand
, I did what Gage said. He softly kissed up my leg and up my swollen belly. Stopping just at my belly button and whispering, “Daddy loves you.” He looked through his lashed at me before continuing back down my other leg.

Gage’s hand found its way back up my leg and under my dress. He lightly rubbed over my panties causing me to groan. I had a love/hate relationship with these little games he liked to play. Turning me on then making me wait or teasing me to the point of screaming.

“Is this what you want?” Gage asked in his deep, raspy voice.

Looking up I saw Gage standing. He had his had wrapped around his large dick, rubbing up and down.

Licking my lips I nodded. “Uhh huh.”

Lowering himself, Gage positioned his erection at my entrance. “Look at me Cobie.” Moving my eyes so I was looking to him he slowly
slid into me. “I love you, Co.”

Grabbing his shoulders I breathed out, “I love you, Gage.”

This was the first time Gage and I had had sex since I was told I had cancer. He seemed gentle. He took his time. It was like he was trying to memorize this moment.

“Gage, I promise I won’t break.”

Smiling down at me he picked up his pace. “This how you want it?” Arching off the couch I moaned. “I’ll take that as a yes.” Gage bit down on my earlobe.

Slamming into me harder, I heard the couch screech across the wood floor. There was the sweet, gentle, and loving Gage…then there was this Gage. The dominant, womanizing, and rough Gage. I liked the latter better.

“I want you to cum. I want you to orgasm so hard you’re screaming my name and your sweet juices are running down,” Gage gritted out between clinched teeth.

I was done for. Tossing my head back I yelled out, “Fuck, Gage. Oh God.”

“That’s it baby. Just like that.” Gage gripped the arm of the couch as I felt his dick pulsing. He shut his eyes and jerked. “Shit, Co. Fuck. You’re so damn tight.”

Gage slid out of me and scooted me so there was room for him to lay behind me. “I love how you look after you
have an orgasm. Your cheeks get pink and your eyes are so bright.”

“Hmm.
” I mumbled. All the stress was taking a toll on me. I was exhausted.

“Take a nap. I have a fe
w things I need to do today.” Gage shimmied his way off the couch and kissed me cheek as he stood.

I was a
lready half asleep by the time Gage whispered, “I love you. Be back in a little bit”

Gage

W
hen Cobie and I found out we were having a girl she immediately started planning her nursery. She wanted her room to look like an open field full of wild flowers. The furniture she picked out looked like old barn wood. She wanted to go as far as painting clouds on the ceiling.

“Good afternoon, sir. Is there anything I can help you with?” A tall blonde asked from behind her desk.

“Actually, yes. I have an appointment to talk to somebody about designing a nursery for my daughter.”

The blonde smiled and said, “Of course. Take a seat and I will let our design team know you’re here.”

“Okay, thank you.”

A few minutes later a lady in her early forties came walking down the hall. “Mr. Tucker?”

Standing, I accepted her hand. “Yes. Please call me Gage.”

“Of course, my name is Wanda. Let’s go to my office and we can talk.”

I followed her down the sleek hallway that was lined with picture after picture of different rooms from different homes.

“Have a seat, Gage. I took a quick glance at your request. But, I would like to get more detail and go over a budget.”

Wanda took a seat in her large leather chair and pulled a folder in front of her. “To get a starting point so we know what we can and cannot do let’s go over budget.”

“There isn’t one.” I didn’t bat an eye at my comment, but clearly Wanda was having a hard time breathing.

“Oh. Well that makes my job a whole lot easier.”

I was
n’t an idiot I knew she got paid commission and I was ready to give her a hefty pay check.

“Since we clearly don’t have to worry about cost would you please give me a little more detail as to what you were wanting?” Wanda grabbed her pen, ready to take notes.

“I’m sure you saw this is a nursery for my daughter. Her mom wanted her room to look like an open field. She wanted the tall grass and golden weeds painted on the wall along with wildflowers. Realistic. Nothing whimsical.” I pulled my phone from my pocket and opened up the pictures. I had stopped on my way here and taken a picture of the open field behind Cobie’s mom’s house. Holding my phone out I showed Wanda who smiled. “She wants something just like this. She already has the furniture picked out. It looks like old barn wood. I could email you think link. Also, there needs to be clouds on the ceiling.”

As she wrote she paused to look up. “What about flooring?”

“It’s stays how it is. It’s a dark hardwood and my girl loves it.”

Did I just refer to Cobie as my girl?

“Can you email me that picture you have and the link for the furniture. I will draw something up today. I can email it to you either tonight or tomorrow. My team should be able to start this coming week and it should take only take three or four days to get this done since it will be mainly painting with décor. If that fits your schedule.”

I emailed her the picture before standing and holding my hand out to her. “Sound great. Thank you so much.”

I
got the email that night with the picture she had drawn up. Cobie was going to love it. Now I had to figure out how to keep this from her.

Racking my brain I finally thought of something. Shutting the basement door so Cobie couldn’t hear me
, I called her mom.

“Gage? Is everything okay?”

Yes. But, I have a favor I need from you.”

“God, you scared me. What do you need, honey?”

“Well, I have a surprise for Cobie but I need her out of the house for a few days. I was thinking of telling her I had to fly to New York for a few days but I wasn’t comfortable leaving her alone so I think she should stay with you while I was gone. But, you cannot let her come over here.”

“Um can I ask what in God’s name are you doing that she has to leave the house for a few days?”

“Surprising her with the nursery she has talked nonstop about since we found out Londyn was a girl.”

“The wild flowers and field?”

“Yes, so will you help me?”

“Of course, sweetie. Just let me know when to expect her.”

“The plan is to start the beginning of next week.”

“Okay. And, Gage, thank you.”

“Thank you? For what?”

“Proving Cobie wrong. When this all started she was terrified you would walk away or worse think she was some money chasing whore. I can see how much you both care for each other. I know this isn’t what y’all planned and life never is, but the way you two have grown together has a lot to say about the both of you.”

“I would never walk away from my child, regardless of how they were conceived. No, things for Cobie and I didn’t start out like normal but I wouldn’t take it back. And, I could never think that way about her. For one, I have respect for her and even only being around her a few times I knew she wasn’t like that. And two, Larkin would kill me.”