Boss Me (29 page)

“Not right now. You need to have this conversation with Zach and Nick without me. But, don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere. Call me when he leaves and I’ll come over, okay?” he says, his hot breath warming the top of my head.

“Okay. I’ll call you later,” I say as he lets go of me. Will walks me over to my car and waits until I’m safely inside. He stands there watching as I start up my car, wait a few moments for it to warm up, and then pull out of the parking spot. He waves and smiles as I pass.

And I will call him later. As soon as Nick leaves. As much as I want him there for support, I know that he is right. I need to handle this situation tonight with his moral support, not his physical being. This is one of those times where a mother and a father – even if they’re no longer married – need to band together for the good of their child. Will knew it before I did.

I drive towards my house with a smile on my lips. Lips that still tingle and are slightly swollen from Will’s kisses. Lips that will devour his magical lips again later tonight. That you can count on.

What have I learned from all of this? Well, I’ve learned that my job is just that – a job. It doesn’t define me as a person and I need to be brave enough to be the same person at work as I am at home. With Will next to me, I know I can be that person.

Plus, that phone call I received earlier from a man named Chase Delaney doesn’t hurt any, either.

I’ve discovered a lot about myself in the past few months. I’ve learned that it’s okay to lean on someone for help and guidance. That it doesn’t mean you’re weak or unable, it just means you have someone special in your life to share the journey. And life is a journey. It’s full of ups and downs, twists and turns. Sometimes you stumble – or slip on the ice – and the result may be finding that special someone. The person who challenges you and completes you. Someone you can laugh with and snuggle with, and helps dry your tears. Someone who’s quiet, yet bossy in all the right ways. Someone who turns your world completely upside down and turns out to be the love of your life.

Who knew?

Not me.

But I wouldn’t trade a moment. Not for anything.

Believe me, I know. I
am
the boss.

Epilogue

Will

Six Weeks Later

“Come on,” I yell from the front door, pacing back and forth with nerves.

“I’m coming. Quit being so bossy,” she says as she waltzes into the room with a little extra sway to her hips. I almost throw her over my shoulder and carry her right back to the bedroom.

“We need to go,” I whisper as I pull her flush against me. She rubs her center against the crotch of my suddenly too-tight pants.

“I know. Keep your pants on, Will,” she says with a smile. She hasn’t called me William in a month. Well, except that one time I slapped her ass when we were at my parent’s house for supper. I don’t think she was too amused. But, don’t worry. I made it up to her later that night.

“Yeah, but if we don’t go now, we’ll lose the good parking spots to Nate and Travis, and that can’t happen. Besides, if I take my pants off, we’ll never get there,” I say with a smirk.

“Fine. Let’s go,” she concedes as she grabs her coat.

Zach is spending the weekend with his dad. Nick has been surprisingly attentive lately where his son is concerned. Well, ever since the incident over a month ago where Zach ran away from school. He’s also being polite toward me and has included me in a few of the conversations they’ve shared regarding Zach. Not that I’d ever expect to be included in matters pertaining to their son, but he’s being thoughtful to both Carmen and me.

I wasn’t surprised when Carmen told me about her job offer with the community college. I tried to act the part, but apparently my acting skills are a little rusty because she saw right through it. I know that even if I wouldn’t have placed a call to Chase, she would have found a job sooner rather than later. She’s a determined, stubborn woman with a bossy streak a mile long, and she’s not the type to sit back idly and wait for something to come along. She forges her own path and makes her own decisions. Though, I’m fortunate enough lately that she’s including me in many of them.

“So, what do you think of that house on Grant Street that we looked at yesterday?” she asks as we setting into my car.

We didn’t get to discuss it after we left the realtor since I had to head out to work. I started my new job last week at the smaller hospital in St. Charles. They have several ambulance stations throughout town and I was lucky enough to get an opening at the one stationed at the edge of St. Charles along the main road we take from Rivers Edge. The thirty-minute drive doesn’t bother me much, but I’m working the twelve-hour overnight shift. So, I go in at 6pm and get off around 6am. They anticipate an opening soon for the earlier shift and have already promised me the position when it becomes available. With Zach’s desire to play basketball next year, I definitely want to be available for every game he has. So, that overnight shift will do. For now.

“I liked the house. The backyard is big enough and there’s already the basketball hoop for Zach,” I say as I link my fingers with hers.

“I really liked it too. It’s definitely my favorite out of all the ones we’ve looked at. If we made an offer on that one, I’d be happy,” she says with a brilliant smile.

And I’d do anything to make her happy, so consider that phone call done as soon as I can steal a moment away. Placing a kiss on the top of her knuckles, I say, “I agree.”

“Did you see the big shower in the master bathroom?” she asks with glowing features.

“Even if I missed it, I couldn’t have missed your reaction to it. I thought we were going to remain passive for the realtor so she didn’t know which way we were leaning,” I say with a smile.

“Hey, I tried. But I really, really liked that house. I think Zach will love the room we picked for him.”

“And let’s not forget the other room that we’ll use for a nursery,” I say, kissing those delectable knuckles of hers again. I swipe my tongue across the soft, sensitive skin causing her to gasp and give an involuntarily shudder. It’s a reaction I see often, and it never gets old.

“Someday,” she adds with a smile.

“Someday,” I repeat.

It doesn’t take but a few minutes and we’re pulling into the parking lot adjacent to the hospital. I quickly step out into the cool March afternoon air and adjust my coat around my neck. It has warmed up a bit, but not enough to completely melt the snow we received earlier in the week. As soon as I have my door shut, Carmen meets me around the front of the car, and we head into the hospital hand in hand.

“You ready for this?” she asks with a knowing smile.

“As I’ll ever be.” Together we walk through the sliding glass doors.

It feels almost nostalgic to be here. I haven’t been here since I was fired more than a month ago. I miss the small, cozy hospital and the friends that I made while working here, but having Carmen at home every night is more fulfilling than anything else in the world. So, I happily closed this chapter in my book and moved on from the only hospital I’ve called home since becoming a paramedic. It’s a decision I will never regret and a situation I will never forget.

We make our way to the elevator and press the button with the big number three. The door closes with that familiar swoosh, but only for a moment. Within ten seconds, we’re being deposited in the middle of the third floor. While this floor is less familiar to me – since Carmen’s office was on the second floor – it doesn’t take us but a second to locate the waiting room. When we step inside, my mom is sitting on the small loveseat. Alone.

“Will,” she says with a smile as she stands up to greet Carmen and me.

“Hi, Mom. Anything yet?” I ask as I place a kiss on her cheek.

“No, no word yet,” she says as she twists her hands together in front of her. I can tell she’s nervous, and rightfully so. “So, how did the house hunting go yesterday?” she asks, trying to get her mind off of the wait.

“Really good,” Carmen says with a big smile. “I think we found the one,” she adds as she sits next to Mom on the loveseat.

I settle in the chair closest to Carmen as Travis and Josselyn come in.

“Anything?” he asks with concern filled eyes.

“Not yet,” Mom answers with the gentle shake of her head, her eyes filling with unshed tears.

Josselyn rushes over and gives her a huge hug before settling in the chair on the opposite side. Travis comes over and gives me a handshake before placing a kiss on Mom’s cheek as he settles into the plastic chair next to his wife.

Travis holds her hand gently while whispering into her ear. The occasional smile that crosses her face lets me know that whatever they’re discussing probably isn’t something they should say out loud. It’s probably a good thing Mom is too preoccupied to notice their hungry looks and their stolen kisses.

Conversations are strained as we all stare at the clock. You can’t help the uneasiness you feel when you’re trapped in a ten by ten room with empty chairs and stale coffee. Especially when your loved one is on the other side of the wall and at the mercy of the medical staff on duty. There’s nothing worse than feeling vulnerable and helpless. Especially when all you have is time. And time isn’t always on your side.

“Anything?” Avery says as she bursts into the waiting room, Maddox hot on her heels.

We all stand up and collectively shake our heads from side to side. The look on her face is torturous. Avery has always worn her emotions on her sleeve, and as a big brother, there’s nothing worse than seeing duress or sadness in your little sister’s face. This is one of the things that has bonded Jake, Nate, Travis, and I together as brothers. We’ll all do anything to protect her.

Maddox drops into the seat next to Avery and rubs her back. I watch as she lays her head down on his shoulder. It comforts me to know that she has him by her side. She’s been through so much in her short twenty-some years, but knowing that Maddox is there with her, makes it all worth it. I couldn’t be happier for my baby sister. For the woman she grew up to be, and the mother and wife she has become. She amazes me daily with her strength and inner beauty.

Nate and Lia arrive next. We all stand and exchange more hugs with the latest arrivals. Lia sits down in my chair next to Carmen and begins talking about something girly. I’m not sure what exactly because as soon as I heard the words ‘uncontrollable bladder’, I took off to join Nate against the far wall.

Lia has come out of her shell lately in leaps and bounds. After all that drama at the creek last fall, I thought she’d never be whole again. But when she’s with my brother, I don’t know, she finally smiles. And she smiles all the time. Lia is quick with her laughter and always seems to have a twinkle in her steely blue eyes. And my brother? Talk about a pansy. I’ve never seen a guy turn from badass to googly-eyed lovesick sap faster than Nate. In the words of my brother, Jake, he’s a whipped pussy. I love it.

The clock on the wall doesn’t seem to change. Ever. We’re stuck in some shitty time warp where every time I start to feel like we might be making progress and time is passing, you look up and see that it’s only been mere minutes since the last time you looked. Longest. Day. Ever.

Everyone chair hops like some messed up game of musical chairs. But here in the waiting room, the only music is the ticking of the clock or the occasional local news program when someone turns on the television. Otherwise, we fill the time with mindless chatter and cold coffee.

Finally, the door opens again. The entire room turns and looks, waiting. There stands Dad. He looks pale and slightly sweaty like he ran. “Did I miss anything?” he asks with concern-filled eyes.

Before anyone can respond, a shadow falls behind him. We all turn to see Jake. And he’s smiling. Not just any smile, but the biggest smile I’ve ever seen.

“They’re here,” he says and you can’t miss the unshed tears in his eyes. “They’re perfect and so beautiful,” he adds as he walks over and plops down in the first chair he sees. Jake’s normal unshakeable demeanor has definitely been rattled today. He’s wearing light blue scrubs on top of his clothes, matching blue paper booties, and a hairnet. But what really catches my eye is the tiny black footprints stamped on the chest of his blue scrubs.

“I have new granddaughters?” Mom asks, walking over to him and dropping to her knees in front of him. She throws her arms around his neck and hangs on for dear life as she sheds a few tears of her own.

“You have two beautiful, little granddaughters, Mom,” he whispers as he hugs her tightly.

“How did everything go?” Avery asks as she wipes tears streaming down her face.

“Good once she had the epidural. She screamed at everyone but the mailman for the first few hours. As soon as the doctor checked her and said she was four centimeters, she ordered the epidural. God, am I glad, too, because I’m not sure how much more of that I could have taken. Seeing her in pain is the worst thing ever,” Jake adds, shaking his head.

Jake called Carmen last night while I was at work and said they were on their way to the hospital. Her contractions were still seven minutes apart, but with carrying twins, they didn’t want to chance her having complications at home. So, as soon as her water broke, they were off to the hospital. Mom has been here overnight. You couldn’t pry her away with a putty knife, but the rest of us weren’t summoned to the hospital until around noon. I had only been home a handful of hours, but even with only going on about four hours of sleep, I feel nothing but excitement and have more energy than I expected to have.

“They’re getting Erin cleaned up and will get her back to her room soon. The twins seem fine and healthy, but since they were four weeks early, they’re taking extra precautions and they’re in the NICU right now. If all goes okay in the next hour or so, they’ll bring them down to Erin’s room,” Jake says. “Oh, wanna see pictures?” he asks, pulling two Polaroid’s out of the pocket of his scrubs.