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Authors: A.C. Bextor

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KEPT: A Second Chance Fairy Tale (49 page)

BOOK: KEPT: A Second Chance Fairy Tale

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His mom and Deni arrived yesterday to spend Belle’s birthday with her. They come every other month or so and stay throughout the weekend. They were both so happy for Michael. Denise told me she doesn’t want to miss watching her brother’s happiness, as well as getting to know her niece.

Hi
, I mouth back.

It doesn’t matter how many people fill our house with their loving presence. By now, we’re used to the chaos and have learned to not only work through it, but welcome the company for as long as they’re willing to stay.

“Mommy looks so pretty,” Belle tells her father when she catches me standing in the door to the room.

He kisses the top of her head, wraps his hand around the back of her neck, then squeezes. When she giggles and tries to get away, he lets her, then starts to stand. Grace takes a seat where he just moved from and opens the book in order to start from the beginning. Immediately, Belle jumps in her lap and waits patiently for Grace to read it to her
again
.

“Michael,” Deni calls from the couch. “Did you know Corbin is seeing someone? As in, one single, mysterious woman.”

Michael looks at me, rolls his eyes, then closes them before turning around to face his sister.

Corbin sits quietly, saying nothing. I’m a little curious and a whole lot suspect as to what Denise is talking about.

Michael voices his response loud enough so no one can miss it. “Cool it, Deni. This isn’t your business.”

She shrugs, clearly not deterred from her thoughts on the matter. “I’m just saying it seems odd. I mean…” She points to Corbin as he looks away. “We’re talking about Corbin Mercer.”

Since Michael and I got married, Corbin’s been part of our daily lives. He’s been present for every holiday, big or small, as well as parked on our couch with Dillon and Michael every weekend watching baseball and cursing their favorite teams.

“I think he’s seeing Shannan,” Dillon states, sucking all the air from my lungs.

No. Way.

“Uh, Dillon?” Corbin questions. Once Dillon looks at him, Corbin immediately runs his hand across his throat, telling my son to keep quiet.

“But I could be wrong,” Dillon corrects, but it’s too late.

Shannan and Corbin.
No way.

“Christ,” Michael hisses in my ear before wrapping his hands around my protruding belly and giving it a light squeeze. “My son didn’t just bust their shit out, did he?”

“No way,” I whisper, still shocked.

If there’s any merit at all to this revelation, I’m going to pin down my still very single best friend and have a chat.

Come to think of it, Corbin’s been acting odd since…

“Corbin,” I say, leaning around Michael after pulling myself inches away. “Where were you the night Belle was born?”

Corbin scoffs, playing it off as though he doesn’t remember.

He’s so full of shit.

“What are you talking about?” he asks. “I was there.”

“Lucy, leave this alone,” Michael whispers.

Moving my hand to cover Michael’s mouth, I push, “No, you weren’t. You were there
after
she was born. As in, hours after.”

Corbin’s arms stretch in front of him, feigning shock. “I was still there the day she was born. Wasn’t I, Belle?” he asks my daughter, who has no idea what he’s talking about. She looks away from the book, scrunches her face, then looks at me.

“Shannan missed it, too,” I state.

“She’s not giving this up,” Michael tells himself once I drop my hand.

Turning my gaze to his, I accuse, “You knew about this, didn’t you?”

“Woman, let it go,” he breathes.

As if.

Corbin stands, walks to Belle, drops down to kiss the top of her head, and says, “Mommy’s pretty, but she’s also mental.”

Again
,
as if.

“Corbin Mercer,” I state, but that’s all I’m able to get out.

Michael’s mouth is on mine faster than I can stop him. I hear Denise in the background laughing, as both our mothers gasp and yell for the kids to turn away. It’s not a tongue duel by any means, but it’s a kiss with a message. It’s telling me to stop talking.

“Okay,” I concede once he sets me free. “I get it.”

“Thank fuck,” he utters, then looks down at my stomach. “I’m trying to wait patiently, buddy, but you
cannot
get here soon enough. Dillon and I need backup.”

Smiling, I lean in to kiss him softly. “Go play with the kids. I’ll finish in the kitchen and bring the cake out soon.”

Michael

The long and sorrowed days of existing in a life of silent solitude are over. Those same days of existing only to survive my son’s death are gone.

Although there will never be a day that goes by when I won’t miss my firstborn son, his death doesn’t go unrequited. Whether he’s here or not, I live and breathe each day with him. I hear his laughter in my own. Belle’s smile is his reflecting back at me. And keeping his memories alive, I relive and cherish every moment we had together often.

Watching my daughter sleep soundly, tucked tightly in her pink canopy bed, I remember to do the same just as I’ve done since the day she was born.

Take another glance to memorize her face.

Take an extra second to feel her soft skin.

Listen closely to hear her gentle breaths, reassuring myself she’s okay.

And finally, use as many minutes as I have left in the day to give thanks and pray she’s always with me.

“You’re doing it again,” Lucy tells me as she leans her shoulder into the doorway of my daughter’s bedroom.

Lucy insisted we name our firstborn Belle. She had to explain her reasoning behind this because I truly didn’t understand. Even after living with and being married to Lucy for the last five years, I still don’t know which character belongs to what movie she’s so often engrossed in.

The character from her favorite movie, however, is named Belle. According to Lucy, Belle lived with a beast. In her own way, she humanized him and, in turn, he endeared himself to her in all ways. Much like what my daughter does for me. Lucy believes my personal beasts of loneliness and regret have settled since she made her way to us.

But the beasts I struggled with went to the wayside long before our daughter arrived.

In so many ways, Lucy was my savior. I never truly lived until she forced me to realize I wasn’t living at all. She was the light I didn’t see, the strength I couldn’t find, and as many times as she reminds me that I kept her without her knowing it, it was she who kept me. She was the beacon of hope I hadn’t realized I’d been grasping for.

“She’s perfect,” I whisper quietly, still standing above Belle’s small body nestled in peaceful dreams.

Coming to stand at my side, Lucy grabs my hand in hers and caresses the wedding band I’ve never taken off.

“Most parents look forward to bedtime,” she tells me. “You don’t.”

“No,” I remind her as I always have. “I don’t.”

Lucy releases my hand to hold her stomach, massaging the rapidly expanding bump keeping our son safe.

“Dillon’s finally asleep,” she informs me quietly, looking at Belle and smiling. “Soon, we’ll have late nights again. We should enjoy the quiet ones for as long as we can.”

Before meeting Lucy, I had enough quiet nights to last a lifetime. I don’t care if I never get another.

“You’re okay?” she questions, looking at me with concern. Her hand brushes the side of my face and I close my eyes to relish that, too.

“I’ll be in with you in a few minutes. Go on. Get some sleep. Deni and Mom are coming by early tomorrow before they head out.”

“Okay,” she returns, but with hesitation.

Looking back at Belle, I do as I always do. I close my eyes and whisper the same sentiment I whispered the day she was born, the first time I held her in my arms and felt Caleb’s presence proudly standing at my side.

“Don’t ever tell your mother I said this, but maybe fairy tales can come true as long as you believe.”

Paul and Dallace: How many gas station ice teas did we go through? Thank you for constant deliveries, leaving me in peace to work, and not disowning me when my frustration nearly did me in. I love that you understand how much I enjoy writing. I owe you each so much.

Ashleigh Grapeness: Another story has been told. Thanks for reading and listening to constant worries. Don’t get comfortable. Another book is being plotted.

Melissa Bookslayer: Thank you for reading the entire first book, then turning around and doing it again. I know you say “it’s my job,” but you truly go above and beyond.

Denielle: Your favorite characters still aren’t talking, but they know you’re in their corner as soon as they do. Thank you for your
constant
encouragement along with your threats to come over and kick my ass.

Betas: Chantal (mad teaser maker), Chris, Natalie, Amy, Alesha, Sam, Dani, and Lena. Your feedback was more than appreciated. I cannot thank each of you enough for taking the time to read the story, offer input, and being there to support every aspect the project. I hope Lucy and Michael’s final story is everything you envisioned for them both. Thank you.

Ladies of Lights of Peril: Thanks for all the posts and discussion. Between signing up for the ARC’s, offering feedback, leaving reviews, and just being in the group in general. I love knowing all of you!

Editing by:
Hot Tree Editing Services

Formatting by:
Champagne Formats

Proofreading by:
Kim Young

Cover Art by:
Desiree DeOrto

Other titles by
A.C. Bextor

L
IGHTS OF
P
ERIL
S
ERIES

Holding On

The Way Home

Toxic

D
EVIL’S
D
ESPAIR
S
ERIES

Ace’s Redemption
(Stand Alone)

Hayden’s Verse
(Stand Alone)