New Beginnings (26 page)

“You won’t have to worry about that because we’ll be right there with you.” She kissed his lips. “You won’t have to miss a thing.”

He held her at arm’s length. “I can’t ask you to do that. You guys need some stability, and what about the charity?”

She stroked his face and his hair. “I can run the foundation from anywhere. I have an amazing support system in place to help me. Besides, we can get some help with the baby while we’re on the road, if we need to. We’ll find a way to make it work, Trey.”

Hope bloomed in his chest, but he was afraid to believe he could have it all, the music he loved and the woman he loved. “Are you sure about this?”

She kissed him again, drawing him closer. “Honey, your music is a part of you, one of the best parts. Why would I want to take that away?”

He drew her into his arms, burying his face in her hair. “God, I love you so much.”

“What’s the name of that new song you were singing?” she asked, stroking his back.

“‘Will You Love Me Again?’”

“The answer is yes, Trey. I’ve never stopped loving you and I never will.”

The day was bittersweet for Sierra. It was her wedding day, the first day of the rest of her life with Trey. But it was also the day she would have to say good-bye to Val, a woman who had been like a second mother to her.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Lexi asked, hugging her. “I thought you’d be on top of the world today.”

“I am.” She tried to blink back the tears. “This house just won’t be the same without Val. I’m going to miss her so much.”

“Hey, Florida is just a plane ride away. Besides, I have some news,” Lexi said, winking at Marisa. “Should I tell her now?”

“Yes,” Marisa said, bouncing on the edge of the bed. “I can’t wait to see the look on her face.”

Sierra looked between her sister and her best friend. When these two were caught conspiring, it usually meant trouble. “Should I sit down for this?” she asked, grabbing the back of an armchair for support.

Lexi laughed, grabbing her hand. “I don’t think so.” She took a deep breath. “I’m moving back home, Sierra.”

“Home, as in Nashville?” Sierra asked, scarcely able to believe her wish to have her baby sister nearby was finally becoming a reality.

“Nashville
is
home, silly.” Lexi held her at arm’s length. “Are those happy tears?”

“Damn you,” Marisa complained. “You should have waited until after the wedding to tell her. Now we’re going to have to call the make-up artist back to do some emergency repairs.”

“I don’t care,” Sierra said, not even trying to control the tears streaming down her face. “This is the best news ever. But why did you decide to move back home now?”

Lexi stroked her hair. “You’re the only family I’ve got, sis. Now that you’re going to be having a baby, I want to be nearby so I can spoil my niece or nephew rotten.”

Sierra smiled at her sister. She was so proud of the woman she had become: strong, confident, yet compassionate and loyal. She felt so blessed to know that their baby would have so much love in his or her life.

“Tell her the best part,” Marisa said, checking her reflection in the mirror.

“My future brother-in-law has offered me the guest house for a while, until I can find a place of my own.”

Sierra never ceased to be amazed by Trey’s love and generosity. He not only gave Lexi a loan to start her business years ago, now he was opening his home to her. She felt like the luckiest woman alive to be given a second chance with this remarkable man. “I can’t believe he knew about this and didn’t tell me.”

“Don’t blame him; I swore him to secrecy,” Lexi said, patting her tear-stained cheeks with a tissue.

“Tell her the other reason you decided to make the move now, Lex,” Marisa said with a wink.

“There is no other reason,” Lexi said between gritted teeth.

“We both know you’re lying,” Marisa said in a singsong voice.

“Okay, what am I missing?” Sierra demanded.

“Lexi’s hot for Josh,” Marisa said, laughing.

Lexi threw a cushion at her. “I am not.”

Sierra’s mouth fell open. “Are you serious? Josh?” The man was gorgeous, generous, salt of the earth, and all wrong for her sister.

“Not that I’m admitting that I’m interested in him, but if I were, would that be such a bad thing?” Lexi asked, folding her arms across her chest.

“Honey, I know you and I know Josh. Trust me; you two are all wrong for each other. He’s ten years older than you. He’s got two teenagers, for God’s sake, Lexi.”

She shrugged her shoulders. “So what? You were about to marry a man old enough to be your father. He had four grown kids. Who the hell are you to judge me?”

Sierra knew that tone of voice. Her sister was pissed beyond the ability to reason. “I’m not judging you. I just know the kind of man Josh is and what he’s looking for in a woman.”

“And I’m not it. Is that what you’re saying?”

Sierra sighed. “Josh left the police force because he was tired of the risk, the danger. He wants a nice, simple life with a woman who wants the same thing. I happen to know he’d love to settle down and have more kids.”

Lexi rolled her eyes. “Who the hell is talking about white picket fences and happily ever after, Sierra? I’m talking about a few dates and maybe heating up the sheets. You know I don’t do the whole commitment thing.” She shuddered, as if just thinking about it gave her chills.

“Hah,” Marisa said. “Sounds like you and Luc would be perfect for each other, Lexi.”

Lexi held her hands up. “Oh no. That’s never gonna happen. Trust me.” She smiled when Marisa looked offended. “I didn’t say he wasn’t hot. Obviously he is, but that would be breaking girl code and that’s something I would never do.”

Marisa scowled. “It’s over between us. You’re welcome to him.”

Sierra and Lexi shared a knowing glance. “Whether it is or not, I’m still not interested.”

“Back to Josh,” Sierra said. “You and he want totally different things out of life, Lexi. You would make each other miserable.”

Lexi laughed. “Would you relax? I’ll let him know up front that I’m just looking for a little fun. He’s a big boy; he can decide for himself whether he’s interested.”

As far as Sierra was concerned, this was a disaster waiting to happen. If she could stop it, she felt obligated to protect her sister and her friend from potential heartbreak. “Are you telling me you intend to proposition Josh?”

Marisa giggled. “Don’t ask her what she’s wearing under that dress.”

Sierra eyed her sister’s strapless, floor-length black gown. She could only imagine what kind of racy lingerie she had hidden under the elegant sheaf. Despite her penchant for running marathons, Lexi had managed to maintain the lush curves that routinely brought grown men to their knees. Poor Josh didn’t stand a chance if her intent was to seduce him.

Just as Sierra was about to lecture her sister about the perils of toying with a man like Josh, a knock on the door interrupted them.

“That’s our cue to leave,” Lexi said, grabbing Marisa by the hand. “We’ll be back soon.”

Sierra watched their retreating backs as Val slipped into the room. “You look beautiful,” Val whispered, her eyes tearing.

“So do you,” Sierra said, fighting back her own tears. “You don’t know how much it means that you and Terrence would offer to share your wedding day with us.”

She came forward and took Sierra in her arms. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love you. You know that.”

“You’ve told me a thousand times, in a thousand different ways over the years, Val,” Sierra said, sniffling. “This house won’t be the same without you, but I’m glad you and Terrence have found each other. You deserve to be happy.”

“So do you, dear. You’ve brought Trey back to life and I’m so grateful for that.” Val led her to the sitting room in the large bedroom. She waited until they were both seated before asking the question. “Trey tells me you plan to go on tour with him?”

Sierra nodded. “I don’t want us to be apart for months. Being on tour is a part of his life, and I want to support him and his career, just as I know he would for me.”

Val smiled and patted her hand. “I’m glad; I think you’re making the right decision. Have you started interviewing nannies to travel with you?”

Sierra sighed. “No, but I suppose I’ll have to when we get back from our honeymoon.”

Val grinned. “Not necessarily.”

“What do you mean? I need help while we’re on the road. I still have the foundation to run.”

Val laughed. “I know that, dear, but I know someone who may be able to help you.”

Sierra was willing to accept any recommendations Val had to offer. She knew she wouldn’t think of suggesting a caregiver unless they were highly qualified to care for their baby. “Who is it?”

“Me.”

“You? Omigod, are you serious, Val?”

Val laughed and squeezed her hands. “I’m very serious. Terrence and I have talked about it, and our plan was to travel when we retired. This would give us the chance to see the world with people we love. It would be perfect.”

Sierra hugged her tightly, thinking this day couldn’t get any better. She was about to marry the man she loved and she was going to have the support of Val while they were on the road and her sister while they were at home, which was more than she could have dared hope for.

“Thank you,” Sierra whispered. “You don’t know how much this means to me, to us.”

Val patted her back. “You and Trey are like the children I always wanted, sweetheart. Spending time with your beautiful baby will be like watching my own grandbaby grow up.”

“I love you,” Sierra said, smiling through her tears.

***

Trey took his bride in his arms for their first dance as husband and wife as cameras descended upon them in a crescendo of flashing lights. They had invited a few members of the press to witness their nuptials, though he suspected even with heightened security that it would be impossible to keep the circling paparazzi at bay. The invasion of his privacy would have infuriated him on any other day, but today was his wedding day and he wasn’t going to allow anything to rob them of this moment.

“I love you,” Sierra whispered, leaning her head against his chest. “I never dreamed we would be here again, but I’m so grateful we are.”

He smiled down at her, oblivious to the couples taking the dance floor around them. “This time it’s forever, sweetheart.”

“I know.” She looked around the dance floor and sighed. “I just wish everyone could be as happy as we are, Trey.”

He let his hand trail down her bare back, his thoughts drifting to their wedding night. “You’re thinking of Luc and my sister?”

She nodded. “Them as well as Josh and my sister.”

He looked at the couple in question, looking decidedly intimate in a close embrace. “I had no idea they were interested in each other.”

She bit her bottom lip. “That’s the problem. I’m afraid they’re interested, but in totally different things. She wants a good time without the commitment, and he’s looking for forever. That’s a disaster waiting to happen and I care about both of them too much to see them get hurt.”

He tipped her chin and kissed her lips gently. “Your sister and Josh are both adults, honey. They have to make their own decisions. Besides, maybe she’ll be too caught up with her business and her duties as auntie to get involved in a relationship, casual or otherwise.”

She tipped her head back to look at him and smiled. “About that, you’ve been keeping secrets from me.”

He grinned. “I prefer to think of it as a surprise rather than a secret.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Whatever you call it, thank you. I’m beyond grateful. The thought of having Lexi and Val with us makes me so happy.”

He dipped his head to kiss her again. He would never tire of the sweet taste of her lips. “Makin’ you happy is the most important thing in the world to me, baby. I don’t want to give you reason to doubt that ever again.”

“You’ve already made me happier than I ever thought I could be,” she whispered. “I can only hope our daughter will be lucky enough to find a man like you someday.”

He stared at her, trying to process her words. “Are you tellin’ me we’re havin’ a baby girl?”

She smiled through her tears. “I had a doctor’s appointment while you were in San Antonio last week. I didn’t want to say anything until I spoke with the doctor again. But I’ve finally passed the three month mark and the doctor said there’s no reason to expect any problems with the pregnancy. When she did the ultrasound, she asked if I wanted to know the sex of the baby. I couldn’t resist. I hope you don’t mind.”

He laughed as he picked her up and swung her in a low circle. “Mind? Are you kiddin’ me? I couldn’t be happier. This is the best wedding present you could have given me, Sierra.”

She winked. “Just wait ‘til you see what I have in store for you later.”

He couldn’t wait. He scooped her up and crossed the dance floor to the cheering and laughter of their friends and family as he carried her towards the waiting limousine.