Only One (26 page)

My eyes locked with hers.

“Cole, I’ve loved you since the first moment you held my hand in Kindergarten and I’ve never stopped. And I don’t plan on stopping, so yes, my answer is yes. I want to be your forever.”

I breathed a sigh of relief as I grabbed her and crushed her to me. My mouth instantly found hers as I fell back onto the sand, taking my fiancé with me.

Belly and I shared a small apartment off campus the rest of my senior year. Dane and Ashton never once argued, seeing several things fell into place. Aaron and Jorge and all his associates were behind bars for a very long time, and Belly and I were engaged.

And damn if she wasn’t the cutest thing in the world with my baby growing inside her stomach. Heck, a person couldn’t even tell from behind that she was pregnant, but as soon as she turned, a small little basketball showed. I spent every night lying next to her, rubbing and talking to that baby before I closed my eyes. But she headed home at the end of April, leaving me alone for two weeks to finish up my finals and get my diploma. I wasn’t even sticking around for graduation, since I was so desperate to get back home and start my life with her.

We had a quick ceremony after Christmas with all the family gathered as we said our vows to love each other forever. I still smile thinking back to my younger days, knowing that eventually I was going to make her mine. It had taken longer than I’d have liked, but those were the breaks. At least she was finally in my bed permanently.

Belly was late. As much as I tried to comfort her, she’d been acting crazy and getting antsy with the baby not coming exactly on its due date. But I was glad, since it gave me the time to get a place together for us to raise our child and hopefully many more. With the help of my dad I purchased a small property about three miles south of the farm Belly grew up on. It needed a lot of work, but it was nothing I couldn’t fix up on my own. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the place and do my thing. In the meantime, we lived in the barn turned apartment so Ashton could keep an eye on things.

I had just stripped the house of its old roof when I noticed Annabelle pouring a glass of sweet tea for me down below. Even though I didn’t like her on the site when I was working, she’d refused to listen, as usual. “Come on down and have something to drink. It’s too hot not to,” she hollered up to me.

I couldn’t help but smile at her. Her hair was all pulled up on top of her head since she complained how it was sticking to her body and making her hotter. She had on a sweet little sundress that was too short, but again, she’d complained she was hot.

I jumped off the ladder when I hit the last couple of steps and pulled her to me. “You are a sight for sore eyes. I’ll never get tired of looking at you.”

“Please, I’m fat as that house you’re fixing up.”

“There’s just a lot more to love now, baby, that’s all. Besides, I plan on keeping you fat and pregnant until I get my own little football team.”

“Oh, hell, no. We agreed on no more than three, maybe four, but that’s it.”

She went to turn, but I grabbed her wrist and swung her back. “I love you.”

Belly smiled briefly but grabbed her stomach. An instant later she was hunched over, panting, and her breathing picked up. “Finally! Cole this is it.”

“Are you sure it’s not those hick things again?”

“No,” she shook her head wildly. “Get me to the hospital.”

She waddled herself to my Jeep, then clambered into it as I called the family to prepare them. We made it to the hospital in record time. Her mama brought her bag in just as she was being wheeled to the delivery room. Ashton grabbed my hand and I looked around at my family. Everyone was there, waiting to meet our baby. Including me.

Once Annabelle received the epidural, which I was sure was going to make me pass out, she calmed down immensely. I hated seeing her in pain, but the needle seemed to help a lot. When the doctor smiled and looked up, telling her one more push should do it, I about did pass out.

“Can you see the baby?” she asked me as she gripped my hand tightly in hers. I stepped away and took a quick look to see a mass of blond hair. I nodded, unable to speak at that moment. It was like nothing I’d ever experienced.

“Annabelle, you need to push one more time. A real big one should do it.”

She nodded and I slipped my hand under her back, lifting her as she gave it everything. The soft cry of the baby filled the room, and the tears of my Belly came right after. “He’s a beautiful baby boy.” I was handed scissors to cut the umbilical cord and then the baby was scooped away for a heartbeat before being handed off to Belly. With tears in her eyes, she gently kissed his forehead. “Oh, my goodness, look at him. He looks just like you, Cole.”

“You did so good, baby. I’m so proud of you.” I kissed her quickly and then kissed my baby boy next. It took a few minutes before she asked me to go out and tell everyone, but I hated leaving my little family. “Go tell them, please.”

We spent hours upon hours coming up with baby names. If it was a boy I got to name him, if it was girl, it was all on Belly. I took a deep breath and made my way out to the waiting room to see all the faces I loved so much.

“Well?” Dane asked anxiously.

“You have a grandson, Grandpa. Eight pounds on the nose.”

All the whoops and cheers soon followed along with the hugs.

“What’s my grandson’s name? Or, are you trying to make us sweat?”

I smiled widely. “Bo. His name is Bo Lucca.” My mama took me in her arms, and I shed a few tears real quick at the reality of getting everything I’ve ever wanted in life. I had the girl of my dreams as my wife and a son to carry on my name. What more could I ask for? Life was perfect. Just like I knew it would be with Belly as my wife.

As always I would like to thanks my family for supporting me and allow me the time to do the one thing I love. To the readers who give my books a chance—I’m always thankful and truly appreciative of all the support and reviews. I had such a great time creating and writing this series. A big shout out to Amy Malek Concepcion and MarySue Hobika, for being my first two readers of Cole and Annabelle’s story. Thank you so much.

To Lindee Robinson Photography and Najla Qamber for rocking my cover. Hugs and kisses, ladies!!!