Road to Reality (22 page)

Mac had been biding his time. He wanted Zoe and Beth in his home permanently, but again, he wasn’t pushing. Though, he had a date in his mind and was sticking to his game plan.

The last few months they had been making it work.  Luckily Beth was gliding through her pregnancy with ease now, the dreaded sickness a thing of the past. 

Zoe was finally excited to find out she was going to be having a baby brother. She hid her disappointment well, as well as a four-year-old could, but he knew she really wanted a little sister, one she could dress up like a doll.

They had been spending most of their time at Mac’s house.  Beth would pack Zoe and herself up and stay from Friday afternoon until Monday morning.  Then during the week Mac would try to stay at Beth’s house at least one night, two if he could swing it. However much it was working in her mind, and even his, it still wasn’t enough. 

Now they were getting ready for Christmas—their first Christmas together.  Starting with their first Christmas tree.

Zoe had been so thrilled when she saw the big tree Mac had cut down and placed in the living room.  So much so, the first words out of her mouth were. “We need a really big star.” And of course he took her shopping to pick out the biggest and brightest star she could find.

With Zoe on his shoulders, he walked as close to the tree as he could so that she could place it on top.  Once her little fingers released the glittering pink star, Mac stepped back and admired their work.  Nothing at all resembling the perfectly adorned trees he had growing up, no, this one was much better.

This tree had a mixture of bright colors and crazy ornaments.  Of course it did, since he let Zoe pick out each and every one. 

Watching her jumping up and down with joy made his heart enlarge to the point of bursting.  There was only one other thing left to do.  “OK, ladies, a moment of your time before we can eat dinner.”

“Yay,” Zoe cheered.

Mac’s eyes lit up and his grin grew wide at her excitement. He was surprised she had been able to contain it since he talked to her about his plans this morning. He had hoped she could keep the secret and so far she had managed, although, he knew better than to tell her any earlier than today.

Beth looked on, confused, just like he expected. She learned to accept that Zoe and Mac had a special bond now, one that included little secrets, like him taking her shopping to pick out the decorations for her bedroom at his house.

“Let’s all have a seat for a minute,” he suggested.

Zoe all but ran to the couch and hopped up, bouncing on her knees in her anticipation. 

Once Beth was seated and comfortable, Mac walked over and picked up Zoe to place her on his lap. “Do you know what today is?” he asked Beth.

She smiled softly at him, and his heart started to knock against his chest. “December sixth.”

“Yes. But what else?” he inquired.

She honestly didn’t know, he realized, then winced, seeing his and Zoe’s matching grins.  “Ah, Saturday?” she guessed again.

He took pity on her. “Six months ago today Zoe broke her arm.” He waited to see if she would catch on.  She was slow, but she finally got it.

He had told her three months ago when he found out she was pregnant that he would take her to the courthouse and marry her if she said yes.  Her only response was, “We haven’t even known each other six months yet.” At that time she had no clue when he replied with, “So that’s the magic number?”

She had thrown a few hints out the last two months, waiting for him to address their relationship, but he hadn’t. Even after everything was settled at last with Zoe’s custody battle, he was holding firm to the six-month date.

She knew he loved her. She knew he wanted to be with her. But she didn’t understand why he hadn’t brought anything else up since that one time, and he never let on.

Now, he watched the tears come into her eyes, understanding blooming.  He shifted Zoe on his lap, reached for the end table and opened a drawer.  Pulling out a ring box, he flipped the lid for her to see.  A gorgeous princess cut diamond, set in platinum and surrounded by rubies.

“I picked it out, Mommy!” Zoe clapped her hands.  “See, rubies like my ring.” She held out her finger for Beth to see the little ruby ring that Zoe was never without.

“Will you marry me?” he asked tenderly, his eyes starting to water, the jackhammer in his chest working full force.

“You know I will.  I’ve been waiting for you to ask again,” she told him teary-eyed and sniffling a bit.

His heart burst open, bright lights, crazy sounds, and joyous songs ringing in his ears. It had been worth the stress of the last three months. “I’ve been waiting for the right time. I didn’t want to take the risk of you saying no,” he replied, fighting off his own urge to sniffle.

“She said yes, Dr. Mac,” Zoe exclaimed, bouncing on his lap, distracting him from the tears.

“Yes, she did.” He turned, slid the ring on Beth’s finger, leaned in for a kiss and then turned Zoe around to face him.  Time to address another issue.  “Now what do I need to do to get you to stop calling me Dr. Mac?” he asked in all seriousness.

She frowned and pursed her little lips.  “What do you want me to call you?”

He looked at Beth, saw her nod and continued, “How about Daddy?”

Zoe tilted her head, concentrated for a minute and then replied, “But we don’t have the same name. Mommies and Daddies and babies all have the same name.”

“Then I guess we need to fix that.”

Mac refused to let his son be born outside of wedlock, and he also refused to let Zoe continue to call him Dr. Mac, so there was only one thing left to do.

Thanks to the Mathews’ legal connections, he was able to rectify both matters by early April, almost two months shy of the one-year anniversary of their chance meeting at the playground. 

In a courthouse in Saratoga County, minutes after Zoe legally became his daughter he wed her mother with only Lucas, Brooke and their new son, Michael, as witnesses.  They would have a more formal wedding and reception later in the summer, once Beth was fully recovered and both his children could be part of it.

He was even allowing his mother to attend that wedding, since she finally realized if she didn’t change her attitude she would be completely alone in the world. No children, no grandchildren and no husband.  Goodbye to the perfect life she tried so hard to let everyone believe she had.

He delayed their return home as long as he could with a nice lunch and wedding photos—because even though they were going to have the big princess wedding Beth and Zoe had been talking about for months, he wanted photos of
this
wedding. 

Princess dress or not, and Beth definitely wanted one, he was just happy to call her his wife.  He finally pulled in his driveway shortly before dinner, where several cars were waiting.  His sister and Lucas, Michael, Michelle, Thomas and Ryan Mathews, along with Cori and Jack, and Mitchell.

“What’s all this?” Beth asked when Mac came around and helped her out of the car. Heavily pregnant and due any time now, she still looked beautiful in her long white gown, hair perfectly arranged by Mitchell hours before.

“A surprise. For the two Malone girls in my life.” He grinned and winked at Zoe.

Zoe now wiggled around in her car seat, and started chanting, “Surprise, surprise. Daddy got us a surprise, Mommy!”

Mac led the three of them past the front door and around back, where they could hear the voices.  On Mac’s deck there was a catered meal, nothing fancy, but a celebration for their nuptials. 

But the biggest surprise of all, which had Zoe squealing and taking off in a run as fast as her little legs would carry her, regardless of her white and pink dress. There was a massive wooden playground structure recently installed that day, minus the monkey bars.

See where it all started in
Road to Recovery
–Book 1- buy
here
on Amazon

Being perfect isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
After surviving a horrific car crash, Brooke Malone is ready to start over. Moving from her hometown of Burlington, Vermont, to Albany, New York, for a new job, her only goals are to focus on her career and her recovery. The last thing she wants is the distraction of a relationship. Least of all with a sexy more-than-perfect coworker who is adamant about needing to help her.
Lucas Mathews is any woman’s dream man. As a successful attorney, he could have any woman he wants. But he wants Brooke, the one woman who doesn’t seem interested. Can he win her over when all she wants to do is rebuild her life? Or will the secrets Brooke holds deep shatter any chance at happiness?

Road to Redemption
—Book 2— buy
here
on Amazon

Relocating to Albany, New York, after the death of his wife, Dr. Jack Reynolds has decided he is better off alone.  No worries, no headaches, no stress.  The last thing he needs is the complication of a tiny redheaded nurse who has her sights set on making him see that life isn’t meant to be lonely.

Cori Summers thinks life is a bowl of cherries––covered in chocolate, that is. She’s fast moving, witty and the life of the party. Why can’t everyone smile throughout the day, just like her?  Life is easier that way.  No worries, no headaches and no stress. 

Yes, opposites really
do
attract, but is Cori’s big personality enough to overcome all the obstacles that Jack is determined to put in her way?