Page 50 of Forever His This Christmas

“Even if it’s the wrong one for the rest of us, I know. I’m just really glad you’re on our side. Mom’s going to need you whenever the town sees me and starts asking who my father is.”

“I’m your father, from the instant I saw you and your mom together, I became your father.”

“And you’re the only one I’ll ever want. Thank you for loving my mom. She really deserves to be happy. She’s given up so much to protect me, I’m really glad that she didn’t have to give you up again.”

“So am I, Abby. We’ll stand beside your mom and if anyone says anything about you or how old Lisa was when she had you, I will tear them down. No one hurts my girls ever again. And as far as moving back to New York…I like Chicago just as much as New York. I can run my company from anywhere. It doesn’t have to be New York. If you and your mom want to stay there, then I’ll simply move whoever and whatever I need to in order to be with you both.”

“I really do like my school and Jazz is the best friend I’ve ever had. The only thing I wasn’t looking forward to is the upcoming dance in February.”

“A Valentine’s dance I’m guessing?”

“Sort of, the school’s trying to avoid the drama of dating so instead of the typical boy-girl dance they do a Father-Daughter, Mother-Son Hearts Dance.”

“Ah, well I would be honored to take you. I intend to be your father legally by then too. What would you think of a Christmas Eve wedding?”

“You’re serious?” Abby asked in shock. “Mom’s likely to back away from something if you push too hard.”

“I don’t know, I think she’ll surprise everyone. When she wakes up, we’ll see what she wants to do about the rest. After that I want to take you and your mom to town to spoil my girls, we can find you something new to wear and then I’m going toask your mom to marry me here, if we don’t do Christmas Eve, we can always do sometime next week. I just thought waking up on Christmas morning married, as a real family, would make this year special despite everything we’ve been through.”

“I think it’s perfect. Together we’ll convince her. I doubt she can deny us both a Christmas present like that.”

“Me either,” Corey stated kissing the top of her head as they watched the sky lighten further and people strolling around the snow-covered grounds.

Lisa smiled into the pillow doing her best to keep quiet despite the need to visit the bathroom. She didn’t want them to know she’d woken hearing Abby’s tears. Watching them let her know her choices, the last few days were right and now she simply wanted to have her family together, happy. She’d let them know she was awake in a few more minutes, but for now, she loved seeing Corey holding her daughter—their daughter, the way her father had her when she was really little. It made her heart melt, and she knew she would marry Corey on Christmas Eve. They were right; she couldn’t deny either of them anything.

Chapter 17

“Morning baby,” Corey said wrapping his arms around Lisa with a soft kiss as she came into the breakfast area.

“Morning again,” she said with a smile as her mom and Diane finished making breakfast. “Nothing for me,” she said waving off the eggs and coffee.

“You need to eat Lisa, you’re looking pale, and your cheeks are a little hollow,” her mother argued sitting the plate down in front of her. The sight and smell of the eggs made the nausea take over and she hurried from the space thankful that no one else had been in the room who didn’t know other than her mother.

“Are you feeling okay now?” Corey asked, meeting her in the hall as she left the bathroom.

“Not really, first thing in the morning my stomach revolts massively. I’ve been living on toast and peppermint tea for about two weeks now. It usually clears up by lunch or late afternoon though,” she said resting her head against his chest as he ran a hand up and down her back.

“Let’s get you some toast then, I’ll keep all eggs away from you I promise,” he stated kissing her temple before leading her back to the kitchen.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” her mom asked sliding her hand onto her cheek then forehead. “You don’t feel hot.”

“I’m fine Mom, really,” she said knowing she’d never rest until she knew the truth. “I don’t want everyone to know just yet but I’m pregnant.”

“What? Oh honey, wait…this is why you had Corey come out here and told us all, isn’t it?” Elaine asked cupping her cheek with a smile.

“I couldn’t hide this from him and in order to be together the way we wanted I had to tell him about Abby. I didn’t know if I could have done this more than once, so I had him meet us here,” she admitted as Diane smiled bringing over some toast and crackers.

“You knew she was pregnant yesterday when you showed up and didn’t tell us?” Elaine asked Corey.

“No, not until late last night, after she’d agreed…” Corey paused glancing at Lisa who smiled taking his hand.

“Until after he’d asked me to marry him and I’d said yes,” Lisa finished and her mom gasped, her eyes growing bright with plans and ideas.

“Oh, honey, that’s the best news ever,” she gushed hugging her.

“What’s the best news ever?” Ashton asked moving into the room with her brothers and dad.

“Hopefully that we’re going down to the police station and having that bastard arrested,” Kirby said moving over to drop a kiss onto her hair. “He can’t get away with this Lisa.”

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