Page 87 of The MC's Surprise
She always knew what to say to put me in a better mood. I stole another kiss and leaned to give a little one to the top of Melanie’s head before heading out the door. Each step made my chest a little tighter, but right before I could turn around and change my mind, my phone buzzed with a text message. It was a picture of Sierra and Melanie on the couch together, Sierra beaming at the camera. My breath caught in my chest when I looked at Melanie. She was smiling for the very first time.
The picture eased the ache a little and made me determined to get back to work so I could take care of them both. Until Sierrawas ready to get back to work, those two were my responsibility and I wasn’t ever going to turn my back on that.
I made it all the way to work without turning around once. I sat in the parking lot after I arrived, looking at that picture again. I was going to frame it and put it in my office. To remind me of what I was working for.
It wasn’t just me anymore. It wasn’t just my crew who had my back. I had a family, a woman I loved, who loved me back without making me question if she was truly interested. A daughter who was the light of my life. And when I headed inside and walked into my office, a sense of relief that I wasn’t going to be facing each day wondering if I’d ever be enough for the woman I loved.
Sierra told me every day how much she loved me. Not just with words, but with her trust and her smile. She loved my crew too, and was always happy to head over to the clubhouse to hang out. And she was teaching our daughter to do the same thing. Making me feel loved and valued with every smile and every cuddle.
I never thought I’d be so damn lucky. Things couldn’t get any better than this.
My phone rang and I frowned when my mom’s name covered up the picture I’d shamelessly been staring at. My stomach clenched, worried for a minute that she was sick again, but when she called, her voice was upbeat and I could tell she was smiling.
“Hey, honey. I thought I’d share the good news. The doctor said my bloodwork looks great. Lowering my stress helped a lot. She thinks I’m out of the woods.”
My breath left me in a rush and I sank into my chair, swallowing hard around the lump in my throat. “Really?”
“Yep. Apparently cuddling grandbabies is a great way to lower stress. I guess you’ll just have to keep giving me more.”
That made me laugh. “Mama, Sierra is not your personal baby making machine.”
“Of course she isn’t,” she chided. “But you’ve got a whole crew having babies, right? How much cuddling do you think I can get in?”
A grin stretched across my face, making my cheeks hurt. “I’m betting a lot.”
“I’ll take that bet. When can we come test it out?”
Silently laughing, I shook my head. “I’ll make some calls. Latest will be the weekend, I think.”
She chatted with me for a while, still gushing over her news. The last bit of tension I’d been carrying these past few months lifted and I sank a little lower in my chair. I told myself it couldn’t get any better. The universe decided to prove me wrong.
I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. With Sierra right next to me, I knew it was going to be good.
