Authors: J.L. Berg

Never Been Ready (35 page)

BOOK: Never Been Ready

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They both laughed.

"It's henna, Leah!" Connor said.

I blew out a short breath before turning my attention back to Declan.

"But mine is not," he said. "Like you, mine is permanent."

He dropped to one knee and pulled out a box. He slowly opened it, displaying an engagement ring that made my heart stop. On a platinum band, a diamond was flanked by two emeralds to match his eyes. It was perfect.

"I've been doing some thinking, and I think I've come up with the best pet name for you."

I meant to say something like, "Oh?" or "What is it?" But in the presence of Declan with his shirt open, displaying that new
L
on his chest, while he held out a ring, all I managed was a garbled mumble.

"Wife."

More tears slid down my face as I cried

"Marry me, Leah. Make me the happiest man alive. Take my name, be a mother for my children, and grow old with me."

I sobbed out a yes, and he jumped up. He twirled me around as Connor jumped up and down until we pulled him into a group hug.

Declan slipped the ring onto my finger, and we all gazed down at it, watching it sparkle and flash under the bright lights.

It was the beginning of a future —our future, completely unscripted, unwritten, and ready to be lived.

Six Months Later...

~Leah~

"Have I mentioned how much I hate you for getting married less than a month after I gave birth?" Clare whined as she wiggled her perfectly fine-looking ass into her gown.

"Yes, you've mentioned it a time or two." I laughed. "But as I've said a hundred times, you look gorgeous, and seriously, take a gander at those tits. You need to show those off while you can. You should be the poster child for the many reasons women should breast-feed. Wowza!" I said, pointing to Clare's very enlarged breasts.

There was a knock on the bridal suite door, and Clare ran to open it. She poked her head out to make sure it wasn't Declan trying to get a peek before the ceremony.

Declan and I had chosen to have a small, intimate day with only family and a few friends in attendance. Even though Declan hadn't done an acting gig for a year, he was still in the tabloids. It had been only three months since his last movie premiere, and he still had one left, so it would be some time before our lives moved out of the limelight.

His life behind the camera had been going well. He was slowly making progress and working with the right people. He wasn't in a hurry, and he knew that it would take time. He wanted to do things right and earn his keep. It was paying off because last week, he'd received a call to work as an assistant director on a highly anticipated upcoming film. He would be gone during the week, and then he'd fly home on the weekends, but I was so happy to see him finally doing what he loved.

Putting the finishing touches on my makeup, I saw Connor appear in the reflection of the mirror. He looked around the room and made a sour face at the sight of all the girlie stuff.

"Hi, Connor," Maddie said as she twirled around in her flower girl dress in the corner.

"Hi, Maddie," he said before turning to me. "I was supposed to give you this. You look really pretty." He handed me a small box and then made his exit, fleeing the room as quickly as possible.

I gave a quick laugh, feeling bad that Declan had sent his poor son in here. There was makeup, curling irons, and dresses as far as the eye could see. It was a male's worst nightmare.

I looked down at the tiny box, running my hands along its edge, before cracking the lid. Inside was a small white gold necklace with three stones fitted together in a straight line.

Underneath, a note caught my attention. In Declan's handwriting, I read,

In the box I recovered from your parents' home, there was one item I didn't tell you about —a necklace. It was badly damaged, but I was able to recover a topaz stone. I've held on to it for months until this day when I could give you this necklace. These three stones together represent our family. Our birthstones —topaz for you, amethyst for me, and opal for Connor —are bonded together as we will be bonded together today. You are my forever, and today, you will become my wife. I love you. – Declan

"Well, crap, there goes my makeup," I said out loud, looking down at the beautiful necklace.

Clare knelt down in front of me and wiped away my tears. "Let me put that on you, okay?"

I agreed and slid my hair to one side. After she closed the clasp, my hand immediately went to the stones, loving the feel of the necklace against my skin.

"Well, I hope you have something to top that," Clare said.

I smiled, looking at the envelope in front of me on the counter. "Oh, yes, I have something better.

~Declan~

"Christ, Declan. Calm down!" Logan said.

I was pacing the pathway for the twentieth time. "I'm not nervous," I said. "I just don't want to wait anymore."

He gave me a lopsided grin. "I get it, but at this rate, you're going to attack her the second she steps outside. So, do us all a favor, and calm the fuck down."

I looked at him and Connor. They were both grinning like damn fools, and I finally nodded, taking a deep breath, as I tried to stay in one place for more than five seconds.

I checked my watch. It was five minutes after six.
Why are we running late?

Just as I was about to start pacing again, the minister told us to take our places. This was it. In just a few minutes, Leah would be my wife. Two months ago, I'd finally gotten full custody of Connor, and now, Leah and I were going to be married. My life was now complete.

The music started, and I watched as the bridesmaids made their way down the aisle. Colin and Logan both admired their wives, and Clare gave a little wave to their newborn son, Ethan, who was in the arms of her mother in the front row.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder, and I reluctantly pulled my eyes from the aisle. I was afraid I might miss Leah's grand entrance.

Logan was holding an envelope out to me. "Hey, man, Leah said I was supposed to give this to you right before she came out. It's your wedding gift."

"I'm supposed to open it now?" I asked.

He just shrugged and smiled.

I did as I'd been told. I lifted the lip of the envelope and pulled out the note.

Declan,

I couldn't think of anything better to give to you for a wedding gift than the present that is now growing inside of me. Congratulations, Daddy. - Leah

My eyes went wide as I pulled out the picture tucked inside the envelope. It was a close up shot of a small white pregnancy test. A test that had one word printed on its digital screen in bold letters —
pregnant
. I looked up just in time to see Leah turning onto the rose-covered path, and I lost the ability to breathe.

She looked absolutely stunning in a cream gown that hugged her curves and made her look like a goddess come to life.

She joined me at the end of the aisle, and I took her hand in mine.

"You're..." I started to say.

But she just smiled and answered with a simple, "Yes."

As we said our vows, binding our souls and lives together as one, I looked past her shoulder and saw my son. Then, I glanced down at the child growing in Leah's belly, and finally, I focused back on the face that had made it all possible. She was my world, my beginning and end, and she had shown me everything I never thought I wanted.

It was only supposed to be one night, but with Leah in my arms...only forever would do.