Simple Perfection (21 page)

Two months later . . .

Della

Braden was pregnant. I had hung up with her over ten minutes ago but I hadn't moved from the swing on the porch. I continued to swing. I needed to let this process. Braden . . . a mommy. My Braden. Wow . . .

The door to the house opened and Woods stepped outside. "You off the phone?" he asked as he walked over to the swing.

"Yeah," I replied, scooting over so he could sit down with me.

"What is Braden up to?" he asked as he put his arm around me and pulled me over to his side.

"She's . . . she's pregnant." It was hard to even say it. I had always imagined Braden as a mom. She would make an excellent one, but just knowing that she was about to start another new step in life was a surprise.

"That's good, right?" Woods asked.

I smiled and nodded. I guess in the moment I took to process, I looked upset. "Yes, it's wonderful. They've been trying for a while now, apparently. I didn't know. She hadn't said anything. But she's now three months along and they heard the heartbeat yesterday. She feels it's safe to tell people now."

Woods pushed the swing with his feet so I curled mine back behind me and let him do the work. "She'll be a wonderful mother," I told him.

"I agree with you. She's pretty damn fierce when she loves someone."

I laughed and looked up at him. "Yes, she is."

Woods bent down and kissed the tip of my nose. "I love you."

"I love you more," I said in reply. That was always his line. I figured I would take it away from him.

He chuckled. "Thief."

I pinched the skin covering his abs and he squirmed.

We sat there for a while and enjoyed the evening breeze. Fall was here and Rosemary was peaceful again. The crowds were gone. Jace's absence still clung to us. We all felt it. We knew we always would. But lately we had all been able to talk about him again. Someone would tell a funny story about him and we would all laugh instead of cry.

Bethy was at work again but Woods still wasn't ready to speak to her. He knew he was wrong. He admitted it to me one night. But he said he couldn't forgive her. I let it go. I knew he just needed more time.

Tripp was also back in town. He had been gone for about a week and packed up his place in South Carolina. Then he'd moved back here into his condo. Woods had given him a place on the board of directors at the club.

"Della?"

"Yes?"

"Do you believe in fate?"

I thought about it a minute. I wasn't sure. I hadn't given much thought to the idea of fate before.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" I asked.

"I mean . . . do you think things happen for a reason, and no matter what we do or what we choose they'll happen anyway?"

He was thinking about Jace's death. He didn't want to hate Bethy. But his heart wasn't letting him forgive her because of his love for Jace.

"I think that everyone's life is controlled by a series of events. They choose what they want and if it is in their control they can reach it. Sometimes luck shines on them and sometimes it doesn't. I also think accidents happen and we are placed in situations where we have to do things for those we love that we don't want to do."

Woods didn't say anything.

I let him think about it. I wasn't going to push him to forgive Bethy.

That would be something he'd have to find within himself when he was ready.

Woods

I slipped my phone in my pocket and waited by my truck for Della's car to pull into the gas station. I had made sure her tank was low before I left the house an hour ago. She was going to need gas before she met me at the Mexican restaurant where we'd gone before our one-night stand. I had convinced her earlier that she wanted the quesadillas for dinner. Talking about melted cheese had been all I needed to get her to agree to drive the short distance out of town.

Her car turned the corner, and just like I'd planned she pulled up to the tank. She had already spotted my truck parked on the other side of the pump when she pulled up.

Her car door swung open and she was grinning at me like I was crazy.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were waiting on me at the restaurant."

I stepped around the pump and leaned against her car. "I believe we've been here before," I said, watching as she realized what I was talking about.

Her smile grew and her eyes twinkled with laughter. "Yes, I believe we have. But good news: this time I can pump my own gas," she said.

I had met her for the first time in this very spot. She'd been wearing tiny little shorts, looking sexy as hell, and had no idea how to pump gas. I had needed a distraction from my life and there she was.

"Damn, I was hoping I could pump it for you," I said.

She pressed her lips together in a smile and shrugged. "If you really want to, then you can."

"I need you to pop the door," I told her, pointing to the little door where the fuel went.

"Oh! I saw you and forgot to do that." I watched as she turned around and bent inside the car to push the button.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small box that I had kept hidden in my sock drawer for a week. Della turned around and started to say something but stopped when I went down on one knee.

"A year ago I was lost. My life was a fucked-up mess. I stopped to get gas right here and found this gorgeous brunette who couldn't pump her gas. I then somehow convinced her to eat with me. She made me laugh and made me horny as hell. When the night was over and I had to leave her sleeping on that bed in the hotel, it was hard. I didn't want to. But my life was fucked and she was traveling the world, finding herself."

I stopped as Della reached up and wiped a tear that was running down her face. Her big blue eyes were swimming with tears.

"Then she came back into my life and saved me from hell. She changed my world. She taught me to love and she owns my soul."

Della's small hand went up to cover her mouth and a sob came out.

"Della Sloane, will you marry me?"

She was nodding before I could get the words out of my mouth. I stood up and slipped the diamond that I'd spent weeks trying to find onto her finger. When I found it I had known it was the one. It was worthy enough to grace Della's hand.

"Yes," she finally said before throwing her arms around my neck. "Yes, yes, yes," she chanted, clinging to me.

I held her against me and realized that if there was no such thing as fate, then someone had to be up there dealing out winning hands.

"Can we skip the Mexican and go back to that hotel room instead?" I asked her.

She tilted her head back and flashed me a saucy smile. "What about your truck? I don't want to skip that part."

Neither did I.

Also by Abbi Glines

THE PERFECTION SERIES

Twisted Perfection

Simple Perfection

THE TOO FAR SERIES

Fallen Too Far

Never Too Far

Forever Too Far

THE SEA BREEZE SERIES

Breathe

Because of Low

While It Lasts

Just for Now

Sometimes It Lasts

Misbehaving

THE VINCENT BOYS SERIES

The Vincent Boys

The Vincent Brothers

THE EXISTENCE SERIES

Existence

Predestined

Ceaseless

Atria Paperback

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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2013 by Abbi Glines

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First Atria Paperback edition December 2013

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Manufactured in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN 978-1-4767-5652-3

ISBN 978-1-4767-5653-0 (ebook)

CONTENTS

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Woods

Della

One Month Later . . .

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Two weeks later . . .

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Woods

Della

Bethy

Della

Woods

Two Months Later . . .

Della

Woods