What Happened After Vegas? (Unexpected Love #2) (17 page)

"What's
that?" Rachel asked.

"That
is your baby's heartbeat," the doctor replied. "A very
strong and healthy heartbeat."

Rachel
took a deep breath and watched the screen. The baby was so tiny, but
she could hear the sound of the heartbeat loud and clear. There was
no stopping the tears that spilled down her cheeks. She looked up at
Cliff and saw tears on his cheek as well. A baby, she thought. They
were going to have a baby. He wiped his face with his hand and leaned
down next to her to wipe her tears away as well.

"A
baby," he said. "I'm going to be a dad. We're having a
baby."

He
put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her.

"You're
okay," she said.

"I'm
more than okay. I'm happier than I've ever been in my life. I can't
believe we're having a baby. Are you ready for a little Cliff or
little Rachel?"

She
shook her head and laughed. The doctor printed off a few pictures for
them to take with them.

"Can
we get a few more?" Cliff asked. "I have to pass our baby's
first picture around the office."

The
doctor laughed and printed off more.

"Everything
matches what you are saying. We have to wait for the blood work to
come back first, but I'm pretty sure you're about ten weeks along.
Everything looks good. We can hear the little one's heartbeat and it
sounds great. I'll call you when the results come back. You should
come in once a month. I want you started on vitamins right away."

Rachel
sat thinking the entire ride home. Her mind began moving in every
direction. She couldn't help but hope he was really happy about the
baby. There was no way she wanted him to be there out of obligation.
She was so excited about being pregnant. It was always a dream of
hers to have a baby, but she had given up on that years before. She
couldn't believe it was really true. No matter what happened, she
knew she was going to be the best mom ever. She was pregnant. It was
unbelievable in her mind.

She
thought about what had happened to her the past few years. When she
walked in on Jake and his secretary, she thought her life was over.
The only man she had loved had hurt her in the worst way possible.
She had to start over and fight him for a divorce. Rachel thought she
would never be able to trust or count on a man again. Being in Vegas
for her divorce party felt horrible to her. She didn't want to
celebrate what she had been through. She never thought anything good
was going to come out of going there. Love was off the table. She was
never doing that again. Her heart would never be able to open again.

The
things Cliff had been through for her were awful. She couldn't
believe he had stuck with her through the crap with Jake and her
insecurities, but he had. He was her love and her best friend. She
loved him more than she ever cared for Jake. Cliff was everything she
could have ever dreamt her prince charming would be and more. He took
care of her and worried about her when she wouldn't even worry for
herself.

Rachel
looked over at Cliff and thought about how lucky she was to have
walked in on Jake and his secretary. It was the best thing that ever
happened to her. She had the most amazing love in her life. Rachel
couldn't have imagined her life being any better than it was with
Cliff. To find out she was pregnant made her life more than perfect.
The thought of having his baby brought tears to her eyes again. He
reached over and took her hand. Cliff always knew when she needed
him. He was there every single time without her ever having to ask.
She looked over at her perfect man and knew that her life couldn't
get any better.

When
they got home, he still hadn't said a word. He closed the door behind
them and turned to her.

"Stay
right here," he said. "I'll be right back."

Cliff
took off up the stairs, taking them two at a time. She stood just
inside the door wondering what he was doing. Did he mean right there?
Should she go into the living room? Was he freaking out about the
baby? She looked up to find him looking down from the top step with a
small box in his hand. He walked slowly down the stairs. It was much
different than his way up the stairs went. When he got to the bottom,
he stopped in front of her. His eyes were darker than usual and his
expression was serious. He took her hand and looked into her eyes.

"This
morning, I thought I was the luckiest man in the world. When I heard
you mock me in the mirror, there was no doubt in my mind that I
needed you right then, right there. You're my woman. You are smart,
beautiful, loving, cocky, caring, and a total smart-mouth. I wouldn't
have it any other way. I left for work knowing that you were my
everything and couldn't wait to get back home with you. There was no
way my life could get any better. I had the perfect woman to stand by
my side no matter what life threw at us."

He
stopped for a moment before continuing.

"Then
it happened. My life got even better. When I heard the doctor say
pregnant, I couldn't believe I heard her correctly. I thought back to
the night at your apartment. That night changed my life. I knew that
night that I was going to spend the rest of my life with you."

"We
had only known each other five weeks," she whispered.

"I
know," he said. "When we left your apartment that night, I
knew it. I promise you. When we came back here, something was
different for me. I knew that I would never spend another night
without you in my arms."

"You
haven't," she said.

"When
you took advantage of me on the couch that night, I knew I was going
to marry you. It was emotional for me. That time was different than
any other."

"I
didn't take advantage of you," she said.

"I
disagree," he said with a smile and wink. "That was when we
made a baby together. As soon as the word pregnant came out of the
doctor's mouth, I wanted to wrap you in my arms. I have never been
that excited in my entire life. When I heard that tiny heartbeat, I
thought I was going to break down like a baby. It was the sweetest
sound I had ever heard. It was our baby. In that moment I realized my
life became so much more important. There's a baby counting on me.
I'm going to be a dad. You're the one I think about before I make
every decision. How will that decision impact our life. I do it in
business and at home. Now, I have two people to think about with each
decision. I have someone else to protect and keep safe as well. I'm
going to be the best damn dad there is. I'm going to make you and our
baby proud."

"I'm
already proud of you, Cliff," she said.

Tears
were already pouring down her face. She wasn't sure how much more she
could take. Just when she thought she was going to break, he dropped
down on one knee and looked up at her with her hand still in his.

"I
love you, Rachel. I want to be with you every single day for the rest
of my life. You and our baby are my everything. Would you please do
me the honor of loving me for the rest of your life? Will you fall
asleep in my arms every night and wake up every morning with your
legs tangled around mine? Will you challenge me every day and mock me
from time to time? Will you let me protect and keep you safe every
day? Will you marry me, baby?"

He
opened the ring box and she gasped as her eyes widened.

"That
is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen."

He
waited quietly on his knee.

"I
can't believe I'm about to say this. You have my heart. It's one
hundred percent yours. I never thought I would even consider getting
married again. I never thought I would give my heart to anyone, but I
have. You are the only man I can imagine loving ever again. You're it
for me, Cliff. You and our baby are my everything. I can't believe I
ever thought about pushing you away. You are my dream guy. I love
everything about you. You're sweet, protecting, caring, funny, bossy,
and controlling in all the right ways. I can't imagine my life
without you in it. I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my
life with you. I would be honored to be your wife."

Cliff
placed the ring on her finger.

"When
did you get the ring? It's so perfect."

"You're
going to think I'm crazy," he said.

"When?"
she asked.

"I
got it three days after we made a baby. I knew that night that I was
going to spend the rest of my life with you. I thought about what
could have happened to you and it was devastating. I couldn't see my
life without you in it. I ordered the ring that Monday afternoon. I
had it designed and picked it up two weeks later."

"You've
had it this whole time. You didn't propose because I was pregnant?"

"No,"
he said. "I've planned on proposing for ten weeks. I just wanted
to make it perfect. I didn't plan on doing it in the entryway of our
home, but I couldn't wait another second once we got here. I can't
believe I'm going to be a dad, and I'm going to have a hot wife."

Cliff
wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her belly.

"Hey
baby, I'm your daddy. I want you to know that I love you and mommy so
much. I'm going to make sure you always have what you need. I love
you with all my heart little one. I'm going to hug you, rock you,
spoil you, play with you, and teach you everything you need to know.
You're my pride and joy, and I can't wait to meet you. I'm going to
talk to you every single day until you're here in my arms. I'm going
to be the best daddy I can be."

Cliff
kissed her belly again. When he got to his feet, she wrapped her arms
around his neck and held him tight as her tears dripped down onto his
shirt.

"I
don't know what I ever did in my life to deserve you," she said
through her sobs.

"Whatever
it was, it must have been good," he said with a laugh.

Seven
Months Later

Rachel
and Cliff were sitting at dinner at his sister's house. Her baby boy
had just turned nine weeks old. He was adorable and was definitely a
mix between her and Jake. Cliff had just gotten back the results of
the DNA test proving Jake to be the father of baby Alex.

Rachel
was holding Alex in her arms just above her ready to pop baby belly.
He was sleeping soundly as he held onto her finger. She loved
watching his little legs move as he slept. Cliff was upset that Jake
was still denying his connection to the little one. He couldn't
understand how anyone could turn away from their own child.

Rachel
sat thinking about how attentive and amazing Cliff was through her
pregnancy. He attended every appointment with her and worried about
what she should and shouldn't do. The nursery was finished and was
right across the hall from them. She had a bassinet for the baby in
their room for the first few months. There was no way she wanted her
little one out of her sight, and she knew Cliff would run back and
forth all night long. He was true to his word and talked to their
baby every day and kissed her belly goodnight each night.

She
was due any day and had just finished her last day with her class.
They were such a great group of kids. She promised to bring the baby
to see them before they got out for the summer. They had eight more
weeks of school left so it didn't make sense for her to go back
before fall. It would be to disruptive to her class and the baby.
Cliff didn't want her to go back until the baby was older, but he
hadn't said to much about it.

Neither
Cliff or her wanted a big wedding. She jokingly suggested they run
off to Vegas to get married. One month later, her joke became a
reality when he flew her to Vegas for a surprise wedding. He flew out
both of their parents, a few of his friends, and a few of her
friends. She was shocked when everyone surprised them in the hotel
lobby at the Paris hotel, where he told her they would be getting
married. Jen and Tina were both there, and joked with Cliff about
them taking Rachel to the pool to meet a man. Cliff assured them that
he was the only man going to the pool with her. He was able to get
the exact same room he stayed at when they met. It wasn't the
honeymoon suite, but it meant something to him and he knew she would
feel the same way. They had a romantic wedding in a chapel at the
hotel with the people they loved the most around them. After the
wedding, they all ate dinner at the same steakhouse he took her too
the night they met. To finish the night perfectly, they all went to
see Elton John, and Rachel cried just as much as she had the first
time. It was the perfect wedding, and Cliff had planned it all. She
was so proud to call him her husband.