Page 46

Knight scooped up his son six weeks later and placed him on the makeshift changing table. Saint and Bryanna were due any moment to watch little Marcus while he drove Gabrielle into town.

He pulled the diaper off and went to grab a new one when his son decided to shoot his firehose onto the side of Knight’s face. He hastily covered the baby’s bottom as he grimaced and grabbed a wipe to clean his face.

The room filled with Gabby’s laughter as she held her stomach. The doctor pronounced her on the mend, yet she still tired easily, and he saw the dark circles under her eyes. Claire came to visit in an unprofessional capacity, and the two were becoming great friends. She listened to Gabby tell her about the nightmares and referred her to talk to Dr. Hill in a professional capacity.

“Nobody warned me about this,” he exclaimed as he removed the diaper and dropped it back in place as his son squirted again. “I only practiced on girls.”

“The cool air makes him want to pee, slide the diaper under him, lift it to clean it, and then tape the new one,” she instructed.

“We’re all set, right, Marcus?” He proudly lifted his son and held him to his chest.

“Are you sure about calling him Marcus?” Gabby asked as he passed the infant to her to feed.

“Yes. Unless you don’t approve. Will it bother you to call me Knight, instead?” He sat beside her, marveling at the tender moment between mother and child. “Bryanna spoke to me. Nugget refers to the team by their monikers, and she and Nugget will call me Knight and Uncle Knight.”

“No. Knight fits you and I know you’ll help find the people who need saving.”

“When you finish feeding our son, I want to take a little drive. Do you have breastmilk in the freezer?”

“Yes. Along with the one hundred meals the team brought over. I like living here.”

“Me, too. Leo asked when I wanted to start officially with the team. I’ve held off because of your condition. What if I started in four weeks?”

“I’m fine. Between Miss Edie, your sister, Saint, Patch and Claire, my son rarely sleeps in a bassinet. We need to decide where we want to settle down. We can’t stay in Kassie’s cabin forever.” Gabby held little Marcus up to burp him.

“I want to support you. You went through something traumatic and you have a newborn.” He watched Gabby switch breasts and fed their son.

She leaned against him, and he kissed her while gazing over her shoulder. Their relationship felt more relaxed, but he still met with Claire and attended meetings with Patch. Life became bearable and a blessing as he healed on the mountain.

“Speaking of support, Kassie and her godfather, Joe, visited me yesterday while you went with the team.” Gabby sent him a worried glance. “Joe’s retired. He still watches over the hospital and Kassie’s investments. They asked if I might want to handle accounting for the hospital. I can work from home or keep an office beside Kassie and Catherine. They have a nursery there for their kids.”

“Do you want to do it?” he asked as he played with his son’s hand.

“I do. It comes with an excellent benefits package. I still need a car. We can use the funds you gave me from the house and find a decent used one. I don’t want another bill with a new baby.”

Knight pulled a folder from the side table and opened it for her to read. Her eyes widened as she read the numbers, listing his pay, bonuses, and vacation. On the other side, he placed the new bank documents with their names on the account.

“It’s important to me we start on equal footing. I don’t want us to experience what I did in California again. From now on, I want us to stay partners in everything. No more lists and more communication.”

Gabrielle smiled. “I can transfer my funds into the account, too.”

“Why don’t you wait? I have another idea.”

She removed Marcus from her breast and turned to burp him.

“Let me do it. Go shower and dress. Saint and Bryanna will be here soon.”

When she left the room, he texted Patch.

She’s taking a shower. Bring it over.

Did you have to choose pink? Really? Out of all colors, you buy her a pink SUV and make me drive it.

Patch replied.

You live in a pink house.

You’re an asshole.

Patch texted back.

You know what they say.

He smiled. Patch grew into his support system and he didn’t go a day without feeling thankful for him. The two hit it off and Leo dubbed them ‘team asshole’ during meetings. Knight recalled their last swim day at the facility.

He laughed out loud at Leo yelling for team asshole to join them in the pool with the kids. Leo’s wife gave him the stink eye and his cute redheaded daughter reprimanded him and held out her hand. Leo took out his wallet and pulled out a twenty. “I don’t have a ten-dollar bill.”

Melody mimicked her mom, placing her hands on her hips and staring her Daddy down. “If you aren’t prepared for the consequences, then you should think before you say bad words, Daddy. I still didn’t tell Mama about Grace yelling shit all through the grocery store.”

Leo dug into his wallet and handed her forty. “Thanks for the reminder, June Bug. Remember, we’re keeping it between us until we teach Grace better manners.”

Melody smiled sweetly as she tucked the money into her gym shoe.

Doc frowned. “You’re gonna regret paying her every time you swear. She’ll be able to afford a new car by sixteen at this rate.”

“I’m working on it. I managed to convince her to forget Grace’s outburst at the community social when Mrs. Henry asked to hold her.

“What happened?” Doc asked.

Leo rolled his eyes. “When she picked up Grace, she grabbed the wig off of Mrs. Henry’s head and waved in the air yelling ‘fuck, fuck, fuck.’”

The team burst into laughter and Knight joined them, finding his place among the men.

Saint and Bryanna walked in. His sister appeared uncomfortable as Saint led her to the chair. “How much longer, sis?”

“Dr. Beecham promised a couple more weeks then she’d induce if I don’t start labor before then,” she informed him miserably. “Don’t worry. Miss Edie and Miss Maddie plan to help with Marcus. Don’t hurry back.”

Gabrielle came out of the bathroom, refreshed and ready to go. She glanced at her son, debating on leaving him.

“Come on. We’ll only be gone a couple hours,” Knight coaxed.

She kissed the infant and held Knight’s hand as they walked out the door. She stopped in her tracks and stared at the pink SUV.

“Happy belated birthday,” he whispered.

“You bought me a pink car?” she asked slowly.

“No. It’s white underneath the pink wrapping. The one I wanted needed transporting. It came like this and since I asked Patch to drive it home, I requested they leave the wrapping on.”

“You didn’t.” Gabby laughed.

“Let’s keep it going for a bit. I owe him one for smacking me at the hospital.”

Gabby shook her head.

“I love it, thank you.” She kissed him when they climbed inside the vehicle. “Since it’s mine, can’t I drive?”

He opened the glove compartment and pulled out a pink bandana. “I have one more surprise and I need you to close your eyes.

She noticed his nervous expression and did as he requested while he tied the material over them. He buckled her in and held her hand as he drove down the mountain. He slowed and parked the car.

“Stay here.” He jumped out and came around the SUV to help her out.

He took her by the shoulders and led her carefully across the grass until he found the perfect spot.

“Please wait until I tell you to open them,” he said as he untied the blindfold. “Okay, now.”

Gabrielle stared at the big Victorian house with a swing on the porch.

“Patch told me about the house going on the market. I made her an offer. It’s ours, Gabrielle. I put it in your name. You’ll never have to worry about me hurting you again.”

“Oh Knight,” she breathed as she scanned the lovely home. Her mind already picturing adding a tree with pink blossoms in the front. Then she glanced at the house beside hers and cringed. Maybe not a pink tree.

“Guess who lives there?”

“Who?” Gabby asked as she watched the huge grin spread across his face.

“Patch.”

“No way. He lives there and you bought the house next to him?”

“I thought you liked him.”

“Open your wallet and give me twenty.”

“Why?”

“Because I can already see the two of you leaving for work and yelling across the yard, ‘Hey asshole, let’s go to work.’”

Taking a page from Leo, he handed her forty. “You’re right.”

“Can we go inside?” she asked excitedly.

He unlocked the door and held her hand as he showed off their new home. When he got to the last two rooms, he stepped back and allowed her to enter first. She opened the door to find the nursery she described to Saint. A sky blue coated the walls with billowing clouds over a tropical rainforest, while jungle animals hid inside the trees. The toys she picked up from their trip to the store lay in a basket.

“Knight,” she cried as she turned and fell into his arms. “It’s beautiful.”

He kissed her gently and watched as she went about the room, smiling as she picked up the items she wished for and put them back down. She sat in the overstuffed rocker and sighed at its comfort.

He knelt before her. “I love you, Gabrielle.”

She cupped his face with her hands. “I love you, Knight.” Her voice sounded sad, and he searched her eyes.

“I love the car and the house…it’s stunning. But we can’t start a life if we intend to dwell on the past. You can’t buy your way out of your mistakes.”

Knight moved back, disappointed by letting her down. It wasn’t his intention.

“Listen to me. You said we’re partners in all things. Then, we own how we allowed our marriage to crumble. We didn’t communicate. I’ve already forgiven you, but you need to forgive yourself. If we want this to work, we do it together. It means your name goes on the house and the car,” she said firmly. “We’re in this together all the way or it doesn’t work. I want to put my portion of the proceeds from the last house toward this one.”

“How about we start a college fund for Marcus?” he suggested.

“I’ll run the numbers.”

“Gabrielle. I have one more confession. I bought one more item. It’s for us.” He took her hand and led her from the nursery to the master bedroom. A new king-sized bed faced the French double doors and she went to open them. Her breath caught as she saw the view. “It’s gorgeous.”

When Knight didn’t reply, she turned to find him on one knee. “I found these in your drawer in the apartment. I’ve kept them in my pocket every day, hoping by some miracle, I’d find my way back to you. I promise to continue with my therapy, work on myself, and be the man you and my son need. I vow you won’t go another day doubting how I feel. I love you, Gabrielle. Will you wear your rings again as a sign of our commitment to each other?”

Gabby nodded. “Yes. I love you, Knight.”

Marcus slid the rings over her finger and gently kissed her lips, before pulling her close.

Her eyes lingered on his chest. “We can’t make love yet. Dr. Beecham wants me to wait.”

He picked her up and laid her down on the bed. Then he pulled a quilt from the bottom over her and slid in beside her, pulling her back into his chest. “Thank you,” she said quietly.

“For what?”

“For working so hard to find the man I needed. I forgive you, Knight,” she whispered.

“Thank you for saving me,” Knight murmured.

Peace floated over him as he held the love of his life. He smiled. He’d keep his promise and help save those in need, but his wife and family were his home.

Knight’s thoughts turned to his dad and how he carelessly threw the love of a wonderful woman and his children away. He almost felt sorry for him, but he didn’t.

He closed his eyes and whispered a silent prayer of thanks. Because of his actions, he almost turned into the man he vowed never to become. His wife proved forgiveness, time, and understanding were essential in his healing. Gabby’s unconditional love brought him home. She saved him. Now, he’d never spend another day missing the man he wanted to become, the real Marcus.