Page 66 of Worth the Rush
“Shit, princess. I’m sorry. You must be in so much pain here.” He starts settling me back into the pillows. “You’re alright though? Mare said you broke your arm in two places, but otherwise, you’re healthy,” he recounts as he pulls the blanket up over me and sits on the end of the bed. I swallow. Well, now’s the time, I suppose.
“I am. I’m fine…” I start playing with the edge of my hospital gown. “More than fine actually. I hope you know that I didn’t plan for this to happen, but now that it has. I’m really happy.”
“I’m really happy too, baby.”Just say it.
“I’m pregnant.” I blurt it out. His eyes bulge, then they move to my stomach. “Only two months. I think some of the times I was nauseous or dizzy may have been because of this, not because of my low blood sugar.”
“You’re pregnant,” he repeats.
“Yes.” I steel myself. There’s one more thing I need to say. An important thing. “I just found out, and I want you to know I don’t expect anything from you.”
“Ivy—” he cuts in, but I hold up my good arm.
“Shh. I need to say this. Don’t interrupt me.” He shuts his mouth and pulls his lips between his teeth, nodding. “If you want to be in our lives, then great, but if this changes things for you, I’ll figure it out. I know we’ve only known each other a few months, and part of that I’ve been a little hard to deal with.” He smirks at my rambling, then slides forward on the bed so he’s right next to me.
“Move in with me,” he demands.
“What?” I shriek, and move my left arm too much. I wince, then I have to raise my other one to let him know I’m okay. “Alder, I just told you I’m having a baby. We still have things to talk about. That’s a lot to?—”
“You’re having my baby,our baby.” He halts my words with ones I didn’t know I needed to hear. “I’m gonna be a dad.” His eyes are full of love. He places his big hand on my belly. “I’m going to be here every step of the way if you’ll let me, Ivy. I know I hurt you. I should never have kept things from you, but I’m going to make it up to you, I’m going to be so good to you, baby.”
At his words, I feel my nose sting, and I know more tears are close behind. “I’m going to get you whatever you want. I’m going to spoil the shit out of you. Whatever you’re craving. Whatever you need. I’m there. I’m yours,” he says again. “You’re mine too. You’ve been mine, Ivy, and this baby is ours, and I’m going to take care of you two, Stormcloud. Let me take care of you, please?” he asks so earnestly, so endearing. I’m done resisting.
I nod. “Okay. But I’m not very good at being taken care of. I may not always get it right,” I say, sniffing. He reaches for my face, swiping the tears from my cheeks.
“You don’t have to always get it right. You just have to let me in.”
“You’re already in, Alder.”
“This is going to be good, Ivy. Really good,” he tells me, and as hard as I’ve fought not to let the threat of pain into my life again, I believe him. I’m choosing to trust him. I believe in the life we’re going to have. In the life I was always worthy of. If life this far has taught me anything, it's that even if we were to end in heartbreak, any time I’m gifted with this man and the joy he brings to my life will be worth the rush.
TWO YEARS LATER
How did I get so lucky?
I look out over the mountains. At this view I’ve loved since I was a kid. It’s the reason I added all the windows here. It never gets old to me. It’s still just as beautiful as it was a year ago, but it doesn’t even compare to the view I get when I look back into our home. Ours. I smile, taking in my gorgeous wife while she chases our perfect daughter around the living room. My girls.
Ivy moved in with me after the avalanche. I was worried she would want to have more time to adjust, but when you know, you know. I love her more now than I ever thought possible for me. She’s my best friend and partner in everything, including our business. The lodge has reached an insane amount of success. With Ivy at the forefront of the business, I suspect that will continue to be the case.
She stands and puts her hands on her hips, then rubs her stomach. Round with another Holloway baby. I told her I wanted five more after Raylen. She came up with our daughter's name. She thought it would be a nice way to honor my friend’s memory. It made me love her even more. She also said two kids. Period. And I can’t really argue since she’s the one who has to do all the heavy lifting, so I agreed. Baby boy will be our last.
My family will be here any minute with the other cousins. I think about my life and how I never saw Ivy coming. How if I had gone home that first night or stayed somewhere else, we might not have crossed paths. What a sad life I would have had.Sheis my life now, her and those babies. I would do anything for them, and I will continue to prove to Ivy every single day that taking the chance on me was worth it. Our life together will be worth it.
“Are you just going to stand there smiling, Lover Boy? Or are you going to help me wrangle the little angel?” she asks, snapping me out of my love-fest thoughts. I chuckle. Damn that mouth. That absolutely thrilling and beautiful mouth.
“You keep talking like that, and I’m going to accidentally put another baby in you before this one’s here,” I tease.
She laughs, loudly. My favorite laugh. “Baby, that’s now how it works, and it worries me if you don’t know that.”
“Dadadadada,” Ray babbles and teeters toward me. I scoop her up in my arms and kiss all over her face, making her giggle.
“We need to get you ready, princess, or Mommy’s gonna eat Daddy alive.” Ivy rolls her eyes at me and walks over.
“Mommy thinks Daddy would like that a little too much,” she coos at our daughter, and I let out a surprised laugh. Lifewith Ivy will never be boring. I’ll always be kept on my toes. That’s fine by me as long as I’m kept.
“I love you, Stormcloud.” She leans in and kisses me tenderly.
“I love you too, Alder. In this life and the next.”