Second Chance Baby (Crescent Cove #18)

Chapter 22

TWENTY-TWO

We didn’t actually make it back to the city to get my stuff until the next weekend. Reason being we celebrated our impromptu, decade overdue engagement by christening every room of our house with dirty, inventive sex.

And then we passed out in a stupor on the kitchen floor until we woke to Travis’s agent calling to remind us, we had a photo shoot to get our asses back to the gazebo for, since we had more pictures to take. He informed Daphne we were now engaged, and she congratulated us and told us to shower and get the hell back down to the lake for our shoot.

We arrived about an hour late and spent almost the entire day taking photos on the Hamiltons’ boat with the assistance of Laurie, who’d been written a note to excuse her from school for the day.

By late afternoon, I officially had a sunburn, and Rita was thrilled with that day’s crop of photos. Not to mention, my landlord had been duly informed by a letter from my lawyer that I was officially breaking my lease and would be emptying out my apartment within days. And Lacey had excitedly agreed to be my maid of honor.

Hallelujah.

Not everything was perfect. It never would be. When I called the last known number I had for my mom, it came back as out of service. Lacey tried to contact the guy who’d most recently dated my mom, but his number was out of service too.

Dead end there. It sucked that I couldn’t even tell my own mom I was finally going to get married, but it wasn’t as if my life with her had ever been any different.

Par for the course, really.

But before I could even dwell on it for more than a few minutes, Hank Masterson was calling me to invite me—by myself—to his home for what ended up being an afternoon spent in his workshop. I found him in the space I hadn’t ever spent much time in, preparing some dark wood while a machine hummed and whirred.

I couldn’t quite identify what I was looking at, but that didn’t stop him from immediately tucking it aside after he’d run some kind of polish or gloss over the piece. “Bridget, how are you?”

His booming voice nearly made me retreat until I made myself stop wringing my hands as I stepped forward. “Hi, sir. I’m good, thank you. How are you?”

He waved a hand. “You’re family. Quit that ‘sir’ stuff.”

I almost questioned that impossibility before sense prevailed. This was all so new for me. I’d had so little experience with a family like this one.

Hell, I hadn’t even known my own father despite being blamed for his absence from my life.

“Yes, sir.” Closing my eyes, I shook my head. “Sorry. This is all new to me.”

“Understood. And I didn’t want you to be overwhelmed by the lot of us so I figured we could talk privately if that worked for you.”

“It does, sure. Thank you.”

His kindly smile as I opened my eyes made me suck in a jagged breath. When he smiled with his eye crinkles and dimples on full display, never mind his broad shoulders outlined in his denim shirt, he reminded me so much of Travis that my nerves dissipated. Hank had helped to create the incredible man I loved—the one who had nearly cried trying to talk to our nearly teenage daughter about periods and sex.

Not that he’d told me about that. No, sir, but Carrington had, squirming all the while. Not only had she been embarrassed, she’d also wanted me to make Travis feel better, since I’d already talked to her about it in my fumbling trying-to-be-an-adequate-mom way.

“What are you worrying over? I see it in your eyes,” he continued. “I’ve known you since you were a teen, for God’s sake. Call me Hank. Please.”

While he continued sawing and polishing the word for whatever his project was, I found myself telling him everything. I needed a sounding board, and what better of a one than a man focused on building something after he’d raised 5 kids of his own to adulthood?

Evidently, no one.

“So, I tried to talk to Carrington about girl issues because Travis was worried she was maybe messing around with a young boy in her class, and he’d wondered if I would help with the conversation, since what dad wants to talk about that stuff with their young daughter? Unless maybe you were okay with it, and if so, there’s a reason why everyone thinks you and JoAnn are the gold standard for parents.” After the flood of words, I took a deep breath and grabbed a bottle of water from the nearby mini-fridge. I drank greedily, grateful to wet my painfully dry throat. “I mean, my mom didn’t even tell me what changes would happen to me in puberty. Nothing. No advice about bras or body hair or hormones or anything, never mind what to expect with my period or anything about sex or having a kid. Literally nothing.”

He nodded, brushing aside wood shavings off his piece. “So many don’t know what to say or how to say it. I left all of that to my wife, I admit it. But if she’d felt uncomfortable at any point, I would’ve jumped in. That’s the point of having a partner. Every single person has strengths and weaknesses. And if you have someone who loves you, that you also love and trust, you should lean on them if something seems too much for you.”

“Yeah, I wanted to make things easier for once. He’s had to handle so much all on his own, I wanted to lighten his load a little. I had no clue how to talk about that stuff with her, but I just fumbled my way through it.” I shrugged jerkily. “She seemed as weirded out as I was, so I just made sure she knew she could ask any questions she needed to. No matter how big or small or, well, weird.”

He turned his head, brushing back a lock of snowy white hair that fell across his forehead. “We all are fumbling. Every single one of us. Whether it’s with the first kid or the fifth, we all are trying to make it up as we go. I swear to you. None of us have it all figured out, no matter how it looks on the outside.” He turned over the wood piece and fitted another wood item made up of what looked like long slivers glued together in a fan-like shape on top of it. He pressed it down, imprinting the design into the wood before he started buffing a gloss over it. “I mean, look at you. We’ve seen your modeling shoots, and you look effortlessly beautiful and cool, as if you’ve never had a harried moment in your life. But that’s what you’re selling along with whatever makeup or clothes you have on. That sense of calm. Giving the ones who view your advertisements something to aspire to, right?”

I was so caught up in watching his studied movements, I didn’t really hear him. Then I laughed as it finally sank all the way in. “Me effortless? Never. But I suppose yeah, I do try to pretend I am. And honestly? I’m tired of pretending. I wrote a memoir,” I added suddenly. “Early on, obviously, since I’m still young, but I delved into my career a bit. Nothing but ugly truths in there. The project never sold to a publisher, and I couldn’t figure out why until I made myself reread it recently. Penn offered to put it out through his imprint, and I wanted to make sure it was worthy of him.”

Slowly, Hank nodded. “And?”

“I’d tried to be too surface, telling myself that I didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable. But I didn’t want to make myself uncomfortable, either, and then no one wanted to read it or pay for it. Because surface shit is everywhere in this world. Why pick up mine?”

“That’s a good point,” he said thoughtfully, sanding the edges of the wood, making a neat little pile of sawdust. The scent of the wood calmed me somehow, as did working some of the sandy flakes at the end of his cutting board between my fingers. “Now, you’re revising it, are you?”

“Yeah, I’ve been ripping it down to the studs. So much of it I trashed because, well, frankly, it was boring. There was no juice. No dirt and no depth. I’d put people to sleep if I kept it that sanitary and clean. Even the recent photo shoot with Travis, which I wrote about at the very end, I did more alluding to sex than talking about it. Just because I wanted to protect everyone.”

He threw back his head with a laugh. “Protect Travis? I know my boy, and I’d say he wouldn’t expect that. Nor would he want it.”

I had to smile. “Yeah, you’re right. He’s going to read it before I turn in the rewrite to Penn, and I’m going to make sure he gives me his honest feedback. We didn’t do enough of that the first time. We weren’t anywhere near honest enough, and it bit us in the ass in the end.”

“As it does. But don’t be ashamed for treading lightly because you were being too careful. Or kind. It’s damn hard to tell the full truth every minute. But it gets easier as you realize the person you love can take it. And not only can take it, is better and stronger for it. Travis can take all of what you dish out, Bridget, but if you don’t trust him to be able to, how can you get stronger together as a couple? That’s denying both of you something special.”

I nodded, gathering my hair over one shoulder when I wanted to fidget under his perceptive gaze. “I am so grateful for JoAnn and now for you too. I appreciate your guidance because I didn’t have parents like you two growing up. Heck, I can’t even find my mom now. I wanted to tell her Trav and I are finally getting hitched and the number’s out of service. My bad luck, I guess.”

“It wasn’t bad luck that your mom didn’t do her job for you. That was a choice she made. And yes, she probably didn’t have good role models, but even so, we all make choices every minute of every day. God knows you’ve beaten yourself up for yours enough, haven’t you?”

I nodded. “I think I always will. My sister is raising her girl on the spectrum all by herself. She didn’t run like I did.”

“But eventually, you ran right back. You need to always complete the sentence. Eventually, you ran back.”

His words echoed in my head for a moment before I gave in and hugged him hard. “Thank you. Travis gave me such a gift. Not only does he love me, but he also gave me this amazing family I’ll never stop being so grateful for.”

“And we are grateful for you too. On that score, I have a very important question to ask you.”

“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”

“I’d very much like to give you away, if it fits with the plans you and my son are beginning to make. Maybe JoAnn can help me with that honor.”

“Absolutely. Oh my God.” I covered my mouth with both hands as my eyes filled. “I would love that so much, thank you.” I hugged him again, squeezing him. “Thank you,” I whispered again.

“You’re welcome, but honestly, it will be my— our —pleasure. You’re making our son very happy, and we couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Sniffling, I nodded, turning to the sound of footsteps, looking back at Travis as he came to a halt in the workshop doorway. I could only imagine how blotchy I must look from tears. “Hey, hey, why you making my girl cry, Dad? What the hell?”

“Good tears only, I promise,” I told him, running into his arms. “Your Dad is the best ever. So is your mom.”

He caught me in his embrace, kissing me hard enough that his dad had to loudly clear his throat to break us apart.

Then he drew me back in to continue once again, making his dad let out a hearty laugh. “Hey, almost Wife. I missed you today. I finally put up Amerie’s Dalmatian in the yard, and she and Care Bear and Biscuit have been running around like maniacs while you’ve been gone on your mystery errand.”

“Blame your dad, though it was for the best reason, and I made it a two-fer trip.” I tugged out my lacy bra strap from under my shirt, and Travis’s eyebrows immediately climbed sky-high. I mouthed the name Underneath, and his lips quirked.

Underneath was a new undergarments hot spot in town that I’d visited that afternoon to get some fun stuff for our honeymoon, which I’d already set up for us and warned him about—without yet giving him details when and where, though I would be soon.

Honesty was the best policy for us all the way around.

Needless to say, we’d be naked a lot. Most of the rest of the time, I would be clad in silk and lace. Bonus was I’d found lots of new stuff to fit my new expanding shape. And that wasn’t even considering other ways I hoped it would expand soon.

To prepare, my trunk was full of lingerie and parenting books. I might not have been born with the natural skills for any of this, but I could learn. I fucking hoped, anyway.

At least I was still trying, which was more than I could say for my own mother.

“This is done, by the way.” Hank lifted the wood piece and did something with what looked like a roll of fabric, tucking it inside, and then he held out the box to Travis. “Did you bring what goes in it as requested?”

“I sure did. Wow, look at this.” Travis accepted the rectangular box with a sunburst pattern on top, tracing his fingertips through the grooves. “I knew you did incredible work, Dad, but this is unreal. Thank you so much.” He moved something from his pocket to the box before he pulled his father in for a hard half hug, which his father returned with many manly back pats that I knew had to hurt.

A Masterson hug was apt to leave you with a few bruises, but the squeezes were definitely worth it.

Hank stepped back. “I’ll just leave you alone now.”

“No, please don’t,” I said hurriedly. “You’re part of this too, clearly.” I held out a hand to the woman currently lingering in the doorway. “As are you. Without you, JoAnn, we never would have found our way back to each other.”

“Oh, my sweetest girl. You’re like another daughter to me.” She came forward to take my hands, brushing a kiss over my forehead. “I only gave you a little nudge. You’re the one who took that first hardest step, and you’ve kept right on taking them, no matter how rocky they’ve been.”

Travis presented the box with an air of formality that made my eyes widen. “This is for you. The sun here on top is to represent a new beginning. Our new beginning, one that will never end.”

When I went to take the box, he held it to his chest, making me laugh. “I was going to present this to you at Cove Falls. Gorgeous waterfall behind the lake that many townsfolk think is an urban legend, but nope, it’s actually real. Only problem is this time of year the light sucks, and there are many twisted tree roots and a ravine too and I didn’t want you to break a leg just to get engaged. Or hell, me either. Not to mention I couldn’t fucking wait another day to get my rings on your finger. We’ve waited long enough.”

I blinked as my eyes stung. “Rings? Plural?”

He nodded. “Rings. Engagement ring, then my grandma Masterson’s wedding ring to boot, as another sort of promise ring.” He opened his father’s box to show me the simply beautiful traditional vintage ring from his grandmother tucked in one of the ring rolls. “I want you to know how much love and tradition is standing behind us. With us, actually. And of course, we will have our wedding bands too for the big day itself. Which will come as soon as you can stand it.”

My cheeks ached from my wide, unending smile. No more tears until we were officially hitched. “Sounds perfect to me.”

He went down on one knee. “Bridget Bailey Sheppard, will you marry me?”

“Yes, absolutely. Try to stop me.” I bent to cup his face in my hands. “Get up, you wonderful man. You are going to have to ice that knee all night if you stay down there any longer, and I have plans for you,” I added in a whisper that hid nothing.

But his parents were right there . And I absolutely needed them to be.

He laughed and abided my wishes, rising to give me a kiss worthy of all time before he popped his father’s box to show me my unbelievably lovely rings. The engagement ring was a solitaire diamond surrounded by tiny rubies, my birthstone, shooting off many points of fire. I held out my hand and he slipped it on, lifting it to kiss my knuckles once the diamond was securely in place. I drew back my hand to admire the beautiful ring, and then I threw myself into his arms. “This is the best day of my life, Travis Edmund Masterson.”

“Mine too.” His dimples winked as he moved back a fraction to grin at me. “Shit, that means now I gotta make the wedding even better.” He glanced back at his father. “Any ideas?”

Hank grinned broadly before stepping around his son to draw me into a hug. “Nope. I think you’re off to a great start doing it your way so far, so keep it up.”

Travis laughed. “Why did I know you’d say I was on my own?”

“Nope, you aren’t.” I disentangled myself from his father to go into Travis’s arms once more. My very favorite place to be. “You’ll never be on your own again.”