Not Bad

^TWO YEARS LATER^

EMERALD

“Guess who’s here?” Tate said as he walked in.

“Hoo-rah!” Sapphire squealed from her highchair, and I shook my head.

“Semper Fi, Saphie,” Lance replied, and she giggled and held up a hand covered in smushed carrots as Tate leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

“Finish your dinner first,” he told her and came to hug me and kiss my cheek. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired.” I sighed as his hand went over my swollen middle. “I fell asleep folding laundry.”

“Twice.” Saphie held up three fingers, and Lance laughed and tucked one down.

“Yes. Twice.” I made a face at her and pointed to her chicken. “Two bites, then Hoo-rah can give you a bath.”

“How did I get put on bath duty?” Lance looked at me.

“You kept my husband out past dinner.” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“That wasn’t my fault,” Lance said as Saphie shoved the two bites of chicken in her mouth then reached for Lance. “There was a wreck stopping traffic for blocks.”

“You should have planned better,” I huffed, and Tate chuckled, kissing the side of my face again.

“For an unforeseeable accident that didn’t involve me? Yes, how careless not to predict that ahead of time. Such an oversight.” Lance rolled his eyes.

“Glad you see it my way.” I nodded, and he just shook his head and took Saphie to the bathtub.

“Did you and Saphie have a good day?” he asked, picking up the bits of food from the floor since I couldn’t bend anymore.

“Bennett is spoiling her rotten.” I snorted. “He and Mom have planned a trip to the zoo this weekend.”

“How is your mother?” He threw the food away and started cleaning up the highchair so I could sit down and get off my feet for a second.

“The medications are just delaying the inevitable.” I sighed. “She forgets more than she remembers, so do with that what you will.

“She seems to do better with Saphie around, though. I’m glad she has that, at least.”

“I’m sorry I was late.” He looked at me.

“I blame Lance.” I smirked, and he laughed.

I sighed heavily and relaxed a little bit more into the chair.

“You look like you’re ready for this one to get here already,” Tate laughed. “With Saphie, you wanted her to stay longer.”

“Saphie was nicer,” I chuckled and ran my hand over my stomach. “My back is killing me, I miss seeing my toes, and I’m pretty sure my ankles look like sausages.”

“Stop it, Shrimp,” Tate crouched in front of me and held my hands so he could kiss the knuckles.

“You are nothing less than stunning. Every single day for the past three years. You take my breath away a little more every time I see you.”

“I look like I ate a watermelon whole,” I rolled my eyes.

“You look like you’re carrying our child. Again,” he rolled his eyes at me. “And your ankles are beautiful.”

“I gotta pee!” I cried. Literally. Tears rolled. It was annoying.

“I love you, Emerald King,” he chuckled and kissed my nose before helping me stand up.

“Shit!” I shouted as something inside of me snapped, and it felt like I peed myself. “Tate!”

“Oh, fuck. Wait here. Don’t walk, you might slip. I’ll get the bag,” he rushed out, and I sighed and rolled my eyes to look at the ceiling.

“Lance!” I shouted, and my brother poked his head out of the bathroom. “Water broke. Throw me a towel?”

“Oh shit!” he said, running down the hall with a towel to put at my feet. “I know it’s supposed to be beautiful and shit, but that’s gross, Em.”

“Shut up and find my shoes,” I huffed at him as I stepped onto the towel and scooted across the floor to soak up the puddle. “Saphie, don’t splash or I’m making you mop up the mess!”

“Yes, Momma,” she called as Tate rushed back down the hall from our bedroom.

“Pillow, Tate,” I reminded him, and he swore before going back to get it as I started talking to Lance.

“Breakfast is French toast and scrambled eggs with salsa. Call Bennett after we leave, and he’ll come pick her up in the morning so you can go to work.

“Bedtime is in an hour, and no, you aren’t allowed to cave and give her a cookie before bed. Make sure she brushes her teeth and spray the detangler in her hair before you brush it, or it snags and makes her cry.”

“Do you have this written down somewhere?” Lance asked, putting a pair of shoes in front of me to slip my feet into.

“In the drawer by the phonebook,” Tate said, and I pulled him closer so I could grab the list from the side of the bag and hand it to Lance.

“If you need help, call Macy or Vince,” I said and grabbed Tate’s bicep in a death grip as the contraction came.

***

We got to the hospital and only waited two hours before our son was born.

Just like when Saphie was born, Tate looked like the happiest man alive as he held him for the first time.

Once things calmed down and the nurses left, I lay back in the bed, watching Tate rock gently, his lips moving in a quiet conversation between the two of them.

“I think I know what I want to name him,” I said softly.

“Marcus Bennett.” Tate looked at me with a smile. “I think I like that one.”

“You read my mind, Treeman,” I sighed.

***

After my kidnapping, Gran stepped up and nullified the will, stating that it had caused a rift in her family, and took over King Industries herself.

Well, for a month, anyhow.

Tate refused to take it from her when she tried to give it to him, and Devon ran away faster than when I had a slipper in my hand. So, in the end, Leo did end up selling King Industries.

To Bennett freaking Lowell.

Apparently, the private sector of public protection paid very well. It completely drained him, but he was making more now than before he retired.

He reconnected with me and wanted to have a relationship with his granddaughter.

Tate ran things mostly from home and usually with Saphie sitting on his lap with a coloring book, even during video calls.

I kept the schedules running smoothly and started up a program designed to help injured vets—like Lance—and the two of us ran it together, along with Gran, of course.

Vince never got up the nerve to ask Macy out before she moved to Florida, but she moved back three months later, and he’s still a bumbling idiot around her. At least he hasn’t brought up bread. Yet.

Bennett and I got to know each other and settled things between us that I hadn’t known I had been holding on to.

Now, he was the doting grandfather that spoiled his granddaughter silly. I had no doubt that he would do the exact same thing with little Marcus.

Tate and I moved out of the city and into the house he’d described when he’d proposed to me.

We still haven’t gotten a dog, but Saphie said a brother would be better.

One month later, I found out I was pregnant again.

Not a day went by where I didn’t see the love of my family around me and think…

~Not just another office romance, after all.~

—The End—