Lone King, page 24
“Ava and I can’t believe we’re going to be living a stone’s throw away from one another. It’s like a dream come true.”
I love seeing my Duck like this. When I can do things that make her smile, I feel like my fuck ups earlier in our marriage might not be anything she remembers. I want to make her forget how selfish I was, and what better way than to give her whatever she wants?
Cupping her almost non-existent belly, I say, “I woke up early to go to my appointment. Any morning sickness today?”
She makes a face that tells me it’s bad today. “Yeah. I threw up three times, so I settled for a little tea and saltines. Eleanor told me last week that your mother suffered terribly with morning sickness with every one of you, so I’m guessing it’s a boy.”
I know that’s what she thinks I want, but every time she says that, all I can think of is the King family doesn’t need any more boys. I’ve never told her how I feel, though. Maybe today’s a good day to do that.
As I push her black hair back behind her ear, I say, “Duck, I’ll be happy with whatever our baby is, but if you’re thinking I want a son, you’re wrong. I think I’d like a little girl I can spoil like her mother.”
“Really? I just assumed all of you King men wanted sons like Matthias.”
I shake my head and shrug. “No. I’d be happier than anything if we have a daughter. Not that a son would be bad, but I think I’d make a hell of a girl dad.”
That makes her smile, and she kisses me softly. “I think you’d make a great girl dad. Actually, I’m sure you’re going to be a great dad no matter what our child is. Now if only I could believe I’ll be as great as you.”
She’s been worried from the moment she told me that she might not be as good a mom as Ava is. She shouldn’t be concerned, but I’ve told her every time she mentions her fears that my brother and Ava didn’t know what they were doing in the beginning, so we’re going to be fine.
And if things get bad, we know where to turn since those two have been through it before us.
I cradle her beautiful face in my hands and kiss her. “You are going to be a great mom, Duck. You’re sweet and kind and when people step out of line, you have that look you give them that makes them get right back in. I can’t wait for you to see how great you’re going to be.”
She covers my hands with hers and asks, “How did your doctor’s appointment go?”
I’ve been seeing a therapist for two weeks now, twice a week, and it’s been okay. I’m not used to telling strangers about my deepest, darkest thoughts, but that was one of her conditions so she’d marry me all over again, so I kept up my side of the bargain and found a doctor a week after.
“It was okay. The therapist said she thinks I’m making good progress. I’ve got a lot to deal with, but I feel good about it.”
“Oh, baby. You’ve lost a lot in your life, and then when you almost lost Ronan, I knew you should talk to someone about it. I’m so proud of you for doing this. You know that, right?”
“I know, and I owe this all to you. I wouldn’t have gone to see anyone without you lighting a fire under me, but now that I am, I think it’s good. I guess I have some unresolved issues around Theo and Maia, along with issues that stem from losing my mother so early in my life.”
For a moment, I stop because I’m getting choked up. “Then there’s what happened with Ronan. Eden, I don’t want to drag these things into my life with you and our baby. I want to be able to be there for you and her. Or him. Old Marius was good, but I want to be better for you two.”
“Well, I love old Marius and this new Marius. I love all the versions of you, baby.”
When the word baby comes out of her mouth, her eyes get very big, and I’m instantly worried. She quickly reassures me she’s fine and then says, “I want to show you something I bought this morning. Wait here.”
She runs away, so I call after her, “Slow down! You’re pregnant!”
A minute later, she returns with a white and gold bag and sets it down on the island already crowded with that enormous floral arrangement and a dozen other decorations from around the penthouse. Before she shows me what’s in the bag, she gives me one of her trademark Eden looks of disapproval.
“Marius, you do know there are women who run marathons while they’re pregnant, so I can jog through our house. Just because I’m expecting a baby doesn’t mean I can’t do the same things I’ve always done. Well, at least in the first two trimesters.”
I don’t want to ask what happens in the last trimester. Matthias has already told me those last three months were hard on Ava, especially with Matty. I can only hope my Duck has an easier time of it.
“Fair enough, but I worry about you. I’m allowed to do that, right?”
That gets me a smile. “Yes, you can worry. Just don’t worry too much. This baby is like the size of a walnut right now. It can handle me trotting into the living room to get a bag.”
Appropriately scolded, I glance at the bag. “Did you want to show me something, or is the bag what you wanted to show me?”
Duck rolls her eyes and gives me a tender jab to the solar plexus. “You’re silly. No, I didn’t want to show you the bag. What I want you to see is in the bag, so look inside.”
I do as she says and see white fabric inside the white and gold bag. It doesn’t look like enough to be something for a fully grown person, so I have to assume it’s something for the baby.
“You bought cotton,” I say, teasing her.
She rolls her eyes again and takes the bag off the island to pull out a little outfit. Holding it up in front of her, she points at something in the center of her chest.
“Look! It has a little duck on it. Isn’t that cute?”
I lean in and see a little yellow duck with an orange bill on the onesie. “A little duck for my Duck.”
Instantly, I realize what I said and smile as I look at Eden. “That’s it! I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before. I’ve got the kid’s nickname already. Little Duck. Duck and Little Duck. It’s perfect!”
Eden folds the outfit and slides it back into the bag. “You are too cute. Do you know that? I love that you’re as thrilled as I am about us having a baby.”
I take her in my arms and hold her to me before kissing her. “Whatever makes you happy, Duck, makes me happy. What is it they say? Happy wife, happy life.”
For some reason, that makes her frown. I want to ask why, but Matthias warned me about pregnant women’s hormones. The last thing I want to do is make her cry.
“Marius, I want you to be happy all on your own. I love that you want me to be happy, but it’s important you’re happy too. Tell me. Are you really happy?”
Now I understand. She misunderstood. Okay, I can fix this.
I pull her to me and say, “Duck, I’ve never been happier in my life. Seeing you happy makes me happy. I don’t know how else to explain it. I’ve had everything anyone could want in this world, except what you give me.”
“And what’s that?”
“Your love. I don’t need anything but that. I have everything else. But without it, I’d have nothing.”
Now she starts crying for real. First come the sniffles, and then a second later, tears fill her eyes.
“That’s so beautiful, Marius. How did I get so lucky to find a man like you?” she asks, wrapping her arms around me in a hug.
I kiss the top of her head and whisper against her soft hair, “Well, you see, there was this guy, and he was a real jackass. I saw this gorgeous woman and decided I wanted her for my own. Luckily for me, he made it easy.”
She lifts her head and wipes the tears from under her eyes. “So if it was hard, would you have still wanted me?”
I lightly tap the tip of her nose. “I would always want you, Duck.”
Eden begins talking about how much we have to get ready for the movers and how she’s so glad Matthias and Ava are willing to let us crash at their house until our new place is ready in a couple weeks. I’m not really listening, though, because all I can think about is at this time next year, it’ll be three of us.
My Duck and my Little Duck. And me.
EPILOGUE
Eden
Lily finishes her mint chocolate chip ice cream and proudly sits up in her chair to show me she’s done. Pointing at her empty dish, she smiles broadly.
“All done, Mommy.”
“I see, honey. Good job. You didn’t get brain freeze either. I’m impressed.”
Whenever my five-year-old daughter gets around ice cream, she gobbles it up like a starving soul who hasn’t seen food in a week. Invariably, that results in her getting brain freeze, which then is followed by crying. Thankfully, that didn’t happen today.
I clean her face and pull her chair out for us to leave just as I see a familiar face walk into the ice cream shop. It’s been years since I saw Maia, possibly high school, and she hasn’t changed a bit.
Not that I’ve changed that much. My hair still looks the same, although it’s a little shorter now that I’m a mother. I don’t have the time I used to have to take care of it with Lily around. Still, I’m not surprised when she recognizes me and starts to walk over to where my daughter and I are sitting.
“Eden? Is that you?” she asks with a big smile.
“Maia? What a blast from the past! How are you?” I ask as Lily stands up from her chair and takes my hand.
“I’m great! How are you?”
For a quick moment, I study how she looks and have to admit she’s as beautiful as she was all those years ago. She still has great hair. I always loved how her warm brown hair hung so perfectly. There are still some days I can barely get my hair to behave well enough to put it up in a pony tail.
I look at her brown eyes and see she still can wear makeup like few other women I’ve encountered in this world. She always did know how to accentuate the positive. I wish I could learn how to use eyeshadow like she does. I never did get the hang of contouring and highlighting like she did.
“You look fantastic, Maia. Whatever you’re doing, it’s working.”
That may sound a bit over the top, but I mean it. She looks great.
She looks down at Lily standing by my side and smiles at her. “And who’s this?”
Lily has been practicing for when she goes to kindergarten in a few weeks, so she’s ready with an answer. Still holding my hand, she answers, “I’m Lily King. I’m five years old. I can count to one hundred, and I know my ABCs. I know my address too! Do you want to hear me count?”
As much as I love her being so enthusiastic about school, I’m sure Maia and everyone else in this ice cream shop on this August afternoon aren’t interested in hearing all that Lily knows right now. “It’s okay, honey. We can count and do your ABCs when we get to the car.”
Disappointed she doesn’t get to regale strangers with her newfound knowledge, she nods and lets out a heavy sigh. I never want to curtail her learning, but there’s a time and a place for everything.
I return my focus to Maia and see a look of confusion. “Is this your daughter? She’s lovely,” she says.
Beaming my pride in my little girl, I nod and say, “Yes, this is Lily. Lily, say hello to Maia.”
My daughter is happy to once more be involved in the conversation and smiles at her. “Hi, Maia!”
“She looks so much like you, Eden. She has the same gorgeous black hair as you.”
“Oh, thank you. She’s got a lot of me in her, but she’s got her father’s eyes.”
“Did she say her last name is King? Did you marry one of the Kings?” Maia asks, and I sense something in her tone has changed.
I know all too well the history she has with the King brothers. She dated Marius, and then right after they broke up, she slept with Theo.
“Yes, I did. Marius.”
Before she can say anything, Lily looks up at us and announces, “My father’s name is Marius, and my mother’s name is Eden.”
But Maia isn’t listening to my daughter anymore.
“Really?” she asks in a strange voice. Is she jealous?
“Oh, yes. Marius and I have been married for nearly eight years now. I’m sure you remember Ava, my best friend. She married his older brother Matthias, so we’re one big happy family.”
I watch her reaction carefully, and my suspicions are proven correct when she frowns and says, “Oh. That’s nice. Is he still playing at photography?”
Normally, I’d let a comment like that slide since it means nothing to me what anyone thinks of Marius or our life together. What do I care about other people’s opinions on what we do?
However, this is Maia, and there’s no way I’m letting her get away with making a snide comment like that about the man I love and in front of his daughter, no less. Oh, no. Not happening.
Tilting my chin up ever so slightly so it seems like I’m looking down my nose at her, I answer, “He’s a billionaire, Maia. It’s not like he sells insurance for a living or anything like that. He doesn’t have to work at all. We travel and enjoy life, and I tell him all the time he has my blessing to play around at doing whatever he wants.”
Before she can say anything in response, I lean in close to her ear and say in a low voice, “Thankfully, most of the time that’s me. You remember how that was, don’t you?”
When I lean back away from her, I can see by the flustered expression that’s she’s upset. Now to go in for the kill.
“Time to go, baby. Say goodbye to Maia.”
Lily gives her a cute wave, and as we turn to walk out of the ice cream shop, I say to Maia, “Eat your heart out. You had two Kings and still didn’t grab the brass ring you so desperately wanted. Enjoy your ice cream.”
I leave her looking absolutely furious and love it! On our way out of the shop, Lily tugs on my hand. I look down at her to see she wants to ask me something.
“Yes, honey. What’s up?”
“Don’t you like that lady?” she asks with all the innocence of a child.
“I like her well enough. Why?”
“You said you wanted to eat her heart. That doesn’t sound like you like her.”
Throwing my head back in laughter, I open the door for us to walk out into the hot August afternoon. “Not exactly, but you pick up quickly. Good girl.”
I barely get Lily out of her booster seat before she’s tearing up the driveway to the house. Ava and Matthias are having one of their parties, and we’re a little late due to us stopping for ice cream.
“No running in the house!” I call after her, but she’s already through the kitchen door by the time I finish.
When I get inside, I find Ava with her daughter Elizabeth sitting at the kitchen table. Dressed in her bathing suit, she’s eager to get outside to swim.
“Come on, Mommy! Matty and Theo are already outside with Daddy,” she says as she tugs on Ava’s arm.
“I’m afraid we got impatient. Where were you? Everyone else is here,” Ava says.
I smile as the thought of Maia’s upset expression fills my mind. “I promised Lily we’d go for i-c-e-c-r-e-a-m, so that’s why we’re late.”
Both little girls stare up at us wondering what I spelled, but neither Ava nor I are going to tell them. We still have a little more time to enjoy being able to keep our daughters in the dark about what we’re talking about, and neither one of us is going to ruin that.
“Can we go, Mommy?” Lily asks me just as Marius walks into the room.
He opens his arms, and when she sees him, she runs to him and throws her arms around his neck. “Daddy!”
“How’s my Little Duck? Did you enjoy your time with Mommy?” he asks as he lifts her up into his arms.
“Daddy, why does Mommy want to eat people’s hearts?”
Confused, he shakes his head before glancing over at me. “I’m not sure.”
Like most five year olds, our daughter’s attention quickly shifts from one topic to the next. “I want to go swimming with Elizabeth. Can we go swimming? Mommy and Aunt Ava are talking, so can you take me and Elizabeth outside to the pool?”
Marius looks over her head toward me for an answer, so I say, “I want to talk to Daddy for a minute, so we have to wait.”
The two girls start complaining, so Ava says, “I’ll take them. You two talk.”
I see by the look on my husband’s face that he’s sure what I’m about to say isn’t good, so I quickly move to show him that he’s mistaken. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I kiss him sweetly on the lips and whisper, “I’ve got a story to tell you.”
His expression changes from unease to confusion. “Oh? Something happen at the ice cream shop? And what’s this about you wanting to eat people’s hearts?”
I stare into his dark eyes and smile. “We met up with someone from the past today when we were getting ready to leave the ice cream shop.”
“Really? Your past or my past?”
I answer with a single word, knowing that’s all that’s necessary. “Maia.”
He doesn’t say anything, but he still looks confused so I continue. “When she asked Lily her name, our daughter gave her full name. That piqued Maia’s curiosity, and she asked me if I had married one of you King boys. I loved telling her I married you.”
“I can’t believe she even remembers me.”
I roll my eyes at his fake modesty. “Baby, you were the best thing she ever had in her life. Trust me. She remembers. From how she asked about if you were still playing around with photography, I’d say she’s kept up with what you’ve been doing.”
“Imagine that.”
He tightens his hold on me and kisses me long and deep, but I’ve got a little more to tell him. Knowing how things happened between the two of them, this last part is really what I want to share with him.
“So I didn’t get to the good part yet. The part Lily was referring to. So after she made that crack about you playing around with photography, I made sure to remind her that you’re a billionaire and can play at anything you want since you’re not an insurance agent or anything like that.”
