“Let me tell you something. Men do not spend that much time with a woman they think of as a friend.”
“I see. Would you like to piss on my leg while you’re at it?” I asked and stuck my leg out.
“Sweetness, I will pull my dick out every time you ask,” he said with a cocky smile. “Listen, I’m not saying you can’t be friends with him or that he can’t come visit. I’m saying I’m going to be there when he does.”
“Oh, good grief. Point made. You can stop now.”
“As you wish,” he grinned and changed the subject. “I want to go see your mom and Sienna before we leave.”
“Mom would love to see you, and there’s no way in hell I would leave this building without my baby being the last stop.”
* * *
Mom was releasedfrom the hospital two weeks after Kellan and just in time for Christmas. It took a little convincing, but I finally got her and Dad to agree to stay at my house through the holidays. Like I told Kellan, I wanted to keep all of my people in as few places as possible so we could all help each other. Mom could hardly walk two feet with a lot of assistance, I was on the typical restrictions after having a c-section, and Kellan had strict physical restrictions that would gradually lessen over the following four to six months.
Sienna was doing well and steadily getting stronger every day. She had gained some weight and was starting to look less like a sick preemie and more like an extra-small healthy baby.
I knew she was where she needed to be, but it killed me every time I had to leave the hospital without her. It wasn’t something I ever thought would happen to me, and I had a new appreciation for all the mothers who’d had to leave their babies in the hospital.
I was also having a tough time with her spending her first Christmas in the NICU, but Kellan reminded me that she wouldn’t remember any of it anyway. Mom also pointed out that at least she was here to have Christmas with us, regardless of where it was. They both had valid points, and I was still disappointed, but I tried to make the best of it.
“Are you going somewhere?” Kellan asked when I came down the stairs dressed in something other than yoga pants and a T-shirt.
I nodded. “Yes, Leigh said she would help me do some Christmas shopping for Riley and Braxton before they get out of school. She should be here any minute.”
Kellan smiled broadly. “Well, you two have fun and don’t overdo it.”
“I won’t,” I promised.
Right on cue, the doorbell rang. I picked up my purse, opened the front door, and froze at the sight before me. Copper was standing on my front porch with Layla by his side and a sea of leather behind them. I caught a quick glimpse of Leigh off to the side before I blurted, “What are you doing here?”
Leigh stepped away from the crowd and waved. “We’re helping with your Christmas shopping.”
I whirled around to find Kellan walking up behind me. “Surprise, baby,” he said softly.
“What did you do?” I demanded.
“I merely suggested the club focus on a particular family or two instead of doing a charity run and donating the money raised to an organization.”
“And you picked my family?” I asked even though I already knew the answer.
“Just because you and I are together and have a child doesn’t mean I’m going to stop doing things for Riley and Braxton. My reasons may have changed, but I still want to make sure they’re taken care of. And I figured this was the only way you’d accept,” Kellan said softly.
“But—” I started.
“But, nothing. Remember when you said it wasn’t about money? Same principle applies here. This isn’t about money. This is about your children never missing out on anything because of me.”
I could tell from the look in his eyes that he needed to do it. We’d spent a lot of time talking about our feelings regarding Ian’s death. I knew he was still carrying a lot of guilt, and probably always would be, just like I would carry the grief of losing my husband and my children’s father. It was a part of who we were and we agreed to be supportive of each other’s feelings.
“Okay,” I agreed and turned to face the motorcycle club standing in front of my house. “Please, come in.”
Copper grinned. “We won’t be long. We just need to know where you’d like us to put the presents that were too big to wrap.”
“What did you get that was too big to wrap?” I asked in surprise.
“We tried to get everything on the list Riley gave us,” Copper said.
“Except for the living creatures. We didn’t buy any pets,” Layla added.
