First Kiss Last by Sara Miller (read e book .TXT) 📗

And where the hell was he? The jobsite was nearby, he should be here already! She snapped out of her thoughts.

“Sky, did you call your dad?” She didn’t want to take her eyes off Nicole. “Sky!” She spoke sharply.

“On his way.”

“You don’t tell my kids what to do! I’ll be damned if I let them call you Mom. I’m their mom, not you.” She took another step closer.

“No!” Liam shouted again. This time he stepped out where he could be seen. He took Leah’s hand. “She is gonna be our new mom! We asked for her for Christmas! We love her and she loves us! Dad bought a ring, right Sky? Remember!” His little voice was frantic.

“Oh, Liam,” Sky knelt down, pulled her brother to her and wrapped him in a hug. “She said no, I heard her. She doesn’t want us. She’s married and is gonna have a family of her own.”

“Oh, that’s just too damn funny,” Nicole cackled hysterically. “Cade thinks I’m the bad one? But you are married and having someone else’s kid?” she scoffed. “Bitch, get outta my way.”

Nicole was now right in Leah’s face.

Leah refused to back down. She may have failed Cade and his children on so many levels but on this, she would not move. She held her ground and noticed two police officers were making their way toward them. When Nicole moved in and raised her voice, Leah saw them run.

Leah’s brain was not processing all the words and insults being flung at her. Liam was in serious distress. He was crying and arguing with his sister. His tiny fist pounded against her.

Nicole chose that moment to try to reach for Liam.

Without conscious thought, Leah moved to block her.

Nicole shoved her out of the way.

Leah watched in slow motion as she began to fall. She twisted, hoping to protect her baby. She saw Sky pull Liam away from their mother just as one of the officers grabbed Nicole.

When Leah hit the ground, her breath was knocked out of her and she lost track of everything happening around her.

She opened her eyes when she felt hands on her. There was a paramedic checking her out. He asked question after question but she couldn’t focus. She asked about the children and her baby.

“The children are fine. Their dad is here.”

They gave no answer about her baby as the exam continued.

She felt some relief remembering she hit on her side, not her belly. Her arm and hip were already starting to ache. Leah did not feel any cramping. She put her good hand to her belly and felt a reassuring kick.

Leah tried to sit up. She wanted to know what was happening, and she wanted to see Cade. There was no denying it. She could hear him and knew he was only a few feet away. She leaned and could see him. His back was to her and he was talking to a police officer. She focused on their conversation, trying to hear.

“Your fiancé did a great job protecting your kids,” the officer was informing him. “We’re taking your ex in for violating the restraining order and for physically assaulting your fiancé. The paramedics are checking her and the baby right now.”

“My what?!”

Leah may not have been able to not see Cade’s face, but his voice chilled her to the bone.

“What baby? What the hell is going on?”

“Dad . . .” Sky tried but if she said more, Leah did not hear it.

Leah was pretty sure things could not get worse. She closed her eyes and wanted to disappear. Then things got worse.

“Mom, that’s him!” she heard Emmie say.

“Cade Emerson, is that you?” Lily’s voice sounded shocked. “What is happening? Where is my sister?”

“Lily,” Leah heard him say. Cade turned then. Leah saw the instant he recognized her. His blue eyes never looked more intense.

Leah wanted to speak. To explain. Anything other than sit there staring back. She tried to get up. The paramedic tried to stop her and when he couldn’t, he helped her to her feet. She was upright for only a second before everything went black.

When she opened her eyes again, she was on a bed. No, that was not right because she was still outside. She could hear her sister and Cade arguing. She could hear Liam crying and Allison demanding to know what was going on.

Leah felt a sudden jolt of movement as the medics transported her. As they loaded her into the ambulance, Leah saw Lily was hurrying towards the parking lot. Both of her nieces were running to keep up. Emmie kept looking back at Cade or over at the ambulance.

Cade had not moved. He was standing in the exact same spot. His hands on his hips, his face just as intense. Even close up, she doubted she’d be able to read his expression.

Never in a million years did Leah expect it to play out this way. She had thought maybe they would meet in a dream first. Or she had considered calling him after the baby was born. Maybe the worst scenario she had truly entertained was the idea of running into him unawares, like at the grocery store. A fight in a park involving emergency personnel was not on the list.

He looked so mad. Leah was even more sure now: Cade would never forgive her. Truth was, Leah was not sure she could forgive herself.

She thought of the kids. First Liam, the sweet boy, then Sky. She was a fighter, so much like her father. Leah tried to recall what Sky had said to Liam. The words came back and Leah gasped, causing the paramedic beside her to spring back into action.

I heard her. She said no. She doesn’t want us.

Had Sky gone to the kitchen for another Christmas cookie? Had she overheard their conversation? It was the only explanation.

And it meant Sky remembered the dreams too.

Leah wished they were all here right now. She would tell them the truth. She would apologize for all the