Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
As Max and I walked out of the hospital with our baby girl, we finally looked like new parents. I bought little gifts of thank you to give to all the nurses who took special care of her in the NICU. They had become like family to us. Being there every day, talking to them, and getting to know each of them personally, we felt that they had a special place in our hearts, and we couldn’t thank them enough for all they’d done for our little girl.
Stepping into our apartment, I was shocked when I walked in, and the mess that consumed us between all the things from the baby shower and our move was suddenly gone.
“Max, what happened here?”
“I had people come in and organize everything. We couldn’t bring our daughter home to a mess.”
“That was so sweet of you. But how are we going to know where everything is?”
“You’ll learn, baby. Don’t sweat the small stuff.” He winked.
We took Sarah to the nursery and laid her down in her crib. She stared at us with beautiful eyes and kicked her little legs.
“She likes her new bed.” I smiled.
“Anything is better than what she was sleeping in all those weeks.”
I gently smacked Max on the arm and laughed.
My mom and Danny came over that evening, and when my mom saw Sarah, she started to cry.
“She’s beautiful, Emma. She looks just like you.”
“You think?”
“Yes, I do. I can see some of Max in her as well. You two make beautiful babies.”
“We do, don’t we?” Max said as he clasped my shoulders.
After visiting for a while, they left because they had an early flight back to Miami in the morning. I was sad to see her go but more than ready to be alone with Max and Sarah. The past months had been the hardest, and it would be nice to finally start living a normal life again.
The first week was rough. Sarah only slept a couple of hours each time, so she was up most of the night. When she awoke at three a.m., Max said that he’d feed her. I didn’t argue because I was exhausted. As I lay there, I could hear him talking to her over the baby monitor.
“You are the most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid eyes on, well, except for your mommy. Since we’re going to be here a while, Daddy has a story to tell you about butterflies.”
I smiled as I listened to him tell her all about the butterflies. I got out of bed and stood in the doorway of the nursery.
“I’ll always make sure you dance, princess. You will never have to worry about anything. Your life will be filled with love and happiness, and no matter what obstacles you face, your mom and dad will always be here to make sure you get through it and continue to dance throughout your life.”
I walked over to him and sat on the arm of the chair, placing my arm around his neck. When he looked up at me, I leaned down and softly kissed his lips. We both looked at Sarah, who was now fast asleep.
“I love you both so much,” he said.
“We love you too, baby. More than anyone else in the entire world.”
I carefully took her from his arms and laid her down in her crib. Max walked over and picked me up, carrying me to the bedroom.
“I need to make love to you right now. If that’s okay.”
“It’s more than okay. And believe me when I tell you that I’m more than ready for you.”
He raised his eyebrow as he laid me down on the bed, pushing the edge of my panties to the side and feeling how wet I was for him.
“You sure are, my love.” He smiled.
Another week had passed, and it was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Max was so excited to take Sarah for a walk to Central Park. He was all smiles as he put her in her new stroller.
“Look at how amazing this stroller is. Doesn’t she look beautiful in it? Push it, Emma. Feel how smooth the ride is.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at him. He was like a kid with a new toy. As we were walking down the street, Max abruptly stopped. At first, I didn’t know why because I had my head turned, looking at some of the window displays. When I turned my head, I saw his mother standing in front of the stroller. He didn’t say a word. He just glared at her.
“Carol,” I spoke.
She looked down at Sarah, and tears filled her eyes.
“Let’s go, Emma,” Max said sternly as he attempted to push the stroller.
“Max.” I placed my hand on his arm. “Carol, this is your granddaughter, Sarah.”
“She’s beautiful. What a beautiful name. She’s okay?”
“Yes. She’s doing great. She’s very healthy.”
“Thank God.” She sighed. “Max, we need to talk.”
“I have nothing to say to you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, we have somewhere we need to be.”
“I want to apologize to you for everything. I’ve left your father. Please say we can all have dinner and talk.”
“It’s too late for that. Now excuse us.”
I looked at Carol and could feel her pain. “I’ll talk to him,” I whispered as I touched her arm.”
We walked away. “Don’t, Emma. Don’t say a word. I’m not having this day with our daughter ruined. We’ll talk about it later.”
“Okay.”
He was hurting. I could tell, and I respected him enough to wait and talk about it later.
We reached Central Park and headed over to the statue of Alice in Wonderland.
“Go sit down on the mushroom with Sarah, and I’ll take your picture.”
I smiled as I took her from her stroller and held her. As I sat on the mushroom, Max took our picture.
“Now you come join us for a selfie.”
I scooted over and he sat down next to me, taking Sarah from my arms and holding her up so she was in the picture.
“Smile,” I said as I took our picture a couple of times.
Max got up, and as he held Sarah, he bent on one knee before me.
“What are you doing?”
He swallowed hard.
“Emma, I love you and Sarah so much that I never thought it could be possible. My love for you is so overwhelming that it makes me incredibly happy. You make me incredibly happy, and I can’t imagine life without you two. You’ve completed my entire world. Hell, you’ve completed my entire universe. You have brought so much good into my life and have taught me so many things. I need you and want you to be my forever. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me, Emma?”
My teary eyes stared into his as my heart began racing. This was so unexpected, and the fact that he proposed to me while holding our daughter made me the happiest woman in the world.
“Yes, Max, I will marry you!”
“Really?”
“Yes!” I smiled.
“Did you hear that, Sarah? Your mom said yes!”
He leaned over and kissed me passionately. “Here, take her for a second.”
I took Sarah from him as he reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled out a beautiful diamond ring.
“This ring is new because we’re starting over, and I never want you to take it off. It symbolizes my love for you and a new beginning. This isn’t a proposed deal, Emma. It’s the real thing; I wanted you to have something new. Not something that was a reminder of what the old ring represented. I hope you like it.” He slipped the ring on my finger.
“It’s beautiful and stunning. I love it.” I smiled.
We both stood up, and I put Sarah back in her stroller. Then Max and I hugged tightly as he picked me up and spun me around.
“I love you, Emma. More than words could ever say.”
“I love you too, Max. I love you so much.”
His lips locked with mine as we passionately kissed until Sarah decided to cry. We both laughed as we pushed her around Central Park, taking in the summer warmth and the beauty of nature that surrounded us.
Not all that long ago, Max Hamilton and I made a deal. A deal that neither one of us thought would change our lives forever. Fate stepped in that night we first met in Miami and led us on a journey that got us to where we were today. It wasn’t an easy journey, but I wouldn’t have traded it for the world. Max and Sarah were my entire life, and I loved them both with my heart and soul.
We were married a year later. Sarah was my flower girl and looked like a princess as she walked down the aisle to her daddy. Darren walked me down the aisle and gave my hand to Max. As we stood in front of our family and friends, we said our vows to each other while our daughter stood before us and watched. She had her moments, but it was all good. Max eventually reconciled with his mother, but not his father. The scars were too deep, and I couldn’t really blame him. Fiona flew back from Paris to attend the wedding, and my mom and stepdad, Danny, also flew in. Max once again put them up at The Ritz Carlton because he knew how much they loved it there.
I was now Mrs. Emma Hamilton and married to the love of my life. I never would have thought that the hot and sexy man I stared at across the bar at a nightclub in Miami would become my husband and that we’d have a beautiful, healthy daughter. Max’s proposed deal turned out to be the best deal of a lifetime, and I couldn’t imagine my life any other way.
Thank you for reading His Proposed Deal.
I hope you enjoyed it.