Chapter 21
CHAPTER 21
LIAM
W ill you stay with me?
The vulnerability in Andie’s question stirs something primal inside of me. Images flash in my mind of Derek’s form looming over her as he pinned her beneath him on her couch. I don’t blame her for not wanting to be alone in her house. She no longer feels safe here. How could she? Rage rises up in me like bile, a fury so potent it makes me wish I could track Derek down and finish what I started earlier. But that wouldn’t make Andie happy. She truly hates violence.
Will you stay with me?
Knowing Derek’s actions have robbed Andie of her right to feel safe in her own home, makes me furious to a degree I’ve never before experienced. I want to find some way to right the wrong–not just for Andie, but for any woman treated similarly. I recognize this need in me because I saw it in Alex when he told me about Bree’s abduction by men involved in a sex trafficking ring. Though he couldn’t share many of the details, the residual anger was present in the retelling, along with Alex’s unspoken vow that he would do whatever was necessary to protect the woman he loves .
I understood Alex’s wrath when he related the account of what happened to Bree. But now, I get it on a whole new level.
I worry that Andie breaking Derek’s nose may come back to haunt her because Derek doesn’t strike me as someone who’s thinking clearly right now. What if he retaliates? After discussing matters with Andie, I finally convince her to file an emergency restraining order with the courts on Monday, despite her insistence that she doesn’t believe she’ll hear from him again. I hope she’s right, but the restraining order will hopefully provide her with a little peace of mind.
Will you stay with me?
Those words are going to burn in my memory for a long time, but the haunted look in Andie’s eyes when she uttered them will remain imprinted in my mind forever.
Oh darlin’, I’ll stay with you forever if you’ll let me.
Andie and I pop popcorn and flavor it with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. She opens her watchlist of romance movies and pushes play, I doubt she even knows which movie will play first. I lay with my back to the back of the couch and motion for her to lay down in front me. Wrapping my arms around her, I tuck her against me, content to hold her for as long as she needs.
It’s well past midnight and we’re into our second movie when I receive a text message from Max to the group. I shift the phone so Andie can read the messages with me.
Max: Time to rock and roll
I doubt Max expects to hear back from any of us tonight, but I shoot him a quick response anyway.
Me: Good luck, man. Give Maizee our love.
Nell: She’s in labor?
Max: Her water broke. No contractions yet, but the hospital wants me to bring her in.
Nell: I’m sorry I can’t be there.
Me: What are you doing up, Nell?
Nell: What I seem to be doing 24/7 these days. Peeing.
Me: Okay then.
Max: Dude, you had to ask.
Me: How was I supposed to know?
Nell: What are you doing up, Liam?
She follows her question with a winking emoji.
Me: Watching a movie with Andie.
Nell: Mm hmm. Max, I’ll go wake Larson.
Max: Let him sleep. It’s going to be a long night.
Nell: Keep us posted, okay?
Max: Will do.
Nell: Love you.
Max: Love you, too.
Me: What about me?
Nell: Love you, too, Liam.
Max: Sorry, dude, I’m taken.
Nell: Alex and Bree must be sleeping
Me: Or napping
Max: Napping
Nell: You two.
Me: Dude. This time tomorrow you’ll be a dad.
Nell: Awwww
Max: Holy sh– I’m gonna be a dad.
Me: Yeah you are.
Nell: I’m going to be an aunt
Me: I’m going to be an uncle
Nell: Max, you okay?
Nell: Max?
Nell: Guess he had to go
Me: Either that or he fainted.
Nell: Sends a string of laughing emojis.
Me: Try to get some rest, Nell.
Nell: Yeah, and you and Andie get back to your “movie.”
Me: I send a GIF of rolling eyeballs.
“You realize how lucky you are, right?” Andie says when I set my phone down. “To have so many close friends.”
“It wasn’t always like this. I met Larson when we teamed up for a rafting competition a few years ago, and then Max and Alex joined in on a four-man run. We’ve been hanging out ever since.”
“And now the circle has expanded. Now you have Nell, Maizee, and Bree in your group.”
“And you.”
Andie laughs. “I don’t know about that. I think the jury’s still out on how your friends feel about me.”
I shift my hold on Andie, prompting her to turn so we’re facing each other. “Andie, my friends adore you. They just don’t want to overwhelm you and scare you away. Give it time, and you’ll see.”
A regretful smile forms on Andie’s lips. “I never really had a friend group like that.”
“Really? Not even in college?”
She shrugs. “I mean, I had roommates, and we would hang out sometimes. But after college we all went our separate ways. It’s not like we had anything tying us to each other after graduation.”
“Hmm. I suppose that makes sense. I didn’t stay in contact with my college friends either. What about Lacey?”
“Lacey’s great. Hers is the only friendship that survived the five years I dated Derek.”
I nudge Andie with my arm. “Not the only friendship.”
She smiles. “No, I guess not.”
“Mark my words, Andie. You have found a friend group now, if you want it.”
Andie yawns and snuggles into me. “Thank you.”
“Why don’t you go upstairs and climb into bed. It looks like tomorrow’s going to be an eventful day.”
Andie stiffens. “I don’t want to be alone, Liam.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right down here guarding the castle.”
“Liam?”
“What Darlin’,”
“Would you just hold me tonight? Please?”
I brush a stray lock of hair from her cheek and press my lips to her forehead. “I’ll hold you tonight, and every night for the rest of our lives, if you want me to.”
Andie turns over and picks up the remote, shutting down the television. She stands and holds her hand out to me, and then together we climb the stairs to her room.
I’m awakened several hours later by what I suppose is a beam of sunlight filtering through Andie’s curtains. Andie lays curled into my side, her cheek resting on my chest and her hair fanning out around her.
I’m normally a deep sleeper–Alex says I sleep like the dead–so it takes me a moment before I understand exactly what it was that woke me up. Andie’s left hand is splayed across my chest, and Grams’ ring is throwing the early morning light in all directions. It’s funny, I don’t really think of it as Grams’ ring, because from the moment I slipped it on her finger, the ring has belonged to Andie.
It means whatever you want it to mean.
Andie’s words trickle back to me, and I can’t help but smile.
My phone rumbles on the nightstand and I stretch my hand over to retrieve it. Unlike me, Andie’s usually a pretty light sleeper, but after everything she went through yesterday, I don’t want to wake her before she’s ready.
It’s no use though, because within minutes, my phone is blowing up with messages from the group.
Max: Welcome Noah Eli Davidson. 9lbs, 12oz. 23.5” long. He follows his text with a photo of his new son.
Alex: Dude! That’s not a baby. That’s a toddler. Looks like he should be walking already.
Max: That’s my boy.
Larson: How’s Maizee?
Max: She’s sleeping. Woman’s a rockstar.
Alex: No kidding! She just gave birth to a mammoth.
Nell: Oh Max! He’s beautiful.
Max: Looks just like me.
I guess it’s time for me to chime in.
Me: Actually, I think he resembles Larson.
Nell: Oh, yeah. I totally see it.
Larson: He’s a good looking kid.
Max: What are you talking about? He doesn’t look anything like Larson.
Alex: You sure about that? Cuz I’m kind of with Liam on this one.
Max: Why do I put up with you guys?
Larson: Because we’re family
Nell: Look at those chubs!! I want to squeeze his cheeks so bad.
Bree: Congratulations, Max. I can’t believe Maizee gave birth to such a big baby!
Alex: How early do visiting hours begin? Bree’s ready to head to the hospital right now.
Max: Come anytime.
Bree: We’ll see you in a couple of hours.
Me: Andie and I will be there too.
Nell: I’m so bummed I can’t be there too.
Max: Hey, Sis. We plan to bring him to you as soon as we’re out of here.
Nell: You’re such a good brother.
Larson: Thanks, man.
Max: Better go. Someone’s hungry.
I set my phone aside and begin rubbing circles along Andie’s back. She hums with pleasure and the sound does something to me that has me thinking all kinds of thoughts, none of which involve leaving this bed anytime soon. I brush the hair away from her face and press a kiss to her forehead.
“Mmm, Liam,” she says on a sleepy exhale, and the sound of my name on her lips almost makes me lose my mind. It takes every single ounce of my willpower to wake her with a gentle shake.
“Andie, there’s someone you need to meet.”
Andie’s brows furrow into a frown. “Huh?” She rubs her eye with the ball of her hand and then cracks her eye open.
“And I thought I was the one who sleeps like the dead.”
“What time is it?”
“Time to meet our new nephew?”
“What?”
I chuckle, completely enamored by a sleep drunk Andie. She’s so dang adorable. “Maizee had her baby this morning. Wanna see?”
That does the trick. Andie shifts onto an elbow and makes grabby gestures with her free hand. “Lemme see. ”
I hand her my phone and show her the photo Max sent. Her brows pull together into a frown. “I need to splash water on my face first.” She rolls over to the edge of the bed and stands. Then she looks back at me and smiles. “You stayed.”
“I did.”
“Thank you.”
“Go wash your face. I’ll make us some breakfast.”
“Oh, no you don’t. I love you, Liam, but I don’t trust you for one moment in my kitchen.”
“Relax. I didn’t mean I was going to actually cook. Don’t you have any frozen waffles or cereal?”
Andie laughs. “There are some protein waffles in the freezer and some strawberry preserves in the fridge. I’ll be out in a minute to help.”
“I think I can manage putting frozen waffles in a toaster.”
Andie mutters something under her breath that sounds a lot like, “We’ll see about that.”
A little over an hour later, we’re on our way to the hospital. We stop first to pick up coffee and then make a detour to get a card and a gift for Maizee and Noah.
By the time we arrive, Alex and Bree are already in the room with Max, Maizee, and Noah. Max and Alex stand with their arms folded, their eyes on their wives, their wives’ eyes on the baby. The pride shining in Max’s expression speaks volumes. Andie and I enter, our arms full with flowers, balloons, a gift bag for Noah, and a gift and card for Max and Maizee.
“Hey, there they are!” Max says as we enter, and it fills me up to know he included Andie in his welcome.
Max, a 6’4” giant of a man who can plow his way through a barroom brawl without a single backward glance (he’s done so a few times), and a man who takes command of everyone around him with a single snap of his fingers, is now a hopelessly devoted husband and father.
Andie and I find a table where we unload our gifts, and Max hugs Andie, then extends his hand to me and pulls me in for a bro hug. I’m a pretty strong guy–not afraid of a bit of pain–but being clapped on the shoulder by Max is like having the claws of death clamped tight on my shoulders. It’s been that way since I’ve known him. Either he doesn’t know his own strength, or he just likes to mess with us. My money’s on the latter.
Noah fusses and Maizee unsnaps her gown at the shoulder. “Boys, unless you want a flash show, you might want to avert your eyes for a moment.”
I can’t tell you exactly what she does next, but there’s a ruffling of material, a little fussing from Noah, and then a gasp from Maizee, followed by a very enthusiastic sucking sound.
“Okay, the coast is clear,” Maizee announces to the room. Alex and I look, and then we try to pretend we’re not looking, but our curiosity keeps our gazes focused on the sight of Maizee breastfeeding Noah. Max steps beside Maizee and looks down at his wife and newborn son with an affection I’ve never seen from Max before–it’s even greater than the way he looked at Maizee on their wedding day. To be fair, he was pretty banged up from the fight the night before.
That would be my fault.
“Hey, Son,” Max says as he watches Noah breastfeed. “don’t get too comfortable, those are only on loan. They belong to me.”
Maizee rolls her eyes. “Don’t listen to him, Noah. Your daddy is going to have to learn how to share.”
Alex and I both reach back and scratch at the back of our neck. Too much information is being shared in this room right now.
“He really gets into that, doesn’t he?” Bree says from the other side of Maizee. “The way he latched on looked painful.”
“This boy latched on within seconds after he was born. The doctor laid him on my chest, and he was already searching for my breast.”
“Yep. That’s my boy,” Max says with way too much pride.
“He sure nurses with a lot of gusto,” Bree says with a grin. “Come here, Alex. You’ve got to see this.”
Alex’s eyes widen into saucers. “Nah, I’m good. View’s great from back here.”
Giggles float around the room, and after a few more minutes, Maizee warns us she’s going to switch sides, so Alex and I avert our gaze again. Is it wrong that part of me is curious and wishes I could watch? I mean, it’s fascinating to me how women give birth to little humans and then feed their babies milk produced by their own body. It’s like this miracle just happens and we take it for granted.
My gaze floats over to where Andie stands looking on in amazement. Maybe she’s as curious about the whole process as I am.
Maizee sucks in a sharp breath and then lets Alex and me know she’s decent.
“Does it still hurt?” Max asks, as he brushes her hair away from her face.
Alex and I both snap our gazes to Max. “It hurts?” I ask the question both Alex and I are thinking.
Maizee grins. “It just takes me by surprise when he first latches on. Kid’s got some strong ole muscles. But then it’s fine and doesn’t hurt anymore. The doctor says once my milk comes in and lets down, it will get a lot easier and both Noah and I will enjoy it more.”
“Sounds to me like Noah’s enjoying himself already,” Bree says. Her gaze darts up to Alex, who’s cheeks and neck have turned an even deeper shade of crimson than before.
“Wait a minute,” I can’t help myself. I have to ask the question. “What do you mean when your milk comes in and lets down? What’s he drinking now? ”
Maizee laughs. “For the first two to three days, the breasts produce something called colostrum. It’s supposed to be rich in antibodies. Then the actual milk comes in, but it takes another twenty-four hours, give or take, for the milk to release. I’ll spare you the details, but it’s supposedly pretty uncomfortable until the milk finally lets down.”
I think I might need to vomit. Not really, but my legs feel a little weak, and I look for a chair so I can sit down. Alex isn’t looking so great either. The females in the room seem to be enjoying this entire exchange a whole lot more than seems necessary.
Noah finishes his “meal,” and Maizee hands Noah off to Max and adjusts her gown. Max raises Noah onto his shoulder and begins patting his back. A few moments later, Noah belches.
No mistaking it, Noah is Max’s son.
Max looks over at Andie. “You want to hold him, Andie?”
Andie’s eyes brighten. “You wouldn’t mind?”
“Of course, not,” Maizee says. “Wash your hands over there and then use the hand sanitizer.”
Andie does as instructed, and then Max carefully hands Noah to her. She cradles him in her arms and stares at him adoringly as she gently rocks back and forth.
“So, um, Andie?”
Andie looks up to find both Bree and Maizee staring at her ring.
Oh boy.
“Do you and Liam have an announcement to make?”
Andie looks confused. “What do you mean?”
“Wanna tells us about that rock on your finger?”
“Oh,” Andie’s eyes flash to mine. “Um…”
“Whoa!” Max says. “That’s some rock, there, Liam.”
“What, you get engaged and don’t bother letting us know?” This from Alex? Really? Mr. O h, by the way, I got married a few weeks ago. ?
Bree dismisses Alex’s question with a wave of her hand. “Okay, spill, Andie. We need all the details. How did Liam propose?”
“Uh, he hasn’t actually proposed,” Andie answers.
Bree and Maizee shoot each other a curious glance. “He gave you an engagement ring, but he didn’t propose? We’re not following.” Bree gestures between herself and Maizee.
“Dude,” Alex says, shaking his head. “How did you manage to mess this up? I told you to put a ring on her finger, but I thought you knew you were supposed to propose first.”
“Um, Alex,” Bree gives Alex a pointed look. “If I remember right, you didn’t propose to me before you put a ring on my finger, either.”
“That was totally different,” Alex points a finger at Bree, “and you know it.”
Bree grins. “True, I suppose technically, I was the one who proposed.”
Max’s eyebrows shoot up. “Really? Is that true, Alex?”
“I guess, it’s sort of true, in a manner of speaking.” Alex winks at Bree and she blushes.
“Uh oh. Looks like Alex is getting sleepy,” I mutter under my breath to Max.
Alex shoots us a confused glance.
“Must be time for his nap,” Max says, nudging my shoulder.
“What are you two talking about?” Alex asks. And the entire room breaks out in laughter.
Alex and Bree make eye contact again, and then Bree breaks out into a mischievous grin. “I’ll explain it when we get home, honey.”
Alex rolls his eyes at this. “You guys are all children,” he says indignantly. But that just makes us laugh more.
“Okay, we’re getting off topic here,” Bree says. “So, Andie, Liam gave you an engagement ring but never asked you to marry him? ”
Andie tilts her head from side-to-side. “Something like that.”
“But, so, are you two engaged then or what?”
“Whoa! Look at the time!” I say, interrupting before the conversation progresses any further. “Andie and I better get going.”
As if on cue, Maizee tries unsuccessfully to stifle a big yawn. “Oh, sorry everyone. I guess I’m the one who needs a nap.”
Everyone chuckles at this, and we begin saying our goodbyes. But not before I drink in the sight of Andie holding Noah in her arms. Something warm stirs in the bottom of my belly and I find myself wondering how she’d look holding my baby in her arms.
Andie hands Noah back to Max and he gives her a side hug. “Thanks for coming, guys. There’s no one else we’d rather–” Emotion lodges in Max’s throat, causing his voice to cut out. He clears his throat a couple times, but his words fail to come. He looks pleadingly at Maizee.
“Max is trying to say we love you all and there’s no one else we’d rather share our joy with.” She gives Max a soft smile. “We just wish Nell and Larson were here, too.”
Everyone in the room nods their agreement. I clap my hand to Max’s shoulder and then bend down to give Maizee a kiss on her cheek. Alex and I give each other a knowing nod and a fist bump, and then Bree steps in for hugs from Andie and me.
Reaching out for Andie’s hand, we leave the room with twin smiles on our faces.
“See what I mean?”
“What?” she asks.
“You’re part of the family now.”
Andie gives my hand a squeeze, but the smile on her face says it all, and we walk the rest of the way to my truck in happy silence.