Finding Love (14 page)
Authors: Rachel Hanna
Addison watched her boyfriend dancing with their new baby daughter. He swayed back and forth under the big tent while wedding guests milled about, congratulating Kyle and Jenna on their marriage.
Watching her mother dance with Harrison Gibbs cracked her up. Something about seeing her own mom falling in love both warmed her heart and creeped her out. They hadn’t become “serious”, according to Adele, but they definitely spent a lot of time together.
It had been a beautiful wedding, and Addison was so happy for them both. Jenna and Kyle had found each other young, ended up apart and then found each other all over again. They were meant to be. Just like her and Clay.
He loved Anna Grace with all his heart. In the nine weeks since she’d given birth, Clay had fallen completely in love with the baby which only made Addison fall more in love with him.
She was still living at her mother’s house, using the brand new nursery they decorated together. But the Mallory house - renamed Addy’s Inn - was set to open in a few weeks and she would be moving there with her new daughter. The thought both thrilled and terrified her. Being a single mother alone in a big house was a little scary, but she knew Clay would always be there watching over her.
She longed for her own family one day. She wanted to get married again and maybe even have more kids - with an epidural this time! She couldn’t imagine spending her life with anyone else but Clay, and that was something she never could’ve said about Jim.
Addison hadn’t allowed anyone to even keep the baby yet, but tonight was the night. She was letting her mother babysit overnight while she and Clay finally got some time alone. Between all the diaper changing and feeding, they had fallen right into the new parent routine but hadn’t really had a chance to date. Tonight was date night.
Clay was constantly at the Parker house, helping to feed and change the baby. Truth be told, he was better at changing diapers than she was. In the evenings, he would come over just to rock baby Anna Grace to sleep, usually sitting on the front porch with her as they flowed back and forth on the old porch swing.
“We’re heading out,” Kyle said to Addison as he and Jenna prepared to board the ferry and head off on their Honeymoon to St. Augustine, Florida. That also meant that Clay and Addison would board the ferry too.
Addison’s heart ached a little at the thought of leaving her baby on the island with her mother, but she desperately needed some “adult time” with her man.
“Bye, sweetie,” Addison said as she forced Clay to hand the baby to Adele. He did so reluctantly. Addison whispered in his ear.
“I’ll make it worth your while if you let her go…”
Clay quickly kissed Anna Grace goodbye and grabbed Addison’s hand as they sprinted to the ferry like teenagers.
“Congratulations, you guys,” Addison said to Kyle and Jenna as the ferry docked. Clay handed the reins over to his substitute, Howard Mertry, so he could pick the wedding party up in another hour or so.
“Thanks for everything, man,” Kyle said to Clay as he shook his hand.
“You’re welcome. Anytime.”
They watched Kyle and Jenna drive away in their decorated car, complete with tin cans dangling from the bumper and “Just Hitched” written on the back window.
“So, Miss Addison Parker, are you ready for a real, adult date?” he asked.
“I’m more than ready, Mr. Clay Hampton,” she cooed as they walked arm in arm down the street.
“Do you think we’ll ever get hitched?” he asked.
“Honey, let’s just get through tonight and then we’ll worry about that,” she said with a giggle.
“You still going to make it worth my while?” he asked with an eyebrow cocked.
“I guess you’ll have to be the judge of that,” she said smiling up at him. He scooped her up in his arms.
“All I know is that this has so been worth the wait.”
THE END
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the Author.