Secrets in Battle: Secrets of Savannah Series Book 3 (23 page)

Epilogue

Six Months Later…

Sitting by the pool with Scarlet
, it’s a hot freaking day at the end of May. I’m a miserable thirty-six weeks pregnant and I feel like I may burst into flames at any time.

On the plus side
, I did graduate with my degree in nursing. I also was hired at the hospital I’ve been doing clinicals in. As soon as these babies get here and I’m ready, I’ll be going to work.

I’m lucky that Naomi is going to keep them for me to work. Finding sitters that can juggle my shifts flip flopping and Judd’s early hours is hard. Plus
, this way they can be at home and Judd can peak in on them. Nelson will get plenty of time with them, too, I’m sure.

Naomi walks out of the house. “Here you go
, sweetie, a tall glass of lemonade.”

I shake my head. “Thank you so much.”

Everyone has been watching me like a hawk because the doctor has been saying ever since I was at thirty-two weeks that I could go at any time. This little girl and boy are ready. But they must not be too damn ready because here I am fat, hot, sweaty, swollen and miserable.

Scarlet looks at me with sympathy. “Sweetie
, have you tried the things the doctor told you to do?”

“Not to get too graphic in front of Naomi, but Judd has defi
nitely done his part in trying to get me to have these babies. Plus, I’ve probably walked the entire state of Georgia by now.”

About that time
, Judd and Ryder come chasing each other like kids through the fence.

Naomi stands up. “You two stop before you get hurt. You aren’t teenagers anymore.”

“Fuck this, I’m hot. I gotta go inside. Scar, help me up.”

Scarlet reaches for my hands and I stand up. As soon as I stand up
, I feel a whoosh of water running down my legs. “Shit.”

Scarlet’s face lights up and she turns to our husbands who are still chasing each other. “Dip shits
, stop running! Annabelle’s water just broke.”

Naomi drops the tray of glasses she was carrying back inside.
“Shit.” Then she covers her mouth, embarrassed.

Judd runs over to me
, trying to pick my big ass up. “Stop, Judd. I can walk. Someone get me a towel, I don’t want to mess up the seats in my new Tahoe.”

“Jesus
, baby, don’t worry about the damn seats. I’ll have them cleaned, or I’ll clean them myself.”

I look at Ryder who is staring at me like I may turn into an alien or something. “Ryder
, get me a damn towel now.”

He runs in the house and grabs a couple of towels as I make my way to the vehicle. I look at him and smile. “Thank you.”

Scarlet helps me latch my seat belt. “Okay. We will wait here for a little bit and I’ll call your brothers. Once you guys get checked in and settled, let me know. We will be there with bells on.”

Twelve hours and one C-section later
, Victoria and Grayton are here.

We never really told anyone about the names we chose,
but we did make sure it wouldn’t offend Ryder and Scarlet if we used the names.

Once the entire crew is at the hospital
, I tell Judd to let them in. My brothers and their girlfriends are among the first. Naomi, Nelson, Ryder and Scarlet are next.

R
yder looks at Judd holding Vicky. “So my dad and Sarah will be here tomorrow.”

Judd nods and smiles. “That’s great.”

Naomi smiles with tears in her eyes. “What are the names?”

I hold up Grayton. “This is Grayton Christopher
, after my brother, Ryder and the original Grayton. We are going to call him Gray.”

Judd hold
s up Vicky. “This little princess is Victoria Pearl, after Nana and my mom and Victor.” He looks at everyone else. “Victoria is my mom’s middle name. We are going to call her Vicky.”

His dad comes over to us. “Annabelle
, you did good, kid. These babies are beautiful and I know they didn’t get that from me and him.”

I smile. “Awe
, I think y’all are pretty handsome guys.”

Naomi hugs me tight. “Nana would be so proud.” She whispers in my ear. “Your momma and daddy are fools for not seeing how wonderful you are.”

I nod and look at my babies. “Well, I can’t say I disagree with you on the fools’ part. I’m just glad that when Dad’s firm went under, they moved to California. The only thing better would have been Alaska. The further the better as far as I’m concerned.” I shrug. “It’s their loss.”

Naomi
smiles nodding and looks around the room. “Alright, well let’s all get out of here and give them some time to be mommy and daddy. Them and the babies need some rest.”

Ryder walks over to Judd. “So man
, was the C-section cool?”

Scarlet rolls her eyes and smacks him. “Let’s go. He can tell you about it later or you can ask Gable if you can be in the room when Ivie has their baby.”

I laugh. “Oh yeah, how many weeks is she now?”

Scarlet smiles. “Sixteen. They are finally going to make it public. Next week they are doing an interview with People. They are going to let everyone know how long they’ve
been married and about the baby on the way.”

I smile. “Good for them. They deserve happiness.”

After everyone leaves the room, I look at Judd who is swaying back and forth with our daughter. “You are the most beautiful man on this planet, Judd Hughes.”

He leans down and kisses me. “You
, my Princess, are the most beautiful woman on this planet. And this little girl right here is the most beautiful girl on the planet. Yes, she is.”

He puts her down in the bassinet
, followed by Gray. Finally, he sits beside me on the bed. “Princess, I think today is the happiest day of my life.”

I yawn and smile. “Really? Me
, too.”

He smiles.
“For me it’s been an uphill battle, but you’ve been with me all the way.”

“That’s what I’m here for. It’s like the old song
,
Love is a Battlefield
.”

He chuckles and brushes my hair from my face.
“Yep, the drugs are working great, you are quoting eighties music. I love you, Princess, get some rest.” He kisses my forehead.

I shut my eyes. “I love you
, too.”

Acknowledgements

This is always the hardest part. Well, besides the blurb. I hate the blurb. LOL

Thank You to my readers.  Without you I would not be having this awesome adventure.  You have helped make my dreams come true and for that I’m truly blessed and grateful.

I need to give a big
Thank You to Chelly Peeler
. She’s not only my editor but my friend. She has listened to my craziness for months now. She loves my characters and understands my craziness. Thank you again.

Thanks to my husband for being my technical advisor on all things military in this book. Also, for not minding that I’m so open about the struggles of PTSD.
To my son Bailey, thank you for trying to understand why mom is on her computer so much.

To my Mom for listening to my random story ideas and telling me to go for it. To my sisters’ thank you for always supporting me.  You guys always have my back. Daddy I miss you every day and I know you’re watching over me.

Thanks to Robin Mount for always being my official sports go to person.

Brittani Mount thank you for being an awesome cover model.
 

To my BETA readers Ashley and Jessika thank you.  You are awesome.

Thanks to my Blog Tour Queens Casey D. Peeler and Chelly Peeler @ Hardcover Therapy.

Thanks to all of the book bloggers out there who spend so much time helping us promote books and everyone who leaves a review you are all awesome. 

About the Author

S.M. Donaldson is a born and raised Southern girl. She grew up in a small rural town on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the kind of place where everyone knows your business before you do, especially when your Daddy is a cop and your Mom works for the school system. She married one of her best friends at the age of 20 and has one son. She is a proud military wife, has always had a soft spot for a good story, and is known to have a potty mouth. At the age of 31, she decided there was no time like the present to attempt her first book. Sam’s Choice was born and she hasn’t stopped since. If you are looking for a good, steamy, Southern set romance with true Southern dialect, she’s your girl.
 

My Links:

www.smdonaldson.com

www.facebook.com/s.m.donaldson.author

www.goodreads.com/AuthorSMDonaldson

Twitter: @SMDonaldson1

Instagram: SMDonaldson1981

Other titles by S.M. Donaldson

The Sam Series

Sam’s Choice

Sam’s Fight for Freedom

The Temptation Series

Lying with Temptation

Acting on Temptation

Fighting Temptation

The Secrets of Savannah Series

Secrets Behind Those Eyes

Secrets in The Lyrics

Secrets in Battle

Novellas

Just the Other Sister Series

(E-book only)

Forgiveness of Summer

(Seasons of Change Series)

Coming Soon

Falling for Autumn

(Seasons of Change Series #2)

Here are a few chapters from my first novel. I hope you enjoy them.

Sam’s Choice

By:

S.M. Donaldson

Sam’s Choice

S.M. Donaldson

Copyright2012
by S.M. Donaldson

Published at Createspace.com

ISBN-13: 978-1481810449

ISBN-10: 1481810448

This book is a work of fiction.  Names, Characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.  Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Prologue

Senior Year

Thinking back life is all about choices.  It was the spring of 1999 and I was about to make one of the biggest choices in my life.  At least that is what I was thinking at the time. …..

I remember it like it was yesterday, I was sitting at the Jackson Street stop light in downtown Austin.  I was listening to my new Offspring cd, I had been trying to make the decision between University of Texas, Ole’ Miss and University of Oklahoma, I needed so bad to have a fresh start; I wanted to just be a face in the crowd for once in my life.  I knew if I went to UT, I would still be the same girl I have been my entire life, with most likely the same group of faces from high school.   I was Samantha Cates, daughter to the high profile investigator Samuel James Cates; he locked away several long time drug dealers, and tried to make organized crime not so organized.  He was the job; there was no grey, just black and white in his eyes. I was the girl who was talked about my entire senior year for crap that wasn’t even my fault, the same girl who dreaded getting up and going to school every day.  My mouth flew open like a jolt of lightening and I yelled out loud in my car, “I’m going to Ole’ Miss!”

             
My dad didn’t take the news of my decision all that well, he’s a man who is used to getting his way and this was probably the first time in my life I ever remember going against his wishes.  He wanted me to stay in Austin with him and go to UT, I tried to explain to him, my life had been a wreck for the past year with the return of my Mother and other stuff, all I wanted was a fresh start.  I knew I was 18 and that since my college was paid for with all the scholarships I was offered he really couldn’t make me stay, but he really knew how to make you feel like you had disappointed him.  After weeks of arguing with me and at the urging of his girlfriend Sheila
who at the time I was sure was ready for me to leave so she could move in
, he gave me his blessing.  He didn’t speak to me much that summer; I guess he figured if he distanced his self he wouldn’t miss me as much.  We had been on our own since I was 6, he’d taught me how to be independent, how to protect myself, to be suspicious of everyone, even those you think you trust,
wish I’d learned the trust lesson a little better…