Taking Shots (Assassins) (74 page)

“
Why, what’s wrong?”

“
She’s just like me and she’s only a day old!”

“
Harper, she is beautiful, perfect. She’s probably just hungry.”

“
See, that’s where I say she’s Jakob’s baby, she eats all the damn time!”

They both looked down at Allison’s beautiful little pink face, and Elli smiled as Harper just looked scared out of her mind.

“
Aw, she’s sweet.”

“
Whatever, you’re just blinded by the cuteness.”

“
Probably,” Elli agreed as she took the baby in her arms, loving the feel of something so sweet and perfect resting in her arms.

“
Did you tell him yet?”

Elli laid her lips softly to Allison’s forehead before shaking her head, “Not yet.”

“
But you will today, right?”

“
Yeah, when he signs the contract today, he’ll see.”

“
Good,” Harper said just as Jakob entered the room, decked out in his “I’m a Daddy” shirt.

“
Elli! Where’s Shea?”

Elli smiled as Jakob took Allison from her, kissing her head. “He’s doing yard work or something, I don’t know.”

“
Cool, he should have come. Ally misses her
Godfather
,” Jakob said with a laugh as Elli and Harper shook their heads. The ongoing joke of Shea being the “Godfather” was about to get on Elli’s last nerve. She didn’t know if it was the way they said it or just the fact that when Shea was in the room, he was the “Godfather,” not Shea. Elli couldn’t really be mad, though, because, bless their hearts, they were just so excited to have Allison finally, and so was she.

Elli watched as Harper snuggled close to Jakob, both of them looking down at beautiful Allison, nothing but love in their eyes for their perfect bundle of perfection. Elli wanted that moment, she wanted her baby. Elli started to feel like she was interfering in a private moment, so she gathered her things.

“
I hate to run guys, but I gotta get to the office.”

Harper looked up, while Jakob was still memorized by the beauty of his daughter, “Oh no, don’t go yet.”

“
I have to. I love you guys,” Elli said hugging Harper tightly. She went over to Jakob, kissing his cheek before laying a soft one on Allison.

“
She’s beautiful, huh?” Jakob asked, Elli grinned up at him.

“
Most beautiful baby ever.”

Jakob grinned big at Elli before walking with Allison to the little chair in the corner.

“
Call me later, you know, afterwards,” Harper said as she wobbled with her to the door.

“
Will do. Congratulations again, Harp, she’s gorgeous.”

“
Thanks, she gets that from me.”

Elli left laughing, everything was so perfect.

Or at least it would be after Elli’s meeting with Shea.

“
Mr. Adler, Mrs. Adler will see you now,” Janet, Elli’s assistant said. Shea rolled his eyes as he got up, walking into Elli’s office. Why he had to wait to see his wife was beyond him, but whatever. Elli grinned up at him when he entered and he couldn’t help but grin back. She would forever be the most beautiful woman in the world to him. He loved her more with every day that passed and he couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life with her.

They had only been married three week, but it felt like forever. The wedding was magical, the honeymoon perfect, now it was time to start their lives together. Grow old, raise their children when they finally decided to have some, and to just be together as man and wife. Shea knew when he set eyes on her so long ago that she was the one, and he just loved when he was right.

“
Hey, baby,” he said, leaning over the desk to place a kiss on her lips, she smiled as they parted.

“
Hey,” she cooed as he sat back in the chair in front of her desk.

“
Where’s everyone at?” Shea asked. Bryan wasn’t there, neither was Damon.

“
I figured we could do this between us.”

Shea’s body filled with lust, something that always happen when his hot little wife was around, he gave her a seductive grin before saying, “Let’s just skip it then, come over here, let me show you the benefits of signing and being married to this hockey player.”

“
Hush, Shea! Janet might hear you!”

“
When did we ever care about people hearing us?”

Elli turned deep red, “If you don’t hush, I won’t be showing you the benefits of having me as your wife and boss when I get home.” Shea gave her an amused grin and nodded his head.

“
Okay, so where’s the contract? I need to get home, do some more yard work.”

Elli smiled as she moved the file across the desk to him; he picked up a pen, signing the bottom without reading it and handing it back to his sexy little wife. He didn’t care what it said, she could be paying him a hundred dollars a game and he would still play. As long as he stayed in Nashville, with her, he didn’t care about the money. He had more than enough, and so did she, they would be more than comfortable for the rest of their lives.

When he looked up, Elli narrowed her eyes as she crossed her arms. “You didn’t even read it.”

“
I trust you.”

“
That’s not the point; you didn’t look at the length of the contract or the reasoning.”

“
Huh?” he asked pulling the contract towards him, “What do you mean length?” He wasn’t expecting a time length, he just assumed he would be indefinite, or until he wanted to retired. He read it over, it was the same information every other contract he had ever had had, but at the bottom, it said the length was only for a year. “A year?” he asked. He then changed the page over to the reason. It was in her handwriting, not typed in.

We’re pregnant.

Shea actually felt like the world had came out from under his feet. His heart started to races as his fingers splayed against Elli’s desk.

They were pregnant?

He started to feel light head as Elli just grinned at him.

“
You’re pregnant?”

She smiled, nodding her head. “I am, and since you said you want to retire when we had kids, I thought the contract should only be a year.”

He wasn’t listening to the last part she said, he was stuck on, “I am.” “You’re pregnant with a baby?”

She laughed, “No, Shea, I’m pregnant with a hockey puck! Yes, I’m pregnant with a baby, your baby.”

A heavy feeling filled his stomach as he struggled to speak, “I’m gonna be a daddy?”

Elli nodded again, tears welling up in her eyes. “Yes, and I have a feeling you’ll be the best.”

A shaky, slow smile started to build as the surprise sank in. He was going to be a daddy. He stood, coming around the desk, pulling her up into his arms, before kissing her hard. When he pulled back and looked down at her as big wet tears streamed down her face, he felt like his was soon to follow, he had never been this happy.

A baby, their baby.

“
We’re having a baby.”

“
We are Shea, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Shea lifted her into his arms, kissing her lavishly. As they parted, Shea grinned against her lips. “Oh baby, I love you.”

“
Not as much as I love you.”

There are some people in my life that I need to thank.

First, my husband, Michael. No one will ever love me the way you do. You are my Shea Adler. My heart races at even the sight of you even after fourteen years of being together. You have been nothing but supportive through this whole process and I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without you. I love you, baby, thank you for the support.

My children, Mikey and Alyssa, y’all are my heart and soul, and I love you both so much, even when y’all are fighting while I’m trying to write.

Nick, you’re not my son, but I love you like one. Thank you for always being there, and for the support. I love you.

My mom, I wouldn’t have started writing if you didn’t introduce me to books at such a young age. You’ve always encouraged me to do the things I wanted to do, and for that I love you and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Noey, you’ve made fun of my porno for women but look at me now, I’m writing you telling you I love you in my acknowledgements….I know I can’t believe it either!

Janet, what do I say to the person that I have cried, screamed, cried, and complained too when I thought I couldn’t do this? You have been my rock through this writing process, and I truly love you. Thank you so much, and I swear one of my next books will be dedicated to you!

Susie, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your help and love through this process, you have been so patient with me and I truly do love you! I always have and always well!

My girls, Jackie, Kristi, Tera, Althea, and Barbie, Y’all are the very first people that read my book, and I will always love you guys. Thank you for the support, the criticism, and just being there for me. Y’all will always hold a special place in my heart.

My Booksie girls, y’all rock!!! I will always love you guys because y’all were the very first people other than my girls to read my book! Your comments made me keep writing when I felt like I couldn’t do it. Your support has made me the writer I am today and I couldn’t thank you enough. Thank you.