The Baby Contract (The Billionaire Bachelor Series) (24 page)
Read The Baby Contract (The Billionaire Bachelor Series) Online
Authors: Olivia Starke
Liam knew he couldn’t keep the charade up of not caring, especially after the stunt he’d pulled the night before. When he’d been with Abigail at the hospital he’d wanted to tell her that he loved her, but the damn words had lodged in his throat. Hell, he loved his mother but he hadn’t said it out loud since he was a kid. He was out of practice, and love was such a mountain of a word. It carried all the weight of the world behind it. He didn’t throw it around like some men who used it to get what they wanted. For Liam
love
meant everything when it came to Abigail, because behind those four letters was his heart, mind, and soul.
How could he ever hand over so much power to another person?
Liam knew he had to figure out how.
“I need a lift to my place,” he said.
* * * *
Liam parked in the drive leading up to the ranch house. He stared out over the Double H. Cattle milled in pastures and pens. When he opened the SUV door and stepped out, the earthy and slightly unpleasant odor of cow lots hit him. A cow bawled when he shut the door then several others joined in. Dusk had fallen, but the ranch had plenty of security lights to light his way.
He’d rushed through his day, still hung over and feeling like hell. When he hadn’t found Abigail home, a neighbor had told him she’d been out of town for a while. This had been his best guess for her whereabouts, and seeing her car parked nearby left him relieved he’d guessed right.
He’d had to make a call to his mother then a stop at a jeweler, before he’d went home to shower, shave, and get clean clothes. He’d crammed three days of effort into only a few hours and already felt exhausted.
The front door to the home opened, and his heart leapt into his throat. A man stepped outside and headed his direction. Blond, shorter than Liam, and lean, the resemblance told him he had to be Abigail’s brother, Mark. Behind him, Abigail appeared. He couldn’t stop the smile that spread over his face upon seeing her again as she trotted to catch up with her brother.
“Can I help you?” Mark asked, stopping in front of Liam.
“I’m here for Abigail,” Liam replied, keeping his eyes on her.
“It’s okay, Mark. This is Liam,” Abigail said, stopping next to Mark.
Mark snorted. “Is that so?”
Liam didn’t see it coming until he was sprawled on the ground. He rubbed his sore jaw. Mark had one hell of a surprise right hook.
“Oh my God.” Abigail dropped down next to Liam. “Are you okay? Damn it, Mark, get back in the house.”
Mark lifted a shoulder. “I promised I’d do it, didn’t I? He deserved it, we both know it.”
“Punching him wasn’t necessary,” Abigail chastised.
Liam lifted his hand. “No, your brother is right, I did deserve it.” He got to his feet and brushed off the seat of his jeans.
Abigail’s eyes were huge as she stared up into his face. He took her in head to toe. She wore a fitted top, and was just starting to show. Never had she been more beautiful to him.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
He glanced to her surly brother, who looked ready to throw another punch.
“Can we speak alone?” he asked.
“Of course.” She turned to her brother.
Mark shrugged and strode back to the house.
Abigail turned back to Liam. She folded her arms over her chest and lifted her chin. “We’re alone now.”
Liam eyed the house, curious if someone stared through the window with a shotgun nearby. He’d best tread carefully.
He stumbled for the best approach. “I wanted to see you.”
She cocked her head to the side. “Well, take a good look, because here I am.”
“How have you been?”
“Fine.”
“The baby?”
“Fine.”
God, the stilted conversation was horrible. He squeezed his eyes shut as his throbbing headache increased. He dug into his front pocket, grabbing the piece of jewelry. He held it out.
“I wanted to give you this.”
Abigail’s eyes widened and her hand shot to her mouth. “Oh my God, Liam.”
She held out her hand and he dropped the delicate gold chain into her palm.
“This was my mother’s necklace. You have no idea how important this is to me.” She sniffed loudly, and her hands trembled as she placed it around her neck. “I thought it was gone forever. Where did you find it?”
“Someone from the dinner ran across it and let me know.” Not entirely a lie. “I had the clasp fixed,” he said, surprised how hoarse his own voice sounded.
Happiness and gratitude radiated from Abigail as she toyed with the little heart charm. He had the opening he’d hoped for, and he dug inside his other pocket and closed his fingers around the main reason for his visit.
“Abigail, I drove out here to tell you…” The word lodged in his throat.
Fuck.
Why was it so damn hard to say out loud?
“Yes?”
“I drove out here to tell you…” He took a huge breath and closed his eyes, readying himself for the leap. “I love you, Abigail.”
Silence followed his admission. He opened one eye then the other, daring a look down. Abigail’s eyes were huge and luminescent beneath the security lighting.
“You…you love me?”
Why did she sound almost appalled? Worry turned to fear.
“Yes, I do. I love you.”
“You came all the way out here to tell me that?”
He squeezed his fingers over the item in his hand and pulled it out. It was now or never. Liam dropped down on one knee.
“No, I drove all the way out here to ask you something important. Abigail Haden, will you marry me?”
He opened his hand and took the ring between his trembling fingers holding it up to her. It was his mother’s engagement ring, a simple half carat diamond circled by more diamonds and sapphires set in yellow gold. Liam could’ve spent thousands on a huge and garish solitaire, but he felt Abigail would want something more meaningful. He hoped anyway, because she only stared at the ring, her mouth open.
God, this is going downhill.
“If you want something bigger, I can buy you any diamond you want. This is my mother’s ring, I picked it up from her today. It’ll have to be sized to your finger, of course.”
Abigail reached out and took the ring, holding it up to the light.
“Oh my God, Liam, it’s the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen. It’s perfect, absolutely perfect. Yes.” She nodded. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
It took a moment for her words to register. Liam stood up, grabbed Abigail in a hug, and spun her around. She planted a huge kiss on his lips. They hadn’t really kissed, not since the first time they’d slept together. Her lips were warm, soft, and perfect. He took advantage of them, kissing her long and deep, intending to make up for lost time. She finally pushed him away.
“I love you,” she said, gazing up into his face. She held up the ring. “But now comes the hard part—convincing my dad and Mark this is a good idea.”
Chapter 28
The wedding was a secret affair well away from paparazzi. The Double H served as a backdrop and the sound of cattle bawling mingled with the violinist who had been Abby’s high school music teacher. Nothing about it would’ve made much of an impression on anyone in Liam’s circle, but Abby couldn’t have imagined anything more romantic. It was absolutely perfect in her mind. Perfect in every way because she had her family there, including Caroline, a baby due within weeks, and of course Liam. Her dashing knight who looked completely out of place on a cattle ranch.
Things had been rocky between her father and Liam. After Liam proposed, she’d taken him up to the house to meet her dad. They’d found him sitting in his recliner, his shotgun nestled on his lap and a big scowl on his face. Her dad could hold a grudge, and Liam wasn’t exactly the most apologetic of men. Angry words had been thrown in Liam’s face, but to Liam’s credit, he’d taken them all without a word in his own defense.
The two men were currently behaving themselves so Abby could have her wedding in peace. She knew it’d be a long road to convince her dad that Liam really did hold the best of intentions for both her and the baby. At least her brother had warmed up a little bit to Liam.
Caroline looked beautiful in her dark blue dress. Serving as maid of honor, she sat in a chair near the altar, and she had never looked healthier or happier. Her eyes rested on her son, dressed in a smartly tailored tuxedo. Liam was absolutely gorgeous, his physique taking to his new triathlon training after leaving boxing behind. Regardless his gentle nature, she hadn’t felt comfortable with his former fitness outlet. Abby’s knees felt weak as she prepared to walk down the aisle.
“You are so beautiful.” Lupita fussed with Abby’s hair, making sure the baby’s breath was tucked securely in her updo. Tears welled up in her best friend’s eyes.
“No, you can’t cry, Lupita. If you cry, I’ll cry, and it’ll ruin my makeup.”
Lupita sniffed and dabbed a tissue beneath her eyes. “Okay, but you’re asking the impossible.”
Abby looked down to her dress, a simple ivory sheath, and all she could see was stomach. A stomach that entered rooms before she did. Eight months pregnant, she wouldn’t walk down the aisle, she’d waddle down it like a fat duck thanks to her daughter who wiggled and squirmed non-stop now. The violinist struck up the wedding march and her squirmy daughter started kicking as if on cue. Abby took a huge breath as Lupita shoved a bouquet of Texas bluebonnets into her hand.
“Make me proud, girl.”
Abby placed her hand on her protruding belly. “Okay, Victoria Caroline Whitmore, lay off my bladder until I can marry your daddy.” They’d named her for her mother, Victoria, and of course, Liam’s mother too. “We don’t want an accident in front of the pastor.”
She waddled to the end of the aisle and paused long enough to take in the scene. A small group of well-wishers turned in unison that consisted of Lupita’s husband and her two kids, Charity and Megan—she felt royally stupid for being jealous of the two women now—her brother, and of course Caroline. Her father placed a kiss on her cheek then took her elbow, ready to escort her down the aisle. Flowers decorated everything, bright splashes of blues, whites, pinks, reds, and yellows—the one thing Abby had wanted to spend a decent sum of money on. She wanted their rainbow of color and fragrance to fill the air, and they did.
It’s all so perfect.
Happiness swelled in her heart as did contentment. Liam captured her full attention. The smile he flashed dazzled her and butterflies burst into a tizzy in her middle. Every time she saw that smile it felt like the very first time.
Would it always feel this way? she wondered. No matter how many times she saw the love shining in his eyes, would it always feel like her very first schoolgirl crush? Victoria landed a hard kick to her bladder as if reminding Abby to move her feet. She stepped down the aisle in the most graceful fashion she could manage until she stopped before Liam. Her father stepped away as Liam looked her over.
“I’ve never seen you look more beautiful than today,” he said in a low voice just for her.
She couldn’t help but laugh. “You say that to me every morning.”
“That’s because you’re more beautiful every day.” He sounded so sincere that a tear escaped her control and trickled down her cheek. She blinked, determined to hold the rest of them at bay.
“Wait until I’m in labor and screaming obscenities.”
It was his turn to chuckle.
The pastor cleared his throat and grinned. “If we’re ready,” he said aloud, “we can begin. I hear we’re having a barbeque later.”
Laughter mingled in the crowd, the pastor was a family friend.
“Yes,” Abby said. “I’m ready.”
“God, yes.” Liam’s eyes caught the sunlight, showcasing their dark blue tint. He glanced to the pastor. “I mean, yes, sir.”
Abigail wasn’t sure if her heart could contain all the love and happiness within her. “I love you,” she said on a whisper.
His eyes sparkled with the hint of tears. “I love you too,” he returned. “And I can’t wait to be your doting husband.”
Victoria landed another hard kick to her bladder, and Abby laughed again. It was truly the most perfect day.
About Olivia Starke
Olivia Starke calls the Ozarks home. One of the most beautiful areas in the country, she loves hiking trails with her dogs, kayaking on the numerous waterways, and enjoying southern Missouri’s fresh air and sunshine.
She’s also ‘Mom’ to four dogs, a growing number of kitties that show up at her door, and four VERY spoiled horses that do little to earn their keep. Not that she’d ever hold that against them.
She’s a HUGE fangirl of
Doctor Who
and to a lesser extent
Supernatural
, and has a pretty interesting love triangle (or square?) going on in her head between the Doctor and the Winchesters. And she’s sort of completely in love with BBC’s
Sherlock
.
Olivia’s Website:
www.authoroliviastarke.com
Reader eMail:
About The Billionaire Bachelor Series
Book 1:
The Baby Contract
Now Available
Book 2:
Heart’s Paradise
Coming Soon
Table of Contents