I scowl up at him. Eyes narrowed, "Is that why you keep feeding me?" I ask, affronted, and Cole shrugs sheepishly.
The midwife laughs out loud. "You two are adorable. It's completely normal for her to get emotional from time to time as her body is currently going through many changes every day. You've got one job, daddy, keep mummy happy, so baby is happy."
Cole sighs and smiles at me. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep my girls happy." He whispers, brushing a kiss on my lips and wiping away my tears of joy. The midwife gives us a video of the ultrasound and a couple of photos to take with us.
"Have you thought about any names?" Cole inquires as we get into the car. I shrug, pulling my seatbelt on.
"I have a couple of ideas. What about you?"
Cole nods, grinning as he backs up out of the parking spot. "A couple.""Let's hear it then."
"Well, I like the name, Sienna."
"Sienna Hoult." I nod, grinning but frown suddenly. "Wait, is that
I close the door and lean against it with a heavy sigh. I look down at my stomach and press my hand against my baby bump. "Looks like it's just the two of us for a couple of days, baby girl." I sigh sullenly and smile when I feel her kick. I couldn't sleep the first night without Cole next to me. I missed him terribly, so I hugged his pillow and waited for him to call me. It was a nine-hour flight to Miami—he should have landed by now. It was past three in the morning in London. I jump when I hear my phone ring and answer it in a flurry. "Cole?""Hi baby." I sigh when I hear his voice. "I just got to the hotel. Please tell me you didn't stay up all night waiting.""I couldn't sleep without you," I tell him, and I hear him sigh on the other end. "I got worried when you didn't call.""I'm sorry, sweetheart, I wanted to call you as soon as I landed, but my phone signal is playing up over here." He explains, shuffling around. "You should get some sleep, honey."
"Noooo!" I scream, and Josh caught me as my legs give out as if someone just yanked the floor out from under me. Josh cradles me in his arms, and we both hit the floor. Aimee and Jo come running over to us. I keep screaming Cole's name over and over again.Cole wasn't gone. He wasn't.He promised me…he said he was coming back home. Cole wouldn't lie to me. "Josh…Josh, he wouldn't leave me, he wouldn't! Please say he's not gone. Please, tell me he's coming back. TELL ME!" I scream at him, sobbing, pushing at his chest. Josh cries, shaking his head."I wish I could, Shayla." He whispers, and I weep into his chest as he rocks me. Aimee and Jo both come closer, and they all hold me while I weep. Josh's phone rings and he reaches down to answer it. "What?" He snaps angrily at whoever it was on the other end.Josh looks down at me, sobbing in his arms. "Where? Okay....okay. Thanks." He heaves a sigh and nods before hanging up. "Shayla, hey, hey, they found him.
Hours went by with no word from anyone. My mother and brother came too as soon as Jo called him. Josh was pacing up and down the corridor anxiously while Sam leaned against the wall staring at the floor. My mother was comforting my mother-in-law, and I just sat there staring at my hands. "Shayla, let's go wash your hands and splash some water in your face," Jo suggests, and I shake my head numbly."Can we get you anything?" Aimee offers, and I sigh, closing my eyes. An endless stream of tears just kept rolling down my face."No." I untangle myself from the girls and stand up. My bladder was so full it was starting to hurt."Shayla, where are you going?" My mother questions and I tell her I have to use the bathroom, and she gestures to the girls to follow me. I stop outside the toilet and turn to face Aimee and Jo."Girls, give me a minute. Please?" I plead, and they nod in response. I needed to be alone for a bit. I walk into the bathroom and stroll into
"He's so broken," I whisper, tears of despair rolling down my face. "He doesn't...he doesn't look like... Cole." I look into Josh's blue eyes and sob. "He doesn't look like Cole!""Hey, listen to me." He lifts my gaze to him when I hang my head. "What did Cole hate more than anything when it came to you?""To see me cry," I whisper, and Josh nods."Exactly, so you're going to pull yourself together for him and your baby. Do you hear me? Because when he wakes up and sees the state of you, he's going to beat the shit out of me for not looking after you." I close my eyes and shake my head with a heavy sigh. "Let's go get you some air and something to drink. All right?""I'm not leaving him." I refuse, shaking my head. "I promised him I'll wait out here, and I am till he wakes up.""Shayla, Josh's right. Get some air. It will do you some good, Sis. We're all here, don't worry." Sam assures me. I look at Josh and the girls, who nod in response.I sig
"That's normal after the injuries you've sustained, son." The doctor utters, lifting his hand. "I'm going to check your reflexes. Tell me if you feel this." He adds, running a pen over his palm. Cole nods. "Wiggle your fingers for me?" Cole moves his fingers."Excellent. Do you feel this?" He brushes his pen over the bottom of his foot, and he nods. "Try to move your toes for me?" Cole moves his toes, and the doctor smiles, seemingly pleased. "Brilliant. Well, physically speaking, you're healing nicely, Cole. You will experience some discomfort when you pass urine the first couple of times—this is due to your ruptured kidney. One of your lungs was punctured by your broken ribs, and you have a hairline fracture on your skull. You have no idea how incredibly lucky you are to be alive. Someone up there must really love you. I don't know how you managed to fight through given the extent of your injuries, but we're all thrilled to see you up.""How long have I been in here?
"Cole, come on, one more bite." I shake my head with an agitated sigh, glaring at the forkful of food being shoved in my face."I don't want any more." I snarl, and Shayla glares back at me with those dark green eyes of hers. "I don't want it." I push it away from my face and roll my eyes."Cole, you need to eat so you can build up your strength. Come on, finish your food." She urges stubbornly, and I sigh, closing my eyes. I've never met a more stubborn and annoyingly persistent person in my life.How the fuck did I end up married to her?"Christ. Will you stop mothering me. I said I don't want it." I grit out, and Shayla exhales heavily, narrowing her eyes at me. "And while you're at it, you can stop glaring daggers at me too.”Shayla rolls her eyes, "Cole, the doctor said--""I know what the goddamn doctor said! I was in the room when he fucking said it. I don't need you to be persistently clucking around me. I get enough of that from my
"On our honeymoon." She answers, her voice barely over a whisper, and averts her gaze after holding mine for a touch too long.Shayla has her hands out to me to help me out of bed. I wince and groan when I feel a surge of pain in my ribs whenever I move. "You okay, bab--" She starts to say but stops hastily, catching herself before she calls me 'baby' yet again.She does that a lot.I was getting the feeling we would call each other that quite a bit. "Hold on. Your gown is untied." She sighs and reaches behind me to tie the strings together.Shayla's soft hair touches my cheek, and I turn my head when I smell something exotic and sweet. Where have I smelt that before? It felt vaguely familiar to me. "All right, come on."Pulling back, she holds her hands out. I frown and take her offered hand and stand up. I hiss when I straighten, and the pain catches my breath. "Slow breaths Cole, Doctor Bennet said to avoid deep and sharp breaths. Short and shal
I wander around aimlessly for a while before I go back to the house. Josh and the two girls had left, and the place was quiet. As I walk through, I wonder if Shayla left with them until I heard noises coming from the first floor. I follow the sound, making my way up the steps one at a time, groaning at the pain of my ribs. I stop outside the door when I hear the distinct sound of someone crying. I wouldn't even call it crying, no, it was sobbing, like when you're in absolute agony, and you can't catch your breath. It was Shayla. I press my forehead to the door and close my eyes, my chest got tight, and my breath constricted the longer I listened to her weeping.Something deep inside my gut made me push the door open and walk into the bedroom. Shayla was curled up on the bed in the foetal position crying, her whole body shaking with hoarse sobs. I feel like a real arsehole for hurting her. I walk to the bed and sit at the end, my head cast down while I stare at the floor. "I'm
Twenty minutes later, the house smelt sensational with home-cooked goodness. Cole strolls into the kitchen while his wife cooks pancakes. He wraps his arms around her from behind and kisses her pulse. “As good as this food smells, I can’t wait to eat you later,” Cole growls in her ear hungrily, making her grin. “Shh, baby, the kids are going to hear you,” Shayla whispers back, looking up at him, and he matches her grin leaning close. “They’re not even in here.” Cole chuckles, kissing her softly. Shayla wraps her arms around her husband’s neck and parts her lips when his tongue silently requests permission to meet her own. “Oh, barf. Mum and Dad are making out again.” RJ grumbles, walking into the kitchen, followed by Alaia, who grimaces as they take their seats at the dining table. Shayla and Cole laugh as they pull apart. “Now you know how we feel watching you slobber all over your little ‘friends’ you keep bringing over.” Alaia retorts, making air q
Sixteen years later…On a beautiful Saturday morning in the month of August, Shayla Hoult rolls over in the bed she shares with her gorgeous husband Tristan Cole Hoult and smiles contently. At the tender age of forty-six, he was still every bit as handsome as he always was. She lay on her side and admired him while he slept. He still looked the same—but older with fine lines that came with maturity, which made him even sexier. The stubble of his beard had specks of grey, which she loved.“Why are you staring at me?” Cole mumbles, his eyes still closed, causing his wife to start while she was lost deep in her thoughts. Shayla smiles, her cheeks flushing ever so slightly, and reaches over to brush her fingers over his cheek. Cole smiles, peels his eyes open, and blinks, looking at his beautiful wife smiling at him lovingly.“How long have you been awake?” Shayla giggles when he wraps his strong arm around her waist and drags he
I exhale slowly, and Cole sits up and turns the night light on, blinking a couple of times till his eyes adjust to the light. “My water broke,” I tell him, and he shifts and pushes the covers off himself and gets out of bed. I watch him walk around the bed to my side, and he takes hold of my hand to help me sit up.“Are you having contractions?” He questions, brushing my hair away from my face, and I nod. “What do you need me to do?”I exhale slowly when another contraction comes. I wait for it to pass before I speak. “Call my midwife, then my mum. Tell her I’m in labour, and we’ll drop Laia to her.” I instruct him, and he kisses my forehead before he grabs my phone. While Cole was on the phone, I take off my wet clothes and change into a pair of grey comfortable tracksuit bottoms and one of Coles oversized hoodies. The pain was getting worse by the minute, and I was worried we wouldn’t make it to the hospital. “Cole, we have to go. Like right now.” I whimper, and he l
“Shay.” I lift my gaze from staring at my huge baby bump and look at my husband, who rolls over when I turn the night lamp on. “You okay?” Cole questions drowsily, and I glower at him.“Why won’t this baby come out.” I hiss angrily, and Cole groans, leaning up on his elbow and looks at me, his green eyes narrowed.“Maybe he likes it in there and isn’t ready to leave just yet.” He smiles, rubbing my bump, and the baby squirms inside me at his father’s touch. My due date was six days ago, and this stubborn child is showing no indication of arriving anytime soon.“I’ve had enough.” I whimper, agitated. “I’m uncomfortable. I haven’t slept a wink in days, and I’m swollen like a beached whale. Look at me.” I complain, gesturing to myself, and Cole lets his eyes wander over me, and he smiles. “What are you looking at?”He blinks, bemused.“You just said—”“You get this baby out of me right now.” I huff, and Cole scratches his forehead, his brows fu
Shayla pulls back and looks up at me, tears flowing from her beautiful eyes. “Did you...” She trails silently, asking me if I had something to do with her killing herself off, and I shake my head.“No, I had nothing to do with that. She obviously couldn’t handle being locked up. The warden did say girls like her are like fresh meat to a hungry lion.” I explain, brushing her tears away.“I did.” I turn and look at Sam, and Shayla frowns. “I may have visited the prison. A guard there is a friend of mine, and when he found out you were my sister, he did me a favour.” He explains with a shrug, stuffing his hands into the pocket of his jeans. “It wasn’t enough that she was locked away, I wanted her to suffer, so I had my artist friend paint a photo of you and Cole kissing on the wall opposite her cell, she’d be forced to stare at it, be reminded every second, of every day that she didn’t break you,” Sam tells her. Shayla pulls away from me and runs into her brother's arms.
“That was a great party. I’m a grown arse man, and I had a blast.” Josh chuckles, sitting back on the sofa, taking a sip from his beer. I smile and nod, looking over at my mother and Shay’s mother directing the kitchen's cleaning crew. Sam comes across with baby Trey in his arms and sits on the sofa with a tired sigh.“It really was. Shayla did a great job with organising everything.” I tell him, and Josh nods, looking over at the baby in Sam's arms.“How’s fatherhood treating you, bro?” Josh questions putting his beer bottle down and taking Trey from Sam.“Tiring man, but I wouldn’t give it up for the world,” Sam admits looking over at Trey curled up on Josh’s chest. “To think I was terrified of ever having one of those, now I can’t picture my life without him.”I smile in understanding. “Yeah, they really do change your life, especially if it's with the right woman,” I state, and both men nod in agreement.“I feel so left out. I can’t wait to hol
“Happy birthday, princess.” I croon, looking down at Alaia, who just rose from her sleep. She smiles up at me as soon as she sees me, displaying her two teeth. She’s always so happy in the morning, and this morning was no different. She’s just lying in her crib, kicking back with her hands behind her head. “Good morning, my sunshine.” I pick her up and kiss her cheek affectionately. “Is my baby girl one-year-old today?” We walk out of the nursery back to our bedroom, where Shayla was still asleep. “Let’s go wake up, Mummy,” I whisper, kissing her temple and smile when I see Shayla lying on her front, peacefully sleeping. I crawl up on the bed and lay Alaia down on her stomach, and she immediately crawls over to her mother. I lay on my side and watch as she makes cooing sounds, pressing her hand to Shay’s face, who stirs from her sleep and smiles.“Mm, good morning, birthday girl.” She sighs, lifting her arm and wrapping it around Laia, who tries to crawl over her. She looks o
We see Josh and Aimee in the waiting room, along with Jo’s father, “How is she doing? Any news?”Aimee shakes her head. “Not yet. We got here not long ago.” I sit beside her, and Cole walks over to Josh, talking to Jo’s dad, Phil. “Did you look in the mirror before you left the house?” Aimee grins, her blue eyes raking over me.“No, why?” I ask apprehensively and look down at myself.Aimee laughs, “You look fucked out, girl. You could have at least run a brush through your hair.” I stare at her dumbfounded and reach to comb out my hair with my fingers.“We left in a rush,” I whisper, unlocking my phone and loading up the camera. “Do I really look that bad?” I look at my reflection in the camera and gasp a little. My face was all flushed, my hair a tousled mess, my lips were swollen, and I had love bites all over my neck. “Oh shit.” I curse, pulling my hair over my shoulder to cover up the love bites.Aimee nudges me, grinning wickedly. When I look
Later that evening, Cole and I were sitting on our bed, me on my tablet and him on his, looking through emails. “Do you not think we’re going a little overboard with this birthday party?” I ask, looking away from the tablet to him, staring intently at a document on his device.“No,” Cole utters, typing away on the screen. “What my baby wants, my baby gets.” I frown.“Cole, she’s turning one, she doesn’t have a clue what she wants. She’s not even going to remember this.” Cole looks at me and shrugs.“She’s aware of more than you realise.” He replies, his brows lifting to his hairline. “Don’t you see the way her little face lights up when she sees Moana on the screen?” I smile and nod, “Or the way she sways side to side when she hears the song.”“That is adorable.” Cole nods, smiling, and leans over, puckering his lips for me. I lean in and kiss him softly.“Let’s give our baby girl the birthday she deserves.” Cole mumbles against my lips, and I grin