Chapter 49
Grayson
I smiled as I watched my grandfather with her. I’d never seen this side of him before. He was talking to her in a childlike voice. He handed her over to Harper and asked me to sit down. Harper took Ellie into the bedroom and left the two of us alone.
“I have something for you,” he spoke as he pulled an envelope out of his coat pocket.
“What is this?”
“Open it and find out.”
I opened the envelope, took out the papers, and read them. They were the papers appointing ownership of the company to me.
“Grandfather, I—”
“Stop right there, son. Whether you want it or not, the company is rightfully yours and I expect you to accept it and continue running it the way you had been. Seeing you like this, you remind me so much of your father, and he would be so proud to see what kind of man you turned out to be. Sure, you had a rough patch. Everyone does. But it’s how you come back from that is what matters. You were born to take over the family business, and I expect nothing less from you. You can have it all, Grayson. I did and so did your father.”
“Grandfather, as much as I’d like to, I just can’t.”
“For fuck sakes, Grayson, sign the damn papers,” Harper snapped as she walked into the room. “Do you honestly think I drove out to Montauk, got stuck in a storm, had our baby on the floor of your house, four weeks early may I add, just for you not to sign those papers. Hell, no! Now you will sign them, and you will go back to work and do what you do best. You will not disappoint me or Ellie. Understand me?”
Grayson stared at me for a moment and then looked at his grandfather.
“I knew I loved this woman.” His grandfather smiled.
“Yes, Harper. I understand. Can you get me a pen?”
“I already have one in my hand.” She grinned as she handed me the pen and I signed the papers.
After my grandfather left, Harper walked over to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. It had been a long time since she’d done that.
“I’m so proud of you.” She smiled. “You did the right thing.”
“I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe not.”
“No. You did. And as for tonight, you’re sleeping in my bed, and you’re going to hold me, and you’re going to get up with Ellie. Understand me?”
“Can I just tell you that you’re so sexy when you order me around like that?” I grinned.
“Good. Get used to it.”
“Does this mean you forgive me?”
“Not a hundred percent. But I’m getting there.” The corners of her mouth curved upward as she pressed her lips against mine.
Chapter 50
One Year Later
Harper
I stood there in my form fitting, sleeveless white dress that was encased in crystals, kissing the man who was the love of my life and now my husband. I’d never forget the day six months ago, Grayson proposed to me. It was a beautiful sunny day when he took me to Bethesda Terrace in Central Park, got down on one knee and asked me to marry him in the same exact spot where my father had asked my mother. Not only did I spend the last six months planning the perfect wedding, Grayson and I also moved into a gorgeous sixty-five hundred square foot, five-bedroom, six bath townhome on the Upper East Side.
For our honeymoon, we spent a week alone in Bali. As much as we loved our alone time together making love uninterrupted, enjoying great conversation and the beautiful sights, we couldn’t wait to get back home to our little girl. So we extended our honeymoon one more week by taking Ellie to Disney World.
Even though she was only a little over a year old, she loved it. She loved meeting all the Disney characters, especially Mickey Mouse. We were walking down the street pushing her in the stroller when she kept pointing and saying “Da-Da.”
“Da-Da’s right here, princess,” Grayson spoke.
“Da-Da.” She kept pointing.
Looking over, there stood Cinderella and Prince Charming.
“I think she’s pointing at Prince Charming.” I laughed.
“Huh?” Grayson looked over.
“Da-Da,” Ellie said.
“No way. I’m way better looking than that guy.”
“Of course you are, but your daughter sees a prince and thinks it’s you. You should be flattered.” I smiled as I kissed his lips. “Because you truly are Prince Charming. You’re my Prince Charming.”
“Thank you. But I’m still better looking than he is.” He turned the stroller around, so Prince Charming was out of his daughter’s view.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
We ate dinner and headed back to the hotel and put Ellie down for the night. The room Grayson got us was a two-bedroom suite in the Grand Floridian Hotel, so we had our own room to ourselves. After making love for the second time that day, I snuggled against him as his arm held me tight.
“I’ve been thinking about something lately,” he said.
“What have you been thinking about?”
“If you’re willing, I’d like to have another baby.”
“Seriously?” I lifted my head and looked at him with a smile on my face.
“Yes. Seriously. Don’t you want one?”
“I do. But I have to ask. How would you like me to get pregnant?”
“Huh?” His brows furrowed.
“Do you want to do it the natural way this time or would you like to make a sperm deposit at the cryobank?”
“Oh, you’re hilarious, Harper.” He rolled me on my back and hovered over me. “I’m going to make a sperm deposit all right and it won’t be through the cryobank. In fact, I’m going to make another one right now.” His lips brushed against mine.
“Bring it on, Prince Charming.” I grinned.
One Year Later
Grayson
I smiled as I held in my arms, my second daughter, Lily Marie Rhodes, who was named after my mother. She was perfect and born at thirty-eight weeks in a hospital. This birth was easier for Harper since she chose to get plenty of drugs to help her through it. I was a happy man. The company had excelled beyond my expectations. I had an excellent team behind me which freed up my time to spend with my family. I now understood what my grandfather meant about having a family by your side. All three of my girls were the love of my life and I couldn’t wait to see what magic the future held for us. Who would have thought my life would have turned out to be so perfect. A life that started out by losing a bet.
Harper
I’d finally had the family I’d always dreamed of. The perfect man I’d searched for my entire life and two beautiful children. When I entered the cryobank for the first time, I never thought this is how my life would end up. I never thought Donor 137665 would turn out to be the perfect man and father who would make all my dreams come true.
Then You Happened
Prologue
Do you remember when you played with your Barbies as a child? You had a beautiful, blonde-haired Barbie doll that you dressed in the most elegant dress because Ken, the hottest male doll ever made, was coming to pick her up and take her to the most magnificent ball. She’d be up in her room, in the townhouse, looking at herself in the full-length mirror. While butterflies stirred, Barbie would be all giddy with excitement for her date with Ken. The doorbell rang and Barbie would take the elevator down to find Ken, who was looking hot and sexy in his black tuxedo. He would lean in closer for a kiss and whisper in her ear, “Barbie, I’m going to marry you and buy you a dream house where the two of us can raise a happy family.”