Guarding Hearts (Living Again #3) (5 page)

“Thank you, Atlanta!” she yelled. “Let’s hear it for the best band ever!” She turned around and blew kisses at Jason, her guitarist, and Luke, on the keyboard. They stood and waved to the crowd, and they continued their calling. She looked out one more time at the packed arena, holding over 20,000 fans at a sold out show. And this was only night one of two. She couldn’t believe it.

Turning to walk from the stage, she linked arms with both Jason and Luke and they made their way backstage. Her heart was pumping a thousand miles an hour, and her mouth felt like it might split from smiling.

“That was
awesome!
” She pumped her fist in the air, and Jason picked her up and twirled her around. She had met Jason and Luke long before she had ‘made it big’, and she wouldn’t have any other guys with her. Not only were they both great at playing her songs, they were great back up vocalists for some of her songs that needed that male perspective. Best of all, neither of them were interested in her in that way. They were great friends, and that was all that mattered.

Chip, her ‘borrowed’ bodyguard while she was here in Atlanta, stood right behind her. She couldn’t help but notice that while he was a big, beefy guy that no one would want to mess with, he didn’t hold a candle to Ellis.

Ellis
. She hadn’t even met him yet and she was already obsessing over him. She had to snap out of it. So he was a great looking guy. She had met a lot of them in her short life. He was only going to be with her for a little over a week, then they would both be back to their regular lives.

“Ready, kid? The after party is back here,” Brian smiled at her. “That was a great show, Sam. Atlanta loved you.” He fell into step next to her, leading her down the narrow hallway. She saw her parents standing at the end, smiles on both of their faces. She loved making them look like that.

“Samantha, you were wonderful,” her mom gushed.

“Yes, you were,” her dad agreed, hugging her quickly. “This show will get you even more buzz in the business. I can guarantee that will end up on YouTube.” Her dad, always the businessman.

She moved past them into the room where she would greet twenty of her fans that had won a contest. She checked her makeup and smoothed her hands down her hips. She was wearing a pair of tight black jeans, her purple cowboy boots, and a purple sequined top that fit her like a glove. Her long brown hair was pinned half up, the rest curling down her bare back. Her dark eyes were enhanced by the piles of makeup she had to wear for the stage. She didn’t look too bad for having just performed for two hours. She had one more show in Atlanta tomorrow, then she was headed to Florida. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror, the gleam in her eye sparkling just a little brighter than it was before.

Ellis blew out his breath as he lowered the weight bar closer to his chest. Devin stood behind him, spotting him. Ellis knew his head wasn’t in the game, but he refused to admit it. He knew what the feeling was, it was nerves. He was ridiculous. So today had been his last day with his SWAT guys for a little while. He was making enough in this week to pay most of his car off. He guessed that she was doing well as a new country singer, because when he had seen that number, he had about passed out.

“El, you here, man? You look like you are on another planet right now.”

Ellis set the bar back carefully and rolled off the bench, wiping his forehead with the towel. “Just a lot on my mind, I guess. Sam rolls into town early tomorrow, and I just have a list of things I need to do tonight.”

Devin studied his face, and he fought hard to keep any emotion from showing. Devin could read him rather well. “You’ll be great, don’t worry about it. I have to run, though. Rachel has her doctor’s appointment and I have to get there. Break a leg tomorrow, and don’t worry. You’ve got this.”

“Thanks. Let me know what the doc says about those babies. I sure hope they look like Rachel and not your ugly mug.”

The two friends laughed as Devin walked away, shaking his head. Ellis threw his towel in the bin and headed for the showers. He had hoped working out would take his mind off meeting her tomorrow, but now he wasn’t sure anything could.

Dressing quickly after his shower, Ellis picked up his phone and noticed a missed call from Devin already and a text from Carl, otherwise known as Officer Richards. It has been several months since he had talked to him, and he knew he was checking on him.

Ignoring the text, he hit the button to call Devin back. After only seconds, he answered. “El, ready to be an uncle?”

For some reason, those words just hit him in the gut like a punch. For Devin to think of him that way meant more to him than he could ever tell anyone. “Now?”

“Rachel went into labor at the office. We’re headed to the hospital now. I’ll keep you updated, but it looks like I’m going to be a dad tonight.”

Ellis closed his eyes, resting his forehead against the cool mirror in the locker room.
I’m going to be a dad tonight
. He was ecstatic for his friend. And not for the first time, he wished he had told Devin what he had been through.

Ellis rolled back and forth on his bed, knowing he was dreaming but unable to get out from the clutches of it. It was always different version of the same dream. His mom, high on heroin, holding his newborn son over the railing of their apartment to keep Mandy from taking him. Him yelling at her, Mandy screaming, the police barging in… sometimes his mom actually dropped Mason and he would dive off the porch to try to save him.

A shrill sound made his eyes pop open, his heart pounding. After a few moments, he realized it was his phone. Groaning, he fumbled in the dark for it and finally put his hand on it. It was six o’clock in the morning but felt like it was midnight. When he saw it was Devin, he sat straight up in bed.

“Dev?”

There was a pause, and he heard small cries from the background. “El! I have babies! Oh shit, I just realized it’s very early. I’m sorry, bro.”

Ellis laughed, a funny feeling bubbling up in his chest. “That’s wonderful. Both are okay? How’s Rachel holding up?”

“Both of them are fabulous. Our little girl Faith has little red curls. She’s going to be all her mommy. Chance has a load of dark hair. Rachel is feeling great.”

“Get off the phone and come see us!” Ellis heard Rachel call from the background. He laughed, amazed that this woman just spent all night giving birth yet wanted visitors.

“You heard the lady,” Devin laughed.

“Is she delirious? Isn’t she exhausted?”

“She’s already called Kayley, Jessica, and Emily, too. She’s woken up half the town I think. My parents are here and hers are on the way. What time do you have to meet Sam?”

“They don’t get in until about ten this morning, and I’m meeting them at the arena, so I’ll be up there to see you guys soon. Want anything on my way? Some decent coffee?”

“You read my mind,” Devin answered, yawning. “It’s been a long night.”

“A long night? Who had a long night here?” Rachel boomed from the background.

“You, baby. You did. I was just the hand holder.” Devin dropped his voice. “Bring me two coffees.”

Ellis hung up and made his way to the bathroom, mentally steeling himself for what he was about to endure at the hospital.

Ellis stopped at the front desk to find out which room Rachel was in, his hands full of coffee, donuts, balloons, and flowers. Making it to her room without dropping anything was a feat in itself. He knocked on the door, and it opened almost instantly.

Devin looked like he hadn’t slept in days. His hair stood on end, his shirt was wrinkled, and he had way more than a five o’clock shadow. But the smile that was on his face overshadowed all of that. “Ellis! Come in and join the party, man!”

Ellis walked in and took in the scene. It was a full house. Kayley, Ben, Jessica, Emily, and Trevor filled the room, plus Devin’s parents. Kayley was holding one baby, Emily the other. Rachel beamed from the bed, not looking at all like she gave birth to twins a few hours ago. He walked right to her, the baby powder smell making a lump form in his throat. Sipping his coffee, he put on his regular smile, the one everyone was used to from him.

“Congrats, Rachel,” he leaned over to kiss her cheek.

She smiled up at him. “Thanks, Ellis. Kay, Em, share the love. Let Ellis see them.”

Kayley walked up to him, holding one little bundle wrapped in blue. “This is Chance Devin Putnam. Chance, I’m going to share you for just a minute, then you’re mine again.”

Ellis reached out for little Chance, tucking him safely in his big arm. Looking down at him, he almost couldn’t contain the sob that wanted to escape his throat. He had known that this was going to be difficult, being here today. He had avoided this type of situation for as long as he could. But it was time for him to face it, be a man. They were his friends, and he loved them. Tracing Chance’s face with his finger, he was flashed back to a similar room, another baby boy, but a much different man.

“Look at him, he’s a natural,” Devin clapped him on the back. “Time to get you one of these, man.”

“Ha,” Ellis joked, clearing his throat. “I think I’ll sleep all night, thank you very much. You just wait—- you’ll be heading to my house to sleep before too long.”

“He most certainly will not,” Rachel joked back. “Want to hold Faith?” Devin stepped up and took little Chance, who settled into his dad’s arms like he had always been there.

Before he could answer, Emily stepped up, holding Faith. “Meet Faith Elise Putnam.”

She laid the baby carefully in Ellis’ arms, and he sat down carefully in the rocking chair, closing his eyes briefly. She was so tiny and helpless. Her mouth opened and closed and her eyes squinted tightly before she drifted back to sleep in his arms.

“They’re beautiful,” Ellis smiled at Rachel. “She does look like you, Rachel.”

“Doesn’t she?” Rachel beamed. “We got one of each. Chance looks just like his daddy.”

As if on cue, both babies started squirming and crying, their mouths rooting for their mom. “Well, time to clear the room for a bit,” the nurse arrived. “These babies need to eat, and Mom needs her rest. Why don’t you guys go visit our cafeteria and gift shop and come back in a few hours?”

The group said their goodbyes to Rachel and Devin as the nurse helped settle both babies for their feeding. Ellis clapped Devin on the shoulder. “I’ll see you next week. Don’t let those babies grow too much in that time.”

“Good luck with Sam,” Devin answered, wiggling his eyebrows. Ellis rolled his eyes.

“It’s a job, Dev. Nothing more.”

“So you say, you dirty dog. You haven’t met her yet though, have you?”

Ellis shook his head. “I saw her online. You may not have any faith in me, but I can keep it in my pants.”

“You looked her up online? Oh, this is going be better than I thought…”

Ellis looked back at his friend, his head peering out of the almost closed door. “Shut up, Dev. Just shut up.” The last thing he heard was laughter echoing down the hallway as Devin shut the door.