Learning To Fly (Fated Love Book 1) (10 page)

“If that’s supposed to make me stop, it’s not gonna work, baby.” I squealed when he poked my side “Fine…fine, I’ll stop.”
 

“Thank you.” I said and closed my eyes and relaxed as best I could.
 

“I want to get married in Tasmania. There is a beautiful spot that looks out over the water.”
 

“Just say when, darlin’, and we’ll make it happen.”
 

“I’ll check your calendar and let you know.” He chuckled and I felt his lips against my temple.
 

She’d said yes! The thought made me grin even more than I had when she first said it. Part of me was just waiting to wake up to find it was a dream but no. She’d said yes, and we were having a baby. That brought me to another train of thought. I needed to keep them both safe, and as much as it killed me to think about it, that wasn’t here. She was only eight weeks, so there was time for something to go wrong if I didn’t take care of her.
 

“Darlin?” Maddie looked up at me from where her head was lying against my chest. “As much as it kills me to say this… I think we need to talk about you going to stay with your uncle for a little while. Just until everything calms down. I need to stop being selfish with you.”
 

I kissed her head as she sighed. “I was waiting for that.” Maddie tapped my arm, and I opened them up. As soon as I did, she walked back inside, and I followed her. Taking a seat on the couch, I watched her get a drink as I kicked my feet up onto the coffee table. When Maddie turned around, she saw my feet and narrowed her eyes at me until I took them off. I almost always got scalded for that.
Feet don’t go on coffee tables.
Wrapping my arms back around her when she came and sat on my lap, I pressed a kiss to her shoulder as she said, “I’m not going to fight you on this—not with bean to think about. He or she is still so little. I don’t want to let either of you down.”

“Hey, now.” I sat up and raised her chin so she was looking at me. “Maddison Rose, you could never let me down. If you want to stay here with me, you can stay backstage or back at the hotel. You can take the guys and make them take you sightseeing. I just want my baby and baby mama to be safe and happy. I won’t send you away, darlin’. Not if you don’t want to go.”
 

Maddie nodded and pressed her lips to mine. “I want to stay, but I can’t put my needs over bean’s. I will call Uncle. You have a break coming up soon, don’t you?”
 

I nodded. “A couple of weeks away.”
 

“Maybe I can stay until then just so that gives the guys some time to get things in place then once you are back out on the road then I will go home. We’ll do our ten week scan before I go?”
 

I smiled and kissed her nose. “That sounds like a good plan to me, baby. I will let Lucas know to start making it happen.”

“Are we telling people?”
 

“That’s up to you, darlin’. If you want to wait a little longer until the risks are lower and you are further along, then that’s fine with me. We will need to tell Lucas though so he knows more care needs to be taken.” I brushed a stray hair away from Maddie’s face. “I am in no way going to wrap you in cotton wool, darlin’.”
 

“Good because we both know how that will end. I’m okay with Lucas knowing. He has to keep it quiet, though. I don’t want the rest of the world knowing or Josh finding out.”
 

I nodded. “Not a word, darlin’. I’ll make sure of it.”
 

“What about our other news?”
 

I grinned. “Well, now
that
I want to shout from the rooftop, baby.”
 

Maddie laughed, and I kissed her softly. God, how I loved that sound. I leaned back when Maddie hopped off my lap to get her phone. Once she returned, I rested my hand against her hip as she took hold of my other hand. Linking them together, she lay back against my shoulder and laid our hands against my chest. After taking a few photos and picking her favourite, she opened my Instagram and added the caption, “I asked…she said YES!!!” and posted it to Facebook and twitter.
 

“Consider it shouted, baby.” She grinned and pressed her lips to my neck.
 

“So glad you handle my social media, darlin’, because you know it’s gonna blow up now.”
 

Maddie just grinned wider. “Only if the notifications are on.” No sooner had the words left her lips than there was a banging on the door before it opened and Lucas and Daniel raced in. Before I could stop them, they had her out of my lap and had pulled me out of my seat. After congratulating us both, they disappeared, leaving Maddie and I alone again.

“Maybe that wasn’t such a smart move.” Maddie laughed and moved back to me. Right now, life was pretty fucking sweet.
 

“Uhm, baby?”
 

“Yeah, darlin?” I ran my fingers through her hair when she pulled back to look at me.
 

“This thought probably should have come to me before now, but do your parents know?”

 
I gave her that grin of mine she loved and nodded. “They knew I was gonna ask, so it wouldn’t be a surprise you said yes.”
 

She just shook her head and laughed. “I could have said no, ya know?”
 

“Oh, I know, darlin’, but I have excellent persuasive techniques that would have come out should it have even looked like you were going to. Although, maybe I need to tell them you surprised me first, and that they are gonna be grandparents.”
 

“You should probably do that before someone beats you with supposed pregnancy rumors.”
 

I kissed her hard. Getting up off the couch, I grabbed my phone. Seeing countless congratulatory messages and notifications from Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, I cleared them all and pulled up Mama and Pops’ number. Hitting the call button, I waited for them to pick up and moved to sit next to Maddie again.
 

“Morgan Christopher! Do you have any idea how long I have been waiting for this call?”
 

“Hello to you too, Mama.”
 

“Sorry, dear. Hi!” said Mama. I chuckled and pulled Maddie closer to me as Mama asked, “So?”
 

“She said yes!” I pulled the phone away as she yelled congratulations. I mouthed, “Can I tell her?” to Maddie, and when she nodded, I said, “Mama, I have something serious I need to talk to you about.”
 

“Oh? Should I be sitting down for this?”
 

“Umm, it might be a good idea.” I heard her pull out a chair. “Okay, baby, I’m sitting. What is it?”
 

“Well… See… The thing is…”
 

“Just spit it out, boy! What?”
 

“You’re gonna be grandparents!”
 

If I thought the yelling was loud when I’d told them Maddie had said yes, then you should have heard her now. I swear I could have heard her without the phone. Dad had to take the phone from her. “That’s great news, son. We are so proud.”
 

“Thanks, Pops. Where’s Mama?”
 

“Cryin’.”
 

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Good luck with that, Pops.”
 

“Thanks, kid. So when are we seein’ ya?”
 

“In a couple of weeks, Pops. I have a break in shows, so we are comin’ home for a few days. Maddie is gonna see the doctor while we are there, and we’ll have our first ultrasound.”
 

“Then what's happenin’? She gonna stay ‘ere, or what?”
 

“No, Maddie is going back home to Australia for a while. We don’t like the idea of being away from each other, but being on the road isn’t safe.”
 

“I understand, kid. If Maddie changes her mind and wants to come ‘ere instead, Mama and I will take care of her. Will be easier for you to come home if you need to see her, or if, God forbid, somethin’ happens.”
 

“Thanks, Pop. We’ll think about it.”
 

“No worries, kid, and don’t worry. We won’t breathe a word about bub until you say.”
 

“Thanks, Pop. Give Mama a hug for me, and we’ll see you in a few weeks.”
 

“All right, kid. Take care of our girl.”
 

“I will, Pops. See you soon.” Hanging up the phone, I kissed her cheek and relaxed before my phone started up again.
 

When the phone finally stopped ringing—okay, so in hindsight, not my best idea—I finally got a minute to breathe and call Uncle Michael. Morgan had called his parents, and they were over the moon about both pieces of news. I was hoping the only family I had left was just as happy. Although, I couldn’t really say that since Addison and Anderson Young had welcomed me with open arms when I’d first met them. Soon, they would be my family too, and I was glad about that.
 

Stepping out onto the balcony while Morgan talked with Lucas, I dialled Uncle Michael’s number. “Maddie? Everything okay, baby girl?”
 

I couldn’t help but smile. Uncle Michael didn’t bother too much as far as social media was concerned. He had Facebook pages for his hotel chains, but I ran those for the most part. Bookings were handled by the website or the reception for each location. Uncle Michael was a bit old school when it came to things like that. I used to torment him about it all the time.
 

“I’m fine, Uncle. I was just calling to see how you were doing.”
 

“Aw, that’s sweet of you, baby girl. I’m doing just fine. How’s that man of yours treating my girl?”
 

“Taking really good care of me, Uncle. In fact, I have some news.”
 

“Oh?”
 

I heard someone on the other end sit down and knew he must have been standing. “Morgan asked me to marry him, and I said yes!” There was silence on the other end. I knew he was still there, though because I could hear him breathing. I waited for him to speak.
 

“Can’t say I’m surprised, but so soon, baby girl? You’re sure about this?”
 

Despite him not being able to see me, I nodded. “I am, Uncle. I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life. He’s everything I’ve ever wanted to find. He loves me and protects me as though his life depends on it…”
 

“Because it does” he interpreted but I continued.
 

“…and he treats me like an equal. He doesn’t tell me what to do. He is one of the kindest and gentlest men I have ever known, and by some miracle, he’s picked me. I know Mum and Dad sent him to me.”
 

“It’s not a miracle, baby girl. You are an amazing person, and he saw that straight away. Congratulations to you both, baby girl. I’m happy for you. Please feel free to use any of my resorts for your honeymoon.”
 

“I want to get married in Tasmania. In that spot overlooking the ocean.”
 

“Anything you want, darling girl. Just let me know when, and I will make sure it’s empty that weekend.”
 

“Thank you, Uncle. I will check Morgan’s calendar and let you know, but there’s something else.” I heard him take a deep breath.
 

“Go on.”
 

It was my turn to take a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.”
 

This news, like me telling him I was engaged, was met with silence. I looked over when I heard the balcony door open, and Morgan stepped out. I leaned against him when he came to stand behind me.
 

“You sure?”
 

“Doctor confirmed it. I’m eight weeks. Due July next year.”
 

“And Josh?”
 

I sighed and felt my body tense at the mention of Josh’s name. “He still hasn’t shown up.  Morgan has a break coming up in a few weeks, and then I am coming home to stay. The boys will be there in a week or so to get everything secure so that bean and I are safe and sound. Until then, I am taking it easy and staying backstage or at the hotel.”
 

“Sounds like you have it all sorted.”
 

“Mostly. Still a lot to figure out, but we have time.”
 

“Okay, baby girl. I am happy you’re happy, sweetheart. I’m sorry, but I gotta go. I love you.” Before I could answer, he had hung up, and I frowned. Letting out another sigh as my eyes closed, I tried not to let everything about that call ruin my mood.

“Everythin’ okay, darlin?”
 

I nodded. “We have an all-expense-paid honeymoon.” I felt him tense behind me and turned in his arms. Nuzzling into his neck, I tried to relax as he rubbed my back. Uncle Michael was my family. Why didn’t he seem happier for me?