Read On Dry Land (Swimming Upstream #3) Online
Authors: Rebecca Barber
On Dry Land (Swimming Upstream #3) (25 page)
Tyler
A moment ago Tyler felt like he had the whole world in his hand. He’d cleared hurdle number one. Ava had accepted his apology. He’d been more than prepared to drop to his hands and knees and grovel if that’s what she needed, but Ava was Ava. He should’ve known. She didn’t need him to make a fool out of himself to prove it. She just needed him to be honest.
“O-okay,” Ava stuttered. The fear was back and Tyler regretted his word choice. He’d never intended to freak her out. He was trying to be as open and as honest as his heart would allow.
“I don’t want you to be afraid…”
“I’m not afraid of you, Tyler!” Ava snapped, sitting up straight. With her posture rigid and terror in her eyes, Tyler was the one who was unexpectedly afraid.
“Please just let me get this out. I may fuck it up completely but I’m going to try, okay?” Ava nodded and Tyler sucked in a deep breath. “I’ve made some decisions about my swimming. I know I can’t do this forever, and honestly, I’m not loving it the way I used to. So I’m retiring.”
“What?”
“I’m going to retire. I’ll do the Olympic trials and if I qualify I’ll go. If I don’t, I’m done. Either way, once the Olympics are over, I’m walking away.”
“Are you sure?”
“One hundred percent. I don’t want my whole life to revolve around it anymore. When I started, it’s all I had. It’s all I was good at. Now I’ve got something else. Something better. Someone better. It’s time to focus on that. On you.”
“Tyler…you can’t…”
“Can’t what, Ava?”
“I can’t let you retire for me. It’s your life. It’s who you are.”
“No, it’s not. It’s what I did. Somewhere along the way, I lost me. I lost sight of what’s important. Now I know. And I’m not going to waste another minute pretending.”
“What are you going to do?”
Tyler heard the tremble in Ava’s voice. As much as she tried to mask it, it was undeniable. “Jonathan is working on some options. I’m going to be taking time off, that’s a nonnegotiable. Then after that, who knows. Media, coaching, mentoring. I might even go back to school. We’ll figure it out.”
“Tyler…”
“Please, Ava. Just give me one more minute, then you can yell and scream and throw things at me if you want to.”
“Continue.”
“The other day when you were in with the doctor, I had some tests done. I can’t have kids.” Although he’d known for a couple of days, each time he admitted it, it ripped his still beating heart from his chest. He hadn’t thought about a family until the choice had been taken away from him. Maybe he had, but it was in that abstract one day type situation. Now he’d been told it wasn’t a possibility he couldn’t let it go.
“Tyler…” Ava was on her feet and in his arms before he had a chance to push her away. Reaching down, he put his fingers under her chin and raised her eyes to meet his.
“I love you. And I want you. But you need to know I can’t give you the family you deserve. The one you dream of. We have options, but it’s going to be tough.”
“Options?”
“IVF. Adoption. Fostering. It’ll be hard. But you need to know, if that’s something you want, I’ll make it happen. I don’t care what the cost.”
It took all of his strength yet somehow he managed it. Stepping back, he wiggled out of Ava’s grasp, but didn’t miss the look of pure disappointment. “Now you know everything. My world is upside down, Ava. I can’t offer you the life you should have. All I can do is promise to love you with everything that I am and everything I have forever. Will you, Ava Jacobs, be my wife?”
Ava
Barely holding it together, Ava wrapped her arms around her chest as Tyler dropped to his knee in front of her, dug his hand in his pocket, and produced the most beautiful ring she’d ever seen. This wasn’t a spur of the moment proposal. He had a ring. He hadn’t schemed this up as she drove over. He’d planned this.
“Tyler…” her voice cracked. She wanted to say yes. She wanted to scream yes. First, she had some confessions of her own to make. “I love you. I didn’t want to. I wanted to hate you and I wanted you to hurt as much as I hurt.”
“I did. Believe me, I did.”
Holding up her hand to silence him, Tyler looked up at her from his perch on one knee. She wanted him to stand up and be her equal but she couldn’t pull him up. Not yet. “I couldn’t. I couldn’t hate you even when I tried to. You hurt me, though. You really did. You need to know that you did. And I forgive you for it. I understand. You were scared. I do want to marry you. More than you will ever know.”
“You do?”
“Of course I do. But there’s something you need to know.”
“Okay,” Tyler replied as he wobbled on his knee.
“I got my results from the doctor.”
Tyler’s face fell. “Tell me you’re okay? Please…”
Gripping Tyler’s face in her hands, Ava felt his pain. Fear consumed her as she forced herself to remember this moment for the rest of her life. The next words from her lips could destroy her life and there was a chance Tyler would kick her out of his apartment and his life with his next breath. Unable to stop herself, Ava bent over and kissed his lips so softly it was like a breath of air.
“I’m fine, Tyler.”
“Thank fuck!”
“And so is our baby.”
Tyler
Tyler’s heart stopped. He would have sworn it forgot how to beat. Rising from his knee, his legs trembled beneath him. His eyes never left Ava’s as she stepped back and nervously chewed on her bottom lip. All at once, everything made sense yet nothing did.
“Our…baby?”
“Yes, Tyler. Ours.”
“How? When?”
“Take a breath. Tyler. I’m eleven weeks. Everything’s fine. It is yours. If that’s what you’re thinking…”
“I never questioned it. But Ava, are you saying I’m going to be a father?”
“Yes, Tyler. You are.”
Without a word, Tyler swept Ava into his arms and spun her around in circles, her feet not once touching the floor. Ava giggled wildly against his neck and squeezed her to him. As abruptly as he’d picked her up, he set her down.
“You never answered my question.”
“Which question?” Ava asked with a knowing smirk.
“Will you be my wife, Ava Jacobs?”
“I’d love to, Tyler Andrews.”
When Ava stretched out her left hand, Tyler slid the ring in its rightful place before crushing his lips against Ava’s. When she responded in his arms, it became a kiss he’d remember forever. His fiancée made his toes curl and he couldn’t help but pick her up and lay her out on his bed. It was a sight he couldn’t’ wait to wake up to each day.
Ava
Lying in the tangled sheets, their limbs twisted together, Tyler traced circles with his fingers across Ava’s exposed belly. For the last ten minutes she’d laid there perfectly still while Tyler kissed and caressed and whispered to their unborn child. All her fears had evaporated. He loved this baby as much as she did.
“No more secrets,” Tyler stated, turning his attention to Ava.
“Agreed.”
With his chocolate eyes filled with lust, Ava ran her fingers through his messy hair. He had the just fucked look about him and it suited him perfectly.
“I guess I should tell you then…”
“What?” Tyler sat up like he’d been shot, taking the sheet with him.
Suddenly feeling very cold and very exposed, Ava grinned. “I finished the sequel.”
“And? Do James and Anna get a happy ending or is James such an arse he loses the girl?”
With a wink, Ava looked at her fiancé and grinned knowingly. “What do you think?”
“Happy ending. You’re too much of a romantic to go for anything else.”
“You’ll just have to wait and see…”
Tyler
Tyler stared down at Ava and couldn’t believe his luck. He could have won the lottery, found a cure for cancer and solved all the world’s problems and he was certain he wouldn’t have felt as happy as he did in that moment. She’d given him the greatest gift anyone could ever give him. She’d given him her heart and she was going to make him a father.
Lowering himself on top of her, he planted kisses on her cheeks, forehead, eyelids before leaving her with a toe curling kiss. “Do you believe it now, Ava?”
“Mmm, believe what?” she mumbled against his lips.
Forcing himself to hold back, Tyler waited ’til her eyes fluttered open. “That perfection isn’t just an illusion after all.”
THE END
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Acknowledgements
Thank you to the amazing bunch of women I have met on this incredible roller coaster—Iris, Gloria, Haley, Mel, Sophia, Brittney, Alison. You guys understand what’s going on and you’re always available day or night with kind words or reassurance. And Lori. Seriously, I wouldn’t be doing this without. I’m not embarrassed to admit I had no idea what the hell I was doing when I started. Your patience, guidance, and willingness to help others makes you an unbelievable asset to the team and I, for one, am really glad you’re on my side.
The wonderful ladies who are S.A.S.S. You’ve taught me more than even I realize. You’re always there to help and offer reassurance. You’re an incredible group of women who support Indie authors without asking for anything in return. Thank you.
Thank you to my family who refuse to give up on me no matter how many times I tell them they should. They’re the first to read everything and the first I want to celebrate with. You guys are awesome and I couldn’t do it without you.
Rob. Thank you for being my best friend, my slave driver, my snack delivery boy, and partner in crime. Thank you for supporting me in this and encouraging me every step of the way.
To my non-blood related family—Barb, Allison, Kymberlee, Amanda, Sean, and Matt. You are simply my rock. You read what I write, no matter how bad, you help me dream up the weirdest scenarios, you inspire my characters, and you inspire me. I am so grateful you are in my life.
Thank you to those who read these books—you have quite honestly made my dream come true. All I ever wanted to do was write, and here I am publishing my fourth. You continue to make this possible, so from the bottom of my heart thank you.
Tara—thank you for putting up with all the crap to do our dream job. I’m as jealous as hell, but I love you anyway (just keep your copies for your eyes only!)
And lastly, to the boy who started it all. Keep your chin up.
Xoxo
Bec