Read Online Forever (This #5) by J. B. McGee - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: J. B. McGee
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cheerleader I’m not. “One.”
Sucking in a breath, I start to turn in a circle to soak in the beauty of this moment. The sun is setting, and our house is only lit by an ambient glow. The lights of the garland resting on the mantel leave a bokeh effect on my bridal portrait, which hangs above the oversized fireplace. Our personalized stockings handmade by Bradley’s grandmother, rest on sterling silver hooks. Bradley’s had his stocking his entire life, of course, but mine was a wedding gift. Nothing anyone did for me made me feel more a part of his family than that one simple gesture. It’s like a rite of passage. I look back at our tree. Mom would be so proud to know that this is my life, but then again, I’m sure she had a hand in it all. I smile as a tear trickles down my cheek. “I love this. This life. This day. This tree.”
He swipes it, and I look down at my feet, wishing I could have willed it not to fall. “What’s this?”
“Nothing.”
He tenderly lifts my chin. “You’re a terrible liar. Wanna try again?”
“Tears of joy and a bit of sadness. Missing my mom.”
“Ah. I hate I never got to meet her.” He brushes the hair away from my wet cheek.
“It’s okay.”
He kisses my forehead. “Go pack an overnight bag. Quickly. We’re running late.”
“Interesting. A clue. How much longer?” I grin and shrug. I didn’t ask what it was .
As I’m turning away to walk to our room, he smacks my butt. “Quit wasting time.”
I jump when his hand hits my jeans. It’s not hard, more like a playful love pat football players do when their teammate scores the winning touchdown. “You like spanking me?” I glimpse back over my shoulder as I nearly skip out of the living room into our bedroom.
He shakes his head, chuckling. “Woman. Pack. Now.”
I raise my brows a couple of times, but can’t wipe the grin off my face. “Going. Patience, right, Mr. Banks?”
Bradley mumbles something under his breath, but by this time, I’m too far away to hear him. When I flip the light switch, I see the enlarged photos from the locket. On his nightstand is the picture from Cade’s wedding. That night I’d told Bradley I was waiting on a man who would love me not just for my body, but for my mind and my soul. The picture is in a silver frame with the words, Mind, Body, Soul…Forever engraved on the bottom. Our vows . The other one, from our wedding, is on my nightstand next to my clock in a matching frame. Euphoria sets in as I gaze at them.
“Gabby Girl. Focus. Hurry up.”
“You’re going to be a great parent one day. You know? Being able to tell from another room that someone’s being disobedient.”
“You sure you don’t have baby fever?”
“Stop. No baby fever.” I roll my eyes. “Now, shh. Be quiet so I can concentrate on the task at hand.”
The trip to Bradley and Gabby’s house is longer than usual because traffic into the ATL is always crazy, but add the rush of Christmas shopping, and it’s an absolute clusterfuck.
“How was your day?” Ryan barely glances over.
I scroll through my Facebook news feed. “Same old stuff, you know.”
“Are you liking your surgical rotation?”
“Yeah, but I don’t think that’s what I want to do long term.” I put my phone in one of the center consoles of Ryan’s Land Cruiser. “I think I want to do pediatrics.”
“You couldn’t pay me to deal with sick, screaming kids every day.”
Joe’s words about Ryan never settling down creep into my mind. “I can’t believe we’ve never really talked about kids before. Do you want kids, Ryan?”
He shrugs, but his hands grip the steering wheel a little tighter, his knuckles turning white. “Maybe eventually, but right now, no.”
I swallow hard. “Why not?”
“I love what I do, Sam. The freedom to go check on patients, do what I want when I’m off.” I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “Kids are a lifelong commitment.”
“So is marriage. Are you planning on
Sucking in a breath, I start to turn in a circle to soak in the beauty of this moment. The sun is setting, and our house is only lit by an ambient glow. The lights of the garland resting on the mantel leave a bokeh effect on my bridal portrait, which hangs above the oversized fireplace. Our personalized stockings handmade by Bradley’s grandmother, rest on sterling silver hooks. Bradley’s had his stocking his entire life, of course, but mine was a wedding gift. Nothing anyone did for me made me feel more a part of his family than that one simple gesture. It’s like a rite of passage. I look back at our tree. Mom would be so proud to know that this is my life, but then again, I’m sure she had a hand in it all. I smile as a tear trickles down my cheek. “I love this. This life. This day. This tree.”
He swipes it, and I look down at my feet, wishing I could have willed it not to fall. “What’s this?”
“Nothing.”
He tenderly lifts my chin. “You’re a terrible liar. Wanna try again?”
“Tears of joy and a bit of sadness. Missing my mom.”
“Ah. I hate I never got to meet her.” He brushes the hair away from my wet cheek.
“It’s okay.”
He kisses my forehead. “Go pack an overnight bag. Quickly. We’re running late.”
“Interesting. A clue. How much longer?” I grin and shrug. I didn’t ask what it was .
As I’m turning away to walk to our room, he smacks my butt. “Quit wasting time.”
I jump when his hand hits my jeans. It’s not hard, more like a playful love pat football players do when their teammate scores the winning touchdown. “You like spanking me?” I glimpse back over my shoulder as I nearly skip out of the living room into our bedroom.
He shakes his head, chuckling. “Woman. Pack. Now.”
I raise my brows a couple of times, but can’t wipe the grin off my face. “Going. Patience, right, Mr. Banks?”
Bradley mumbles something under his breath, but by this time, I’m too far away to hear him. When I flip the light switch, I see the enlarged photos from the locket. On his nightstand is the picture from Cade’s wedding. That night I’d told Bradley I was waiting on a man who would love me not just for my body, but for my mind and my soul. The picture is in a silver frame with the words, Mind, Body, Soul…Forever engraved on the bottom. Our vows . The other one, from our wedding, is on my nightstand next to my clock in a matching frame. Euphoria sets in as I gaze at them.
“Gabby Girl. Focus. Hurry up.”
“You’re going to be a great parent one day. You know? Being able to tell from another room that someone’s being disobedient.”
“You sure you don’t have baby fever?”
“Stop. No baby fever.” I roll my eyes. “Now, shh. Be quiet so I can concentrate on the task at hand.”
The trip to Bradley and Gabby’s house is longer than usual because traffic into the ATL is always crazy, but add the rush of Christmas shopping, and it’s an absolute clusterfuck.
“How was your day?” Ryan barely glances over.
I scroll through my Facebook news feed. “Same old stuff, you know.”
“Are you liking your surgical rotation?”
“Yeah, but I don’t think that’s what I want to do long term.” I put my phone in one of the center consoles of Ryan’s Land Cruiser. “I think I want to do pediatrics.”
“You couldn’t pay me to deal with sick, screaming kids every day.”
Joe’s words about Ryan never settling down creep into my mind. “I can’t believe we’ve never really talked about kids before. Do you want kids, Ryan?”
He shrugs, but his hands grip the steering wheel a little tighter, his knuckles turning white. “Maybe eventually, but right now, no.”
I swallow hard. “Why not?”
“I love what I do, Sam. The freedom to go check on patients, do what I want when I’m off.” I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “Kids are a lifelong commitment.”
“So is marriage. Are you planning on
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