That Someday Preview

Saturday, December 12th

Incredible joy.

Damon

 

 

It’s crazy to think that when I surprised Ainsley at her graduation, I ended up getting an even bigger surprise. That she’s pregnant. With my baby. And due in just a few months.

I was extremely upset. She was upset I’d found out the way I did.

After a heated conversation, she showed me an ultrasound picture. We opened the gender results together and found out we’re having a girl.

And I couldn’t be happier.

“So, what exactly was your plan? You were heading to Lincoln to see me, then driving back here to move out?” I motion to the packed boxes lined up in the dining room.

“Sammy started packing our clothes last night after he saw where he was going to live,” she says with a chuckle.

“So, you’ll be living in Kansas City,” I say softly, my heart breaking a little.

“And you’ll be living in Lincoln,” she says, staring into my eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“We’ll make it work,” I say firmly. Because we have to. “What would you think about going on a little road trip with me? Like, right now.”

“You look sneaky.” She narrows her eyes at me. “Have you been hiding something?”

I give her a shrug, but can’t help the grin that forms on my face. “I actually do have a surprise of my own. Something I’d like to show you.” When she glances at the boxes, I add, “Unless you need to pack.”

“I’ll pack her stuff,” Sammy says from just inside the front door.

“I thought you were going to lunch with your family?” Ainsley asks him.

“I am,” he says. “But call me crazy for stopping by to check on you first.”

“We’re having a baby,” I say to him, my smile growing wider. “We’re good.”

“Oh, thank the Almighty. I’ve been fretting and pacing this whole time,” Sammy says, rushing across the room and pulling me into a full-body hug. “Congratulations, man.”

“Thanks.” When I turn to look at Ainsley, she’s in tears. Happy ones, I’m pretty sure. “And thanks for being there for her.”

“Little did I know, her supporting my no-alcohol diet was in her best interests,” Sammy says with a laugh.

“So, what’s the plan?” Ainsley asks Sammy, pointing at the boxes.

“First of all, I’m supposed to tell you that your mom went home. She said she’d see you whenever. I’m going to meet my family for lunch. My brother is staying here with me tonight. We’re going to pack everything tomorrow, then load it up in our cars and take it to our new place. You don’t have to lift a finger.”

“That’s really nice of you,” Ainsley says. “What do you think we should do with all the furniture?”

“Oh, I’m brilliant,” Sammy says. “I made a deal with the landlord. Whoever is moving in next wants the place furnished, so he’s buying all our stuff. Anything we leave—from pots to pans to furniture. We’ll only take clothes and personal belongings.”

“That makes me feel better,” Ainsley says. “It won’t be nearly as much.”

“I know,” Sammy replies. “I was thinking of putting it in storage, but there’s no reason to pay for that when we won’t need it for quite a while.”

I smile at Ainsley. My pregnant Ainsley. I still can’t believe it.

I’m going to be a dad.

She turns to me and grins. “That means we can leave now.”

“Where are you going?” Sammy asks.

“Kansas City,” I tell him. “I may have a little secret of my own.”

Sammy narrows his eyes at me and tilts his head. “I’m intrigued.”

“I’ll tell you as soon as I know,” Ainsley says to Sammy.

“And with that,” I say, picking up her bag, “shall we?”

“Yeah, we should,” she says, grabbing her car keys.

After more hugs from Sammy, I carry her bag to the car.

“I’ll lead, you follow?” she asks once she’s settled into the driver’s seat.

“Always,” I reply with a kiss.

 

Once we’re out on the highway, I give my mom a call.

“So, how’d it go?” she asks.

“We’re having a girl,” is the first thing I blurt out. “Oh shit. Don’t tell anyone. That’s probably something we should announce together.”

“Yes, you should, but I’m thrilled for you.”

“She did it for me,” I say softly. “So I wouldn’t have any distractions during my first season. Or a scandal.”

“And are you two okay?” Mom asks gently.

“Yeah, in fact, we’re driving to Kansas City now. In our own cars. Anyway, I wondered if we could spend the night with you. I could cook something.”

“Your father and Jennifer are joining us for dinner tonight. We’ll have plenty of food. Are you—is she—ready to announce her pregnancy to the family?”

“Based on what she said earlier, yes. I think she’ll be happy to share our good news.”

“I’m so proud of you,” Mom says. “You must have handled the situation with finesse.”

“Ehh, I chewed her out. Told her I’d sue her for custody if I had to.”

“Oh my!” Mom exclaims, sounding a little breathless. “What did she say to that?”

“That she wouldn’t expect anything else. When she said that, it literally stopped me in my tracks. Then she explained why she did what she did. I listened, like you’d suggested. And even though I don’t agree, I understand. And we’re happy. Hell, I’m ecstatic.”

“And why are you coming here?”

“Well, as you know, I’ve been keeping a secret of my own.”

“It’s not quite the same. I’d call it more of a surprise.”

“Probably, but tonight, I’m going to show her. And since you’re close by—”

“And here I was, hoping you just wanted to see us,” Mom teases.

“That too,” I tell her. “Thanks for your advice today. I really appreciate it. And try to act surprised when you see her.”

“I have a feeling surprised isn’t what I’ll be feeling,” Mom says.

“What will you be feeling?” I wonder, hoping she won’t be pissed.

“Overcome with incredible joy, I would suspect,” she answers.

Which makes me so happy.

“All right, we’ll see you soon.”

 

Once I disconnect the call, I call Ainsley.

“Hey,” I say.

“So, what’s this big secret?” she asks.

“It’s kinda like what you just did to me in a way. One of those things you’re going to have to see to believe.” I let out a chuckle. “Also, are you okay with us having dinner with my parents tonight? And spending the night at Mom and Van’s?”

“Of course. Do you want to tell them, like, now?” she asks.

“I think all you’ll have to do is walk in the room, and they’ll know.”

“True,” she says with a laugh.

“That’s why I asked if you were okay with staying there.”

“Now that you know, I can’t wait to tell everyone.”

“Excellent,” I say. “So, do you want to talk the whole way there?”

“Um, no,” she says seriously. “I need to listen to my music and just … well, soak in the fact that you actually know now.”

A new beginning.

Ainsley

 

 

Damon takes the lead once we arrive in Kansas City since I don’t know exactly where Van’s new house is.

About twenty minutes later, we’re outside of a nondescript gate.

Damon pulls up to a box and presses some buttons, and the gate opens. Then we drive down a paved road that curves its way through a grass- and tree-filled area. I see some roofs in the distance, but the large majority of it is undeveloped. I remember Damon telling me that his dad and Jennifer had bought a plot here so that she could have enough garages for her cars and closets for her clothes.

We pass a few homes before he parks on the side of the road and gets out of the car. I follow suit, and by the time I am ready to get out, he’s opening my car door for me, taking my hand, and leading me out into the grass.

“Why are we standing in the middle of nowhere?” I tease.

“I wanted you to see this,” he says. “This piece of property consists of four acres overlooking the lake. Remember on the Fourth of July when I told you I was thinking about buying land here?”

I take in the trees dotting the area, the beautiful view of the lake. The clean, fresh scent of the breeze. And my mind starts going, imagining what kind of home I would build on a lot like this—the aesthetics of the exterior, the cozy spaces inside. A big family kitchen and a deck with lake views.

“Pretty, huh?” Damon asks, his thumb brushing across my fingers.

“It’s … I want to say spectacular because the view is, but that seems too grand of a word for this place. It feels warm, friendly, natural.”

He turns to face me, cups my cheeks in his hands, and holds my gaze. “And it’s ours. Do you like it?”

“Like it? I love it. And I love you,” I say, leaning in for a kiss.

When my belly bumps against him, he backs away slightly, placing his hand on it. “I love you so much. I can’t believe we’re having a baby.”

He kisses me.

But it feels like so much more than a kiss.

It feels like a new beginning.

Of us.

Of our love.

Of our commitment to each other.

“I can see it,” he says, murmuring into my hair. “You, me, and our little girl. This land. A home filled with laughter and love.”

“A whole life,” I say with a contented sigh.

“One that you design?” he asks.

“To be honest, I don’t want to design a whole house. But it would be fun for us both to have some say in the floor plan. In fact, what direction are we facing? Do you know?”

“I don’t, but let me look at the compass on my phone.”

I take the phone from his hand and watch the pointer turn north. “Okay, so the back faces almost straight east, the front west.”

“Is that good?” he asks, looking a little worried.

“It’s perfect.” I take his hand and lead him toward the center of the lot and point toward the lake. “Imagine the sun rising over the lake each morning. Soft golden light will pour into the kitchen and breakfast area if it’s situated in the back of the house. A deck outside would be the perfect place to start our day.”

“I can picture a house full of kids running around in their pajamas, me cooking waffles,” he says dreamily.

“With caramel sauce,” I reply with a smile, squeezing his hand.

“Of course,” he says. “And if we wanted a pool someday, would it get sun?”

“Great morning sun, but by midday, the house would provide some shade, which would be a good thing.”

He twirls me around. “And what about the front of the house?”

“I feel like we have to have a porch. It would be a bit hot on summer afternoons. But I can picture warm evenings, a nightly cocktail hour, watching the sunset in brilliant glowing pinks and oranges.”

“You make it sound perfect,” he says. “So, I did good?”

“You did better than good, Damon. You don’t even realize how perfect this is. The orientation of a home is everything. Half the time, clients forget about it and end up with kitchens that are dark in the morning or living rooms that never get natural light. But this”—I sweep my hand across the lot, already dreaming of designing the interior—“is quite dreamy.”

Damon stares into my eyes, emotion showing on his face as he places one hand on my belly and one hand on my neck. “We’re building our forever here.”

“We are. And speaking of forevers, I think we need to talk about the name our baby will have forever. This feels like the perfect spot to do so. Do you have any suggestions?”

“Believe it or not, I thought about it a lot when Dad and Jennifer were picking out names for Easton and Weston. I’ve always thought Landry would be a cool name.”

“That’s different, but I really like it. Is there a meaning behind it? A family name?”

He chuckles. “Landry was the last name of a great Dallas football coach.”

“Your sister told me that her name, Devaney, was the last name of a Nebraska coaching legend. Are you wanting to continue that tradition?”

“Not necessarily. Do you have names you like?”

“Don’t laugh, but I was thinking Lakelyn could be cute since, you know, we met and conceived at a lake.”

“Lakelyn Diamond,” he says, tilting his head.

“Except I don’t love it with your last name for some reason. Lakelyn Archibald Diamond sounds good—”

“But is it too much?” Damon asks.

“A little maybe. Ozark Diamond is a no-go as well.”

His eyes go wide and sparkle, and a grin forms on his handsome face. Really, it’s like his whole being just lights up. Usually, when he gets that look, it’s because he’s about to say something naughty.

I wag my finger in front of him. “Don’t you dare say you want to name her Seven after the seventh hole or anything related to golf.”

“Actually, I was thinking about the name Summer. It fits. I mean, it’s like our story. The summer we went to the lake. The summer we fell in love.”

“The summer she changed our lives,” I say, tearing up. “Summer Diamond.”

He wipes my tears and smirks. “It’s either that or Butterfly.”

Which causes me to chuckle. “Summer Diamond is really pretty.” But then he scrunches up his face, so I go, “What?”

“Well, shoot. We haven’t thought this through yet. We’ve got to consider nicknames. Bad ones, specifically. Let’s see. Sum. Mer. Summit. Summo. Yo, Summo!”

“Is this actually a thing?”

“Heck yeah. I might not have thought of it before, but then my mom married a doctor named Richard Rash.”

“Well, that’s cool. Was he, like, a skin doctor?”

“Plastic surgeon, but it’s not about that. What’s a common nickname for Richard?”

“Uh, Rich?”

“Try again,” he says.

“Oh, like, did they call him Rick-hard? Like Rock-hard. I would think a guy would love that.”

He shakes his head at me when I suddenly remember.

“My uncle has a friend named Richard. They call him Dick. Ohhhhh. I see. ’Cause, like, a penis, right? Or that he’s just a jerk, a dick, kind of thing?”

“Put the names together,” he says with a smile.

“Like, Dick Rash? Oh shit.” I burst with laughter.

“See, this stuff is serious,” he says to me, his eyebrows raised.

“Which means?” I ask, trying to stifle my laughter.

“Summer it is,” he says, pulling me into a hug and giving me a kiss to seal the deal. “The sun’s about to set, and it’s getting cold. Let’s get over to Mom and Van’s and get warmed up.”

 

We get in our cars, and I follow Damon a little way down the road and park behind him in the driveway of a lovely home. The other houses we passed were more traditional, but this one has a modern flair with wood accents on the front, making it quite welcoming.

Damon takes my hand as I get out of the car, then points to some kind of exotic car in the driveway. “That’s my car,” he says, a huge smile on his face.

“That orange thing?”

“Yeah.”

“When did you get it? Why don’t you drive it? It’s gorgeous. What is it?”

“I got it for my seventeenth birthday. I call her my Outrageous Orange Baby. She’s a Lamborghini Murciélago LP640. And I can tell you that my dad did not pick it out. Jennifer did. And I’m quite thankful for her.”

“I’ll bet.”

“And I didn’t want to take it to school because, well, it’s pretty flashy. And I didn’t want to be known for that.”

“You’re very humble, Damon. It’s one of the things I love about you.”

“Oh, so you love me?”

“I do. Amazing that I fell in love with you without knowing about your Outrageous Orange Baby.”

He rolls his eyes and grins. “Another thing the car tells me is that Jennifer and Dad are here tonight without my little sisters and they know we’re crashing their dinner.”

“Are you ready for this?” I ask him.

“To tell them? Yeah. I feel a little bad though. I feel like we should have gifts for them or something.”

“I think, typically, those are given before the mom is showing to sort of make it seem real.” I point to my belly. “This is looking pretty real.”

“You’re right.” He grabs the belt ties hanging off my coat and ties the coat shut in the front. “Why don’t I say something about a surprise and you take your coat off to show them?”

“Okay.”

When we are standing in front of the door, he says, “Are you ready? Normally, I’d do a little knock and walk right in, but let’s ring the bell instead.” He kisses my forehead, then pushes the button.

The door opens, everyone standing in the entry.

Jennifer goes, “Surprise! I brought your car! Thought you might want to see her!”

Damon’s face breaks out in a beaming smile, and he goes, “Surprise! I brought the woman who is having my baby. Thought you might want to see her.”

Jennifer’s eyes go wide, and it seems to be taking everyone a few moments to process the information—until I untie my coat.

Damon’s mom is there in a flash. Of course, she already knows.

Her hand immediately goes to my bump, and tears fill her eyes. “We’re going to be grandparents.”

Van gives me a hug and whispers, “I’m thrilled for you two. Just wondering why you waited so long to share the news.”

I don’t really get a chance to answer since we’re getting hugs and congratulations from everyone. But I can tell they are wondering the same thing Van is.

Finally, he says, “Why don’t we go sit down? Ainsley graduated this morning, so I’m sure it’s been a long day.”

We’re led into a large gathering room, attached to a gourmet kitchen with two massive marble-clad islands, and sit on comfortable couches flanking a two-story stone fireplace.

Very quickly, Van is setting two bottles of champagne and flutes on the coffee table.

“I think a toast is in order,” he says.

“You’re quite pregnant,” Damon’s dad blurts out.

“How far along are you?” Jennifer asks. “And when are you due?”

Damon squeezes my hand in solidarity as I say, “Thirty weeks,” at the same time he says, “February the twenty-second.”

“You should also know that Damon just found out about the pregnancy today,” I add.

“What? Why?” Jennifer asks.

Damon’s dad shakes his head, trying to understand—or possibly because he’s a bit pissed.

Although Van asked me why I waited, he didn’t act as shocked, and I have a sneaking suspicion he was either told or informed in advance.

“I wanted Damon to get through the season without a distraction, is why,” I reply.

“But he’s the father!” Jennifer exclaims.

“Look,” Damon says, “we know the situation is a bit unusual, but Ainsley knows me. She knew if she told me, I’d immediately propose. I’d want to transfer schools. I’d upend my life and possibly my career.”

“And I was right,” I say. “Today, he suggested that we get married immediately and that he was pretty sure Kansas would take him so we could be together.”

Damon’s dad’s eyes go wide. “You can’t transfer,” he says.

“I can and will do whatever I want with my life, Dad,” he says. “Just like you did.”

“But you’ve worked so hard. You and Chase are magic together. You’re going to the playoffs!”

Jillian Dodd Store
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