Broken Love (Broken #4)(70)

I snuggled back down into Ryder’s side. “This whole day has been amazing.”

“Yes, it has.”

We both settled in while my body began to relax.

I swore I heard a little girl’s voice calling out Ryder’s name as sleep started to claim me. Smiling, I whispered, “Kate,” before drifting into a dream where Ryder carried a little girl with light-brown curly hair and bright blue eyes on his shoulders.

And her name was … Kate.





One year later




MY MOTHER SIGHED. “Ava, you need to slow down. You’re making me a nervous wreck with how you’re rushing all over the place.”

“We’re late.”

Hearing her sigh only made me sigh … again. “Ava, I’m just saying I think you need to slow down. I mean, you’re building a house on the ranch, you’ve just remodeled part of the house in Helena, and now you’re rushing around Paris. You need to slow down!”

Ryder and I had decided to move into Lizzy and Robert’s house while having a house built on the ranch. Once the ranch house was completed, we would live there full time, but spend time in Helena as well. As much as I loved the old house in Helena, I was still a country girl at heart and I wanted to raise my child in the country.

I laughed. “Mom, we’re late and I have to be there early.”

“Sweetheart, you’re pregnant!”

“So? Why is me being pregnant have anything to do with this?”

I knew I wasn’t being fair to my mother. It had to be hard for her with me living in Montana. Then throw in I was expecting my first child in a few months. My parents, Walker, Liza, and Nickolas had flown into Paris yesterday and it had been nothing but rushing ever since we picked them up from the airport.

“It doesn’t, I’m your mother and it’s my job to worry. Anyway, change of subject.” Turning to Lucy and Nate Sr., my mother asked, “Are you both just so excited?”

“Yes. Beyond excited!” Lucy exclaimed.

Nate walked in and got everyone’s attention. “We really need to head down to the limo now if we want to be there early.”

“Ava, do you need to use the restroom before we leave?” my mother asked as Nate laughed.

“Yeah, Ava. Do you need to use the potty?” Nate teased as his father smacked him across the back of the head.

Rolling my eyes, I placed my hand on my six-month pregnant belly. “I’m good, Mom.”

My father came up and walked next to me. “Cut your mom some slack. She is jet lagged and hasn’t seen you in months. Let her baby you some.”

Smiling, I stopped, reached up, and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m so glad y’all are here. I really am. I’ve missed you both so much.”

He kissed my forehead softly. “We’ve missed you too, sweetheart. We are both so proud of you. I know tonight the main focus is on Kate’s work, but I want you to know that when they preview your spring line, I’m going to be yelling out that you’re my daughter.”

Laughing, I felt the tears build up in my eyes. “I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too.”

My eyes filled with tears as I blinked rapidly to keep them back. Ryder took my hand and kissed the back of it. “You ready?”

Taking in a deep breath, I replied, “As I’m ever going to be.”

Ryder held the limo door open and helped me as I crawled in. Lucy, Nate Sr., Jennifer, Jackson, Dani, and Nate, as well as my parents, all followed in behind me. Ryder slid in last and sat next to me. My heart started to pound in my chest as I looked at Kate’s family. This was it. This was the moment they had been waiting for.

My mother snuggled up next to my father and smiled when he whispered something in her ear. I was so happy my family was here. Walker and Liza would be taking a separate car since they had Nickolas and didn’t want to arrive as early as we had to.

I couldn’t help the smile on my face as I watched Jackson and Jennifer. The two of them had grown close over the last year. Both insisting they were only friends, but I could see the way they looked at each other. I knew Jennifer struggled with the fact that Jackson was so in love with her sister. If only she would try to open her heart to the idea. I could see Jackson was tearing himself up by fighting his feelings for Jennifer.

Turning to look out the window, I decided to do something about the two of them once we got back to the states.

Turning to ask Ryder if he remembered my Tic Tacs, my latest pregnancy craving, I noticed Lucy. She was staring at me.

“Are you okay, Lucy?”

She smiled sweetly. “Very much okay. I just want to say one thing while everyone is in the car.”

I squeezed Ryder’s hand.

Nate threw up his hands and said, “I swear it wasn’t me who had sex with that model in the bar last night.”

Everyone turned to look at Nate. “Oh, was that not what you were going to talk about?”

Nate Sr. shook his head, “Jesus H. Christ. And this is what I spawned.”

Covering my mouth to hide my smile, I peeked up at Ryder who was shooting Nate a dirty look.

Lucy cleared her throat. “No, but thank you for clearing that up for us, darling.”

Nate smiled and nodded his head as Jennifer punched him in the arm while Jackson and Dani laughed.