AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I release Hudson's hand and walk over to her, she opens her arms and I fall into them. "God, I'm so glad you disobeyed orders," I whisper as my arms wrap around her.
"Me too, I couldn't stay away. She was my friend Mia, she helped me out and I'd never forgive myself if I didn't come." Wetness hits my shoulder and I tighten my hold on her, showing her that she's not alone. "Mia, how are you holding up?"
I pull away from her. "I'm doing better." It's not a lie, my frame of mind is better. I can't sleep with the light off, so Hudson has the en-suite light shining so if I wake up, I'm not shrouded in darkness.
"Liar," she mouths but her eyes light up, looking at where her gaze is focused. Frankie and Allie are walking over to us. "He's been such a help, I didn't realize how much I had missed him."
"I bet, even I missed him. What was his reaction to Allie?" I'd say he was shocked to say the least.
"At first he was angry that I didn't tell him. But he soon got over that and he's besotted with her."
As soon as Frankie's close, I walk over to him. His smile grows and he opens his arms out wide, "Missed me, huh?"
I ignore him and look down at the beauty in her stroller. "Hello Allie, I've missed you so much." I unbuckle her, ignoring the laughter coming from the guys and the grumble from Frankie. Lifting Allie out, I hold her close to me, I inhale her scent, there's something about the smell of a baby that just makes everything better. "You're the cutest girl ever," I whisper placing a kiss on her chubby little cheek.
"Seriously?" Frankie whines and I laugh.
"Get it through your head, you are no longer second best, you've been relegated." Sarah quips.
I walk over to Sarah, Hudson, and Jagger. Both Hudson and Jagger have been staring at me since I picked up Allie, both for very different reasons, although I have no idea what that look in Hudson's eyes is. I'd love to hand Allie over to Jagger but I think that's something that Sarah should do. "She's gotten so big," I remark as I hand her to her mom.
"You're telling me, I blink and she's grown a couple of inches." She kisses Allie's head and Jagger inches closer to them.
I turn my attention to Frankie and Hudson. "Frankie, meet Hudson." I smile, he's still not happy that I haven't hugged him. "Hudson, this is Sarah's brother, Frankie."
"Hey," Hudson says with an edge to his tone.
I walk over to Frankie and hug him. "Thanks for coming, I know you never got the chance to meet Lace, but she'd have loved you," I say as I pull back and smile at him.
"What's not to love," he quips and I smack his shoulder. "No, in all seriousness, Sarah told me about her, about what you both did for her and Allie. I'm forever in your debt."
I wave my hand in dismissal. "No you’re not, Sarah's my best friend, has been for years. She's like a sister."
His eyes narrow in on my hand. "You're engaged?" He sounds shocked, pissed even.
Hudson steps closer to me, his hand on the base of my back. "Yes, I am." My tone less than pleased.
"I'm sorry, it was a surprise, Sarah never said anything."
I know why he's angry, Sarah's obviously told him about who Hudson is. I told her everything about Jagger and Hudson, with their permission of course, and she wasn't as shocked as I thought she'd be. We spoke about everything that happened, I told her everything except for what Martin did to me. I just can't bring myself to tell her, I don't want the pity, or things to change between us. She doesn't treat me like I'm fragile and I don't want that to change. I don't want her to think I'm weak.
"Mia, we should go in," Hudson says breaking the awkwardness. His hand pressing against my back, directing me forward.
"I'm sorry, I'm an ass. Congratulations." Frankie holds out his hand for him to shake and it's then that I realize he never replied to Hudson when he said hi to him.
"Thanks," Hudson says quickly shaking his hand. This is awkward and now isn't the time.
I reach for Hudson's hand, and turn to Sarah, Jagger's holding Allie, his eyes so full of love as he looks at his daughter. "I'm going to go and find a seat," I tell her, and Jagger glances up at me and winks. I blow him a kiss and Hudson pulls me into his body.
She nods. "Yeah, I'm coming too."
"You okay, Princess?"
I lean my head agains
t his shoulder as we wait for Jagger and Sarah to get Allie back in her stroller. "I'm okay, I've really missed her and even though we said for her not to come. I'm glad she did."
"Jagger's happy she's here too." He kisses my head. "It's time to go in." His mood turns sombre, and I glance to the church, everyone is making their way inside. I tentatively take a step forward, my chest burns with pain.
