Forever Faith (Downtown Book 6) Read online

  She looks up at me with a deep scowl I hate. “I’m your best friend. You could have told me.”

  Dropping my arm from her back, I sigh. “I know I could have, but honestly, I didn’t want to. My mom doesn’t even know, June.”

  Her scowl remains. “It’s because I lost mine, you were afraid of mentioning it.”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Because losing the baby was hard on you. I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about me being pregnant and all. I didn’t want to rub it in your face.”

  Her scowl disappears, thank God, and she finally pulls a small smile. “Rub it in my face. That has to be the silliest thing I’ve ever heard you say, Faith Montgomery.” She shakes her head and grabs my hand. “You should know me better than that. I couldn’t be more thrilled for you! You and Lucky went through hell and back to be together again. You both deserve this happily ever after. Having a baby is the icing on the cake. To think I’d be sad… So damn silly.”

  Now that I think of it, she’s right. I was being silly to hide it from her. I should’ve had her by my side as I took the pregnancy test. That’s what best friends are supposed to do. Instead I took the coward’s way out. “I’m sorry,” I express to her.

  She bumps shoulders with mine. “Stop being sorry. I forgive you.” Then with the slightest touch, she places her palm on my belly. “This little being inside you is the happiest news I’ve heard all day. I’m gonna be an aunt. How fucking cool is that!”

  I look down at her hand on my belly. “It’s pretty surreal.” I still can’t believe I have a piece of me and the love of my life inside me. What a true miracle.

  “You guys are going to be amazing parents and have the most adorable baby on the planet.” Her voice has awe in it as well as some sadness. Why do I get the feeling something’s not right here?

  “Thanks, June.” We give one another a long, silent hug. However, after pulling back, June looks into my eyes with sadness. Like she’s bothered by something. “What’s wrong?”

  “I really didn’t want to tell you tonight and was going to wait ‘til tomorrow, but I have some serious news.”

  “What it is?” I’m a little frightened here.

  “Phillip and I… We’ve been trying to have another baby.”

  Oh no. This can’t be good. Just from that vague response, I know it isn’t good news.

  “And?” I urge her.

  She takes a deep breath before she starts. “Well, we went to the doctors to get checked out and to see why I’m having trouble conceiving. We got my results today. It turns out that I have a tilted and septated uterus; meaning my uterus is tilting in the opposite direction. Which also means, I’d have more miscarriages if I did become pregnant.”

  I’m confused and yet shocked over this. “So you’re saying you won’t be able to have kids?”

  She sadly shakes her head. “I wouldn’t be able to carry them full term. So, no.”

  I begin to cry and pull her into my arms. “My God, June. I don’t know what to say.” No wonder she told me Phillip wasn’t feeling well enough to go to Lucas’s bachelor party.

  She cries too when she replies, “Just say you’re gonna let me spoil that baby of yours rotten, because that would make me extremely happy.”

  “Of course you can.” I can’t believe this. My best friend is never going to have the experience of feeling a baby inside of her and giving life to it. This isn’t right! As we both silently cry, I tell her, “I’m so sorry. This is just so devastating.”

  “I know, but there are other ways to have a baby. I just won’t be able to do it the old fashion way.” Her voice cracks. She’s trying to be brave about this horrible outcome, but I know this is killing her.

  “I know, but still…” Pulling away from our embrace, I get to my feet and bring us a few tissues.

  “I can’t go on being sad and depressed forever over this.” She sniffles as she dabs her tears. “Yes, I’m completely devastated, and so is Phillip, but we’ll get through this. We love one another and we’ll find a way to make a family. The fight isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”

  I’m in awe of my best friend. “You’re the strongest, most brave woman I have ever known. I don’t think I could ever walk in your shoes.”

  “That’s because I’m badass.” She chuckles, yet still has tears sliding down her cheeks.

  “You got that right.” I chuckle right along with her, then grab her hand, squeezing it. “I’ll be with you through that fight every step of the way. You can count on me.”

  “I never doubted it for one second,” she whispers through her tears and smile.

  For a good few minutes, we sit in comfortable silence, allowing ourselves to cry a little more until I hear my mom make her grand entrance. She’ll be so happy to hear she’s going to be a grandmother. “I think I just heard my mom.”

  “Good, because I’m tired of crying, so let’s get back to the party and celebrate.” Once we get to my bedroom door, June stalls me. “Oh and uh, don’t say anything to the girls or your mom. I want to tell them in my own way and time.”

  “Now look who’s being silly. Your news is yours to tell. Not mine.” I give her another hug before we walk out. “I love you.”

  “Ditto.”

  WAKING UP WITH FAITH IN my arms every morning never gets dull. I’m rock hard the second I open my eyes to find and feel her ass pressed up against me. My cock doesn’t know when to lay low, especially when it comes to the woman who’s carrying my baby.

  My hand travels up and down her abdomen as I kiss the curve of her neckline. “Mornin’, baby.”

  She moans and stirs until she’s on her back. “Good morning.”

  The way she smiles lazily in the morning with her eyes shut, or the way her dark wild hair splays all over the place always makes my heart beat uncontrollably fast. What she does to me day in and day out. I fucking love her so much, it amazes me that I still have so much of it to give back. Loving Faith is the easiest thing to do next to breathing.

  Although I know she’d rather brush her teeth before I give her a deep kiss, I do it anyway. Bad breath or not, kissing my woman first thing in the morning is a must. “You were out like a light when I got home last night.” I kiss her again.

  She rubs her eyes with the palm of her hands. “After midnight I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. June ended the party early for me.”

  When I got the text that she told June and the girls about the baby, I was so relieved. I couldn’t wait to tell the guys. “Glad you finally told her.”

  “The no drinking thing got her suspicious, but I’m glad the secret’s out now.” She smiles at me and places a hand on my face and strokes her thumb over my cheekbone. “How’d the guys take it?”

  “They poured beer on my head like I had won some fucking football game.” I laugh. The fucking punks. The minute I got home I had to go straight for the shower. I smelled like I had jumped in a pool of beer. However, seeing my brothers ecstatic over the news and congratulating me, nothing can beat that.

  “Aw.” She laughs too. “That’s great though. My mom is totally excited too. She’s already dragging me along to go shopping today for baby stuff.”

  Not before I give my wife-to-be a morning orgasm. Slowly, I slide my hand up her small and barely there tank top and massage one of her nipples. It responds immediately. Faith’s hands go around my neck and combs her fingers through my hair as I begin kissing her jawline, over to her ear. “Now that everyone knows and we’re all happy about the news, I’d like to start this morning off by sinking my cock deep inside you,” I whisper with such need. I always need to be balls deep inside her. Faith’s pussy is like a magic pillow for my cock. It could easily live there forever.

  Climbing on top of her, her hands go down my naked back. She lightly glides her nails along my spine, sending chills straight to my balls. “Oh really?” she huskily says and heavily breathes on the side of my face.

  Still kissing and nu
zzling her luscious throat, I reply, “Oh yeah. I’ve been dying to have you ever since I got home last night.”

  She spreads her legs and wraps them around me. “Good, because I’m wet and ready for you, rock star.”

  Fuck me. Her sexy ass voice is something to eat up like a Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.

  “Music to my ears, baby.” Under the sheets, I take hold of the edge of her panties and begin sliding them down, all the while she’s helping me. As for me, I usually don’t wear anything to bed. Why bother when I’m always hard and wanting my woman first thing in the morning or when we go to bed. It’s a waste of time being covered. Unfortunately, Faith likes me to work at getting inside her. She’s a sexy tease. So once her panties and tank are off, she takes hold of my aching cock and guides me inside her slick, hot awaiting pussy. “Fuck, you feel so fucking good,” I groan along her panting lips. She’s heaven in our bed. We kiss and rock back and forth, feeling the motion of our need for one another. I pick up my speed. “Hell, I love your tight pussy so much.”

  Thinking she’s feeling good, I hear her gasp and then say, “I love your hard dick, but I think I’m gonna throw up.”

  I pop my head up. “Huh?”

  “Up! Now!” she screams at me.

  Like whiplash, she pushes at me and jumps off the bed and then goes running for the bathroom like my dick caught her on fire. I fall onto my back. With my arm over my eyes, I groan out again—not from pleasure this time, but from extreme blue balls. I hear her in the bathroom throwing up.

  Fucking morning sickness.

  Although my balls want to explode, I get my crabby self out of bed and go check on my wife-to-be.

  Right after Faith and her mom, Helene, went shopping for the day, I decide to catch up on some music and write a little out on the balcony. While in the middle of getting some good work done, my cell phone rings. Usually I look at who’s calling me, but stupid me picks it up without even glancing at the caller ID.

  “Yeah,” I say as I take a swig of my cigarette.

  “Hello, Mr. Jones? I’m Howard White,” the voice on the other end mentions.

  Howard White?

  I know that name from somewhere, so this has to be a joke. “Sorry, man, wrong number.”

  I’m about to end the call when he stops me. “Hold on Mr. Jones, your publicist, Johnny Maker gave me your number. He didn’t tell you I was going to call?”

  “Fuck, I’m gonna kill him,” I mumble. Time for a new publicist. That douche has made many mistakes since we hired him last month. He sucks. I put my guitar aside and lean back in my chair. “No, he didn’t. Look, if you need to talk to me and the band about any upcoming interviews, I suggest you talk with our manager, Lyric Newton.”

  “I’m not calling for the band. Only you.”

  “Again, talk with Lyric.” I’m getting tired of having to repeat myself. Why won’t this guy leave me the hell alone?

  “Wait. Before you hang up, I need you to know that I work for Stax House Music. I’m sure you’ve heard of us.”

  Holy shit!

  That’s where I’ve heard Howard’s name before. He’s one of the producers. “Stax House?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “What does Stax want with JINKS? We’re already signed with Bitch Tours.”

  “We don’t want JINKS. We want you.”

  What the hell?

  “Me? Why?” I ask, obviously confused. Where’s this conversation heading?

  “Stax House has been watching you and Justin Heart perform. You put on a great show and we’re highly impressed. So with that in mind, we’re very, very interested in signing you, Lucky Jones, to our label. Be a one-man band.”

  “One-man band. A solo act? Are you crazy?” I chuckle.

  “No. I’m dead serious. Have your publicist or manager make an appointment with us. Come to LA and let’s talk—a serious talk, Lucky Jones. A talk that will change your life and make you the biggest solo artist alongside Bruno Mars, Steven Tyler, Sam Hunt; this is the chance to be an amazing, top of line artist like them. You can be on that list too.” I’m in total shock and have nothing to say back. “Give us a call.”

  I’m still holding my phone up to my ear when the call ends. Shock isn’t the right word with how I’m feeling. Stax House Music wants me. Without Danny, Wayne, Slim, and Jason. My guys. My brothers. My band. Without JINKS? Who would I be without any of these guys in my music career? What would happen if I did decide to take this chance of a lifetime? Christ, I don’t know if this a good thing or a horrible disaster waiting to happen. I need to talk to Faith.

  A few hours later, and I’m still on the balcony in some sort of shock. I can’t get that phone call out of my head. I hear Faith and her mom enter the suite. Helene is talking Faith’s head off, so I gather up my lazy ass and greet them. They both each have at least a dozen bags on their arms full of… I don’t know what. When Faith sees me she has a look of relief and tiredness, yet smiles at me when I come up to kiss her.

  “Have fun?” I ask her.

  “We had the best time!” Helene exclaims before Faith has a chance to speak.

  Faith laughs. “We did, but you wore me out, Mom. Now I need to take a long nap.” She lays her head against my chest and I wrap my arms around her. The bags from her arms fall to the ground.

  “And you deserve one, you’re carrying my grandchild. Lucas dear, can you take these bags for me, please? My arms are about to collapse.” She lifts her arms to show me how many bags are hanging.

  Faith walks over to the couch and I look down at all the bags that fill half the entry way. “What’d you do, buy everything from every baby store?” I laugh.

  “Something like that.” Faith sighs.

  “Get some rest, my love, and I’ll see you tomorrow. We have last minute wedding stuff to do.” She waves at her daughter and leaves.

  After I gather the bags and put them in our bedroom, I walk back out into the living room and find Faith sound asleep. I guess the talk I wanted to have will just have to wait.

  Later on in the evening, I’m able to whip up something light for Faith to eat. Her stomach is still not able to handle heavy foods. She seems to love chicken soup lately. So, chicken soup for my woman it is then. As we sit on the couch and eat our soup, I explain to Faith about the phone call with Howard White.

  She sets her bowl on the coffee table then brings her legs up on the couch in a criss—cross style. “They want to meet only with you?” She’s neither happy nor upset about this turn of events, yet isn’t quite as surprised as I was, and still am.

  “Yeah. It’s kinda fucked up.”

  “You never once talked about wanting to go solo. So don’t go. Don’t meet with them.” She’s right. I never wanted to be a solo artist, not until Howard White put that little bug in my ear. When I don’t respond back, she cocks her head to the side, and furrows her brows, and is now definitely surprised. “Unless you are interested?”

  “Maybe. No. Fuck, I don’t know,” I groan, throwing my head back against the couch and placing my hands over my face. I’m ashamed of how I’m feeling and reacting over this. It’s all kinds of fucked up.

  I feel Faith move by my side. She takes my hands away and strongly says, “Lucas, this is huge. I mean, this is Stax House. Home of King’s Fate.”

  “I know.” I look up at the ceiling. “Why would they just want me, though?”

  “They see something in you, babe. They see the potential and talent you have without the guys.”

  I lift my head and see Faith smiling with pride. The smile that makes me fall deeper in love with her. “You’re suggesting I go up to L.A.?” I quietly ask.

  She shakes her head and tightens her grasp around my hand. “I’m not suggesting anything. I’m just trying to explain that what I see in you is the same as what Stax sees in you.” She places a hand on the side of my face and eyes me with so much love and faith. She’s always had more faith in me than I have had in myself. “You’re an amazing performer. Any
one would kill to have Lucky Jones on their label. You just haven’t ever been able to see that in yourself.”

  Damn, when she explains it that way… No. Why am I even thinking of turning my back on my band? “If I went up to L.A. and had this meeting, this…this would ruin everything the band and I have worked so hard to build for so many years, baby. Our friendship would be over. I can’t think about leaving them.” I’m an absolute douchebag for even considering it.

  She rubs her smooth palm up and down my arm and accepts my answer. “Then you’ve made your choice.” Her smile never falters. Did I make my choice, though? Just when I’m thinking that, Faith continues, like she knows exactly what my shitty thoughts are. “However…think about this. The band is your family. My family. But you have to do what’s right for you.” She pokes at my chest next to my heart. “If you feel you want to take this next step in your career, then none of us can stop you. And we shouldn’t. It’s your life, your dream as a musician.”

  I can’t shake these thoughts of destruction. “They’d hate me and would never forgive me. The fans would hate me too.” I’d basically lose everything that mattered to me, except for Faith.

  She climbs into my lap and I take hold of my beautiful, sexy, and out of this world woman. Closing my eyes, I feel her warm and small hands around my face. I keep them closed while she continues to unburden the weight on my shoulders. “Knowing those guys you call your brothers, yeah I won’t lie and say they’d be happy, and it would take a long time for them to come around, but your fans will travel wherever you go. They love you.” I don’t think the guys would ever come around, but I don’t acknowledge that. “Babe. Look at me.” I open my eyes to see her understanding eyes looking back at me. What I wouldn’t give to have her confidence and wisdom. “Take as long as you need to think about this. Don’t worry about it until after our honeymoon. There’s no reason to get worked up over nothing when you’ve decided nothing. Keep enjoying making music with JINKS.”