Forevermore - Bonus Chapter

If you haven't read 'Forbidden' or 'Forevermore', I highly suggest reading them before indulging in this bonus material.

Copyright © 2021 by Asia Monique

Drew

“Baby…”

I leaned against the wall beside the guest bathroom door, listening to Nevaeh puke her guts up. I felt bad that she was sick but couldn’t stop myself from smiling. 

“You know if she sees you smiling like that, she’s going to toss something at your head again,” Nyla said, appearing at the end of the hall with baby Asan strapped to her chest.

“I don’t mind having objects tossed at me,” I said, widening my smile.

Nevaeh hadn’t actually thrown anything at me outside of the night we had that talk, but her sisters wouldn’t let me live it down. It’s been a running joke ever since.

“You’re something else, Andrew Jones.” 

Nyla shook her head and leaned against the wall across from me.

“That’s a good look on you.” I pointed to AJ. “Is Asan already begging for another one?”

“You know your friend. He asked me if a starting five was too much an hour after I gave birth.”

I chuckled and shook my head; of course, he did.

Nyla had given birth to Asan Nehemiah Chamberlain Junior three weeks ago. It was the same day Nevaeh had damn near fainted and ended up in a room on another floor. We learned that she was not only severely dehydrated but pregnant with our first child.

We’d said six months was the time frame we wanted to stay on before trying for one, but who had we been kidding? It was common sense that when you didn’t use protection, pregnancy was a possibility.

“You really are happy, aren’t you?”

“I’m—"

Nevaeh’s groans filtered through the door again, and we both cringed.

“Baby, do you need anything?” I asked softly, trying to twist the locked doorknob.

“Leave me alone, Drewski. I hate you,” she yelled. 

The sound of water running could be heard and then the door flew open, a pair of angry yet tired eyes glared at me.

“Okay, I don’t hate you, but I’m tired of throwing up.” She walked into my arms and sighed. “This is your demon spawn inside of me.”

“I think the little girl or guy is showing Mullaney traits at the moment, Vaeh,” Nyla offered as a smile began to spread across her face.

“Oh God,” Nevaeh murmured, gazing up at me. “She’s right. This has Marcus Mullaney written all over it.”

I laughed and kissed her forehead.

“I’m sure he’ll be happy to hear that.”

“Our child is doomed.”

Nyla snorted and said, “I see what type of pregnant woman you’ll be.” She pushed off the wall and smiled at me. “I’ll leave you to tend to your fiancé. Asan will be home with dinner in a little while; he’s still finishing up with a client.”

I nodded, and she sauntered off, disappearing from view seconds later.

“Do you think you’ll be able to hold anything down?” I asked Nevaeh, tilting her head back. “You look exhausted from throwing up the little you’ve eaten thus far.”

“I do feel exhausted, but I think a little sleep will help with that. My stomach seems to have settled for the time being.” She dropped her forehead against my chest. “At least I hope so.”

“Baby…” I gathered her hair in my hands and pulled her head back so that I could see her face. “You’re glowing.”

“No, I’m not.” 

“You are.” I smiled and kissed her forehead again. “Let’s get you to bed.”

“Will you lay with me?” she whispered, her dark eyes filling with tears as I led us toward the guest bedroom. “I just… I want to be held.”

“I got you.”

After locking us inside of the room, I helped Nevaeh into bed and climbed in behind her, enclosing her into a tight embrace. It didn’t take long for her to pass out, and even though I knew I could slip out of the room at any time without waking her, I stayed put.

I cherished these moments.

So much so that over the last few months, I found myself staying up half the night watching Nevaeh sleep—listening to her slow and steady breathing. 

It felt… surreal.

Like coming home. 

And I had come home. 

Opted out of my contract with the team I’d been with since the beginning of my career to sign with a team my fiancé and her sisters have loved all their lives—all to come home.

To her.

To the love of my life. 

“We should get married soon,” I murmured into her neck.

“Before training camp?” 

Surprised that she was awake, I laughed.

“You’re supposed to be sleeping.”

“I could hear you thinking, and it woke me up.” Nevaeh turned to face me, her eyes low. “I’ve been thinking about it. Us getting married sooner than we planned.”

I brushed my thumb gently along her jawline, trying my best to put the words I wanted to say together. I knew this woman like I knew my own self. She wasn’t like Nyla, who had been ecstatic about having a small backyard wedding, or Naija, who had snuck to the Bahamas to marry Jonah.

Nevaeh was a ray of sunshine; she liked to be seen but on her terms, never on anyone else’s. The one thing she had been willing to share with the world was our wedding; it was the one thing she wanted to be seen. 

“I was just thinking out loud, baby,” I said softly. “What I really want is to have the wedding we talked about.”

“And we can.”

A smile stretched across her face, widening her sleepy gaze simultaneously. 

God, this woman was beautiful. 

“You mean, sneak off and get married, but still have that winter wedding you want so bad?”

Her smile widened. 

“Can’t you see it?” she mused. “A snowy night. Us dancing under a string of pretty lights with our family and friends watching.”

“Yeah, baby,” I said. “I see it.”

 Nevaeh had been obsessed with the cold weather, but especially snow, since our time in Colorado together. When asked what season she wanted the wedding in, I knew immediately which she would pick. So, a New York-based winter wonderland-themed wedding is what we were having.

“So…”

“We could do it here. With Nyla and Asan as our witnesses.”

I smiled at the hopeful gaze she was giving me.

“Let’s do that, baby.”

“This weekend?”

We were in town so that she could help Nyla with the baby, while Asan worked to clear his schedule in order to take a few months off to be home with them.

“This weekend,” I agreed. “We’re giving your father more reasons to disown me.”

She chuckled into my chest, and I shook my head.

Her father nearly had a heart attack when it was officially announced what team I’d signed to, but in the end, he simply requested court-side seats that he didn’t necessarily need my help in getting.

“He’ll be alright.” I secured my arms around her again as she said, “I’m tired, Drewski.”

“Sleep, Dove. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

Always.

End.

Don’t worry; it isn’t over yet, you’ll be attending the wedding of the year soon.

xoxo, Asia Monique