“Promise?” Ty and Zoey’s visit has punctured my bubble. Suddenly, the fact I’m giving birth soon feels too real. The nursery’s done. Private birthing classes are over. We have every doohickey and gadget invented. Saoirse’s planning on moving into the guest room. We’re technically ready, but I realize I’ve been in denial.
Pregnancy’s been like my greatest acting role. As much as I love and want my babies, have I just been going through the motions? I’m not prepared. Mentally, that is.
Holy hell. I’m havingtwins. In a less than a month. “Oh God, Connor. I can’t do this…”
“You can.I’mready, Mae. I can’t wait for them to get here.” Connor leans over and places a sweet kiss on my lips, soothing me. He strokes my brow with the tip of his finger, massaging my furrow away. “Stop worrying; they’re going to be the best thing that ever happened to us.You’regoing to be great. I’ll be by your side for all of it.”
He never breaks eye contact with me. His radiant smile is infectious. He makes me start to believe in myself.
“Okay.” I whoosh out a breath of air. “Okay.”
He snuggles me close. Soon, I’m a bit calmer, but the boys kicking my ribs keep me awake for a long time after Connor’s breathing evens out.
I know I need sleep. I should be stocking up considering once these two are born, I won’t be getting much.
It’s just impossible to ignore the prickling beginning at the base of my scalp.
Dreadful things happen whenever I feel this way.
Not this time.
Nothing bad is going to happen to my family.
Never again.
The past fourmonths have whizzed by like a Formula One race car in Monte Carlo.
Twin babies have a way of speeding up time, so they do.
After Ty and Zoey left us to jet off to Italy, Ronni’s specialist, Ronan O’Leary, advised us to push up our birth date. Her blood pressure was not in a range he was happy with. As he put it, “Ronni has done her job, it’s time to get break these boys out of jail.”
His failed attempt at humor aside, at thirty-seven weeks, the doctor determined it was safer for Ronni to give birth than to carry the babies longer. The next day, we were admitted into Ballybridge Private Hospital, an exclusive medical center near Belfast. We selected it because of its top-notch birthing facility. Pristine, modern, and impeccably designed. Ronni and I both swore we’d stayed in five-star hotels with fewer amenities.
As an added bonus, they built their reputation on privacy and extreme discretion. For us, this was not just important but necessary. The events of the past year required both of us to keep a low profile.
Look, I’m proud that Ronni brought down Kircher. I am. It’s just that we lived throughyearsof secrecy and lies. I shudder to think of what could have happened if I hadn’t been in New York that night.
But, I was. I had my family to protect. And Ithinkit’s all been worth it.
Veronica Mae Miller is a heroine to everyone in Hollywood who’s ever been exploited. Against the odds, she and I survived as a couple. We’re finally public with our marriage.
It shouldn’t matter that the blogs, fan clubs, and tabloids initially had such a visceral reaction, should it?
Igetthat Ronni’s public fauxmance with Ty wasn’t “faux” to our fans.Jaysus, though. It hurt my feelings. It feckin’killedme to endure the vile, horrific lies people told: I’m a woman-stealer. Ronni’s a desperate, pathetic LTZ groupie who’d fucked the entire band and I’m the chump that got stuck with her. The worst? We feckin’cheatedbehind Ty’s back.
I. Am. Not. A. Cheater.
A part of me is still infuriated our fans will never know Ronni and I have been faithful and committed foryears.
Jaysus. Stop winding yourself up, McGloughlin. There’s no point in reliving that shite.
Right. The bottom line is, there’s no feckin’ way I would allow her pregnancy—or any speculation about our babies’ paternity—to add fuel to the fire. The second we found out we were having twins, I convinced Ronni moving to Ireland would be our best plan. Thank Christ she agreed. By the time we’d settled here at my estate, the media’s focus had already shifted to Ty and Zoey’s fairytale reunion and engagement. Ronni’s fickle fans who hated us together now seem thrilled she’s found true love with me.
I consider ourselves lucky the press hasn’t found out about her pregnancy. Removing ourselves from the spotlight allows us tofinallyhave some feckin’ privacy. After decades in the public eye, Ronni’s had the longest break since she was fired fromHawaiianHigh.
Impending motherhood forced her to prioritize her well-being. For once. I’m here to ensure she rests and takes care of her physical and mental health.
As far as our babies are concerned, Dr. O’Leary’s team was second to none. Worth every single penny. Ronni’s C-section went off without a hitch, and moments later our sons, Tristan and Torin, made their debut.