Surviving the Pain (A Baby Saved Me Series Book 1) by P. J. Belden Page A

nothing had been easy for a very long time. Yet here she was, trying to do the right thing by not making a decision for her son that wasn’t hers to make and it was killing her every moment.
    “Ember? Are you okay?”
    Turning, she found Aspen standing not far from her car where she’d slide down the side to the ground. The only thing she could manage between her sobs was the shake of her head. Her hand lay clasped around her throat, desperately trying to breathe. Ember wasn’t sure if this was a panic attack or if the pain in what his one simple sentence caused was suffocating her.
    “Look at me Emmy,” Aspen’s rough rumble filled her ears.
    Lifting her eyes to his, her blue eyes met his ice blue eyes. His eyes were the first things that Ember ever noticed about him. The color was so light that it almost looked like they were white with a light blue tint. They really stood out against his auburn mop of hair that sat on top of his head, with strands falling over his eyes sometimes.
    Ember thought that Aspen cared about only one person, and he lost her when they were younger. His sister. Isa also lost a sibling when she was younger too. It was her twin brother. Because of this common thread, the two of them are closer to each other than the rest of them. They all understood too. No one could possibly understand a pain like that than a person who has gone through it. Without a doubt, it was likely a pain that never fully eased or went away.
    “Good girl. Now, focus on my voice. Every three words I say, I want you to take a deep breath. Hold it for two words then let it out for three words. Can you do that for me?”
    Somehow, Ember managed to nod her head. He smiled slowly before nodding his own head.
    “So I took,” he paused to make sure she was following his instructions. When he saw that she was, he continued. “… this girl home last week. I let her know at the bar, you know the one that I’m a bouncer at part time? I told her that I’m not a relationship kind of guy and that if that’s what she was looking for, she was barking up the wrong tree. The damn girl told me she was looking for a release and nothing more. This chick shows up last night ranting about me flirting with a girl when I was with her. I about came unglued. E had to take charge because she was going completely postal. Even accused me of sleeping with you.” Aspen laughed. “Can you believe that? Sleeping with my sister,” he shook his head and laughed.
    “Was that long ass, crazy story for my benefit only,” Ember asked as she laughed.
    “Well, it is one way I can get you to listen to the stories of the crazy chicks I deal with on a daily basis.” His eyes twinkle with amusement and relief. “How are you?”
    “I’m okay thank you.” Not interested in talking about it further, Ember stood from the ground. “Let’s get our kid on,” she grinned playfully.
    Aspen stood with her. “Our kid on, huh? In that case, I’ll beat you there.” When Ember turned to start running, he grabbed her arm. “Wait.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, but I’m here if you need me.” He smiled. “Go!” That was all the warning that Ember got before Aspen was off running.
    “Uncle Pen!” Ember heard her son yell excitedly.
    “You gotta wait buddy. I’m trying to beat your mama.”
    “He cheated Hudson,” she fake whined behind Aspen.
    Stopping dead in his tracks, he turns around and before she could stop, she collided into him, knocking him to the ground and falling with him in the process. Hudson’s laughter made them both smile. They both struggled to stand.
    “I did not cheat. Just because you were too slow at the start gate means that you are just a sore loser, not making me a cheater.”
    “You kissed me and talked to me before you took off running,” she countered.
    “You kissed her?” Grey’s voice boomed loudly.
    Before any of them knew what was happening, Grey punched