Chapter 67

The next few weeks were crazy for Maggie and Liam. They had to go through the massive pile of presents and cards and send thank-you notes.

Maggie had to decide which room she wanted for a nursery so Liam could get the adult furniture out and have the room painted.

They needed to pick out furniture too. Maggie was so thankful she wasn’t working on top of all this.

Life got crazier when Joan and Niall dropped a bomb and said that since Charlie and Beth were retiring, they were going to as well. It was time to buy a house and relax with their best friends.

Liam now needed to find a business manager and maintenance staff. They apologized for the last minute and would stay to train the new people.

Liam said it was fine, that he totally understood, and that he already had a plan. Maggie hoped so because she was a mess at the thought of one more thing to take on.

Makayla and Abigail came over and helped as well as Hannah, Lucy, and Sheila. They laughed and giggled eating fruit, cookies, and other goodies.

They poured over catalogs and baby magazines trying to find a theme or color scheme. They had narrowed it down to a few choices for her and Liam to pick from.

Maggie took them upstairs to look at the two rooms she was considering.

“How bright is it in the mornings, Maggie? If you want the room overlooking the beach, you better have some good curtains or room-darkening shades,” Hannah commented.

“Good point! I hadn’t thought about that,” Maggie replied.

“I learned the hard way!” Hannah laughed.

“But the bathroom in the other room only has a shower, not a tub. If you want the other room, you would have to either replace the tub or go to a different bathroom,” Makayla said.

“Do you really want construction right now, sweetie?” Sheila asked.

“Oh, hell no! Liam’s entire family is coming next week, and it’s Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then New Year, and then the baby comes! I’m getting room-darkening shades, and we have picked a room!”

The ladies all slapped high five as they left to the backyard to sit by the pool. Liam came home early to find them all still there and laughing as they had their feet in the pool.

“Hello, ladies, how are you this afternoon?” Liam charmed them as he came by and kissed each one on the cheek. “Was it a productive afternoon?”

Maggie got up and hugged him tightly, “Oh very! We picked a room and I have a few ideas on colors for you to look at!”

“I can’t wait! But I have to take care of something first. I will be back in a bit.”

Maggie nodded as he kissed her on the mouth and moved to the side of the pool, where he whispered to Sheila. She got up, dried off her legs, and followed him into the house.

“What was that about?” Makayla questioned.

“No idea!” Maggie answered.

Hannah packed up Lucy and headed home, hugging Maggie as she went. Makayla went home with Abby next, promising that their shopping day next week for the registry was still on.

Maggie still had a feeling that it was a boy and was leaning more toward blues and greens. Liam’s office door was closed, and Sheila’s car was still outside.

Shrugging her shoulders, Maggie started on the salad for dinner. The chicken was roasting nicely and smelled even better.

She chopped the veggies and listened to music until she heard talking in the hallway. She went out to find Liam opening the door to let Brett in. Maggie was surprised and went to hug him.

“What are you doing here? I didn’t know you were coming!”

“Well, your husband called and said I should come over for dinner since he has something to discuss with me.”

“Really! Well, he seems to be quite the mystery today!”

Liam pulled Brett to his office and promised Maggie he would explain in a few minutes. Not sure what to think, she went back to the kitchen to add two more baked potatoes to the oven for their guests.

Almost half an hour later, all three of them came into the kitchen as Maggie was setting the table, a look of annoyance clear on her face.

“Is dinner ready?” Liam questioned.

Maggie stopped, glared at him, and continued walking around the table, setting silverware down as she went.

“Maggie, are you okay?” Brett asked.

“Oh, so now you want to include me? All done with your ~business~?”

Sheila smiled weakly at her.

Liam started, “It’s not like that, Maggie. I had an idea about Joan’s part of my investments, and I wanted to get their input on it before—”

“Oh, how silly of me! I thought that we were married and a team! I thought you might include me in decisions since it’s my life too! Not to mention the life of our baby!” she yelled.

Liam immediately saw what he had done by not including her. He had thought he was protecting her by not worrying her, but it had the opposite effect.

“Darling, I’m sorry! I didn’t think—”

“I fucking know you didn’t think!”

“Maggie, let me explain. Please.”

Liam guided her to the island and sat her down as Brett and Sheila sat next to her.

“I had this idea for a replacement for Joan and Niall. I am so sorry that I didn’t discuss it with you first. I didn’t want to worry or upset you and the baby with all the different things we have going on.”

“I get that, and I appreciate it, but I am ~not~ a child and know how to manage stress! I taught a class of thirty kids! I can handle talking about business, you bloody git!”

Sheila suppressed a giggle, and Liam and Brett flinched.

“I’m sorry, that’s all I can say. I won’t make that mistake again, I promise,” Liam pleaded.

Maggie glared at him but allowed him to continue.

“Okay, so Sheila has a business degree, and we could have her handle the investments and manage the apartment buildings.

“I would redo the library to make it her office and put a desk in there for when I need to work from home.”

“So, she would be working here every day?”

Liam nodded.

“But what about the club?”

Sheila answered, “I’ve been looking for something in my field for a while. With Brett and I getting more serious, I didn’t want to be viewed as the boss’s girlfriend. And with me moving in with him—”

“You’re moving in together? Since when?” Maggie exclaimed.

“Well, I asked her while you were gone. Her apartment lease is up next month. Since she spends so much time at my place anyway, it just seemed like a good idea,” Brett replied.

Sheila looked at him and smiled as he took her hand and kissed it.

Maggie smiled at them despite being upset and motioned for Liam to continue.

“Brett and I have been talking about going into business together. We’re going to open a business to run the maintenance for the apartment buildings and he is going to buy in on one of the units.”

Maggie was shocked that Brett had that kind of money. She knew he was frugal and the club was doing well, but no idea that well, and told him as much.

Brett chuckled, “I too have a business degree Mags. I used that money my grandparents left me to open the club and lived very carefully that first year. I saved every penny, except for buying my house and Liam helped me invest it. So, I am ready for the next step.”

“What about the club? Who is going to run it with you doing this?”

“I am looking for a general manager to run it and oversee the day-to-day stuff. I will still be the owner; I will still be involved. Don’t worry Mags!”

Maggie was trying to process everything.

“So basically, you are saying that you are going to pay Sheila to come here every day, and I can hang with her?”

Sheila grinned at Maggie and Liam groaned. “I never looked at it that way! She will be working, Maggie! Not lounging by the pool with you!”

Maggie raised an eyebrow. “We’ll see!”

Before anything else could be said, the timer went off on the oven. Maggie pulled the food out and served everyone. They enjoyed a meal together, celebrating their friendship for years to come.

***

The Olsen family arrived together on Monday and immediately started looking at houses that they liked with a realtor that Liam knew. By Thursday night, all three had secured contracts.

It all went according to plan, and the entire family would move to their new houses in February.

What surprised Maggie and Liam was that they all found houses within three miles of them.

Beth and Charlie were in the same neighborhood, and the siblings were moving to the next subdivision. Everyone was thrilled that they were going to be so close.

Being around each other as their children grew up was an amazing thought and adding Makayla, Mike, Nick, Hannah, Brett, and Sheila to the mix made Maggie so happy!

The big family she always wanted was in her grasp.

Beth loved the room and color scheme that Liam and Maggie had finally chosen for the baby. The furniture would be delivered right before Christmas.

They had decided on mint green walls with white, pale yellow, and gray polka dots, with baby animals adorning the walls. The painter was coming soon to get it all ready.

A fluffy white rug and beautiful medium-stained wood furniture would complete the room. They chose an elegant crib with a matching armoire, changing table, and dresser.

Maggie fell in love with a rocking chair that matched and had to have it. Liam had bought it right away.

As the family was leaving after a very raucous Thanksgiving dinner with everyone, the ladies hit the mall before to take advantage of the start of the shopping season.

Maggie was feeling really good about everything and was relieved that one step of the process was going according to plan.

The night before everyone was going back to England, Maggie went to the room Beth and Charlie were staying in and talked as she packed.

“I know you aren’t supposed to be back until mid-February, but I just wondered if there was any way you might come back for the birth and maybe be in the room with us, since I don’t have my mom here…”

Beth’s heart melted as she saw the pleading in Maggie’s eyes.

“I would be honored, sweetheart. When we get back, I will get a ticket for a few days before your due date. You just make sure that he or she stays in until I get here. Okay?”

Maggie laughed as she wiped tears from her cheeks and hugged her tight. “Thank you so much” she whispered.

“Anything for you, my sweet girl.”

Maggie’s doctor visits were going well. Liam came with her to every appointment and loved hearing the heartbeat and seeing the 3D ultrasound pictures.

With time ticking down, Liam had the room painted to Maggie’s requests, and the furniture was delivered three days before Christmas. It looked wonderful.

Maggie spent her days decorating the house and the baby’s room, getting ready for his or her arrival.

She was nesting and had all the clothes, sheets, and blankets washed and put in drawers or hung up, ready to go.

Liam would surprise her by ordering or buying things online and it seemed like FEDEX was at their house every day.

Their first Christmas together was so special. They made cookies together, exchanged meaningful gifts, and started new traditions.

Maggie was torn between making love under the giant light-filled tree and buying a new ornament for each other as her favorite new tradition. Liam voted for the sex under the tree.

New Year’s Eve was quiet as Maggie was feeling huge and didn’t want to stay out too late.

They had helped Sheila move in with Brett the day before and were still tired, even though no one would let her do anything but watch Abigail and Lucy.

Their group of friends went to Brett’s club for dinner and drinks. And even though they left early, it was an amazing night as Brett proposed to Sheila in front of everyone.

Makayla and Maggie cried as they hugged their big brother, knowing how happy he finally was.

It looked like the new year would be full of many joyous events for the entire group; especially when Hannah announced that she and Nick were having another baby in late August.

Maggie and Liam went home and sat on the balcony of their room, wrapped in a blanket, watching the boats on the water.

Maggie drifted off after they made love under the stars and only woke up for a few minutes when the fireworks started going off.

As soon as the sky had quieted and the last ember had burned out, Liam carried Maggie inside and tucked her into bed. They both were ready for whatever the next year threw at them.