Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
“Oh my God, yes!” she squeals, holding her hand out for me to slide the ring onto her finger. It’s a perfect fit, just like I knew it would be.
I surge to my feet, grabbing her and picking her up. She wraps her arms and legs around me, clinging to me, as I kiss her deeply.
“My baby girl,” I murmur against her mouth. “My wife.”
“I love you,” she whispers, burying her face in my shoulder to hold me close.
“I love you beyond words, pretty girl,” I tell her. “Now you’re going to be mine forever.”
She pulls back to smile at me, eyes sparkling as much as her ring. “I always was,” she answers, and then I kiss her again, and neither of us pulls away until we’re connected in the closest way we can be.
EPILOGUE
DAMIEN
Two Years Later
The sounds of laughter and cheering and music swirl through the air as we all celebrate, clinking glasses and making toasts.
“Seriously, Damien, you didn’t have to do this,” Gavin says again, but I’m already shaking my head at my brother-in-law.
“You’re family now,” I remind him. “Family takes care of each other.”
“Yeah, but paying off my tuition is a lot—”
“Not to me,” I remind him, not to brag but because I can see the guilt on his face. Besides, it’s true. His tuition debt is nothing compared to the money I have. It wasn’t even a second thought to me to pay it off for him. I know how hard my wife worked to keep her brother going through college, and given that I’m in a position to do so…
“Just say thank you and let it go,” Delaney laughs from my side. “You’re not going to win this argument. He’s stubborn.”
Gavin rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling even as he does. “Fine, fine. Thank you again, Damien, even if you didn’t have to do it. I am very grateful for what you did for me and for how you take care of my sister.”
I pat him on the shoulder, shaking my head. “You’re welcome, Gavin. Now enough chatting, you’ve got a degree to celebrate.”
Gavin grins at that, spinning around to go fetch another drink. He graduated from college this morning, and after a family dinner at a nice restaurant, we’re back at the house Delaney and I bought just after we got married to continue the celebrations. We have more than enough room in our open kitchen and living space to host, and I know how much Delaney loves having her family over. Their grandmother is here, too, along with a carer from her residential home to make sure she’s celebrating responsibly. Though I’ve caught her sipping from a glass of champagne when she thinks no one’s looking.
Not that my wife will be doing the same. There’ll be no champagne for her for at least another two months, given that she’s seven months pregnant. I pull her to my side, resting one hand on her swollen stomach, feeling our child kick and move as though wanting to join the party.
An hour or so later, the night is coming to an end, though Gavin and a few of his friends plan on continuing partying at a nearby bar. Their grandmother has been taken home, and the last guest is just leaving when Delaney turns to me.
“You know what I’m craving?” she says, looking up at me with those Please, Daddy eyes that she knows so well I can’t resist.
“What do you need, baby girl?” I ask, more than prepared to do anything for her.
“That milkshake from the diner you took me to that first night,” she says.
I laugh. “Pretty girl, I’d fly you to Paris this instance if you told me you wanted a croissant. Of course, we can go to the diner and get you a milkshake.”
She beams at me like I’ve just handed her the world. “Yay!”
Within half an hour, we’re sitting at our booth with two huge milkshakes. My wife sighs happily as she takes a long sip of her drink, and the happiness on her face makes me grin.
She reaches for a few fries from the basket between us, dipping them into her milkshake and eating them happily. I try to hide my expression but clearly don’t manage because she bursts into laughter.
“What?” she laughs. “It’s delicious.”
“That’s just wrong,” I chuckle, but make no move to stop her as she does it again. “But I’m glad you’re happy, baby girl.”
Her eyes are on mine as she smiles and says, “Of course I’m happy. I’m with you.”
“I love you, baby girl,” I tell her, reaching across the table to hold her hand. “And I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life taking care of you and our family.”
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
DELANEY
Five Years Later
“D-A-I-S-Y,” I spell, sounding out each letter and pointing to the alphabet I’ve written out for my four-year-old. Her eyes follow my finger, her mouth sounding out each letter with me.