Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
“But I’m about to pay you back.”
“Oh yeah?” One of his brows cocked, like he didn’t believe me.
“Yeah. Daddy.”
His brow fell. Then his jaw. He blinked. “What?”
I laughed. “You heard me.”
“You mean . . .” He looked between us at my stomach. “No.”
“Yes.”
“But—” He released me and held me at arm’s length, staring at my midsection. “How is it possible?”
“After we got engaged and talked about starting a family, I went off the pill.”
“And you’re sure?”
I nodded. “I’m sure. I saw the doctor on Thursday.”
“Oh my God.” He scooped me into his arms again and held me tight, gently swaying me side to side.
“Are you happy?” I asked.
When he finally spoke, his voice was just a whisper. “Yes.”
“I have another appointment in a couple weeks for the first ultrasound. Want to go with me?”
“Of course I do.” He pulled back and took my face in his hands, his shining eyes suddenly concerned. “How are you feeling? Are you okay? Should you sit down? Can I get you something?”
I laughed. “I’m fine. I feel great. A little tired is all.”
He grinned. “A little brother or sister for Elliott. Does he know yet?”
“No. Maybe we can tell him together tomorrow?”
“Yes. And my dad too.” He shook his head, as if he was amazed. “I can’t believe this. How did I get so lucky?”
Suddenly the patio door was flung open, and Griffin appeared, harried and out of breath. “Sorry,” he panted, bolting through the house toward the front door. “But Blair’s in labor. We gotta go.”
“Oh my God!” I tossed my bouquet onto the couch and picked up the hem of my dress, ready to run. “Where is she?”
“She’s outside. I’m parked down the street, so I’m going to pull the car around!”
Beckett and I hurried outside and found Blair sitting on a chair over to one side of the patio, breathing hard and sweating. Bianca held one of her hands and Cole appeared to be checking her pulse on the other.
“Blair!” I squealed. “This is so exciting!”
“I’m so sorry,” she said, looking agonized. “I didn’t want this to happen during your wedding.”
“Are you kidding? You just made this day better!”
Bianca laughed. “None of our weddings were ordinary, that’s for sure.”
“Let’s get her out front,” Cole said, helping her to her feet.
“Enzo, can you take this side?” Bianca asked. “I’m not much steadier on my legs than Blair is.”
“Of course.” Enzo moved to the other side of Blair, and Beckett moved ahead to open doors for them.
Bianca, Cheyenne, and I followed behind, watching as Griffin’s truck pulled up in front of the house, tires squealing. Beckett opened the passenger door, and the guys assisted Blair in getting into the front seat and buckled up.
They shut the door and Blair rolled down the window. “I’m so sad to miss the reception, Maddie.”
“Don’t worry about it! You can see the pictures!”
“Call us!” Cheyenne shouted as Bianca and I blew kisses and waved.
“I will!” Blair waved back, and Griffin drove away much more carefully than he’d pulled up.
The six of us stood there on the front porch for a moment, watching until Griffin’s taillights disappeared.
“Griffin is gonna be a dad,” Enzo said, like he couldn’t believe it. “Griffin.”
“He’ll be great at it,” Cheyenne said, sniffing. “Just like our dad was.”
Cole took Cheyenne’s hand and kissed the back of it. “I agree.”
“Life’s funny, isn’t it?” Glancing down the street toward the house where I’d grown up, I slipped my arm around Beckett’s waist, nestling into the boy who’d never forgotten me. “The way things come full circle?”
“But it’s good.” Enzo put his arms around his wife from behind and kissed her temple. “And I wouldn’t trade my circle for anything.”
“Think we’ll all be here in fifty years watching someone’s grandkids get married or something?” Bianca wondered.
“Definitely.” Beckett looked down at me and smiled. “Some things never change.”
Epilogue
Beckett
“You sure this is the right spot?” Cole asked.
“I’m positive.” I stuck the shovel into the ground again.
“I think it was a little more toward the barn,” Moretti said. “Maybe your memory is faulty in your old age.”
I gave him a look. “I’m thirty-eight, same as you, asshole.”
He grinned. “Just saying.”
“No, Beckett’s right. It was more toward the tree.” Griffin tipped up his beer. “Got another shovel?”
“Yeah,” I said, pausing to grab my beer from the fence post I’d set it on. “In the shed.”
Griffin nodded. “Cool. Moretti, go get it and start digging.”
“Fuck off.” Moretti laughed. “I’ve got a bad back.”
“Well, I’ve got a bum shoulder.”
Our wives, who’d dragged patio chairs out onto the lawn to watch us dig up our time capsule, rolled their eyes. “Watch your mouth, please, Enzo Moretti,” Bianca scolded. “There are kids around.”
There were kids around—fucking ten of them. I glanced across the yard, still amazed to see them all running around, shrieking and sweaty and sticky with popsicles that had melted quickly in the summer evening heat.