Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
We managed to gather everyone at Declan’s place two weeks later. We stand in front of our family and friends as he asks me to marry him again. This time with a ring. Then we let Blakely tell them that she’s going to be a big sister. Everyone congratulates us, and never in my life have I felt more content and loved.
Willow River is my home, and I intend to stay forever.
EPILOGUE DECLAN
Declan
This is the day we’ve all been waiting for. Blakely, most of all. She’s been dying to know if she’s going to have a little brother or little sister. So much so that she decided that her birthday cake is going to be either pink or blue, depending on the gender of the baby. It’s going to be a challenge not to fold and tell her before her party next week. Kennedy and I will be the only ones that know until then. I was hesitant at first revealing the gender at Blakely’s birthday party but that’s what she wanted, and who I am to say no to her with such a simple request?
She turns five next weekend, and it’s hard for me to believe. My little girl is growing up way too fast, but I know she’s going to be the best big sister. She follows Kennedy around everywhere she goes.
Kennedy works from home, so my parents have been freed up to do some traveling. They still call and ask for Blakely, and when they’re not gone, she still stays with them three days a week, but Kennedy insisted that she get at least two days with our daughter. She knows that if her workload gets too heavy, my parents, Ramsey, or my brothers will step in to help us out.
“Ready?” Jasmine asks.
“Ready,” my wife and I say at the same time.
Did I forget to mention that bit of news? Kennedy and I planned a small wedding at Willow Manor. It was the third week of March, just three short weeks after I proposed in front of our families, and we told them about the baby.
Orrin put his foot down and married Jade four weeks later at the manor. Neither one of them wanted to wait for a second longer, and well, when you have an in with the owner of the manor, and your mother-in-law is Carol Kincaid, shit gets done.
My mother is beside herself. Two new grandbabies to spoil. She’s not pressuring Orrin, but I know, hell, we all know she’d be over the moon if he were to announce that they were expecting. In time. I know they’re both ready, hence the rush to get married. They wanted to start their forever.
“Congratulations! It’s a boy,” Jasmine tells us.
“A boy.” My voice cracks.
“A boy,” Kennedy repeats, tears in her eyes.
“I love you and our boy.” I bend to kiss her lips.
“I love you and our girl,” she replies.
I’m sure Jasmine thinks we’ve lost our damn minds, but that’s okay. This is our life, and we’re living it. We’re loving it, and we’re happy. We work hard, and we love harder.
That’s what matters.
EPILOGUE KENNEDY
Kennedy
Our little girl turns five today. She made me a mommy first, and I love that she’s my shadow. She’s been bouncing off the walls all week. She’s excited to cut into her birthday cake and reveal the gender of her baby brother or sister.
We’ve had to go to great lengths to keep her from the cake. So much so that I asked Ramsey and Deacon to pick it up from the bakery for me yesterday and keep it at their place until they arrive for the party today.
I’ve given my brothers-in-law, Maverick and Merrick, strict cake-watching duties. Under no circumstance are they to let Blakely near the cake until it’s time to cut it. They’re taking their duties seriously. They’ve set up two chairs in front of the cake table. Their thick corded arms crossed over their chests as they glare at Blakely.
“But you’re my favorites,” my daughter tells them.
I can see that they’re ready to crack. “Blake,” I warn her. Maverick and Merrick shrug, admitting they were ready to cave. She bats those long eyelashes that she gets from her daddy and his brothers and her papaw, and we’re all toast. Even me.
“But, Mommy, I really want to know.” She’s been calling me a mommy for months now, and every single time my heart melts. I couldn’t love her more if I’d given birth to her.
“I know, baby girl, but we talked about this. This is your birthday party. We don’t want to take away from that. You need to play and eat and open presents.”
“But the baby is my present. I asked Santa to bring us a wife, and he gave us you. It was late, but he did, and now the baby. That’s what I asked for. Please, Mommy?”