Jesse was gone now. He no longer had to worry about what dangers he could bring to their lives. His biggest regret was that he didn’t try harder to save his brother from himself. Jesse was difficult as a child and he was just plain dangerous as an adult. Three women found out the hard way.
His mother had written him off after Walker’s arrest. She told Walker, how painful that was for her, choosing one son over the other but she couldn’t forgive Jesse hurting Walker the way he had. Saving himself at Walker’s expense because of the mess he had made of his life.
Driving through town, Walker felt more at peace than he had in months. He wanted their wedding to be next month instead of the month after. That would finally give him everything that he could possibly want. “Sure, you don’t want to get married at Thanksgiving instead of New Year’s?” He asked.
Danni chuckled at him. “Why are you getting impatient?”
“Kind of,” Walker agreed. Walker was ready to move forward now. Tomorrow if she would have him but he wanted Danni to have the wedding she wanted and had been planning. She needed time to make her dress without his mother now who had been excited to be a part of this. Excited because she knew that Danni wanted a baby and she would finally be a grandmother.
“When are you going off your birth control?” He asked. They had already stopped using condoms.
“I already did.” Danni shot him a naughty look. He was shocked that she hadn’t talked to him first, but he didn’t care. Not really.
“Oh boy,” he replied. “When?”
“When I first realized that I wanted to marry you, Walker after we made love the first time. I knew it wouldn’t be long that I could wear you down.”
He burst out laughing. “Are you already pregnant?” He asked.
“No but it won’t take long. I’m sure of it.”
He shook his head at her.
“I can have it all, Walker. We can have it all. Running the garage together. Our babies can stay in the office with us or Mom will watch them. We will have a good life,”
He turned back to Danni, “We will,” he agreed.
Epilogue
A man’s wedding day was a turning point. He was no longer free to do what he wanted, when he wanted. Her brothers had been teasing him at the rehearsal dinner at Ike’s and all morning about their sister becoming his ball and chain. She could shackle him anytime. He was ready. He was nearly thirty-six years old and more than ready for this.
Matt shooed everyone out of the room. He straightened his tie for him. Tugged down the vest so that it met his jeans and stepped back. “You clean up, well.”
“Thanks.”
He had even shaved for today not that Danni cared. She loved his whiskers especially when he tickled her neck with his rough beard. “Are you nervous?” Matt asked.
“Not one bit,” Walker replied.
“You should be. It’s Danni.”
Walker chuckled. That’s why he wasn’t nervous. She completed him. All the corny things that he could tell Matt about her, he wouldn’t want to hear so Walker kept them to himself. “Let’s go. The pastor is waiting to marry you two.”
He followed Matt down the hall past the door where he knew Danni was getting dressed. He stopped and so did Matt. He knocked on the door and Layla stuck her head out. “What do you want?” She scowled at him.
Walker knew he couldn’t see Danni. Supposedly it was bad luck. “Can I just talk to her for a minute?”
“Yes, he can.” Danni replied for Layla.
He saw her fingers cupping the edge of the door. He laid his forehead against the solid wood panel and his hand over hers. “I love you,” he whispered. He wasn’t sure that she could hear him, his voice was so soft.
“I love you too, Walker. Changing your mind?”
He knew that she was teasing him. “Never,” he responded.
“Good,” she said. She laced her fingers through his and he turned so he could see them. He drew her hand around the edge of the door and he kissed the palm of her hand. “Are you, all right?” She asked.
“I’m just fine, baby. I’ll let you finish getting ready now.”