No One Else (The Ladies Who Brunch 2)

“Yes.” I nod, unable to say much more because I’m thoroughly shocked. I knew that Ethan meant what he said about getting to this point someday, but I just never expected it to be now.

Staring down at the ring he just placed on my finger, I lift my eyes back up to him. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“I hope I said everything you needed to hear,” he replies, tears building in his eyes.

I reach forward and cup the sides of his face. “All I need is you, Ethan. No one else. By continuing to show up, stand up, and be here for me every day. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

“I love you so fucking much, Amelia,” he mutters as a tear rolls down his cheek, and then we both lean forward at the same time, so our lips meet.

And as I breathe in the scent of orchids and the man in front of me, my entire future comes together. Falling for this man was a risk I wasn’t sure I should take, but there was no stopping my heart from jumping in with both feet, from pulling me toward him even when I was fighting it. And now I know that the chance we took—the chance we took to find love with someone we were least expecting—was a risk that paid off for us both.

And now we get to reap the rewards and love for the rest of our lives.

THE END

Thank you for reading Amelia and Ethan’s story! And if you’re interested in a sneak peek into Amelia and Ethan’s future, read the extended epilogue here.

BUT WAIT!

I think we need one more brunch scene to see where our ladies will lead us next ??

One Week Later

“Where is she?” Noelle glances at her phone for the hundredth time since we sat down for brunch this Sunday morning.

Ethan and I got home from Cabo yesterday afternoon, and even though I’m tired, I was eager to see the girls after my vacation celebrating our engagement.

Charlotte was also eager to see us since she and Damien returned from their honeymoon just a few days before Ethan and I got home. It’s been weeks since the four of us have been together, but one leg of our group is late—and not just a few minutes late, almost an hour with no response to any of our calls or text messages.

Noelle rubs her belly as her eyelids droop closed. “Good thing we didn’t wait for her to order food; otherwise, I’d probably be passed out from starvation right now.” She covers up her mouth as she yawns. “And if she doesn’t hurry up, I’m going to pass out at the table from my food coma.”

After a failed round of insemination, Noelle saw two pink lines on her second try and is expecting a baby in early January. She’s only two months along, but pretty soon, you’ll definitely know she’s growing a human. Lucky for us, we get to live vicariously through her experience with the many conversations surrounding pregnancy side effects in the first trimester. Pregnancy just sounds like such a pleasant experience.

Did you sense the sarcasm there?

Charlotte darts her eyes between Noelle and me. “You guys, I’m genuinely worried. It’s not like Penelope to not answer her phone. I mean, I know it’s a Sunday, but she never misses brunch.”

“I agree. I don’t want to think the worst, but perhaps we should get the authorities involved. Has it been more than twenty-four hours since anyone has spoken to her?” I ask as I look between my friends.

Noelle shakes her head. “No. She and I texted a few times last night. So we’d have to wait until…” She checks her text message thread with Penelope. “At least seven tonight to file a missing person’s report.”

Charlotte shakes her head. “She’d better have a good reason for standing us up though. You know she’d be the first to say something if any of us weren’t here.”

Just as Charlotte finishes her thought, Penelope comes bursting through the door of Frankie’s, her hair and eyes wild, her face contorted with anger. Wearing a barely-there purple dress and heels, that clearly had to be her outfit from the night before, she stomps across the restaurant toward us and plops herself down into her seat, seething.

“Uh, hello? Where have you been?” Noelle asks, clearly not taking in Penelope’s demeanor correctly. And even though I feel I should correct her, I kind of want to hear Penelope’s answer.

“I’m going to kill him,” Penelope grates out.

“Who?” Charlotte asks.

“Maddox Taylor.”

All of us shoot wide-eyed looks in Penelope’s direction.

“I’m sorry?” I ask. “Did you just say, Maddox Taylor? The football player?”

Penelope takes a deep breath through her nose and blows it out of her mouth harshly. “Yup.”

“And why are we planning to murder Maddox Taylor?” Charlotte interrogates further. “I mean, I’m all for trying to get away with murder. I’ve actually always wondered if I could get away with it. I think I could, that I’m smart enough. I’ve watched enough murder documentaries and listened to one too many murder podcasts…but my hair is always getting everywhere, girls. Even Damien complains about it…”

Noelle cuts her off. “Jesus, Charlotte. Let her speak.” She turns to Penelope. “Honey, what’s going on? Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you’re okay and that we don’t have to file a missing person’s report for you anymore. But why on earth are you pissed off at Maddox Taylor?”

She reaches into her purse and pulls out a pair of handcuffs, slapping them on the table, the loud clash of metal hitting the surface, drawing the attention of people around us.

“Did you get arrested?” Noelle asks.

Charlotte rolls her eyes. “Jesus, Noelle. Really? Do you think if she got arrested, they would have let her go and taken the handcuffs with her?”

Noelle scoffs. “Jeez. Sorry. Pregnancy brain is a real thing, all right?”

I decide this is the appropriate time to chime in. “Penelope, why do you have handcuffs in your purse, and what does this have to do with Maddox Taylor?”

She huffs, crossing her arms over her chest. “Because that dickhead fucked me within an inch of my life last night and several times all week, then handcuffed me to his bed this morning and left me there as a punishment.”

All of our mouths drop open.

“He handcuffed you to the bed? And just left you there? How did you get out?” I ask, thoroughly interested. I mean, doesn’t everybody contemplate what they would do in such a situation at least once in their life?

Wait? Is it just me that’s thought that?

Ugh. Never mind.

She shakes her head, popping her tongue against her cheek. “His cleaning lady came in and found me butt-ass naked on his bed. The keys were right on the nightstand, so she was able to unlock me, but not before she saw my snatch.”

And now we all laugh under our breaths.

“Jesus, Penelope. What are you going to do now? And you and Maddox Taylor? When the hell did this happen?”

She reaches for her mimosa and drains half of it before replying. “Buckle up for one hell of a story, ladies, especially because this one is just getting started.”