Say Yes

Well, aside from the stamp that I got to put on Walker’s face in the form of the frosting and sweet crumbs I smeared all over his face when we cut the cake.

I had a feeling this was the happy, hopeful start to the rest of an equally sweet forever.

Epilogue

Mackenzie

Six Months Later

Six months could change a lot of things.

Like the fact that Alex and I had expanded the gallery to the building over, giving us more showing space and additional studio rooms to work out of. Like the fact that Walker had learned how to delegate work and was now home by six in the evening, every evening—barring emergencies, which he promised wouldn’t be habitual. So far he’d been really good about it, and on nights when he absolutely had to work late, I sometimes stopped by to give him a little ‘pick me up’. We’d gotten a lady friend for Bruno, who was expecting a litter of puppies in a few weeks.

She wasn’t the only one.

Painting was harder when you had a growing belly separating you from a canvas and the extra weight made your ankles hurt and standing uncomfortable, but I made do. Abby, our sweet black and white Great Dane, lay at my feet in the art room where I worked on a new piece for the nursery. Her belly was swollen like mine, although she was closer to the big day than I was. She let out a little whine.

“Oh, I know, honey,” I murmured, huffing a strand of hair out of my face. “We’re in here doing all the work, and what are the boys doing?”

“Hey now! I was making sure your water was perfect.” Walker came in, a tray in his hands with two icy cold glasses of lemon water balanced on it.

Oh, perfect. I’d been craving lemon water—and sometimes peach water—but couldn’t bear drinking regular at the moment. Walker knew how to get the right amount of lemon in there to sate my palate without making it so tart I might as well be drinking lemonade instead. I gulped it down as he eyed me with a smile, sipping on his own.

“What?” I asked, head tilted.

“Oh, nothing. It’s just cute, seeing you at work like this. Painting for the babies.”

Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention. We were having twins. Walker was convinced we’d conceived them on our honeymoon, and he was probably right. Although there’d been lots of trying in the days following our honeymoon too—and even after we found out I was pregnant.

Making up for lost time. That’s what I called it.

I couldn’t help but smile as Walker leaned in and kissed me, taking my breath away like he had the day we got married—both times. Achy back and swollen ankles were worth it for the chance to have what I had now.

The man of my dreams who loved me.

Two children on the way.

Two beautiful dogs that would look after the babies as much as we did.

I wrapped my arms around him. It was hard to press against him, but I did my best. Strange as it sounded, pregnancy hormones were certainly a thing and… oh boy, did I have them. I nuzzled into Walker’s neck and sighed.

“You’re going to distract me from getting this done for the baby,” I accused, though my tone wasn’t the least bit serious. “I think that’s what you intended, Mr. Prince. How dastardly.”

“Oh, you caught me, Mrs. Prince,” he said, stepping back with a dramatic, apologetic bow. “However can I make it up to you, pulling you away from your work with my masculine wiles?”

I snorted.

“Masculine wiles?”

He chuckled. “You know, those things that for some reason made you fall head over heels madly in love with me—”

“Oh wow, thinking a little highly of yourself, aren’t you?”

“Well, you did say yes to marrying me—high thinking and all.”

I smiled.

“Yeah… I sure did.”