“I told my mom and Levi,” he admits, looking sheepish.
“What?” I can’t believe that he’s already been telling people.
“I didn’t know that we were supposed to wait until twelve weeks. In my defense, you never told me that,” he says. I close my eyes and lean my head back to look at the ceiling.
“You know what? Whatever. It doesn’t matter.” I rest my head on my mom’s shoulder and ask, “Are you happy, Mom?”
Forcing me away from her, she looks me in my eyes. “All I have ever wanted for you girls is happiness. Seeing you each get that in your own ways makes me more than happy,” she says softly.
Now it’s time for my eyes to fill with tears.
“I’m so happy for you. I’m so happy that you found your own happiness.”
“Thank you, Mom.” I wipe my eyes. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, honey.” She kisses her fingers and places them against my lips.
“Even though you are crazy, you are the best mom a girl could ever ask for.” I pull her in for one more hug before letting her go. “Now go home before traffic backs up and people going to work are stuck looking at your crazy morning getup.”
“I was in a rush to get here.” She pats her head, and I laugh.
“I can tell,” I say.
She smacks my shoulder. “Love you,” she murmurs. She looks at Wesley. “Come give me a hug,” she commands him.
He comes across the room and wraps her in his arms. She gives a thumbs-up in my direction. Hugging Wesley shirtless is definitely worth a thumbs-up, so I get it. “All right.” She looks between us after she lets him go. “I expect you two over for breakfast or dinner when you both have a day off.”
“We’ll set up a time soon.” I open the door for her. “Tell Dad I love him.”
She waves over her shoulder as she heads up the stairs. Watching her go, I shake my head. I’m sure a few people saw her on the sidewalk this morning, and I have no doubt that they all thought she was a crazy person.
“I like your mom,” Wesley says, wrapping his arms around me and leading me back into the bedroom.
“Do you?” I ask as he pulls his shirt off over my head.
“I do.”
He strips off my pants and his own, then helps me into the bed.
“Did you tell anyone else about the baby?” I ask.
His finger on my hip stops moving.
“I did,” he says.
I wait for a list of names, but he doesn’t continue.
“Who else did you tell?”
“Just a few guys from work.” He kisses the top of my head before settling me impossibly closer.
“You’re happy,” I whisper, realizing that he keeps telling everyone because he’s excited about becoming a dad.
“I’m so happy.” He tips my head back with two fingers under my chin so he can kiss me once more.
“I’m happy you’re happy.”
Kissing his pecs, I close my eyes and say a silent thank-you to whoever it is watching over us and our happily ever after.
Epilogue
MAC
“No.” I pull another pair of shorts out of my drawer and toss them behind me. “No, no, no.” I toss item after item behind me and let out a frustrated breath. None of my stuff fits anymore. In the last seven and a half months, I have gained just about fifty pounds, most of it in the last few weeks. Holding my hands against my naked stomach, I look down at my huge bump.
“Kid, you’re lucky I love you.” My stomach moves like our son knows what I’m saying, and I laugh. I don’t know if I will ever get used to him moving around—it’s the weirdest and most magical feeling I have ever experienced in my life.
“Are you about ready?” Wesley asks. I lift my head just as he walks into the bedroom. “I guess not.”
He smiles, his eyes raking over my breasts and stomach.
“I can’t find anything to wear.”
“What about those shorts you wore the other day?”
I look at the pile behind me, then back at him.
“I can’t. They don’t fit anymore. Nothing fits me anymore.” I take a seat on the side of the bed, completely drained from trying on clothes for the last thirty minutes. “My bras don’t even fit.” I lie back and rest my hands over my full, achy breasts.
“Do you want to go shopping?”
“When have I ever wanted to go shopping?” I ask.
He laughs as he lies down next to me. Taking my hand, he lifts it to his mouth and kisses my fingers, making my stomach melt.
“We could just stay home,” he suggests, sucking my ring finger into his mouth.
I laugh and tug my hand from his grasp.
“We can’t miss the Fourth of July at my parents’ house. I’ll just go see if I can’t find a dress or something,” I say. I yawn, covering my mouth.
His eyes fill with concern.
“I’ll go get you something to wear.”
“You’ll go?” I repeat.
He shrugs, turning to his side to face me. “Yeah, I’ll go. That way you can take a nap. I know you were up most of the night.”
“That’s because your son sleeps most of the day and is up all night using my bladder as a soccer goal.”
“I know.” He wraps his hand around my stomach. “I keep telling him to let you rest, but he doesn’t seem to be listening.”
“He’s stubborn,” I agree, placing my hand over his on my stomach.
“I wonder where he gets that from.” He smiles, and I narrow my eyes on his.
“Shouldn’t you be on your way?” I snap.
Chuckling, he kisses my nose. “Do you have any requests?”
“Requests?”
“Do you know what you would like me to get for you?”
“Something big.” I look down at my stomach and revise. “Really big.”
“You’re not big, gorgeous. You’re pregnant with our son.”
“Yeah, your son who is already nine pounds.” I remind him of the news the doctor delivered two days ago at our last appointment. “Our boy is now the size of a bowling ball, and we still have about five weeks until his due date.”
“His dad is a big guy.” He winks, and I roll my eyes.
“So arrogant.”
“You love me.”
“Yeah,” I agree softly as he glides his fingers across my forehead and down behind my ear. “How did I get so lucky?”
“I ask myself that same question every day.” He rolls me to my back and looms over me. Looking up into his love-filled eyes, I feel tears sting my nose. I don’t know
that I will ever get used to him loving me the way he does. So completely. “Don’t cry.” He laughs, wiping away the tears.
I cover my face. Since becoming pregnant, I cry all the time about the dumbest stuff, which is so annoying.
“I’m not crying,” I sniffle.
I hear him laugh.
“I’m not . . . ,” I gripe.
“Good.” He pulls my hands from my face, kisses me once more, then sits back. “Let me go so I can get back here.”
“I’m not holding you hostage.” I sit up and scoot back to rest against the headboard.
“You’re mostly naked.”
“And?”
“And it’s distracting.” He circles my nipple with his thumb, and my eyes slide closed. “Gorgeous, I need to leave.”
My eyes fly open, and I find him smiling at me. “So go, then.” I cover my chest, and he laughs.
“Do you love me?”
“No,” I tease.
His grin widens.
“Whatever.” I push at his chest. “Hurry and come back.”
“I won’t take long.” He kisses my forehead, then my lips before he pushes up out of bed.
Watching him as he leaves the room, I smile. Then I reach down, pull a quilt up over myself, and lie down.
“Hey, gorgeous.” I blink my eyes open and find Wesley sitting on the side of the bed. “I’ve been trying to wake you up for about ten minutes now,” he says, studying me.
I sit up, then scoot back in the bed. “Really?” I rub my eyes.
“You’re tired.” He rests his hand on my stomach. “Are you sure you want to go out to your parents’ house?”
“I’m sure. Besides, I can sleep in the car on the way there, or take a nap there if I need to,” I say.
I can see in his eyes that he doesn’t like the idea.
Tipping my head to the side, I rest my hand over his. “I’m okay.”
“I know you’re exhausted.”
“I know, but that’s because I’ve been growing a human,” I joke, but Wesley doesn’t laugh.
He takes his job of taking care of me very seriously. Getting up on my knees, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss his cheek.
“I’m fine,” I say.
He turns to look at me, then slides his hand up my back and into my hair. Pulling my mouth down to his, he touches his lips to mine.