Epilogue
Parker
A few months later
“Who knew buying a dildo online would end with a happily ever after?” Lexi teases as she comes waltzing into the bathroom. I’ve been trying to give my groom the slip since we said our vows, but he isn’t making it easy. The man isn’t letting me out of his sight.
“Did you get it?” I ask.
Lexi nods as she holds up the pregnancy test. It’s not often I see her in a dress, and I haven’t missed the number of men checking her out tonight. She has no idea the attention she draws, but my best friend is so beautiful.
The wedding wasn’t giant, but it wasn’t small either. I think there were around seventy-five guests in all, but Sammy went all out. The man gave me a wedding that fairy tales are made of.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t come through?”
“I knew you would.” She’s right; Lexi always follows through if she says she’s going to do something. I take the test from her and start to read over the instructions.
“I never thought I’d be able to get you alone.”
“You’re not kidding. He tried to come to the bathroom with me. He said that I might need help peeing since my dress is so big.” Lexi bursts into laughter, though I think he was teasing me. “I told him you were coming with me.” I shake my head as Lexi starts undoing a few of the buttons for me in the back.
“It’s going to be weird not seeing you around campus next semester.” I can hear the sadness in her voice, though she’s trying to hide it as I turn around to face her.
Sammy told me he would support whatever I wanted and that if I wanted to stay in college or try something else, I could. I’ve decided to take a semester off after finishing the last one. It’s why we held the wedding off for a few months so we could go on a honeymoon and I wouldn’t have to worry about missing classes. I wasn’t going into another semester not knowing what I wanted to do with my life, so I’m spending some time doing what feels good.
“You’re not only my best friend, Lexi. You’re family,” I tell her. She was the first person to love me for who I am. “Me not going to school with you changes nothing. In fact, I’ll have more free time to work around your schedule.”
She’s been a bit excited about having her own space for the first time in her life. Having grown up in the foster system, she bounced from home to home and was always cramped into a room with other people.
“Promise?”
“I promise. If you hate the dorm next year or can’t get a single one, then you’re more than welcome to come and stay with Sammy and me.” She lifts a brow. “I swear! I already told him this when he asked me to marry him. He knows we’re a package deal.”
“You two and packages.” I snort a laugh at her terrible joke. “Take the test. You’re killing me here.”
“All right.”
Lexi helps me with my dress, holding it for me while I use the bathroom. Afterward, I set the test on the counter, and we wait. I think I already know what it’s going to say, but I want to be sure before I tell Sammy.
The man has given me so much, and he shows me what love should really be. Unconditional love. He might be a bit bossy but in the best of ways. He gives me things I didn’t know I needed, and I can’t wait to grow our family.
Before I met Samuel, the idea of having a baby would have freaked me out. My father had made me doubt myself at every turn, and I thought I needed him to okay everything that I did. Sammy helped heal some of those wounds and will continue to. Now I know that not only can I do this, but I want to do this.
“Pregnant,” Lexi confirms, and as I take the test from her, there’s a knock at the door.
I quickly hide it and then I hear Sammy’s voice through the door. “I’m getting worried out here.”
“It’s girl talk,” Lexi shouts. “I'm telling her what’s going to happen to her on the wedding night.”
We burst into laughter before she pops the lock, opening the door. Not only is my husband there, but so is his friend Asher. Asher’s eyes go straight to Lexi, and I realize that this is the first time they’ve actually gotten to meet.
“Text me. I want lots of pictures,” Lexi says, ignoring the men.
“Are you leaving?” I ask.
“In case you get swept away before I get the chance to say it. I know how this one can be.” She points a thumb over to Sammy before she gives me a hug. “Love you,” she whispers into my ear.
“Love you too,” I say before she disappears out the door and I see Asher following her out. Sammy steps into the bathroom and comes straight to me.
“Are you going to tell me?” He wraps his arm around me, pulling me into his body. I still can’t get over how good he looks in a tux. I mean, that man kills a suit, but this is something else altogether.
“You know?” I roll my eyes, not really annoyed. Of course he knows.
“It’s why I let you go. So you could have this moment with Lexi. I know what she means to you, and you want her to be a part of this family.”
“Sammy.” My eyes fill with tears for the millionth time today. He nearly made me choke during the vows because I cried like a baby.
“Out with it,” he orders sweetly. Only he can make demands sound soft.
“I’m pregnant.” He closes his eyes, savoring the moment.
“Derrick is on a trial run while we’re in Europe for the next month. If all goes as planned, I’ll be able to step back a lot from the office.”
He’s had Derrick working at his side a lot since he let my father go.
I haven’t spoken to my father since that day, and I don’t have any plans to. Not yet, at least.
“You know you don’t—” I start to say, but he cuts me off. I would never make him choose between me and the company he’s built.
“I will be a part of all of this. Nothing is more important to me than this family of ours. You and our baby will always come first.”
“How did I get so lucky?”
“I’m the lucky one.” Sammy leans down and brushes his mouth against mine. “I love you. You’re my whole world.”
“I love you too, husband of mine.”
“Then be a good girl and come dance with me, and I’ll feed you cake.”
How could I possibly say no to that?