She gives me a significant look, letting me know she’s getting out of my way. I hug her and she whispers in my ear, “I’m so happy for you.”
“Bye, Max.”
Shouldering her bag, she walks past him. She must not be wearing a very convincing poker face because Maxton’s suspicion is clear. When he returns his gaze to me, there’s something like fragile hope in his eyes.
“What’s happening, Maddie?”
I grab the test from the counter and hold it up for him to see. His face crumples and then he smiles. It’s a picture of unrestrained joy like I’ve never seen from him before, almost boyish.
“Tell me. Say it. I need to hear you say it.”
He strides over to me and wraps his arms around me, pressing us closer. I lean against him, staring up as my tears make him blurry. His fingers gently brush at my cheeks.
“Tell me.”
“I’m pregnant. Max, we’re going to have a baby. A family.”
He croaks and pulls me into his arms. I can feel his chest trembling like an earthquake is rattling his bones. It’s like he’s holding back a torrent of emotion, as his hands stroke my hair, his gentle touch something that will stay with me for life.
“We’re going to give this kid the best possible life,” he tells me. “They’re always going to know they’re loved. They’re always going to feel like they belong.”
“Always,” I whimper.
“I love you, Maddie.”
“I love you, Max.”
He smiles down at me, his eyes glassy but his face dry. “To the stars and back.”
My chest thumps wildly. To the stars and back. We’ve been saying that since the proposal night when he shaped the question in the stars.
It reminds us of where we started, two strangers in a massive universe thrown together by fate. It reminds us of the love we felt before we ever laid eyes on each other, the bond we formed.
“But Max,” I say. “I’m going to have to put my foot down. We’re not calling our son Smolder.”
He chuckles. “Fair enough. As long as they’re healthy and happy. That’s the most important thing.”
He leans down, pressing his lips against mine.
Extended Epilogue
One Year Later
Maxton
Genny stares up at me, her cries suddenly stopping as I stand over her crib. She’s got the most curious look, with her wide eyes and her cute smile. The doctors and everyone say she can’t feel curiosity yet, not in the proper sense, but I’m sure they must be wrong as I reach down and softly tickle her chin.
“You done screaming the house down, angel?”
She coos as I lift her into my arms. My woman has been up all day with her, working on her coding in between feeding and caring for our Genny… Genny, the closest homage we could get to our Star Search origins. Genny feels so fragile in my arms as I carry her over to the changing table.
As I handle her business, I find myself wondering what sort of person she’s going to be. That’s what I’m looking forward to most, getting to know her, nurturing her interests, standing by her no matter what.
I wept the first time I held her. I’m not ashamed to admit that.
I almost cried on our wedding day, when Maddie appeared at the end of the aisle, five months along with our baby, her features gorgeously flushed and vivacious. She looked like an angel as she walked toward me, floating in a flowy white dress.
I managed to keep it together, but when they placed Genny in my arms, I broke down, joy bursting out of me.
I feed her and then rock her for a while. She seems to like it when I press her right against my heart and move softly from side to side.
Standing at the window, I look out at the stars, so much brighter here than in the city. We’ve got a six-bedroom place in the suburbs, the perfect place for our growing family. The stars shine down from the cloudless black shy, making me want to take Maddie and Genny and fly someplace far away like we did in Star Search.
“I can’t wait until we can go on adventures together,” I whisper, as she drifts off to sleep.
I place her down, making sure she’s in the right position, and then kiss her on the head.
When I return to the bedroom, Maddie is sitting up in bed, her phone screen glowing against her eyes. She smiles at me sleepily, and I silently thank fate, destiny, whatever it was that brought us together…
She’s still got her pregnancy glow, and it’s made her body even curvier. She wears baggy PJs, but the animal inside knows what lies beneath.
“How was she?” she asks.
“She was fine, just wanted a little attention.”
“She’s a little drama queen.” Maddie giggles. “You’re so good with her.”
I touch her shoulder, squeezing softly. “So are you. Why are you up?”