Epilogue
Three months later
Dallas, Texas
“Here, let me get that for you.”
“Thanks.” Gabby gazed dreamily at the reflection of the handsome man standing behind her, zipping up her dress. The last three months had been a whirlwind of joy. Not a moment had gone by that she hadn’t wanted to pinch herself to make sure it was not a dream. She had lived on hopes and dreams for so long, but now her reality far outreached anything she could have ever imagined.
Tonight was their first outing as man and wife. Since neither of them had wanted a large wedding or had the patience to wait for any kind of planned event, they’d been married within a week of Jonah’s arrival in Willoughby. Only Jonah’s family, along with Grey and a few of Grey’s employees, had attended. Gabby had no family on her side to attend, but as Jonah’s mother quickly pointed out, she had plenty of family now.
And what a marvelous family they were. She had fallen in love with them. She had already loved Kathleen and Lacey. Then she’d met Eli, who was exactly as Lacey had described him—kind, gentle-hearted, and handsome. Violet and Sophia were a delight, making her laugh within seconds of meeting them. And the newest addition, Kathleen and Eli’s son, Jonathan Daniel Slater, was a bundle of sweetness. They were the perfect family.
The only Slater she had been nervous about meeting was Jonah’s mother. There had been no need. From the moment their eyes met, Gabby had recognized a kindred spirit. Eleanor Slater’s spirit had been almost extinguished by her former husband, but Gabby saw a spark still simmering.
The wedding had been an intimate, beautiful moment, joining her together with the man who held her heart so tenderly in his big hands. With just a few words, she had become not only a wife, but also a sister, aunt, and daughter. She had so much more than she’d ever dreamed possible. All because of the amazing man standing behind her.
Their honeymoon had been two weeks of glorious bliss, starting with a private island in the Caribbean and ending with a stay in their cabin in Utah. And because Jonah had known how much Gabby had missed Chamo, he had arranged for him to be at the cabin when they arrived. No doubt about it, Jonah Slater was a miracle…her miracle.
How was it possible to love him more today than yesterday? And she knew she would love him even more tomorrow.
“You keep making my dreams come true, even the ones that seem impossible.”
Warm hands kneading her shoulders, Jonah leaned down and pressed a kiss to her neck, making her shiver and feel flushed at the same time.
“My number-one goal is fulfilling every single one of them, especially the ones you never believed were possible.”
Closing her eyes, she leaned back against his hard body. They were due at Kathleen and Eli’s house in about half an hour. They would arrive at the gala together, as one unit. Not only was this hers and Jonah’s first outing as a married couple, it was Eleanor’s first social event since she had lost her husband. All the Slaters would be surrounding Eleanor as one front, because that’s what real families did.
“Then maybe I need to add to my collection.”
Both of their gazes shifted to the bookshelf where five notebooks stood, filled with her hopes, wishes, and dreams, many of which had already come true. Beside the notebooks was a stack of ten empty ones. Jonah had presented them to her on their wedding day, along with a gorgeous Montblanc writing pen.
“I’ll get you a bigger shelf.”
Happy tears pooling in her eyes, she whirled around and threw her arms around him. “I love you so much, Jonah Slater.”
“And I love and adore you, Gabby Slater. I might make your dreams come true, but you are my only dream.”
She leaned back in his arms. “But I want to give you something more.”
His grin sexy and suggestive, he growled, “We don’t have time.”
“Oh, you’ll get that, too. Don’t worry. But that’s not what I mean.”
Seeing her sincerity, Jonah went serious. He was learning much about his sweet wife, and one of the things he’d picked up on was her need to give in return.
Leaning his forehead against hers, he whispered, “There is one gift I’d like to have, but it would be for both of us.”
“What’s that?”
“A baby.”
He felt the shock go through her. “I’m not saying anytime soon. But it’s something I’ve been thinking about.”
“But I thought you didn’t—”
He pressed his fingers to her lips. He didn’t even want to hear her say the words. They were so damn wrong. Before Gabby, the probability of him ever fathering a child was zero. But she had made him see many things from a different perspective, including fatherhood.
“Our child will have two parents who love him or her beyond measure. That’s something my beautiful wife taught me.”
“What?” she whispered.
“Love will always win.”
Her face glowing, she threw her arms around him again. “Yes, it will.”
He squeezed her hard for another second and then stood back. “We need to get going if we’re going to be there on time, but I have something for you that can’t wait.”
“Jonah…no. You’ve already given me so much.”
Not nearly as much as she had given him. “Just a few more things.”
Pulling away, he opened a cabinet in the bookshelf and took out three wrapped packages. He held an oblong one out to her. “This one first.”
Her eyes shining with laughter, she shook her head and took the package. “You are too much.”
He watched as she carefully unwrapped the package, extending the excitement. Once unwrapped, she clicked the box open and laughed softly, “Thank you, it’s beautiful. In fact, it’s the same style of drawing pen I lost when I—” She held the pen up to the light. “How odd. There’s a nick on the side…almost like my old—”
Her breath hitching, her eyes went wide. “Is this? Oh, Jonah. Did you find…how did you find it?”
“Your purse was in evidence lockup at the police station in London. I called a guy who called another guy.”
It had been a little more complicated than that. The procedure hadn’t exactly taken an act of Congress, but it had been close. The joy on her face made every bit of the effort worthwhile.
He held out the second package. Since she suspected what it contained, she practically snatched the box from his hand. He laughed watching her tear into the paper like a child at Christmas.
Her voice was a low whisper, thick with emotion. “My parents’ photographs. You even had them framed.”
“Now this.” He held out the third box, larger than the other two.
Her hands shaking, she took the box from him and just stared at it for a few seconds.
“Gabby?”
She looked at him then, her eyes flooded with tears, her mouth trembling. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, Jonah Slater. But I swear I will spend the rest of my life thanking God for you.”
His chest tight, Jonah swallowed past a lump. “Exactly how I feel.” He nodded at the box. “Open it.”
Going slower this time, she carefully unwrapped the box and then opened the small leather case that held her mother’s necklace.
“I thought it would look nice with your dress.”
Holding the box to her chest, she wrapped her arm around his neck and kissed him.
His heart fuller than he’d ever thought possible, Jonah lost himself in her taste. This woman, with her courage, sweetness, and incredible zest for life, had brought him back from the edge of darkness. He didn’t know what he had done to deserve her, but he would spend the rest of his life cherishing Gabby, the only gift he would ever need.