Epilogue

Annie

It’s five in the morning, and I’m standing at the bathroom counter staring at my reflection in the mirror when Jake walks in behind me, naked.

“What are you doing up so early?” he asks, squinting at the bathroom light. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes, fine.”

He comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. I’m wearing one of his humongous T-shirts, which is long enough to cover my rear end. That doesn’t stop him, though, from sliding his warm hand up beneath the hem of the shirt and palming my naked butt cheek.

I didn’t sleep well last night thanks to some crazy dreams, and then I found myself wide awake well before dawn, unable to go back to sleep. My mind was racing too much to allow me to doze off again, so I figured I might as well get this over with.

He finally notices the little blue stick I’m holding. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Yes.” My cheeks heat up. “I’m two weeks late, Jake. I’m never late.”

“Shit. That time I forgot to grab a condom.”

“Yeah. The timing was sort of spot on then, if one was actually trying to get pregnant.”

He peers over my shoulder to get a better look at the stick. “Well? What does it say?”

“It’s not done yet. Two more minutes.”

He exhales heavily, running his fingers through his sleep-mussed hair. Then, after kissing the side of my neck, he walks to the toilet and raises the seat so he can empty his bladder.

The alarm on my phone goes off, making me jump. The requisite wait time is over.

“Well?” he says.

I stare at the indicator, my mind racing.

“Elliot, for crying out loud, tell me. If we’re pregnant, that’s great.” He does a quick mental calculation and laughs. “Jeez, you’d be nine months pregnant at our wedding.”

Finished with his business, he washes his hands at the sink and dries them on a towel. Then he takes the stick from me, glancing at it briefly before setting it down on the countertop. He pulls me into his arms. “I love you.”

“That’s good,” I say, laughing shakily. “Because we’re having a baby.”

When I look up at him to gauge his reaction, there are tears in his eyes. He covers his face with his hand.

“Jake? What’s wrong?”

He shakes his head, not trusting himself to speak.

“You’re happy, right?” I say. “I mean, we’re having a baby. I need you to be happy about this.”

He sweeps me up into his arms. “Of course I’m happy. I’m freaking ecstatic. I’m also scared shitless. Promise me you’ll hold onto me and never let go.”

“I promise.”

And then he carries me back to our bed so we can properly celebrate our second chance at a new beginning.

 

 

 

The end… for now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coming Next!

Stay tuned for more books featuring your favorite McIntyre Security characters! Watch for upcoming books for Charlie, Killian and Hannah, Cameron and Chloe, Liam, Tyler, and many more!

Erin and Mack’s long-awaited book, Regret, is coming in early 2019!