Epilogue
JJ
Two weeks later…
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yes, I’m sure,” Jessie repeated for the third time. Then, doing her best Maury impression, she said, “JJ Briggs, you are not the father.”
“Okay.” I gave her a courtesy laugh. “Thanks, Jess. Talk soon.”
As I disconnected the call I looked around my kitchen and waited to feel relief, but instead there was a heaviness in my chest.
I hadn’t ever really believed that I was the father. Especially after it had become clear that the only thing Kylie Wright wanted was my money. She’d made so many threats over the past few weeks about going to the press unless she was paid that I’d lost track. So it was strange that I felt like I’d lost something. Something I’d never had.
Just as I was about to get up to go back to bed, Destiny walked into the kitchen.
“Morning, wife,” I greeted her, as I rose from the Harp Designs wooden table that I’d had Clint from Fixer Upper make as a wedding gift to Destiny. I pulled her into my arms.
We’d been husband and wife for seven days now. Our engagement had lasted a grand total of one week before Destiny had put me out of my misery and agreed to go to the courthouse and make it official. At first, I’d felt bad, like I was short-changing her big day, but she assured me that she had never been the girl who had dreamed of a big wedding since that would mean a day of being the center of attention. As it turned out, our small courthouse wedding had ended up being attended by over fifty people. All close friends and family. Grandma Dixie, who had been released from the hospital five days earlier and was on the mend with instructions to take iron pills, walked Destiny down the short aisle. Then Mom had thrown us a party at the barn. It was perfect, and not just because she made her world famous fried chicken.
We were planning a honeymoon for next year after things were up and running at both the sports academy and the bakery.
“Who were you on the phone with?” she asked sleepily as she nuzzled up against my chest.
“Jessie. The paternity test came back.”
Destiny’s gaze shot to mine.
A sad grin pulled at my lips, and I shook my head, trying to hide the disappointment as I said, “I’m not a dad.”
“Are you sad?”
The concern in her eyes melted me. But I shrugged. It didn’t make sense, but that didn’t change the fact that I kind of was.
Something flickered in her eyes as she asked, “Well, what if you were?”
“No. The test is indisputable,” I explained. Jessie had made sure we’d used the leading forensics lab in the nation.
“I’m not talking about the test.” She smiled anxiously.
“What are you talking…” It took me a minute to play catch-up. “Wait. Are you…” I stepped back to look at her.
I wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t like she looked any different than she had when I’d thoroughly explored her body less than eight hours ago when we’d made love.
“When? How?” I stuttered out.
“Over the Fourth. And do I really need to have the birds-and-the-bees talk with you?” she teased as she let out a nervous laugh.
“The Fourth? When did you find out?” A flush of adrenaline raced through me as my eyes widened in disbelief.
“Yesterday. I went to get my birth control refilled and they informed me that would not be necessary.” She chuckled again, this time it sounded like disbelief.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I don’t know… It’s just… This all happened so fast and I was trying to get my head around it. And, also, I didn’t want this news to be mixed up with whatever the paternity test said. I’m sorry.”
“I’m going to be a dad?” I clarified, as the reality sunk in.
“Yep.” She popped the p at the end as tears filled her beautiful eyes. After wiping her eyes, she took my hand and placed it on her still-flat belly. “In about seven months.”
Dropping to my knees, I pulled her to me and placed my cheek against her stomach.
She laughed again, this time sounding like relief as tears streamed down her face. “I was going to ask if you’re happy, but I guess that answers that.”
“I’m happy,” I said, my voice cracking with emotion. Happy didn’t even begin to describe how I felt, but it would do for now.
Sniffing, she took a deep breath. “As surprised as I was, it actually does explain how emotional I’ve been lately. I’ve cried more in the past couple of months than I have in my entire life.”
“I’m going to be a dad,” I whispered reverently as I held my wife tighter than was probably comfortable.
“Yep, you sure are.” Destiny ran her hands through my hair.
I kissed her belly, telling her and the baby, “I love you.”
I knew that life would not always be this happy, this perfect. That we would go through tough times. But I also knew that we’d get through them together. Because I had the only thing I’d ever needed wrapped in my arms. I had my Destiny.
THE END