Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
The music starts, and the doors open. Did I mention that all my nieces and nephews are in the wedding as well? What can I say? It’s a family affair. When it’s Ada’s turn, she sees me, and takes off running as fast as her little legs will carry her. I bend down and scoop her up into my arms.
“Daddy pwetty,” she says, pointing to her necklace.
“Daddy loves you, Bug.” I kiss her cheek.
“Wub you.”
Damn this kid, she has my heart feeling all soft and squishy inside my chest. I hold her the rest of the time. When Stella appears, she takes my breath away.
“Mommy pwetty!”
Everyone laughs. Not that there’s a lot of people in the audience. They’re all in the wedding.
When Stella reaches me, I try to hand Ada off to Merrick, but she’s not having it. She circles her arms around my neck, and that’s perfectly fine with me. I hold her in one hand and reach out to Stella with the other. She takes it with both of hers.
I don’t remember much about the ceremony. My daughter rests her head on my shoulder like she always does and snuggles close. My gaze never leaves my wife’s. I speak where I’m supposed to, but I don’t really hear anything until I’ve slipped the wedding band on her finger, and I’m told that I can kiss my bride.
“Come here, angel.” I slide my free hand behind her neck and pull her into a kiss. Our first kiss as husband and wife. One I’ll remember for as long as I live.
EPILOGUE STELLA
Stella
Today is my baby girl’s second birthday. It looks very different from her first. Today, we’re surrounded by family and surrounded by love. Maverick and I have been married for five months, and it’s been bliss. Every day I fall more in love with him.
Today, my husband is up to his usual antics. He was insistent that we have a big family bash for Ada’s second birthday. That part I was fine with. It’s the bounce house, the balloon animals, and face painting I tried to dial him back on. It’s no use.
The bounce house is part of her gift because, let’s be honest, our girl has way too many toys. The balloon animals and the face painting are a husband-and-wife duo from Harris. They were fairly inexpensive for two hours of their time, and when Maverick gave me those puppy-dog eyes, I gave in.
Who am I to stop him from showing our daughter love? This is Maverick. It’s who he is, and I’ve embraced that. Not to mention his smile is just as big as Ada’s and the rest of the kids’.
“Do they ever grow up?” Jordyn asks. She’s holding her thirteen-week-old son, Finn.
“I’m thinking that’s a no,” I reply.
“No, to what?” Alyssa asks. She plops down on the couch next to Jordyn with Ivy, her nineteen-week-old daughter, in her arms.
“They never grow up.” I nod toward our husbands.
“Nope. But that’s part of their charm,” Alyssa says, smiling down at Ivy.
“How are you both feeling?” I ask them.
“Great,” they say at the same time, making each other laugh. We’ve all grown close, as close as sisters can be.
“You ready for another one?” Jordyn asks me.
She must read something on my face. “Stella?”
“I can’t tell you before I tell him,” I confess without actually confessing.
Jordyn and Alyssa offer me matching grins. “When?”
“Today. I took the test last week. I scrambled to find what I needed to tell him.”
“How far along are you?” Jordyn asks.
I shrug. “I’m not sure. I’m two weeks late. I was a week late when I took the test last week. I have an appointment next week.”
“You said you had a doctor’s appointment but didn’t say what for.”
“Yeah, I told Mav it was my woman’s check-up, and he bought it.” I smile, thinking about my husband. I know he’s going to be out of his mind, excited about this news. “I wanted to make sure he could be there with me. He didn’t ask why.”
“Yeah.” Alyssa smiles. “They never do. We ask, and they’re there. All of them are like that.”
“How are you going to tell him?” Jordyn asks.
“Well, I copied his move. I bought Ada a tank top. She’s wearing it under her T-shirt.”
“Do it now,” Alyssa says excitedly. “I cannot wait to see his reaction.”
“I don’t want to take away from Ada’s day.”
“Stella, honey, she’s two. She doesn’t understand, and the other kids will keep on playing. It’s not going to faze them. Tell him,” Jordyn insists.
Before I can answer, Ada comes rushing over. “Mommy, milk.”
“I can take her.” Maverick appears. “You ladies enjoy your chat.”
“Babe, she’s getting hot. Why don’t you take that T-shirt off her? She has a tank top on underneath.”
“Got it.” Maverick walks away to get our girl something to drink.