“What the hell happened?” he asked.
I shook my head, aware of everyone else around me who was staring at us. For the first time since I’d started interfering with this wedding, I wished everything today had gone without mishap. In none of my versions of interrupting this wedding did I see myself upended in the pool trying to get away from an overzealous admirer who wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“It doesn’t matter,” I mumbled as he helped me to my feet. “I just want to put on some dry clothes.”
“Come on. Let’s get you inside the house.”
“But the wedding,” I reminded him.
“Fuck it. I think they have enough footage. Now come on or I’ll carry you across the threshold like you’re the bride today.”
He took my hand and walked toward the house. My shoes squished with every step I took. My ears were clogged with water, my wet clothes must have added another fifty pounds to my weight, and my eyes were already feeling irritated from what I assumed was the chlorine in the pool.
Still, feeling my hand in his, the light pressure as he squeezed and the smile on his face when I looked up at him, I would have gladly asked Wesley to throw me in the pool again.
Lucas’s smile said everything. He was mine and not hers.
All mine.
Epilogue
Jason
Present day
“If anyone has just cause why these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace.”
I’ll never be quite comfortable hearing that statement at a wedding much less mine. I turn sideways, searching for Becca in the front row. My eyes wander over to Lucas’s father. His love affair with Becca had run its course in a matter of months, but they remain friends. His ex-wife, Nadine, is sitting on his left, looking pleased to have Lucas and me finally tie the knot.
Beside him is Amanda, our plucky surrogate Lucas and I had opted to carry our baby. She’s not due to have the baby for another three weeks, but she’s already “dropped” or so I’ve heard people talking although I’m not positive what that means. Next to her is Becca, who grins at me with all the air of mischief in the making.
Oh no, she wouldn’t.
What I had done to sabotage her and Lucas’s wedding almost six years ago is water under the bridge. Plus, it hardly counts since it was a fake wedding which I had told her countless times. Yet, she’s always reminded me that one day when I got married, she’d be as much of a menace to me as I was to her.
I’d wanted to keep our wedding private for that matter—just me, Lucas, the officiator, and our two witnesses, but everyone had objected. Lucas wanted me to have the wedding of my dreams, and after dragging my feet about being married for quite a few more years than I’d ever thought, I finally caved in.
The more my relationship with Lucas had strengthened, the less marriage had seemed pertinent to me. None of it mattered since the man is already at my side. We’d decided to start a family though, and Lucas is a bit old-fashioned and didn’t want our baby to be born out of wedlock. I find that sweet of him, so I’ve given in for him to make an honest man out of me.
“Our grooms have opted to recite their own vows,” the officiator continues when to my relief, no one—aka Becca— tries to put a stop to our wedding. “We’ll have Lucas first with his vows.”
My eyes collide with Lucas. He looks rather handsome today in his tuxedo which is a replica of mine. He probably wears it better with those broad shoulders of his. Over the past few years, he’s added some extra weight and not all in muscles either. To be honest, I’ve added a few pounds too. After all, my husband is a chef who’s always trying new things.
I doubt I can love him any more than I do at this point of our lives. He’s been my rock throughout the past years. He stood by me while my beauty consultant business had a rocky start, but even though I’ve never gotten Instagram famous, I’m quite happy with my clientele, and I’m looking forward to being a stay-at-home dad when the little one gets here.
“Jason, I feel like I’ve known you forever,” Lucas starts. “I’ve been there for every important memory of your life. From graduations to umm, your first time.” There’s a chorus of “awws” in the background, and I feel flustered. Trust Lucas to still be able to make me feel this way, and on a day like today.
A tap on my shoulder distracts me, and I glance over to find Becca at my elbow.
Oh God, this is it. She’s going to ruin my wedding.
“Amanda’s going into labor,” she says.
“Really, Becca? Nice try to ruin my wedding.”
“I am not ruining your wedding,” she insists. “That’s your baby who’s decided now’s the time she’s going to enter the world.”
I glance over at Amanda, who nods. Her face is contorted in pain, and she’s clutching her abdomen. Sweat’s breaking out on her forehead, and from where I’m standing, she’s breathing through the pain the way the Lamaze instructor had taught her.
“Oh God, the baby’s coming!” I cry, wedding ceremony forgotten. “We have to get her to the hospital.”
The next hour passes in a blur of motion. I stay with Amanda, holding her hand and wincing every time she squeezes mine, but I’ll do anything to get her through the labor. She’s in a bad way, huffing and screaming by the time we get her to the hospital.
As the fathers, we’ve already been given permission to be in the room with her when she gives birth. We want to be as involved as we possibly can in the process. We also want to support Amanda even if it means bone-crushing handholds.
The labor is long and intensive. I’m awed at how much she’s able to take considering all the pain she’s going through, but eventually we hear a loud wail in the delivery room.
“It’s a boy,” the doctor announces. “Congratulations.”
The baby is all wrinkly and messy. He’s wrapped up and handed over to Amanda, who shakes her head at the doctor, tears rolling down her face.
“Give the baby to his parents,” she says, giving us a watery smile. “Congratulations. You are both going to make such wonderful fathers to this little boy.”
The doctor hands me the baby, and I clutch the precious bundle in my arms. He’s still crying, the sound powerful and strong. I’m not aware I’m crying until the baby is a blur.
“It’s our boy, Daddy Luke,” I state as if it’s not already obvious, but I need to say it to believe it. “It’s our boy.”
“Yes, he is.” Lucas’s arm comes around my waist, and he peers down at the baby, who’s looking up at us, his cries ending as he blinks up at us curiously.
“Oh look, I think he knows us.” I tuck a finger into his loose grip. “Do you know our voice? You do, don’t you?”
We have to hand over the baby back to the staff for them to do whatever it is they do when the babies are just born. While the baby and mother are being transferred to a room, we return to the waiting room where the officiator for the ceremony and our friends are gathered.
We end up saying our vows in the hospital waiting room, and the perfection of the moment isn’t lost on me.
“I now pronounce you joined together in holy matrimony.”
And although the words are official, I’ve been long since joined to Lucas. Still, it’s nice having a ceremony and our friends to witness the event.
“You’ve always been mine, Lucas Bronte,” I tell him. “And I’m yours for as long as you’ll have me.”
“For always.”
***
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Father’s Day Special
Till There Was You series (Hurt/Com
fort)
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
A Note from the Author
Chapter One
Jason
Chapter Two
Lucas
Chapter Three
Jason
Chapter Four
Lucas
Chapter Five
Jason
Chapter Six
Lucas
Chapter Seven
Jason
Chapter Eight
Lucas
Chapter Nine
Jason
Chapter Ten
Lucas
Chapter Eleven
Jason
Chapter Twelve
Lucas
Chapter Thirteen
Jason
Chapter Fourteen
Lucas
Chapter Fifteen
Jason
Chapter Sixteen
Lucas
Chapter Seventeen
Jason
Chapter Eighteen
Lucas
Chapter Nineteen
Jason
Chapter Twenty
Jason
Chapter Twenty-One
Lucas
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jason
Chapter Twenty-Three
Lucas
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jason
Chapter Twenty-Five
Lucas
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jason
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Lucas
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jason
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Lucas
Chapter Thirty
Jason
Chapter Thirty-One
Lucas
Chapter Thirty-Two
Jason
Chapter Thirty-Three
Lucas
Chapter Thirty-Four
Jason
Chapter Thirty-Five
Lucas
Chapter Thirty-Six
Jason
Epilogue
Jason
Other Books
Coming Soon
Gianni Holmes Writing as G. S Holmes
He's Mine Not Hers Page 28