by Raven Scott
Epilogue
Six Weeks Later
Collins would go into labor on the same day I have the doctor’s appointment I’ve kept secret for the last four weeks. The morning I found Rogen at Dalton’s grave, I’d gotten sick. I thought it was the stomach flu. The day after that, I got sick in the morning and again at lunch. Then over the next two weeks, it hit me on and off all day.
And then I realized that with all the emotional stress and everything that’s been going on … I missed my period.
Now, I’m sitting in the same room where Collins had her ultrasound done because I took seven at-home pregnancy tests and they all said positive. Then I went and had a blood test done and that confirmed I was indeed pregnant.
The same doctor that did Collins’s sonogram comes in and smiles at me. “Isn’t your sister-in-law in labor right now?”
I nod, my lips tight. “Yep. So if we could hurry this up so I can get down there, that would be great.”
“Does she know you’re here?” He raises an eyebrow at me.
“Nope.”
The doctor chuckles and shakes his head, spending the next several minutes setting me up. Then he puts the wand under the sheet, and a second later a very fast heartbeat whooshes through the speakers, a tiny little blip of a thing appearing on the screen.
“Well, Ms. Helding, you are about ten weeks pregnant.” He hits a button and prints a few pictures and then cleans everything up. He hands me the sonogram images and I put them in my purse, then I walk on very shaky legs to the other side of the hospital to the labor and delivery department. I knock on the open door and step in. Rogen is sitting in a chair facing the bed, Cannon is sitting next to Collins on the bed, and she's sitting up reading a book.
“Hey, how are you feeling?”
Collins looks up at me and smiles, setting her book in her lap. “Hey, where have you been? I’m good. Contractions are slowly increasing, so the doctor says it might be a while before this little beauty makes her appearance.”
I walk over and kiss Collins on the head before turning to Rogen. “Uh, can we step out in the hall and talk?”
His eyes go wide, darting to Collins and back to me. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
I lick my lips, trying to swallow my nerves. “We just need to talk.”
Rogen stands and walks over to me, and I drop my eyes to the floor. I can’t look at him right now. I know he loves me and I love him, but we haven’t talked about what we want for our future. I honestly don’t even know if he wants kids. “Parker, you’re freaking me out. Are you okay? I know you haven’t been feeling well. Is something going on?”
“Are you getting sick?” Cannon says, sitting up as I glance at him.
“No, I’m—”
“I don’t know if you should stay for the birth if you’re getting sick,” he says with a concerned look, glancing from me to Collins.
“I’m not sick.”
“Baby?”
“Oh my god, everyone shut up. I’m not sick. I’m pregnant!” I blurt out, my hand instantly flying to my mouth and tears coming to my eyes.
“What did you just say?” Rogen whispers, taking another step toward me.
I sigh as a few tears fall down my face. “I’m pregnant. That’s why I’ve been getting sick. It’s morning sickness.”
“Parker?” Collins’s voice is soft and I turn to look at her. “I thought you guys used protection.”
“We do,” Rogen says softly. “So how?”
I huff out a breath. “That day in my office.”
I sneak a glance at Rogen’s face and his eyes go as wide as dinner plates. “Oh.”
“Wait,” Cannon says loudly. “You fucked in your office?”
Rogen lets out a loud laugh and tries to pull me into a hug, but I pull away from him, more tears coming down my face. “Baby, what’s the matter?”
“We haven’t talked about kids, Ro. Hell, we haven’t talked about anything for the future other than wanting to be together.”
He puts his finger under my chin and tips my head up until I look at him. “And that meant that I wanted everything with you.” Rogen takes a deep breath and reaches into his pocket. “I planned to do this when we went to dinner tomorrow, but. . .”
He sinks down to one knee and opens a small black box, turning it so I can view the beautiful princess cut diamond in a rose gold setting. “I love you, Parker Helding, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Whether we are on cloud nine or walking through Hell together, there is no one I want by my side more than you. Will you marry me?”
My chest stings as I try to breathe, but words won’t form in my brain so I nod and hold my left hand out. Rogen slides the ring onto my finger before standing and lifting me in a hug and twirling me in a circle. When he sets me on my feet, he kisses me hard and rough, tangling his hands in my hair.
“I love you,” I say softly against his lips.
“I love you, too, baby. And just for the record, I’m okay if we fill our entire life with kids. And dogs, and whatever else you want. Whatever you want, I will give it to you.”
Stepping back a little, he finally glances down at my stomach and gently splays his hand across it.
“Are you sure?”
He looks into my eyes and flexes his fingers gently. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life, Parker. God, I love you.”
Behind us, Collins cusses as a contraction hits and I move to her side, taking her hand. For the first time, everything in my life is falling into place.
Nine hours later, there is a beautiful baby lying on Collins’s chest, and despite the long labor, she looks beautiful. Rowan is sitting in a chair with Rain in her lap, gently running her hand up and down her back. They’ve been very touchy since they got here and I am certainly going to ask what's up with that. For now, though, I'm going to bask in my niece and goddaughter, and in the knowledge that I am marrying my best friend and together we’re going to have a baby of our own.
Things are looking better than they have in the last two years, and I’m going to let this joy fill me until I’m ready to burst with it.
Note from Authors
A Note From the Authors:
The Beauty Trilogy didn’t start out as a co-write, but when Knox Publishing suggested we team up for these books, we knew it was a great idea. Starting on Book 2 was a new experience for both of us, but we’ve truly enjoyed it. For those who have read Finding Beauty, we are happy to announce that we will be going back and doing a complete overhaul on it … together!
We’re also staying together to bring you Lasting Beauty, the final installment in this amazing trilogy. These characters have been so much fun to develop and we truly hope that the issues we touch on in these books reach the hearts and souls of our readers!
Much Love,
Courtney & Raven
Books by Raven:
The Beauty Trilogy
Finding Beauty
Books by Courtney:
Agents of Interpol
The Auction Block
The Gallows at Midnight
Anthologies
Dominated by Desire: A BDSM Anthology
Bad to the Bone: A Bad Boy Anthology
Hearts of Steel: A Pittsburgh Anthology
Falling Into Chaos: A Paranormal Reverse Harem
Coming Soon:
Drunk Me (Southern Dreams: Oregon Coast, Book 1)
Shamrock (Emerald Isle MC, Book 1)
Immortal Lust: A Vampire Anthology
Requiem (Agents of Interpol, Book 3)
Lasting Beauty (The Beauty Trilogy, Book 3)
Dire (Emerald Isle MC, Book 2)
Courtney’s Links
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/NewsletterCLR
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Facebook Reader Group: www.facebook.com/groups/courtneysbookconcubines
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