by Lacey Black
And I can’t wait.
Epilogue
Nate
It’s the first Saturday of November and the leaves are all but gone from the trees. The sky is bright and clear, but don’t let the sunshine fool you. Today’s high is only supposed to be forty-five. Lia is sitting beside me in the Mustang as we head over to Travis’ house for Grant’s first birthday party.
Last night after we got home from St. Charles, Lia helped me wrap that big ass box containing Grant’s battery operated hot wheel. It took two rolls of wrapping paper - partially because I cut the first strip too short - and half a roll of tape to wrap this bad boy. I can’t wait for Grant to tear into it!
Lia and I had a date last night that involved two of my favorite things: sex and tattoos. After the ordeal two months ago, Lia had been talking about getting some ink, and I had been contemplating another. So, after dinner, we stopped by my tattoo parlor of choice, New Ink, and looked around. Turns out, Jared, my regular guy had a cancellation later in the evening.
After spending about thirty minutes looking around, Lia finally decided on her tattoo. Actually, Jared designed it for her based off of a few ideas she had. This intricate tattoo is perfect for my girl. It’s a dandelion blowing in the wind and as the pieces blow free, they turn to birds. It symbolizes her freedom. Her past leading to a better future. And it’s fucking sexy as hell on the back of her right shoulder.
I decided that since I was there, I might as well get another, too. I chose to bring the tribal design I have on my shoulder forward to cover my left pec. I, also, decided to permanently mark my body with the one thing I swore I never would do. A woman’s name. Placed within the curves and lines of the tattoo is the name Lia. Her name is permanently etched on my body, close to my heart. The place she will always be.
We pull into Travis and Josselyn’s driveway leading to their beautiful log cabin style home. Travis did everything he could to build this house by himself, including push Joss away when his work became more important than their time together. But, fortunately, he got his head out of his ass around the time Grant was born. They will be celebrating their first anniversary in just a few weeks.
I park the Mustang next to Jake’s old truck and make my way to the trunk. Lia is there a moment later and helps me lift the box out of the deep hole.
“I can’t believe you got him this thing,” she says with a smile. “He can’t even drive it yet.”
“Maybe not yet, but I will teach him. He’ll be driving this thing better than his dad drives, by May. You watch,” I say with a smile. I situate the large box in my arms, mindful not to rub it against my tender chest, as we make our way towards the front porch.
“Nathan Stevens, what the hell is that?” Josselyn asks from her position at the front door with her arms crossed firmly over her chest and an exasperated look on her pretty face. It’s a total Mom look.
“This, my favorite sister-in-law, is the best gift ever for my nephew,” I say as I walk up the stairs with no problem.
“I heard that,” Erin hollers from her chair just beyond the doorway.
“Is it going back home with you after the party?” she asks with her eyebrow raised in question.
“Nope,” I say as I jimmy myself through the front door. “But I promise to come out here all the time and help him with it,” I add.
Josselyn huffs, but doesn’t say any more, as she places a kiss on my cheek. “Hi, Lia,” she says as she hugs my girl.
Lia has become fast friends with all of the Stevens women. She still works at the bakery full time, but doesn’t live in the apartment above anymore. Now, her beautiful head rests on the pillow next to mine, every night. There’s no better way to fall asleep. Well, there is one better way…
“Hey, everyone,” I call into the living room as I set the big box down next to the mountain of presents.
“Nay Nay!” Grant exclaims as he takes off at a wobbly run towards me, yelling the nickname that I’ve been given since the little guy can’t quite say Nate. It makes me smile to hear that cheesy name from his lips. The guys love to tease me, but I don’t give a shit. I think it’s cool. I barely have time to get the box situated and turn around before the little man is in my arms. He officially started walking last week, the day before his first birthday.
“Happy birthday, little man,” I reply with enthusiasm that mimics my nephew’s. Technically, Grant’s birthday was last week, but this was the first Saturday that my brothers and I were off from work. So, it’s an entire afternoon of celebrating.
“Me?” he asks, eyes wide as he stares at the box that is bigger than he is.
“It is, little man,” I say as I place a kiss on the top of his dark hair. “Who’s your favorite uncle?” I ask.
“Nay Nay!” he exclaims and throws those little - and sort of sticky - arms around my neck. “Don’t get too excited, Nate. He told me the same thing earlier when I gave him a handful of Cheetos,” Maddox says before heading out the back door to man the grill with Jake.
I put Grant down and send him off to play with his cousins. Mom and Dad are sitting on the sectional couch with Erin who is already huge for four months. Jake and Travis are outside grilling hamburgers and hotdogs while Maddox and Will play with the kids on the floor. Lia, Avery, and Joss all work on setting the food out on the counter, as we get ready to feed the masses.
I take in my family around me when I feel my mom’s arms wrap firmly around my waist. “Did you do it?” she whispers.
“Not yet. I’m taking her to the creek as soon as we leave here. I put the sign up and I have the paperwork in my pocket,” I reply, trying hard to mask my excitement.
“I can’t wait for her to see it,” she adds with a knowing smile.
I lean down and kiss my mom’s head, pulling her close in a tight hug. I can’t imagine what would have happened two months ago if my mom hadn’t come to my house and kicked my ass into seeing the big picture. The thought of Lia being out at the creek by herself, while I practically drank myself stupid back at my house, still burns my gut. But, Mom knew Lia wouldn’t have just left me. And while, deep down, I knew it too, I was too hung up on her words in the note and what happened in my past to see it. Thank God for Mom.
“I hope she’s as excited as I am to tell her,” I say softly to Mom.
“She’ll be ecstatic,” she adds with a smile.
If Mom only knew the extent of my excitement…
The afternoon progresses without a hitch. I’ve always loved spending time with my family, but with Lia in my life, it seems that much more fulfilled. I don’t mind my brothers sneaking kisses on the lips of their wives. I don’t mind my brother-in-law and my sister…No, wait. I still mind that.
I glance around the room as Grant and his cousins play with all of his new toys. I had to promise Travis and Josselyn that I’d come over, not this spring, but the next spring and teach Grant to drive his new battery operated Mustang. He’s definitely going to be too little for it even next year. Little does Travis know that I’ll be over the first Saturday that we have temperatures over fifty degrees, rigging up some way to take him for a ride in it, even though his legs won’t reach the pedals. Little man better have a snowsuit.
“So, I know that today’s about Grant, but I was hoping I could talk to everyone for a few minutes,” Jake says from his perch on the floor in front of Erin who is still sitting on the couch, eating her second slice of birthday cake. Or is it her third?
“What’s up, Jake?” Dad asks from Travis’s easy chair in front of the big screen television.
“Well, Erin and I went to the doctor yesterday and we got to see an ultrasound thingy,” Jake says with a big smile.
“Did you find out the sex of the baby?” Avery asks, practically bouncing up and down on the floor next to Maddox.
“We did,” Jake says as he looks over his shoulder at Erin. Both wear matching grins.
“So, what are you having?” Josselyn asks as we all wait with baited breath for the
announcement.
“We’re having a girl,” Erin says with a big smile that lights up her beautiful green eyes.
The room erupts into cheers and laughter as congratulations messages are thrown around at the expecting couple.
“And another girl,” Jake finally hollers over the crowd.
Everyone stops talking and looks at the couple, both sitting down, relaxing as if they haven’t a care in the world.
“What did you say?” Avery asks, dumbfounded.
“We’re having a girl…and another girl,” Erin giggles.
“Twins?” Mom asks from the other end of the sectional.
“Yep,” Jake says with a big, shit-eating, cocky grin.
Everyone jumps up at once. I can barely hear myself think as everyone talks over the person next to them. I throw my hand inside my brother’s hand and pull him in for a hug. “Congratulations, man. That’s awesome news,” I tell my brother with excitement.
“Thank you,” he says with a warm smile.
“I’m just glad you know how that whole process works,” I add with my own cocky grin.
“Are you kidding me? I’m so good at it, I impregnated her with two,” he says with a laugh.
“That may be true, Jake, but just remember that I only have to worry about one penis,” Travis says with a smile. “You, have to worry about all of them!” I laugh at the priceless look on Jake’s face as it falls and fills with concern…and maybe anger.
“Erin!” he exclaims as he turns towards her. “Do you realize I have to worry about every penis now? Do you? And I have to worry twice as much,” he adds as he rubs his forehead fretting the start of a headache.
“Oh, Jake,” Erin says with a laugh as Jake turns and grabs his jacket off the chair. “Where are you going?” she asks.
“To buy more guns,” he exclaims as he takes off out the back door.
“I’ll go after him,” Maddox replies with the shake of his head.
The excitement could go on for hours with this family. My brood of nieces and nephews appears to be growing at an alarming rate which makes me want to get Lia out of the house and whisk her away to the creek bank that much more. “You ready to go? We have a stop to make,” I say to her as she finishes clearing the cake mess from the dining room table for Josselyn.
“Sure. Let me grab my coat,” she says as she heads back towards the guest room.
After we say our goodbyes and I give another promise to Grant to help him learn to drive his new toy as soon as he’s big enough, I take Lia’s hand and lead her towards my Mustang. “We have one stop to make before we head home,” I tell her as she slides into the passenger seat.
“Okay,” she says from the security of the car.
I close her door and make quick work of running around the front and dropping down into the driver’s seat. My hands shake as I turn the key and pull out of my brother’s driveway.
“Where are we going?” she asks, threading her small, chilled fingers within mine.
“It’s a surprise,” I tell her, but I know that as soon as we get close, she’ll figure it out pretty easily.
As we approach the edge of my parents’ property, I slow down and pull into the lane. I make quick work of removing the chain and opening the gate, trying to take a few calming breaths of the cool, November night air. It isn’t fucking helping. I’m still shaking like a virgin about to kiss a girl for the first time.
“This is my favorite spot,” she says nonchalantly as I drive up the familiar grass and dirt covered lane.
I don’t say anything as I park the car next to the shed. Hell, I couldn’t even if I wanted to since I can’t seem to get words out of my Sahara dry throat. I practically choke on the air I’m trying to force into my lungs.
I rush out of my car, my boots practically tripping over each other as I make my way to the passenger door. Lia has it open and is stepping out as I get there. She pulls her jacket tightly around her, the soft fleece material snug around her tits. Focus, Nate.
I take her cool hand inside mine and lead her towards the spot where we’ve sat so many nights, in the lawn chairs along the water’s edge. I’m practically crapping my pants from the anticipation and excitement. A small percentage of it is fear, but that’s a small percent.
Shit! She’s going to say NO!
I clear my throat and gaze at the beautiful woman in front of me. Lia’s brown hair blows softly in the cool night breeze. Her eyes seem to light up even more than any cut of brilliant diamonds. Her lips are pink and ripe for kissing. Later, Nate. It’s hard to believe that just three short months ago, I was floating through life without a purpose. Lia is now my purpose.
“This is my favorite spot, too,” I start, taking both hands in my own and bringing them up to my chest to keep them warm. “It has always been my place, but it feels better having you in it with me. I felt it that first night I brought you here, though I wasn’t in any sort of place to understand it yet. You make this place my solace just by being here because wherever you are, that’s my home.”
I watch as Lia’s eyes fill up with tears. I forge ahead before I lose my nerve and mess up the speech I’ve been practicing over and over again for days.
“I know we’ve only known each other for three months, but you need to know that I’ve waited my entire life for you. You are the reason I was put on this earth, Lia. To love you and protect you. To cherish you and make you smile. This place is my safe spot and it only seems fitting that we share it together,” I say as I turn her towards the water’s edge.
She looks out over the water, reflections of the moonlight dancing on the still water, and stares at the sign in the dirt. It’s illuminated by the moonlight and while it’s dark outside, you can clearly read the four letters on the realtor sign. SOLD.
“What’s that?” she whispers as she stares at the sign.
“That’s the property I purchased. It’s adjacent to this property on the opposite side of the creek and has eighteen acres of timber along the creek bank. It also has a small clearing about fifty yards away that, with a little help, can be cleared out further for a house. A house I want to build for us. Our home,” I say as I struggle to suck in deep breaths of air. This is it. She either says yes or she says no. “I want us to build a home and start our lives together.”
Lia sucks in a big, shaky breath and lets it out slowly. “You want to build a house?” she whispers.
“I want us to build a home together because you are all I want for the rest of my life.” I turn her back around and drop down on one knee.
Yeah, I lied. I actually have two questions for her to answer.
“Lia, you entered my life with a bang - literally,” I start, earning a big award winning smile from Lia. “You stole my heart from that first moment I met you, and I can’t imagine a life without you. We’ve been through so much together in a few short months, and I want to spend the rest of my life enjoying those moments. Together. At one time, I never wanted any of this, but now, it’s all I want. I promise to love and protect you for the rest of my life. Lia, will you marry me?” I finally spit out. My mind goes completely blank as I wait for her answer. Shit, answers.
I watch helplessly as tears leak from the corners of her eyes. She gives nothing away as she stares down at me. After what feels like the world’s longest ten seconds, a small smile finally creeps out and spreads across her lush lips.
“Yes,” she whispers just before a breathtaking smile breaks out fully. “Yes to both!” she exclaims as she jumps up and down. From the excitement of the moment or the coldness of the night, I don’t know. And I don’t really give a shit either because my girl just agreed to marry me!
I stand up and sweep her into my arms, crashing my lips down onto hers. She opens her mouth instantly, letting my tongue sweep in and explore her warm, sweet mouth. God, I fucking love this woman.
“So, you’re going to marry me and we’re going to build a house. Together,” I whisper against her lips.
“
Together. Always together,” she repeats, and it sounds like music to my ears. Hell, better than music. It’s heaven.
“You bet your ass, always together,” I say as I press my lips against hers for another intoxicating kiss.
Lia’s arms are wrapped around my neck, her legs snake around my waist, and her heart beats wildly against my chest. I will forever hold her in my arms, protecting her with everything I have, until my last breath. And if that happens tomorrow in a fire or fifty years from now, from old age, I want Lia to know that she’s my everything. I will spend every day that I have proving it to her.
She’s my life.
She’s my dream.
And I will protect her until the day I die.
Forever.
~ The End ~
Want more Rivers Edge?
Check out the excerpt from the final book in the Rivers Edge series…Will’s story!
Boss Me
Rivers Edge Book 5
Coming October 2015!
Chapter One Excerpt
Will
As I’m tearing down empty boxes in the supply room at the back of the emergency room, I hear the metal door squeak open. Doug peeks his head in and makes eye contact before bringing his full five foot, eight inch self inside the room.
“Hey, did you get it all stocked up?” he asks somewhat antsy on his feet.
“Yep. That case of alcohol swabs is the last thing to go,” I tell him, pointing to the small box sitting by the door.
“I’ll take them out,” he says as he bends down to pick them up. Doug shifts his weight back and forth for several seconds. I can tell something’s eating him, but for some reason, he won’t just say it.
“What?” I finally ask, not able to take the suspense any longer.
“Uh, Cruella wants to see you as soon as possible in her office,” he mumbles before tucking tale and practically running out of the room.