by Tara Brown
“Don't look.” She tries to cover her puffy stomach. “It’s just fat now.”
“Hey.” I strip my clothes off too, climbing into the shower with her. I tilt her face up to mine. “This is the most beautiful you’ve ever been.”
“Liar.”
“Okay, the eye is a little freaky.” I smile. “But honestly, you just performed a miracle. You gave me a son. Your body is the most beautiful thing in the world to me. Please don't do this.”
“You swear?”
“Swear.” I grab a facecloth and delicately wash her body, cleaning all the blood and other things, which I don't really want to label, off of her. “Do you remember the first time you cleaned all that makeup off and I was stunned?”
“Yeah.” She laughs. “You were horrified.”
“You were a different person under all that makeup, a different girl. It was like seeing you naked for the first time. I was horrified because I didn't understand why you’d want to wear so much and be a different girl. The one you are is perfect.”
She starts to sob, wrapping her arms around me.
The unbreakable Sami Ford is officially exhausted.
“I love you,” she sobs.
“I love you too. Let me finish washing you so we can see our son.”
“Okay.” She sniffles and stands still so I can get her clean.
Blood runs down her legs, worrying me, but the underwear they give her to put on make sense and we both laugh.
“It’s fishnet.” She giggles weakly and lets me pull them on. “How do I look?” She smiles, glowing from the inside with something I’ve never seen before.
“Perfect,” I mutter.
Her smile changes and she lights up more. “You’re crazy. I look like hell. A drowned, fat little rat in fishnet underwear.”
“You’re my rat in fishnet underwear so you look perfect to me.” I help her put on the pajamas I brought her and pull her crazy hair into a bun. “Do you want to do your makeup?”
“No. Let the cameras show us exactly as we are. I’m supposed to be a role model. I don't think new moms should worry about how they look.”
“Who are you, and what have you done with my fiancée?”
“It’s one day without makeup.” She opens the door to a smiling nurse. “Hi.”
“This way. Baby Brimley’s down that way. When you and Mr. Brimley aren’t able to be with him, he must be placed in the guarded care unit. When you get to your room they’ll bring him to you. Will there be a nanny coming to learn with you today?”
“No.” Sami scowls and gives me a look. “No, right?” We've never discussed it, but her answer is exactly how I feel on the subject.
“No nanny.”
When we shuffle down to the room, he’s brought to us in a wheeled bed, a tiny wheeled bed.
“He has blue eyes,” Sami gushes as she lifts him from the bed, kissing and smelling him the way I do her.
“All babies have blue eyes. They’ll change over the course of the year,” the nurse mentions as she busies herself around the small bed, pulling out little diapers and a blue hat.
“I hope he has your eyes,” Sami says, kissing our son and glancing back at me.
I don't know what the world has in store for us.
I don't know if, like my father and brother, I’ll even live past thirty or sixty.
But I do know, in this very moment, that this picture, this girl holding my baby, is all I need. The year 2016 has officially been the very worst and best year of my life.
And seeing this is a glimpse into how 2017 will start, I know it’s only going to get better.
This is my life beginning. Standing in the hospital room with my future wife and our son. The moment becomes so clear I can hardly take it. It all starts back on the streets of London, a winding journey to this very moment, the start of my life and my purpose.
To love these two people with all my heart.
Brady’s Epilogue
December 31, 2016
Brady
Her glittery dress and goofy smile have me crossing the great room in Sami’s Steamboat lodge, just to be near her again.
“Hi.” She grins, up to something.
“Hi.” I’m grinning back and we look like idiots, but I don't care.
“It’s New Year’s in a couple of minutes,” she beams under the dazzling lights.
“I know. That's why I’m here. I have to make sure Lori doesn't try to kiss you again.” I lift a finger up at him when he sees me staring his way. He grins and blows on his stupid party favor. Most of the team’s here, celebrating New Year’s because we just played in Denver.
“He’s a pretty good kisser.” She glances back, blowing him a kiss. He catches it and stuffs it in the front of his pants.
“I’m going to kill him.”
“Don't. He’s a player. He’s you, just a tiny bit younger.” She laughs and turns back to me. “Do you ever miss it? Being the legendary guy?”
“I’m still legendary, don't you worry.” It’s the truth. I’m legendary for snagging this girl, this angel staring up at me with those blue eyes, the ones that see right through me.
“I’m glad. I thought for sure you’d be bored of me in no time.” She laughs, taunting me.
“You clearly don't see what I do.” I pull her in, running a thumb over her bright-red lip. It doesn't run, which takes all the fun of trying to smudge it. She calls it stain, which I assume is like staining wood only you do it to your face.
“That was a good one. You might get lucky later.”
“Oh, I know I’m getting lucky later.” I decide this is the moment and grab her hand, dragging her to the massive balcony overlooking the entire town of Steamboat and the ski resort. It’s freezing but worth it. I need her alone.
My stomach aches with possibilities and doubts about my self-worth, but when we’re alone and she looks even prettier under the starry night, I man up. I drop to my knee, staring up at the most beautiful girl in the whole world.
“Ten!” They shout.
“When we met, I had a one-track mind. And everything was hockey.”
“Nine!”
“And then you happened, you changed my one-track mind.”
“Eight!”
Her eyes widen but she doesn't speak.
“You have become everything: my air, my heart, my hopes.”
“Seven,” they scream and she covers her mouth, her eyes getting glossy.
“I want this fairly horrible year to end on the highest note possible, which would be you agreeing to be my wife.”
“Six!”
“And I want next year to start with us, knowing how much we mean to each other.”
“Five!”
“Will you marry me, Natalie Banks?”
“Four!”
“Three!”
“Two!”
I start to panic as she just stares.
“Happy New Year!”
Somewhere in their screams and the music, she whispers, “Yes.” She trembles but she nods and reaches for me.
I flip open the ring box I was palming and flash the ring, making her gasp. When I slide it on her finger my whole heart explodes with too many feelings to feel.
I jump up, scooping her into my arms and pressing my lips against her stained ones.
Our hearts are beating rapidly but as one. Mine’s pounding so hard I think I’m having a heart attack. I’m sure she can feel it.
“Happy New Year’s,” I mutter and kiss her harder.
Her hands shake, maybe from the cold, and tears slip from her eyes, but when she whispers frosty breath in my ear, I can feel the heat in her, “I can’t wait to marry you.”
“I told you I was going to get lucky.” I can’t help but laugh.
She pulls back, lifting the ring on her finger. “You did. I said yes.” She bites her red lip, tormenting me. “Since it’s past New Year’s, do you think anyone will notice if we leave?” She lifts her eyebrows.
“I do
n't give a fuck if they notice.” I slip my hand around hers and drag her along the side of the room.
“I want to tell Sami.”
“Tomorrow.” I hurry before anyone tries to kiss her. I hate New Year’s. I never hated it before I had a girl who I couldn't stand to see hug anyone but me.
Now it drives me nuts. And Lori knows it. He loves provoking Brimstone and me.
When we get to our room in the loft, the music is loud enough to cover any possible noises we might make.
Undressing her is like unwrapping my favorite gift.
Touching her is like being allowed to touch something only the gods should be allowed.
But having her wearing my ring when I slip inside her is more than I can describe. It takes my breath away.
We make love, we don't fuck. It’s intense and I can’t joke afterward. I can’t pretend that I didn't give my heart, a ring with all my intentions and hopes inside it.
She’s my match.
And this is our beginning.
The End
There will be a fourth book.
It’s called Baby Daddies.
It comes out the summer of 2017.