by Lacey Black
Grabbing the thick blanket, I toss it on the floor and place the chair into the middle of the room. Gently, I help her sit back, loving the way her eyes take in scene before her.
“I’m probably going to break this chair,” she says, glancing down and seeing the old wooden chair that’s been in the fort since we stole it from Dad’s garage.
“I reinforced it with longer screws and wooden braces beneath the seat,” I reply with a smile. I’m rewarded with a smile that could melt the icecaps in Iceland.
“Good thing I know you’re teasing or I’d develop a complex.”
“You know I think you’re absolutely perfect the way you are.”
“Even when I’m as big as a house?”
“Especially when you’re as big as a house. There’s nothing better than seeing you glowing and round with our babies.” I take a knee before her, but she’s still focused on our conversation.
“Round is right,” she adds with a smile.
“There’s only one thing missing.” Somehow, I manage to slip my shaky hand inside the pocket of my jeans and grab a hold of the ring.
“What could be missing? The orange triangular slow moving vehicle placard?”
“A forever.” With the ring pinched between my thumb and first finger, I hold the ring between us. She gasps again, her hands covering her gaping mouth. Wide blue-green eyes shine with unshed tears.
“Sidney, I’ve been in love with you since I was only a child. Life pulled us apart, but something greater has brought us back together. Love. You and our boys are the only thing I need to make my life complete. As long as I have you, I have everything. Say you’ll marry me. Say you’ll be my forever.”
Am I breathing? I’m pretty sure I said that in one entire long run-on sentence without a single breath. And now I wait. I wait to hear the one word that will cement the life I’ve, deep down, always wanted. I never wanted to be the playboy, bouncing from bed to bed. Life before her meant nothing, they all meant nothing. I was destined to be with her.
With my left hand, I wipe away a rogue tear sliding down her soft cheek. She turns her head, nestling her face into the palm of my hand. Sid closes her eyes and whispers, “I love you so much.”
I’m about to remind her that of the extent of my love when she opens her eyes. The rightness of this moment, the way she looks at me, as if she’s looking through me and directly into my soul, is fucking magic. Hell yes, I said it. Magic.
But then she says the one word I’ve been waiting a lifetime to hear. “Yes.”
Smiling as wide as the Grand Canyon, I slide the ring onto her finger, the fit, a little snug. “It’s a little tight,” I mumble, twisting and praying that I don’t hurt her.
“I’m a bit swollen at this stage of the game,” she adds with a laugh.
“I’ll get it resized.”
“Don’t you dare. I’m only going to be this big for a few more weeks. If you resize it, I won’t be able to wear it after the babies come.”
Together we look down at the ring, our fingers entwined together. This diamond signifies more than my love for her, it signifies the start of our forever. I’m sure it won’t be easy, but as long as she’s by my side, it’s sure to be one hell of a ride.
“Can we get married now?”
“Like now now?” she asks, pulling back and looking into my eyes.
“Why not? I want to be married when we bring our sons into this world.”
“Like, you want to go to the strip and get married?” She looks around the small room, her mind running a million miles a second.
“Actually, I had something else in mind,” I tell her before kissing her square on the lips and standing up. Well, standing up to about seventy-five percent of my height since I’m smashed against the ceiling.
“What else?”
Giving her my hand, I help her stand up. “Look outside.”
Sidney gives me an apprehensive look and walks to the doorway. I pull back the burlap and take her hand. Together, we maneuver through the frame and step out into the backyard. “Oh my God,” she whispers, her voice full of emotion.
Turning and facing her, I pull her into my arms. Well, as much as I can with a protruding basketball between us. “Will you marry me? Today?”
She turns and faces our family and friends, all wearing bright smiles. Lanterns hang from the lower tree limbs and an arbor is placed in the middle of the yard. Red roses are everywhere, including a small bouquet in each of Carly’s hands. I have no idea how Mom did all of this, and silently no less, but that’s not for me to worry about. Mom said she’d take care of setting everything up quickly while we were in the fort, and she didn’t disappoint.
“We’re getting married today.” It’s a statement and there’s no missing the smile in her voice.
“We can do this again after the babies come. You can have the white dress and the big church and the celebration if you want.”
“No,” she says. “I want this.” She glances around at the lanterns that cast a romantic glow as the sun starts to drop in the sky. “I want to marry you today.”
“Well, then, you’re in luck,” I say, leading her towards the arbor in the middle. “This man right here happens to be a minister.”
She’s smiling up at me. “That’s convenient.”
“Isn’t it?”
“You’re awfully sure of yourself that I’d say yes, Mr. Thomas.” Her smile is teasing and goes straight to my dick.
“I was fairly confident, yes, but I was also very nervous.”
She looks around once more, taking in all of our close family and friends. When her eyes collide with her mom, who flew in for today, she starts to cry again. Everyone is here. Jacobi, Cassidy and her fiancée Matt, Reid and Dani Hunter, Scott and Tara Dixon, and even Dani’s Dad and Carly’s Mom, who surprisingly started to see each other a few months ago. Together with my parents, brother, and his wife, everyone we’re close to is here for our wedding day.
Carly approaches and hands Sidney a small bouquet of roses before taking her place beside my bride. My brother, holding his sleeping son, steps up to my side as our family and friends gather around.
We keep our fingers linked as best we can as we turn and face the minister. He offers us a friendly smile before beginning to speak. “Dearly beloved…”
I have no clue what he says after that. I’m lost in a sea of blue-green eyes, drowning in the love I see reflected within. We both repeat vows and promises to one another, and everything feels right. My forever is set with just one kiss.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would be my life. I once was a man who didn’t need a constant, but quickly transformed into a man who didn’t want to drift. My home is with her, my love eternal. Everything I didn’t even know I wanted is right in front of me, giving me her love in return.
Our hearts are entwined, beating as one.
She’s my happily ever after.
My forever.
Another Epilogue – Why not?
Daniel
2 years and a few weeks later
The sun is shining brightly, high in the Las Vegas sky. It’s hot, a perfect day for swimming, which is what we’re all doing at Blake and Carly’s house. The main reason is to celebrate the twins’ second birthday, but we don’t really need much of a reason to get together on a Sunday. We do it a couple times a month.
Jackson and Samuel, or Jack and Sam as we all call them, were born a few weeks early. The two-year-olds are hell on wheels, running around the yard with big rubber balls. They’re screaming as they chase each other, throwing the balls and retrieving them. Just like their dad and uncle used to do. You forget how much energy a toddler has, let alone two of them.
Natalia jumps off the diving board straight into her father’s open arms. He spent much of the summer teaching her to swim in the big pool in their backyard, and she took to the water like a fish. Blake helps her to the side and waits while she ge
ts out, ready to jump again.
“Ready, Daddy?” she yells right before jumping into the water. He laughs when she comes up, paddling in earnest to get to him. “Did you see?”
“Of course I saw,” he replies with a big smile. “Wanna do it again?” he asks, giving her a push towards the side.
Carly has Bentley in orange arm floaties as he splashes and swims around the opposite end of the pool. They’ve deemed that the area for the smaller kids to swim so they don’t get in the way of the jumpers and ball players. He’s two and a half and as stubborn as his father. It’s his way or no way, the boss of everything and everyone. Who would have thought Blake would meet his match in the form of his toddler son? I sure am enjoying watching it play out.
My first daughter-in-law’s stomach protrudes greatly out of her midsection. She’s pregnant with another daughter who should arrive by Christmas. I can’t wait to get my hands on another grandchild, especially a granddaughter. Since we missed the first year of Nat’s life, it’ll be wonderful to experience it all from the very beginning. And Carly is radiant. Of course, I’m not the only one who notices. My oldest son keeps glancing at her over his shoulder, a small knowing smile on his lips.
Luke and Sidney are stealing a few moments alone behind the garage. They think they’re being so sly, sneaking off when no one was looking, when everyone was helping watch the twins, but I saw them. And I smiled the whole time.
I also smile because he told me earlier that they just found out they’re expecting again. It’s very early in her pregnancy, but they’ve already had an ultrasound to confirm it–and also to confirm there’s only one, which there is.
Not that anyone would be disappointed to find out they were having twins again, but could you imagine? Four kids under three? It’s going to be entertaining as hell to watch three kids under three. But if anyone can handle it, it’s Luke and Sidney.
Jacobi is playing basketball at the far end of the pool. He turns thirteen soon, and loves all things science. He’s on the science team and the builders club, which makes Sidney very happy. He’s lived with them for over two years now. Penny calls and chats, but rarely sees him. It’s probably best this way. He has a good, stable home with Luke and Sid, and he actually prefers it this way. He calls me Grandpa like the rest of the kids, which thrills me to no end.
“Foul! You can’t throw elbows to get the rebound,” he shouts at Ryan, hiding a grin.
“Whatever, dude. Quit being a pansy.”
Thomas Securities is flourishing greater than I could have ever hoped for my boys. They’ve had to stop taking on new clients because they’re stretched as far as they feel comfortable going. Sidney still works there, running the finance department with ease and efficiency. It warms my heart to see them all so happy and thriving.
It’s not just Thomases in attendance today for the celebration. Reid and Dani Hunter are here with their growing brood of kids. Ryan and Jacobi have grown to become good friends, despite a couple years age difference. He’s a budding basketball star, a forward on the junior high team. Little Jessa is fifteen months old and is playing in a little blow-up pool under an umbrella. Sweet baby Ashlyn was born just a few weeks ago and is currently sleeping in my wife’s arms in the shade.
Scott and Tara Dixon arrived a little late with their infant son, Jordan, in tow. They were closing on their new house today, which is another reason for our celebration. As soon as six-month-old Jordan saw his uncle Reid, his face lit up like Christmas morning. Reid’s a commanding man, normally in a power suit. But to see him in trunks and a t-shirt, sitting beside the baby pool, is a major contradiction to the man in the boardroom. He’s laid back and smiling, watching over his wife as Jessa and Jordan play in the water.
The deck is full of adults too. Steven, the man who stepped up and acts as Reid’s father, sits beside Carly’s Mom and Dani’s Dad, who were married a little over a year ago. They’re discussing a new hotel being erected in the heart of the strip. It’s supposed to be the tallest one yet that Vegas has seen. They took down two older hotels to build this one.
From my perch manning the barbeque, I silently watch my family, and smile. I have a great life, and I owe it all to one woman. My wife sits beneath a large umbrella in the middle of the patio, rocking baby Ashlyn, who sleeps silently in her arms.
Confessing to Luke about the loss of his twin sibling was freeing for her in so many ways. She was finally able to release the guilt I know she had harbored for nearly thirty years.
Those early years were rough. It didn’t matter what I said or did, it was always the wrong thing. There’s nothing worse than feeling like you can’t help the one person you vowed to love and protect for eternity. She never grieved. I couldn’t help her, not in the way she needed, so I ultimate gave in to her request to never speak of the death of our baby boy again.
But now, she’s free. Together, we were able to discuss the baby’s death and how it affected us. She smiles, she laughs, and she limits her phone calls and drivebys to Luke and Sidney’s place. She has always been the most beautiful woman in the world, but for the longest time, her eyes were filled with something dark and unhealthy. Those gorgeous eyes I love so much are always smiling and shining brightly now. Since her confession, she’s the Janice I fell in love with.
I have my wife back.
She glances up at me, giving me that knowing smile. My lips turn upward as I mouth the words, “I love you.”
Janice’s smile widens right before she repeats those three words.
Never take for granted the love surrounding you. In the blink of an eye, it can all be stripped away. I’m fortunate enough to experience that kind of deep, forever love that they write romance novels about. I’m not naive enough to think everyone gets as lucky as me, but I’m romantic enough to hope. I hoped my boys would find that kind of happiness, and they have.
I just pray that no matter what life throws at them, they’ll always have each other.
Thomases stick together.
Forever.
~The End~
Acknowledgements
There are so many brilliant minds that help with the entire process of publishing a book. And I have the best team out there!
Kara Hildebrand, my eagle eye editor, who helps make my words sound better. Sandra Shipman and Joanne Thompson, who post-edit read and help polish the book. Holly Collins and Amanda Lanclos, who pre-edit read and tell me if my words suck or not. Brenda Wright of Formatting Done Wright, who makes the book look gorgeous. Sara Eirew, who is a photographer and designing genius. She never fails to amaze me with amazing covers. Adam Spahn, for bringing Luke Thomas to life on the cover. Nazarea and the InkSlinger PR team who work tirelessly behind the scenes to promote and spread the word of the book. All of the bloggers who take part in the blitzes and tours. Your time and commitment to reading is what makes readers pick up our books. All of the readers, who love to get lost in a book for a few hours. Lacey’s Ladies, who keep me sane and insane at the same time. You ladies work hard to introduce me to just one more reader, and I thank you for your efforts and friendship.
My family, my friends, and of course, my husband and kids. This last year has been crazy, and yet I still found time to write words. Thank you for allowing me to live my dream. It wouldn’t be anything without you!
Until next time,
Lacey
About the Author
Lacey Black is a Midwestern girl with a passion for reading, writing, and shopping. She carries her e-reader with her everywhere she goes so she never misses an opportunity to read a few pages. Always looking for a happily ever after, Lacey is passionate about contemporary romance novels and enjoys it further when you mix in a little suspense. She resides in a small town in Illinois with her husband, two children, and a chocolate lab. Lacey loves watching NASCAR races, shooting guns, and should only consume one mixed drink because she’s a lightweight.
Lacey became an international bestseller in July 20
16 when Submerged hit in the top 100 overall on three e-book retailers.
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