“I didn't tell y’all to kiss yet,” the officiant says pulling them apart.
Lacey winks and I see the gleam in Nico's eyes.
I glance across the altar and Alessandra is looking at me with a small smile of her own.
I blow her a kiss with a wink and she catches it. The box in my jacket weighing heavy on my heart and my mind.
-----
I grab two glasses of sparkling cider from the bar and make my way over to the table, glancing around the dance floor. I spot who I'm looking for and smile, watching Alessandra spin Peter around. Her blonde hair is pulled into a loose knot in the back of her head, small strands framing her face.
The back of her dress is exquisite, a draped bareback, all the way down to the top of her ass, compliments to Lacey's impeccable bridesmaid selection. I'll have to thank her for that later.
As if she can sense it, I hear her sassy voice from behind me.
“You're welcome for choosin’ those dresses. Pretty sure Damon is tryna put Bella into labor on the back patio and I definitely saw Devin leadin’ Normani into the limo. Sorry, I know that's y'alls thing, better get creative,” Lacey laughs slapping me on the shoulder.
I laugh too and glance over at her.
“You're seriously a mind reader, I swear.”
“Oh please, I'm straighter than an arrow but I would totally crossover for that chick. She looks drop dead gorgeous and we all know blondes have more fun. If you don't take her home tonight, I gladly will,” she says with a wink.
“Who the hell are you taking home? You just married me, Blondie,” Nico growls from behind us.
“Oh hush, just sayin’ Ali looks hot. When are you puttin’ a ring on her Miguel? I know you asked and all but, there's a reason every guy here is burnin’ a hole in that sexy ass dress. Claim your woman!” She says slapping my chest.
“Don't worry about that, and if you can't find us later, I'm sure you'll hear about it tomorrow,“ I wink.
Peter looks over at me, just like we planned, and I give him the thumbs up. He pulls Alessandra’s hand out towards the back of the hall, where the gazebo overlooks the glowing fountain.
“Gotta go. Congrats y'all.”
I walk through the other door, behind the two of them as they walk, Peter looking back every other step. I laugh at his excitement and then he stops, pulling on Alessandra's hand.
“What's the matter bud?” she asks kneeling down.
“Dadda, marry?” He asks.
“W-what?” She stutters.
“Great job bud,” I say walking over to the two of them, giving Peter a high five.
He smiles, slapping my hand as he kneels in front of Alessandra just like I taught him. I kneel down next to him and Alessandra gasps.
“Alessandra Thompson. I know I asked you this a few months ago, but I didn't have a ring. Tonight, I have my future best man at my side, and I want to do it the right way, the way you deserve. I love you and I love Peter more than I ever imagined I could love two people before. I want you to be my wife, but I also want Peter as my son, officially. He will always own a piece of my heart and I want him to have our last name. I want both of y'all to be Jameson's so if you'll have me as your husband, I also hope you have me as Peter's father. I wanna adopt him and I wanna marry you. What do you say?”
I open the ring box to a pear infinity twist ring, and she nods silently, her hand covering her mouth as I slip the ring onto her finger.
“Miguel this is stunning.”
“I wanted something to show you I'll forever be yours. Eternity, empowerment and everlastin’ love, for all of us.”
“You really want to adopt Peter?” She asks with tears in her eyes.
“Of course I do. He's half of you, Alessandra. He's become such a big part of my life and y'all are a package deal. I can't imagine a you without him, a me without both of you.”
“Oh, Miguel. You have no idea what you do to me. You think I brought you back to life, you brought me back. You made me believe again, that I deserved my happy ending, that I was more than my past. You have changed my life.”
She wraps her arms around my neck, and I put my hand out to the side, Peter taking it as he hugs our legs.
“Only up from here,” I say smiling.
“Thriving from the bottom.”
Epilogue
Alessandra
Six months later…
“You ready for this?” Charlotte asks as I stand in front of the floor length mirror.
I meet her gaze as her hands go to my shoulders from behind me, and I nod, brushing a tear away.
“I am.”
“You look stunnin’, Alessandra. I'm so happy y'all found your happiness.”
“Thank you for being there for me, for us, for everything. I don't know if I would have gotten through all this without your love and support,” I say wiping at my eyes.
Damn, no tears yet, please no tears yet.
“You woulda been just fine.”
She kisses my cheek and we hear a soft knock on the door and Normani comes in, smiling from ear to ear.
“How's my sister doin’? Miguel told me to make sure you didn't try to run and if you did, I was told to put you in a headlock,” she says, laughing. “Little does he know that I would be your getaway driver. You sure you wanna marry my jackass brother?”
I laugh and dab under my eyes.
“Yes, I'm sure.”
Charlotte kisses me on the cheek and walks out and Normani turns my shoulders to face her.
“How are you feelin’?” she whispers.
“Good. Really, really good. I'm kind of nervous, with Peter I felt like crap. Shouldn't I feel like crap?”
I bite my lip as I rub my belly and Normani sighs.
“Nope. You're blessed, embrace it girl. My brother’s gonna go nuts. When are you gonna tell him?”
“I… I kinda have a plan,” I say winking.
Normani claps her hands excitedly as Bella and Lacey come barreling into the room.
“How's our bride? Miguel looks like he's gonna vomit everywhere by the way, we’re super late. He keeps askin’ Devin if he can see his sweat through his suit,” Lacey says laughing. “You're gonna give the poor guy a stroke, you ready?”
I take a deep breath and nod as we walk towards the door.
“I believe I have the most important job today, ladies. If you'll excuse me while I escort this beautiful bride,” says Gabriel as he walks towards me.
He looks so handsome in his navy-blue suit, his hair a little salty on his sideburns. When Miguel and I discussed who would walk me down the aisle, I was just going to ask one of the guys until Gabriel came to the apartment one day. He told me it would be an honor to walk me down and share my father-daughter dance and I swear I never believed in the power of kindness like I did that day.
These people, despite blood, despite hardships, despite adversities they always remain together. I've heard and lived through so many things trying to tear them apart, but they always remain together, the glue to the tribe too strong to ever rip them apart.
“No cryin’ yet, strict orders from the wife to not make you ruin your makeup,” Gabriel says dabbing under my eyes with his thumbs.
I laugh as he finishes, looping his arm through mine as we walk towards the church aisle. It meant a lot to me that Miguel agreed to get married in this church.
“It was something so hurtful, but I want to replace the bad memory with a good one. At least I know Rico will be there, watchin’ over us, probably checkin’ out all the single ladies.”
I fell in love with him all over again that day and every day since.
“Thank you, Gabriel, for being here for me today.”
“You're family, Ali. That’s what family does. Now let's get you married!”
The music plays as our bridesmaids and groomsmen walk down the aisle, followed by all our flower girls and ring bearers, too many to count these days.
Gabriel squeezes my hand as we slowly walk dow
n the aisle and I immediately lock my gaze on Miguel.
My off the shoulder, simple, white, lace dress flows around my legs as I walk, curly blonde hair in waves down my back with my veil pinned behind the crown of my head.
His lips press together in a tight smile as he unapologetically lets tears fall down his cheeks.
Mine.
This man, everything we've been through, memories we've made, tears we've cried, laughs we've shared, every single thing about him is now mine.
Finally, I'm in front of him and he shakes Gabriel’s hand as I climb the step to stand in front of him.
“You're absolutely stunnin’, Alessandra. I have no words.”
I smile, squeezing his hand as the priest starts the ceremony. I half pay attention, keeping my eyes on Miguel, picturing his reaction to my big news.
“Did you write your own vows?” the priest asks.
“We did,” Miguel answers.
He reaches into his jacket pocket, taking out a piece of paper as his hands shake.
“Alessandra. From the moment you walked into my studio, I told you I knew you were made for me. Rico knew how badly I was hurtin’, how badly I needed someone to bring me back out of the darkness, out of the sadness, to the light, to livin' again. You and Peter have toppled my world upside down and I don't even remember what life was like without y'all. I went through the motions but with you, I promise to always be present.”
He takes a big breath and looks up, throwing his paper behind him with a smile.
“I promise to be by your side always, keep remindin’ you every day how much you're loved, how much you're needed, and how much I care about you and how proud I am of everything you do. I will love you with every ounce of strength in my body until my last breath.”
He puts his hand on my cheek and wipes at my eyes as I collect myself, taking a deep breath.
“Miguel. My journey led me to your doorstep and everything that tried to tear me down was a blessing. Knowing how precious life is, knowing what I deserve, made me believe that you were it. You are what I was looking for, you are what I pictured as my happily ever after. You are everything I dreamed of and more and I will always be thankful for the path that led me to you, despite the obstacles, the prize was worth it,” I say winking.
“I promise to always be honest with you, loyal and loving. I promise to be by your side through every hardship and every celebration, but most of all, I promise in six months from now I will try my best not to curse your name and break your hand as I push out our baby.”
Miguel smiles shaking his head and I watch his expression morph. His goofy smile fades and his eyes widen, his hands tightening around mine. I hear gasps from the audience and smile as Miguel laughs, lifting me up and kissing me senseless.
“Okay, I guess by the power vested in me by the state of Louisiana and in the eyes of God, you may kiss your bride! Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Miguel Jameson!”
We ignore the priest, continuing to kiss and Miguel finally breaks it, talking against my mouth.
“We're havin’ a baby?”
“We're havin’ a baby.”
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
One year and six months later…
Miguel
“I hate you, Miguel Jameson, God, I hate you so fucking much!” Alessandra groans, squeezing my hand.
“Baby, you said you wouldn’t curse my name and break my hand in our vows, I remember that-”
“Shut up. Just...shush, oh shit, oh God, oh God, I can’t!” she chants. “Dammit, I forgot how bad this hurts, mother fucker!”
“Can you give her somethin’?” I squeak, my voice cracking. “She don’t curse like this, she needs medication!”
I’m gonna pass out, or throw up or both. I feel like a useless piece of shit as I watch the woman I love go through this.
“We’re never havin’ another baby ever again, okay? I promise, this is it,” I say kissing her hand.
“No! You asshole! Don’t say that! Dammit!”
“Okay, okay, we’ll have more just...tell me what to do? What do I do?” I plead pushing her hair off her sweaty forehead.
She takes a deep breath and I hear the beeping on the monitor subside.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to call you an asshole, or curse at you. I love you, this just really, really hurts and I kind of hate you for it, but love you and fuckkkk here we go!” she groans, squeezing my hand again.
I look over at the nurse and she comes in front of Alessandra, lifting her legs.
“Do you feel like you need to push?” she asks.
“Yessssss!” Alessandra screams.
“Okay, let me get the doctor and another nurse in here.”
She pushes a button next to Alessandra’s bed and puts gloves on, standing in front and puts her legs in some holder thing on the side of the bed.
“What...what do you need me to do?” I pant.
“Hold her legs if you want a front row seat, otherwise, let her hold your hand and encourage her to push as hard as she possibly can.”
I start to walk towards Alessandra’s legs and she pulls my arm, stopping me.
“Don’t even think about going down there, Miguel Jameson. You stay right up here so you can always envision my vagina intact, not pushing a human out of it. Don’t you dare move,” she says through her clenched teeth.
I nod, grabbing her hand and kissing it as the doctor comes back in with another nurse.
“We ready for a baby?” he asks with a smile.
Alessandra nods, gripping my hand and I let out a nervous laugh, nodding too.
“Okay, Alessandra. Give me a biggggggg push now,” the doctor instructs.
Alessandra grips my hand on one side and the railing of the other as she groans, her face contorted in agony as she pushes, turning red. The strength on this woman will never cease to amaze me. Physically, emotionally, she is such a force and every day she only gets stronger.
“That’s it, just give me a few more just like that,” the doctor encourages.
“You got this baby, you got this,” I whisper in her ear, giving her a kiss on her forehead.
She looks up at me, grabbing my face in a kiss and I feel her hand grip the back of my head hard, her nails digging into my scalp as she groans into my mouth. She breaks the kiss with a yell, our foreheads touching as she pushes again, and collapses to the bed with a sigh of relief. The loud cry of the baby breaks my gaze away from her and the doctor smiles, holding it up.
“What is it?” Alessandra whispers.
“A girl!” the doctor announces.
Alessandra laughs, covering her mouth with her hand as tears form in her eyes. The laugh turns into a cry as the nurse places our baby girl on her chest. Tears stream down my face as I lean to kiss Alessandra and then our baby. The feeling of instant love washes over me, my body tingling with the happiness of this little girl being ours. We created her, we get to watch her grow, teach her things. I have never known a feeling like this in my entire life and my smile is goofy and proud. I look at Alessandra and I swear I have never loved her more than I do right now.
“Mariana,” she whispers. “Let’s name her Mariana.”
And there she goes, proving me wrong. I love her so, so much more right now.
Alessandra
I sip my coffee, glancing over to the highchair and laugh at Mariana fast asleep.
"Voodoo magic, mama?" Miguel says from behind me kissing me on my cheek.
"It's the solids. I've never seen one tiny human consume so much food in my life," I laugh.
"Well she takes after her daddy, what ya got cookin'? Smells delicious."
He moves to the stove, his muscular, bare back constricting as he lifts the lid and scoops out some eggs.
"Earlier than normal workout today, everything okay?" I ask eyeing him.
"I um...have decided on some big news, actually. Wanted to discuss it with you."
He takes a seat across from me and nervousness is written all
over his face. I drop my legs from underneath me and move to lean across the table, grabbing his hands.
"What's up?"
"I'm gonna leave the precinct, just focus on the gym. Now that I have y'all I can't… it's safe but it's not at the same time. Anyone can get wind of my behind the scenes work and the risk ain’t worth it. My heart and love for the job died that day with Rico. I feel like I kept goin' because I owed it to him."
Last Round (Double Play Series Book 6) Page 24