by Roxy Reid
Her eyes widen in shock, and that’s a blow too. How bad was I at showing I care, that she’s so completely stunned to hear I wanted a future?
I close my eyes. I can’t fix the past. But maybe I can say the right thing now, so at least she knows I cared.
When I open my eyes, Stella’s walking toward me. She smoothes a strand of hair out of my face, and that soft, kind touch is the best pain in the whole world.
I look down into those beautiful eyes, so she knows I mean every word. “You are going to be an amazing mom. You are going to be an amazing music teacher. And I hope whoever this guy is deserves you. Because you’re the best person I know. And he is so damn lucky that his kid has you for a mom.”
Her eyes brighten with tears, but she’s smiling, so maybe it’s a good cry.
Maybe I finally said the right thing.
“Wade,” she says. “It’s you.”
She says it with this brilliant smile, and I thought I knew all of Stella Harrington’s smiles, but this is one I’ve never seen before. My heart rises in my chest, responding to the brilliance of her smile, even if my brain has no idea what she’s talking about.
“What are you saying, Stella?” I ask, my heart pounding.
“You’re the father, Wade St. George. I love you, and I want to be with you.”
I kiss her so hard and fast it’s like I’m falling on her mouth, ravenous. The salt of her tears, or my tears—I don’t know, somebody’s tears—becomes another a taste of this incredible, impossible moment I’ll never forget. Her hands are sliding through my hair like she’s never going to let me go.
I can’t believe it. I get Stella Harrington. I get to keep her. I wonder how long I have to wait before I ask her to marry me.
I’ll check with Duke.
And God knows keeping her would be good enough, but we’re having a kid.
I’m going to have a kid. And that kid is going to have a fearless pink haired rocker demon for a mom.
I’m the luckiest man in the world.
I break away from the kiss, as everything I’ve ever heard about parenting explodes in my brain at once.
“Fuck, I need to buy a car seat. I need to update my life insurance. We need baby food. Wait, no, baby food expires. We should wait on the baby food.”
Stella laughs and catches my face. “Wade. Don’t overthink it.”
I don’t want to ask but … “Are you sure?”
Her face goes fierce, and she releases me, taking a step back, wrapping her arms around her stomach. “I’m sure I want this kid.”
“That’s not what I meant. I mean, are you sure you want me? Because if you’re settling for me because of the pregnancy, I’ll support this kid no matter what, you don’t have to—”
“I’m sure,” Stella says, with quiet certainty.
I’m almost scared to believe her, because I want this so damn much.
“If I wasn’t sure, I wouldn’t have told you,” she points out, and I know I should probably be mad at that, but I knew I was falling in love with a woman who didn’t play by the rules. And knowing she’s telling the absolute truth gets rid of my last shred of doubt.
Fuck waiting. I’m never hiding anything from Stella again.
I go down on one knee. I’m dimly aware of footsteps approaching, but I ignore them, to focus on Stella, whose hand has just flown to her mouth.
“Wade, are you sure?” she breathes. “We don’t have to … We can wait …”
“I’m sure.” I watch her smile blossom, tentatively, like she’s scared to believe me. “If I wasn’t sure, I wouldn’t be asking. Although you’re going to have to just imagine the ring.”
Stella laughs, delightedly, and God, I’m going to get to listen to that laugh for my whole life.
I open my mouth to speak, when Stella’s eyes dart to something above my head.
“Hold that thought. The reporter’s coming. And it’s fucking Judy. Quick, stand up!”
“No. I don’t give a damn who sees.” I hold out my hand, and Stella takes it, her face awash in happiness. “Stella. I don’t have a ring, but I love you with my whole heart, and I always will. I can’t wait to raise our kid together.”
She’s crying now, straight up crying happy tears, staring into my eyes like we’re the only two people in the world.
I kiss her hand. “How do you feel about marrying me, Stella Harrington?”
“Yes and always, Wade St. George,” she says through the biggest smile in the world.
I rise and kiss her the way I intend to love her: with everything I have and everything I am.
Behind me Isaiah chuckles. “I guess you clarified things.”
“I knew it!” Judy says smugly.
I ignore them both, and kiss my future wife.
Epilogue
Stella
I’m swaying side to side, rocking Rosalind Harrington St. George to sleep. It’s way past her bedtime, but she’s still resisting sleep.
It was a big day. The guests, the ceremony, the dancing. Plus, little miss Rosalind is now officially one-year-old.
But as I sway in the dark, singing under my breath, she relaxes into my arms. She doesn’t like the beading on my dress, but when I scoot her up my body so her soft little face can rest on my bare skin above the dress’s strapless neckline, she sighs happily, and finally eases into sleep.
I could lay her down in her crib now, but I hold her a little longer. There are days when being a mom, and a teacher, and the partner of a man who has to fly all over the country for business, makes me want to tear my hair out.
But then there are times like this. When I just want to savor the moment forever, because life changes, and I’m sure the changes ahead are going to be wonderful adventures.
But right now, with my baby girl sleeping soundly in my arms, everything is perfect.
“There’s a sight,” Wade drawls, his voice low and hushed so as not to wake Rosalind. I turn.
Wade’s slouched in the doorway, tired and happy. His tux is rumpled, and his bow tie hangs loose and tied around his neck. There’s some dried spit-up on his shoulder, though you can’t see it from here.
And on his left hand, there’s a wedding band that matches the one on mine.
I like that band on him. I liked standing up in front of everyone we know and love today, and telling the world he’s mine.
The gif of him, tall and dashing in his tux, getting teary-eyed as he says he swears to love me and Rosalind forever, is already being passed around the nerdier corners of the internet.
There are lots of women posting sobbing emojis in the comments section. I know because Wade’s mom showed me. Right before she pinched my cheek, said she was glad he chose me, and shooed the wedding photographer away so we could take a selfie.
“Do you think we scarred Rosalind by getting married on her first birthday?” Wade asks.
“She’s one. She won’t remember,” I point out, as I gently set her down in the crib. “Also, how many one year olds get a custom birthday cake from the best wedding bakery in all of North Carolina?”
He joins me at the crib, and carefully pulls the blanket over Rosalind. Wade is convinced that if Rosalind doesn’t have a blanket, she’ll be cold and miserable. Which makes sense in the winter, but lead to some very stupid arguments in the summer. My genius husband is not always logical when it comes to the people he loves.
Wade’s big hand splays on the small of my back, and he says in my ear, “I’m not talking about today. I’m talking about the horrifying moment she eventually realizes her parents have anniversary sex on her birthday every year.”
“Wade!” I smother a laugh so I won’t wake Rosalind.
My husband, ever the gentleman, helps me out by kissing me until I can’t remember what I was laughing at.
“What were we talking about?” I whisper, my breath shaky.
“We were talking about getting you out of this dress.” His hands trail over the silky black ribbon lacing up the dress’s
corset back.
I had to add a little rock and roll to the wedding.
Wade finds the spot on my neck he knows turns me on, and focuses with the single minded intensity he normally applies to coding and contracts.
“I’ve been thinking about unlacing this thing all day,” he says, giving the ribbon a tug that, even after a year, fills my stomach with butterflies. “But now I don’t know if I can wait. This is a very mean thing to put on a wedding dress.”
I’m snickering silently when he scoops me up in his arms, fluffy wedding dress and all, and my heart skips a beat at the romance of it all.
I place a hand on his jaw, and kiss him softly. “I love you, Wade St. George.”
“I love you too, Stella.” His eyes drink me in, like he thinks I’m some kind of miracle. “I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying to make you as happy as I am, right this second.”
“Well then. It’s probably in my best interest to tell you something that’s going to make you even happier.” I throw my arms around his neck, and whisper into his ear. “There’s a side zipper on this dress.”
He laughs, loud enough Rosalind stirs and makes a little sound in her sleep. We freeze like two teenagers about to be caught. But she doesn’t wake up. Wade looks like he might start laughing again, so I cut him off.
“Get me out of here, get me out of this dress, and give me a wedding night I’ll never forget.”
“Anything you want, Marigold,” Wade says.
He stops on the way out so I can lean over and turn on the baby monitor.
And then my husband carries me over the threshold to the first in a life full of adventures.
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Fake Fiancé Agreement
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Also by Roxy Reid
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Fake Fiancé Agreement
FAKE FIANCÉ AGREEMENT
I’m Bethany’s boss.
I should have known better…
But she’s the sharpest, hottest woman I’ve ever known.
My jealous ex-wife is threatening to take my kid away.
I’ll do anything to keep my daughter.
Even pretend to be engaged.
I accidentally blurt out that Bethany is my fiancée.
Not my smartest move I’ll admit.
But she’s agreed to go along with it.
Can a fake engagement lead to real love?
The clock is ticking…
Soon we’ll be forced to choose - marry or part forever.
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