I shook my head. “I’m sorry, Chewy.”
“That was on me. But this time, it’s just right, you know? Who knows you’re pregnant?”
“Nobody. I mean, no one aside from Carl.” I winced. “I wanted to tell you first, so I haven’t told a soul.”
“That had to be a tough secret to keep these last few weeks.”
“Yeah, but my boyfriend was sending me all these texts and flowers and vibrators. He can be very distracting.”
“Sounds like my kind of guy.”
“He’s definitely my kind of guy.”
“How about we don’t tell anyone why they’re coming over? We order food from Reynolds’ and just invite the family to a Sunday dinner here. And we have Father Davis waiting for us down here by the water. We can tell them we’re getting married and having a baby all at the same time.”
“That’s quite the Sunday dinner.” I waggled my brows.
“Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Me either.”
“Reese Reynolds has a nice ring to it.” He nipped at my bottom lip.
“It does. Forever has a nice ring, too.”
“You were always my forever. It just took us a little bit to figure it out.” He kissed me before pulling back. “I love you, Reese.”
“I love you more.”
And I tugged his lips back down to mine.
Because once you realized that you’d found your forever, you wanted to start living it right now.
And that was exactly what I planned to do.
epilogue
Finn
Reese and I had never done anything by the book. We’d been the best of friends long before we were ever lovers. We didn’t become lovers until we were fake dating. She moved out of my house after she found out she was pregnant. And we were having a wedding that everyone thought was a Sunday dinner. Oh, yeah, and we were also going to announce that we were having a baby, too.
Being conventional was boring.
I was a big believer in trusting your gut. If it feels right. If it feels good.
Do it.
Hugh and Lila had brought in boxes of food, and we were setting it up on the kitchen island. My parents were asking me a slew of questions about when I was leaving next week to start shooting Big Sky Ranch, but I wasn’t ready to answer all their questions just yet. I had bigger things on my mind.
Much better things.
The fact that I was going to marry the only girl, the only woman I’d ever loved. And this wasn’t a casual kind of love. This was an I’ll burn down the world for you kind of love. The kind that you know is forever.
Georgia and Maddox were talking to Reese’s parents.
Brinkley and Lincoln were home for a couple of weeks as he’d wrapped up his season. They’d made it to the Super Bowl, and though they didn’t walk away with the win, it was still an amazing year for the Thunderbirds.
My brother-in-law was one hell of a player.
Cage was currently trying to explain to me why he brought a fucking pig to my house for Sunday dinner.
“Dude, I can’t make this shit up. Maxine is fixated on me now. If I don’t bring her with me, she goes batshit crazy. Martha and Joe better get home soon because I’m done with piggy daycare.”
“Ridiculous. I think you like it. She’s the only woman you seem to want to spend time with.” I smirked because guess what? I didn’t fucking care that he brought a pig to my house, which technically meant that he’d brought a pig to my wedding.
He just didn’t know it yet.
“I’m done with women for a while.”
“Yeah? Does that have anything to do with the story that just broke on the internet?”
“I have no idea what you’re referring to.” He smirked. He knew. He’d texted me about it an hour ago.
“Well, I just saw it. Do you think it’s true?” Brinkley asked, looking around like what we were talking about was a top-secret mission for the FBI.
“It’s public record. And where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire,” I said.
“Are we talking about Presley Duncan?” Hugh asked as he walked into the huddle.
“I believe that’s Presley Wellington. And no, we aren’t talking about it.” Cage cleared his throat.
“Right. Because it’s no big deal that the love of your life’s world has just imploded. Why would we talk about that?” Brinkley raised a brow.
“Oh, I heard.” Georgia shoved her head into our little circle and whispered, “What a douche potato. How do you cheat on Presley Duncan? She’s the whole package. Smart, beautiful, and she was the only person who could ever put Cage in his place.”
“For the last time, her name is Presley Wellington. Let’s not refer to her as the love of my life because that makes it sound like my life is over. I’ve got Gracie and Maxine. I’m doing just fine.”
“Ah, a five-year-old and a pig,” I teased. “And I don’t know that she’ll be going by that last name with the scandal around her husband. I’m guessing she’ll be taking her maiden name back and leaving that—what did you call him, Georgie?”
“A douche potato.”
“Don’t ruin the potato by putting a douche in front of it. This conversation is over.” My older brother hissed just as Lila walked over.
“Are we talking about Presley Duncan?”
We all started laughing because Cage threw his hands in the air and groaned.
“Yes, baby,” Hugh said as he stroked the hair away from her face.
“Well, Mrs. Runither came into the restaurant right when I was leaving, and Hugh was loading the car with all the food. She told me Presley’s dad is in the hospital. He had a stroke. When it rains, it sure does pour, huh? I feel terrible for her. We’ll drop some food off for the family tomorrow.”
I glanced at Cage and noticed the way his jaw clenched. The way his shoulders stiffened. He could deny that he cared all he wanted, but we all knew that he still did. Even if they’d had a horrible breakup and completely cut one another out of their lives.
I knew my brother.
He was worried about her.
“Keep me posted on Frank, please.” Cage cleared his throat.
Reese came in, carrying Gracie in her arms. She was wearing a white dress covered in little flowers that ran down to the floor with her boots beneath it. She had her cowboy hat on her head, and her gaze locked with mine.
“You ready to do this, Chewy?”
“I love when you call Uncle Finny Chewy.” Gracie’s head fell back in laughter as she jumped down to her feet.
“All right, we have a little surprise for everyone before we eat. Come on outside. It won’t take too long. Bring your jackets if you’re cold.” I sent a quick text to Father Davis, who was waiting for us down by the water, before sending a text to my cousin Everly, because I had a few surprises for everyone today.
With Reese’s hand in mine, we led our families down through the field and into the pines. The timing, well, it was perfect.
Just the way we wanted it.
The sun was getting ready to go to sleep, and we were going to say our vows right before it did.
Under the last bit of citrine-colored sunshine.
“Look how gorgeous that sunset is,” Georgia said as she and Maddox walked beside us.
“It’s something.” Maddox glanced over at me like he was trying to figure out what I was up to.
My parents and Reese’s parents were talking a mile a minute and never questioned why we were all going for a walk.
Brinkley, on the other hand… She never missed a beat.
“What’s going on, Finny?”
“You know what, Brinks? You’re going to have to wait to find out.”
“That is never okay with me,” she huffed, and Lincoln wrapped his arms around her from behind and chuckled as we made our way through the pines.
It was quiet, which surprised me, considering there was a small group waiting for us just a few feet away.
When we came through the other end of the tree line, there stood all my cousins and their husbands and their kids. Reese’s cousins were there, as well, but considering they were a small group of four, the Thomas family was large. I didn’t know how they’d kept all the kids so quiet, but they had. Dylan was there, holding baby Hugh, with Wolf standing beside her.