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“Babe?” A little crease formed between Cole’s eyes. The audience seemed to be holding its breath. “Shirley picked the ring out. Don’t you like it?”
“Ho my frickin’ God,” I said, finally snapping out of it. “Yes, I like it! It’s freaking gorgeous!”
Cole blinked at me, looking a little nervous. “Is there another ‘yes’ coming? Like, in answer to myotherquestion?”
“What’re you, crazy? Yes, of course, I’ll marry you—yes, yes!”
The audience cheered as Cole slid the ring onto my finger and kissed me for the Jumbotron.
And for me. He also kissed me for me. And for him.
For us.
I closed my eyes as he wrapped his strong, protective arms around me. I felt safe, loved, and secure. So, I allowed myself to picture the things I used to think about when I was trying to escape: the dogs I might get—the Pitbull or the Rottie and the fat BFF mutt sidekick—picket fences, well-tended yards, kids playing on a swing set, sunshine, and lemonade.
I let myself picture them because I was going to have them.
And I was going to have those things with Cole.
Therewasa happy ending for a girl like me.
EPILOGUE
COLE
Jenny, my three kids, and I met James, Audrey, and their kids at the beach. Todd and Evie were just getting their youngest up from a nap; they were coming down to meet us all shortly.
“I can’t believe you two are pregnant again,” James said, shaking his head at me.
“I told you years ago that I couldn’t keep my hands off her,” I said and laughed. This is what happens.” I motioned to the baby strapped to my chest in a baby Bjorn.
“Plus, you should talk, bro.” I motioned to James’s youngest, who was strapped to his.
“Yeah, but you’re pregnant with yourfourth. That just seems exorbitant. Audrey and I have a respectable three.”
“For now,” I said. “I can still see that emotional boner on your face. If Audrey wants another one, she’ll get it.”
“That’s probably true,” James said and laughed.
We’d kept our promise and come back to the Bahamas every year. Jenny and I had three children, with another one on the way. James and Audrey also had three. In addition, Todd and Evie had three little boys. Thank God we all also had nannies because otherwise, we’d be screwed.
Four years ago, Audrey and James were married in a small ceremony at the Gardner Museum. I’d been James’s best man, and Jenny had been Audrey’s maid of honor. After getting engaged on the Jumbotron at a Thunder game, Jenny and I married later that same year. In contrast to their intimate wedding, we rented an entire Caribbean island and hosted a blowout, black-tie affair, complete with fireworks shot out over the water.
“This is huge,” James had said, looking around at the celebration.
“Jenny’s sort of used to huge,” I’d replied, deadpan.
Audrey now walked down the beach carrying Bella, her two-year-old daughter. Next to her was Jenny, who was pregnant and glowing, holding our daughter Reese’s hand. James and Audrey’s three-year-old son, Rhodes, was running around with our son, Kyle, splashing in the water and screeching in delight. James had their new baby, Mia, strapped to his chest. As did I. Except mine wasn’t a Mia—she was an Audrey, named after her aunt.
There were a lot of us to keep track of.
“Weren’t we all just here a while ago, single, drinking beer, and snorkeling?” I asked, looking at our crew. “Jesus, there are a lot of us now.”
“I know,” James said. Audrey came to his side, and he wrapped his arm around her, looking happy and proud.
Jenny came to my side, nestling against me and the baby. “I love you, babe,” she said.
“I know you do.” I was the luckiest guy in the whole world to not only be loved but also to be secure in it. To be sure. “And I love you, too.”
Jenny smiled up at me. “I know you do.”
It was her. It was me. It was our family.
And we were… forever.