TWO YEARS LATER…
I’d just graduated. Happiness was flowing through my veins, and I was all smiles. It wasn’t easy—why lie? Going back to school after having Andrew had been no picnic. I hated being away from him, but slowly all three of us learned to adapt. After Briar tried to kidnap him, I was obsessive, but with time, that died down, and Nick helped me feel safe again until I could finally let other people care for him while I worked on my degree.
Nicholas was everything he’d promised he would be and more. He swore he would prioritize my dreams and ambitions and make sure I didn’t have to give up anything, and he did. Nick…my beautiful boyfriend. The beautiful boyfriend who became my husband.
We put off the wedding several times until we finally felt we could plan it without stressing out. By then, Andrew was a little man, two years old! He drove us all crazy, but he was old enough to stay with his grandparents for two weeks while we were away enjoying our honeymoon.
So there I was, accepting my diploma from the department head and glancing around trying to find my two favorite boys. I did a turn on the stage, and right then, Nick stood up. He had Andy on his shoulders, who was clapping for me, his hair messy just like his father’s, his eyes showing joy over something he couldn’t even understand. Mom and Will were there, too. They clapped, and Anabel and Maddie grinned.
Anabel had beaten her cancer, and she’d repaired her relationship with Nick. Maddie was still living with Will, but she spent the weekends with her mother. They came over a lot. Nick’s mother and Maddie were both crazy about Andy. Maddie was a little beauty now, with her blond hair and angel face. Even at ten, she’d become a head-turner.
After graduation, we had a little celebration at home. The whole family and all our friends were there. At one point, Nicholas caught me by myself when I’d gone to the kitchen, and he grabbed my hand to drag me off to the bedroom.
My back struck the door softly as his lips touched mine passionately.
“Tomorrow you’ll finally be mine. There’s no escaping, Freckles,” he said. As his mouth explored my neck, he seemed almost to be worshipping me.
“I’ve still got time to jilt you at the altar,” I warned him, laughing. He bit my shoulder playfully, but hard enough to produce pain and pleasure at the same time.
“Explain to me again this dumb idea about not sleeping together until we’re married.”
Jenna had come up with that. She’d challenged us to avoid sex for two weeks so our honeymoon would be more passionate and romantic.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I responded, pulling him close and yielding to him. Our tongues wrapped around each other, and I moaned as he touched me down below, torturing me pitilessly.
“Does this count as breaking the rules?” he asked. I threw my head back, sighing and closing my eyes to better soak in his caresses.
“You’ve always loved being a rule breaker, so I don’t know why you’d worry about it now…” I said, pressing down into his hand, seeking the pleasure my body desired.
Nick kissed my breasts, and his fingers went on playing with my body. “Come on, babe… Give me what I want,” he whispered in my ear.
But just then, someone knocked.
Nicholas stopped.
I opened my eyes, panting, trembling.
“What the hell are you two up to?” Jenna said on the other side of the door.
Shit.
“Jenna, go away,” Nick ordered her, giving me a peck on the cheek.
“If you don’t come out right now…!”
I cursed. I hated her with all my might just then.
“Should we go back to the party?” Nick asked. He clearly found all this very funny.
“You’re an idiot. I’ll get you back for this, though.”
He pinned me against the door again and stared into my eyes.
“What makes you think I’m not suffering as much as you right now, or more?”
I looked down between his legs. That was enough to show me he was telling the truth. “No sex before marriage…”
“Our parents would be proud.”
I laughed, and we opened the door to see our pain-in-the-ass friend.
“Mommy!” Andy said, reaching out his little arms for me to pick him up. Jenna was holding him on her hip. She was six months along now, and her belly was visible under her yellow dress.
I grabbed my little treasure, and we went down to the backyard. Lion was overseeing the grill with William next to him. Both had on aprons that said Kiss the cook. Presents from Jenna, obvs.
Andy started squirming, and I set him down. He took off running toward the swings, where Maddie was ready to embrace him. She loved playing with her little nephew.
Nicholas went over, too. He loved those two kids more than anything in the world… I looked around. My whole family was there. All smiling faces.
The next day was going to be brilliant.
