That One Summer: A Collection of Steamy Contemporary Romance

Epilogue

Zara

One year later

I dig my feet in the sand and rub more sunblock on my ever-growing belly.

“I feel like a beached whale.”

“Don’t talk about my wife like that.” Brad says from behind me where he rubs sunblock on my back.

I lean my head back, look up at him, and smile. He leans down and kisses me, long, slow, and seductive.

“Alright, that’s enough you two.” Chuck, Brad’s oldest brother, says as he lands on the blanket next to him, his one-year-old son squirming in his arms.

We both grin as Chuck’s wife sits beside him and takes the baby.

“Can’t help it, bro. My wife’s irresistible.”

I am so in love with my husband.

“And so is my husband.”

“You two never stop, do you?” Ryan, another one of Brad’s siblings, says and we all laugh.

It’s a beautiful day at the beach in Pensacola, with all of Brad’s family here celebrating the fourth of July. I love being surrounded by all his siblings. There’s so much laughter and love, it’s damn contagious.

After confessing our love to each other one year ago in Key West, we had a long road ahead of us with a lot of shit to figure out.

My parents wouldn’t accept that I didn’t want to be with Neil. My younger brother joined the army and was never home, and while I knew I would miss Cilla and Lily something fierce, I knew it was the right choice to join Brad in Pensacola.

After I left Savannah, I didn’t look back.

Brad’s family welcomed me with open arms. I moved into Brad’s apartment, found a job teaching kindergarten, and we were engaged and married by the fall. Which ended up working out perfectly, since I discovered I was pregnant on Christmas.

It’s hard to accept my parents not being around. But I left the line of communication open so that if they finally accept me being with Brad, we can work on our relationship.

Brad had his own shit to deal with. He confessed to Allison’s parents that he was going to call off the marriage. Of course, there was hurt, but it was healing in the end. Which is what all of them needed after her sad and unexpected passing.

If you asked me a year ago when I first arrived at Key West, that the following summer, I’d be married and pregnant, I would’ve died laughing.

Yet here I am.

The happiest I’ve ever been with the love of my life.