Worth the Wait: Love Happens Series, Book Three

Epilogue Two

Ten years after meeting…

“Are we done yet?” I ask my friends, surprised none of them beat me to it.

We’re all just as close as ever and continue to spend a lot of time together. The six of us as a group and with our families. “You’re as bad as Freddy Bear,” Marcus teases.

“But still better than the Teddy Bear,” Carter tacks on. This has never ceased to be funny and it probably never will. Especially to Carter as his daughter, Sasha, started it. Come to think of it, she’s also behind the moniker Bella for my wife.

Sasha couldn’t say Frederick and, having nailed Teddy’s name, decided to shorten it to Freddy. It didn’t help that, on her third birthday, they’d each gotten her a stuffed bear.

Therefore, they are inundated with bear jokes. And not just by us.

Bellamy was out shopping with the other wives and came across a bumper sticker that read, ‘Bear with Me.” Oh, it gets better.

She did not give it to Frederick and Teddy to place on their cars. Not my brilliant woman. Instead, Bells affixed it to their wives’ vehicles. That way, if the guys were with their spouse in said ride, the logo was literal because there was a bear with them.

Maybe you had to be there. Either way, it’s freaking hilarious.

A loud noise, followed by the slam of car doors, has all of us looking toward the parking lot. We’d gone to the basketball court to work off some excess energy, and we did. But as time passed, and our energy faded, we’d each began checking our watches.

Ready for everyone to start arriving for the picnic portion of the day.

And now that they’re here, we can’t get to them fast enough.

Passionate kisses are exchanged between couples, though they’re more subdued than usual as we are in public. High fives and hugs are given by the kids before we start unloading the trunks.

“Man,” Tyler says upon seeing all of it, “you’d think we were feeding a bear.”

“Or two,” I correct him, which leads to Freddy and Teddy chasing us. “Bears,” I call, hoping Tyler gets the reference.

He does. “Bears,” he continues.

“Big bears,” I add, almost laughing too hard to get it out.

“Big bears,” Tyler repeats, with us both finishing, “chase ussssssss.”

We fall down, uncaring if we’re caught, wheezing from our amusement. “Did you idiots just quote John Candy’s famous scene from The Great Outdoors?” That would be Skye, grinning to lessen the name calling. Sort of.

Tyler shrugs. “We had to embellish a little.”

Before we can get up, my five-year-old son, Porter jumps on my chest. Followed by my daughter, Irene. She’s only three, so her big brother holds her hand to steady her, then she plops down in a very sensitive area. “Oof,” I say through gritted teeth, mentally unleashing numerous curse words that are not fit for young ears.

“Hope you only wanted two children,” Carter chimes in. I see all the men grimacing, feeling my pain.

“Too late,” Bells states as she places her hand on her belly. “Number three is already renting.”

Thank God I stay in shape because it allows me to stand, arms holding Porter and Irene, as I stride toward my wife. “For real?” We’ve been trying for a while, but it was taking longer than it did to get pregnant with Porter and Irene. She nods and I plant a kiss on here right there.

“I was going to tell you tonight.”

“Eww,” Porter grumbles. “That’s my mommy.”

Irene giggles and leans up to press her mouth to Bells’ cheek. “Mommy.”

Not wanting them to be left out, Bellamy leans down and kisses each of theirs. “We have to tell Dad,” I remind her, knowing he’ll be tickled.

“He’s coming over for dinner tomorrow.”

“I bet he’ll have presents. He always seems to know, ruining our attempt to surprise him.”

Be sure to stay tuned. Frederick and Teddy still need their HEAs.

If you liked Peter and Bellamy’s story, please take a moment to leave a review. Not only are authors happy to know they’ve brought enjoyment to someone’s life by providing an escape from reality, even if only for a short time, but they are a way for others to decide if they’d also be interested. The greatest way to share your love for their work is by word of mouth, whether it’s literally, or through your own written word in a review.