Epilogue - West
Two Years Later
I glance at my phone, sighing as I read the confirmation of the plane’s itinerary. “One more day.”
Amelia looks up from where she’s wrestling with Kingston, our one-year-old tornado of a son.
“Already? I feel like we’ve just arrived! And you still need to give me more driving lessons.”
I can’t help but chuckle. “You’ll never drive in New York, anyway.”
“I can drive here, though.”
She kisses Kingston’s head. “There you go. Go to Daddy while I get the wipes.”
I smile at Kingston. His shirt is on backwards, his wild curls sticking up in every direction.
He grins at me, chocolate smeared across his cheeks.
“Dada!” he squeals, breaking free from Amelia’s grasp and toddling toward me.
I scoop him up, ignoring the sticky hands that immediately grab at my face. “Hey, little man. Ready for our last beach day?”
Kingston nods enthusiastically, then proceeds to blow a raspberry on my cheek.
Amelia laughs, the sound as warm and bright as the Hilton Head sunshine.
“I swear, he gets that from you,” she says, trying to clean his hands and face.
“Me? I’m a perfect gentleman,” I protest, but I can’t keep the smile off my face.
Minutes later, we head to the beach.
The sand is already warm under our feet, the ocean a dazzling blue stretching to the horizon. Kingston alternates between running ahead and demanding to be carried.
“Do we have to leave tomorrow?” Amelia asks, a wistful note in her voice.
I wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her close. “I wish we could stay, but—”
“The meeting with your father, I know.” She sighs, leaning into me. “It’s just been so perfect here.”
I kiss the top of her head. “We’ll come back soon, I promise.”
“And the driving lessons?” she asks.
I smile. “Okay. I can give you one later.”
Kingston discovers a small crab scuttling across the sand. He chases after it, stubby legs pumping furiously as he shrieks with laughter.
“Kingston, be careful!” Amelia calls, but she’s smiling.
We spend the morning building sandcastles only for Kingston to destroy them. We also spend time splashing in the waves and soaking up the last bits of vacation bliss.
Our son is a whirlwind of energy, finding new ways to make us laugh—or give us minor heart attacks.
As we pack up to head back for lunch with Kingston nestled sleepily against my chest, I catch Amelia’s eye. The love I see there still takes my breath away.
“Thank you,” she says softly.
“For what?”
She gestures around us as we reach the house. “For this. For everything. You could spend your downtime somewhere fancy, but you’re happy to come here .”
“I’m happy because I’m with you, and that could be anywhere.” I lean in to kiss her, tasting salt and sunshine.
I carry our sleepy son up to his room, gently laying him in the crib for his nap.
Kingston mumbles something unintelligible, then rolls over, clutching his favorite stuffed elephant.
I watch him for a moment, marveling at how quickly he’s growing.
Closing the door quietly, I head back downstairs to find Amelia. She’s curled up on the couch, flipping through a magazine. The afternoon sunlight streams through the windows, catching her hair.
“Hey, beautiful,” I say, sitting down beside her.
She looks up, smiling. “Hey yourself. Did Kingston go down okay?”
I nod, then take a deep breath. “So, I’ve been thinking...”
Amelia raises an eyebrow. “Uh-oh. Should I be worried?”
I laugh, taking her hand in mine. “No, nothing like that. I was thinking...maybe it’s time we give Kingston a little brother or sister.”
She smiles. “Are you sure about that? We’ve only just gotten him to sleep through the night.”
“I’m sure,” I say, pulling her closer. “I want a house full of laughter, of little feet running around. I want to watch our family grow.”
“Well, when you put it like that...”
I stand, tugging her up with me. “Come on, let’s get started.”
She giggles as I lead her toward our bedroom, my hands already working at the buttons of her shirt.
We stumble through the doorway, leaving a trail of clothes in our wake.
“Hold that thought,” Amelia says, ducking into the bathroom.
I wait, perched on the edge of the bed, my heart racing with anticipation.
When she emerges, she’s holding something in her hand.
A small white stick.
“West,” she says, with a smile on her face. “I was waiting until tomorrow. But I thought I’d check a day early.” She waves the stick in the air. “We’re already pregnant.”
My heart pounds at the love I have for this woman. It can’t possibly feel any more love right now. But it does.
“Come here.” I hold out my hand. She takes it. I pull her close.
My lips find hers in a deep, passionate kiss that leaves us both breathless.
“We’re having another baby,” I whisper against her lips, still in awe of the news.
Her eyes sparkle with happiness. “We are.”
I gently lay her back on the bed, my hands caressing her sides.
Starting at her forehead, I press soft kisses to her skin. My lips trail down her cheeks, along her jawline, and down the column of her throat.
“I love you,” I murmur between kisses. “So much.”
Amelia sighs contentedly, her fingers threading through my hair.
I continue my journey, kissing along her collarbone and down to the swell of her breasts. My hands slide up to cup them gently as I lavish attention on each one.
I move lower, pressing reverent kisses across her still-flat stomach. “And I love you too, little one,” I whisper against her skin.
Amelia giggles softly. “It’s barely the size of a poppy seed right now.”
“Don’t care,” I say, nuzzling her belly. “Still love it.”
I continue down, kissing along her hips and the tops of her thighs. My hands caress her legs as I work my way back up, peppering kisses everywhere I can reach. When I finally make it back to her lips, Amelia pulls me into a deep, passionate kiss.
“I love you, West,” she says softly when we break apart. “Thank you for giving me this life, this family, and something that stops me from fearing my future.”
“Thank you for choosing me,” I reply, brushing a strand of hair from her face. My heart beats so hard with the love I feel for this woman. “And for trusting me with your heart.”
The End.
Thank you for reading.