Epilogue
Olivia
“Mama.” My daughter says, walking unsteadily towards me.
‘Mama’ is all she can say right now. She says it for everything but sometimes I like to just pretend she’s calling me.
I like to tease Josh about it too, about how she said ‘mama’ first and not ‘dada’.
It’s something he takes very seriously and the look on his face everytime I bring it up is priceless.
“Hi, baby.” I coo at her, “You look so beautiful.” I kiss her on the cheek and she giggles. It’s the best sound in the world, a baby laughing. It’s so carefree and lights up the whole room and unfortunately, makes my ovaries tingle.
“You could have warned me that it’s like trying to wrestle an alligator just to change her diaper.” Sash says as she waltzes into the room. “I swear, I have sweated off all my makeup.” She’s breathing heavily and I stifle a laugh.
“But where's the fun in that?” She gives me a death glare from across the room. “You still look gorgeous though.” I offer but she doesn't accept it. I’m not even lying about it. Sasha could have the same makeup on for a week straight and not one part of it would be out of place. She’s wearing a simple dress that fits well at the top and flows at the bottom, her hair in loose waves around her shoulders.
I take in my baby girl again, snuggling her close.
“And you are just perfection.” My one year old is in a beautiful white dress with gold sparkles running through the puffy skirt.
Her chestnut brown hair, the same shade as her daddy’s, is resting just below her nape in tight, natural curls.
There’s not much we can do to style it yet so making sure it’s not frizzy from sleep is enough.
Her eyes have lightened since she was born.
They are now icy blue with green streaks running throughout.
A perfect mixture of both Josh and I. Luckily for her, she has inherited her daddy’s long, dark eyelashes.
I never thought I would be envious of a baby but here we are.
This has been the most rewarding year of my life. Getting to watch this tiny little baby grow and form her own personality, I can't even describe the feeling. It really makes you think about how nothing else matters except the loving, energetic little girl who’s learning to walk and talk.
Watching Josh become a dad is another feeling that I can't put words to. His whole face lights up as soon as he sees Isabella. She has him wrapped around her finger already and I’m curious to see what that turns into as she gets older.
She’s gonna turn into a little diva and that’ll be all on her daddy’s shoulders.
“I just need to get dressed.” I tell Sasha as I lower Bella to the floor. She waddles off to her toys in the corner of the room, happily playing.
I go into my closet and pull out the floor length dress that’s hanging in its bag.
I take it in before changing into it, needing a moment to compose myself.
It’s a stunning dress. Simple and just… me.
It’s a red satin dress that hugs my curves in all the right places.
There’s a slit running up the side, stopping mid thigh and has thin spaghetti straps to hold it up.
It’s gorgeous and it makes me feel beautiful.
We have an event with the hockey team tonight.
For once, I’m going to a fancy event and don’t need to bring my camera.
Katherine hired someone when I went on maternity leave and since then, we’re both taking part time shifts.
It gives me back some of my independence but I also have so much time with my daughter. It’s the perfect arrangement.
It’s a friends and family type thing so I’ve invited Sasha along with us. I love having my best friend with me wherever I go. And I also love the free baby sitting.
Stepping out of my walk-in closet, I collide with a hard wall of muscle. “Shit, sorry baby.” Josh says, gripping me by the waist to steady me. His eyes rake down my body, filling with appreciation and lust. “Fuck, you’re gorgeous Ollie.”
I blush underneath my makeup but I’m sure he can see it spreading down my chest. “You don't look so bad yourself.” I tell him, leaning up on the tips of my toes to plant a gentle kiss against his lips. Josh wraps his arms around my body, pulling me flush to him and I can feel the growing erection pressing against my stomach. He deepens the kiss, his tongue running along my bottom lip, asking for entrance and I allow it, brushing my tongue against his. He moans into my mouth and the white lace thong I’m wearing is instantly wet.
Josh backs us up into the walk-in closest, shutting the door behind us before pinning me against it.
His hands roam across my body, lighting me up from the inside while his mouth explores my neck.
“Josh.” I gasp as he rolls my hardening nipple through the thin satin covering it. “We’re going to be late.”
“Don’t worry. Nobody will notice.” His lips find mine again while his hand inches lower, finding my thigh through the slit in the dress.
I hum into his mouth as his hand moves higher, under my dress.
“Are you wet for me, baby?”Josh asks in a husky whisper.
All I can do is moan in response. “Can I feel?” I nod eagerly, biting my lower lip and spreading my legs to give him better access.
His hand glides over the wet fabric of my panties causing his breath to hitch. He moves the flimsy material to the side before sweeping his fingers through my folds. I whimper at his feather light touch, needing more.
“You’re so fucking soaked for me.”
“Josh, please.” I moan and he gives me what I want, shoving two thick fingers into my pussy in one quick thrust. “Fuck!” Josh’s free hand moves, covering my mouth to smother the loud sounds threatening to break free as his fingers move inside me.
I grasp his throbbing cock through his slacks and he folds, curses flying past his lips.
His fingers continue pumping inside me while I fumble with his belt in rapid motions.
Lowering the zipper gives me enough room to slip my hand into his boxers and grip him tight, moving in a slow motion that causes the fingers inside me to slow too.
I pick up my pace and Josh does the same.
We’re a mess of lust, pleasure and moans as he devours my mouth.
My stomach tenses, my spine tingles and the pressure moves lower inside me.
“Don’t stop. I'm going to-” The orgasm tears through me.
My whole body shudders as Josh swallows my screams. My vision blackens, stars erupting in my closed eyelids.
Josh pulls his fingers out of me and brings them to my mouth.
“Suck.” He orders, and I comply, wrapping my lips around his fingers and sucking them into my mouth.
My tongue swirls around the tips of his fingers and when he pushes them so far to the back of my throat, I gag.
His eyes flare with heat once again before roughly spinning me around so that my front is plastered against the door.
“I need to be inside you.” He growls into my ear, “Now.”
I have never been to or even heard of a black tie event at the beach. Josh isn't too sure of the details but I assume the event isn't on the beach but a venue near it. It’s the only thing that I can think of that makes sense.
We pull into the parking lot in Josh’s truck and it’s surprisingly empty. “Are we early?” I ask Josh, confusion etched into my features.
“I don't know.” He says, his expression matching mine. “I’m sure I was told it started at 7pm.”
I check my phone, noting it’s 6:45pm now so there should be a lot more people here. “Maybe we went to the wrong place.” I say, looking behind my seat to make sure Isabella is okay.
“Come on.” Josh opens his door and gets out of the truck before making his way around to my side. He opens my door, offering me his hand. “We’ll go around the back and see if we can see anyone.” He pulls Bella out of the car next, lifting her onto his shoulders.
I stay back, snapping a photo of the two of them on my phone. It’s times like this that I wish I had my camera with me, capturing these perfect moments. Josh spins around in circles so I start recording, the laughter coming from both of them is infectious.
“I’m so jealous.” Sasha tells me as she slides up to my side, “I would give anything to have a family like yours.”
“Soon, babe. I just know it.” She gives me a small smile, linking her arm through mine.
We round the back of the dark building where the event was supposed to be but there is still no sign of any other people.
Although I do notice something. A walkway made of candles on either side of a long white runner.
At the end of the walkway, there are bunches of roses, facing away from the sunset.
It’s absolutely breathtaking. My pulse quickens, eyes watering and hands shaking.
My wide gaze flies to Josh, who suddenly looks very nervous.
He takes my hand in his, nudging his head in the direction of the ‘event’, urging me to walk towards it.
Not once did this cross my mind. I’m utterly surprised by the whole thing.
Speechless. A little breathless. I think I'm even more surprised that Josh and Sasha were able to keep their mouths shut about it.
Especially Sash. That girl is like a walking, talking megaphone, saying every single thought that comes into her head.
“You bitch.” I say to her but there’s no heat behind it. She gives me a warm embrace that I melt into.
“Love you too.” She kisses my cheek as we pull apart and turns towards Josh and my daughter, “Come on, Bells. Let's go for a walk.” She takes her out of Josh’s arms and they stroll down the beach.
I have no words right now. I think my brain is short circuiting.
There’s a comfortable silence between Josh and I, our hands connected as we walk.
I slip my heels off my feet to walk across the sand, not wanting to sink down into it.
The velvety, white carpet is soft underneath my bare feet bringing a sense of comfort to my erratically beating heart.
The closer we get to the end of the walkway, the more my body vibrates with nerves.
Holy shit! This is it! We’ve talked about this before but I always said I wanted a normal life with our baby first before anything else.
We haven't exactly had a normal relationship. He threatened me once, saying he was gonna ask me this at the end of a big game, in front of a packed out stadium. I have warned him well that if he ever did that, not only would I say no, but I would break up with him on the spot. If he’s gonna humiliate me with hundreds of strangers staring at me, then I will humiliate him back.
It’s only fair. Maybe I was being slightly dramatic but that's just who I am.
When we get to the end of the walk way, Josh takes my hands in his, turning me so that I’m facing him. There’s a huge lump in my throat and I am fighting everything inside of me to keep the emotions at bay.
“Ollie,” Oh my God, I can’t! I’m smiling like the Cheshire cat right now, “when I first met you I just knew. I knew you were it for me. That you were the one I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with.” The tears that have been threatening to fall do, soaking my cheeks.
I can't hold them in any longer. “You’re my best friend, my peace and my home.
There isn't a single moment that I don't want to be with you. You’re my forever.”
I’m pretty sure my face is tomato red right now. I'm trying not to breathe, not wanting the sound of it to ruin this moment. I want to hear everything that Josh is saying.
“You challenge me. You support me through everything and you make everyday infinitely better. I want to share everything with you. Every moment, every kiss, everything.”
The sunset shines a golden hue around us. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore is a calming presence. The deep green of Josh’s eyes are more prominent in this light, the sun highlighting the golden specks throughout. He has never looked more handsome than he does in this moment.
“Ollie, I will follow you through every lifetime and love you unconditionally, if you let me.” He gets down on one knee and pulls a small box out his suit jacket pocket.
When he flicks open the box's lid, I gasp, my hands flying to my mouth in shock. A beautiful ruby stone sits in the center of the ring, surrounded by small diamonds that end half way around the silver band. It’s stunning.
Perfect. “It was my mom’s.” Josh tells me, choking on his emotion.
“She always said if anything ever happened to her, she wanted me to have this for the woman I marry.” He sniffles and I reach down to swipe a stray tear from his eye.
“I actually had it resized after we got back together. I always knew I would need it for you someday.”
I huff a small laugh, dabbing at my tear streaked cheeks, trying not to ruin my makeup. “It’s beautiful, Josh.” I lean down to him, placing a gentle kiss against his lips.
He clears his throat when I pull away and takes my left hand in his. “Olivia Evans. Will you marry me?”
A sob releases from my throat but I can’t contain the smile that breaks out across my face.
“Yes!”