Epilogue
FOUR MONTHS LATER
AUSTIN
We invited all our friends and family to a backyard barbecue.
New house. She sold hers. I sold mine, and we went all in and bought this one together.
The midsummer night was perfect for the other announcement we were planning.
Although knowing Stassi, I wouldn’t be surprised if she already let it slip to her besties.
She’d kept her engagement ring in her skirt pocket, but she’d been beaming all night.
Everyone thought they were here just for a housewarming party.
I couldn’t wait to see Rex's, Paxton’s, Hunter’s, and yeah, even the stoic Vince’s face when I delivered the news.
That this confirmed forever bachelor was all in with Stassi Sheridan.
In love, in lust, and all in everything she did.
Even though she was all in with testing out those new moves for her last story, she assured me that if anyone asked; she'd tell them she totally used her vivid imagination for the hot as hell beach sex scene. Only part of that was made up though. The beach part.
“Hey, James. This all the beer you got?” Paxton groused. “I heard you promise at the station you’d have the good stuff.”
Mika was in earshot at the table where the cake was sitting.
It was almost time for the big reveal, and she was in charge of opening the cake box and helping us out.
“Hey, Hart, suck it up. If you wanted the ‘good stuff’,” she flashed air quotes, then smirked as she continued, “you should have ponied up and brought it as a housewarming gift.” Then she flicked her long black hair and turned her back on Paxton, not waiting for a reply.
Looking at my friend I wondered what had really gone down with them. Sure, Paxton could be gruff with people, but since his return to the department, I've noticed he’d softened a bit. But he and Mika still rubbed each other the wrong way.
“What gives with you two? Help me remember why you guys seem to hate each other?” I handed Paxton the hidden good beer. My gaze flicked to where Stassi was standing next to her sisters-in-law, Mazie and Miranda. Nerves were getting to me, but looking at her so happy settled me.
“Bro, there’s not enough time. We just got off on the wrong foot from the moment we met a few years ago.
Let’s not talk about me, though. I still can’t believe you, of all people, are all coupled up and playing house.
” Paxton took a long pull from his beer, but his gaze managed to find Mika as she walked back into the house.
Hunter and his brothers joined us. Roman, and Walker Sheridan, the oldest of the four siblings, had warmed up to me after a couple of family dinners.
But it hadn’t been without a lot of hard stares and warnings similar to Hunter’s to treat Stassi right.
As if I could do anything but. I’ve told her at least a thousand times since we got together how special she was.
“Nice grill, Austin. Where’d you find it?
I’ve been looking for one and all the places in town have been sold out for weeks.
” Walker accepted the beer I handed him with a nod.
He and his wife ran the local Christmas tree farm, and she had a specialty shop downtown.
They were expecting another kid in the fall.
Walker liked to boast he’d planned it that way so as not to interfere with the holiday rush. But I had a feeling Mazie had her own version of the timeline. Either way, it was nice to be part of a family that got along well and genuinely liked each other.
“My buddy Tom, he owns an appliance outlet warehouse. I’ll give you his card.
” The group spent the next fifteen minutes debating the merits between charcoal and gas grills.
But I could tell Paxton and now Hunter were totally clocked out.
They each were tracking women who, according to them, were nothing more than friends, or at the most frenemies.
Stassi waved to get my attention, as if she weren’t the center of my world right now, and made her way over to me. “You ready?” She was bouncing with excitement, and I was ready to play my part.
“You bet, sweetheart.” I took the catcalls from my friends and soon-to-be in-laws like a man and flipped them all off as I followed her to the table with the cake.
“Everybody, if we could have your attention. Stassi would like to say something.”
Stassi turned to me, hands on hips with a befuddled look on her beautiful face. “Me? I thought you were going to do all the talking.”
“Nope. That’s your department. I’m just here to look good and grill meat.” I managed to say with a straight face.
Laughter erupted.
“Well, I’m not sure what to say. I mean, they all know how much we wanted them to see our new place, and half of them couldn’t turn down the offer of free food and beer, right?” Cheers from the firefighter contingent rang out as everyone we’d invited settled in closer to us.
With a twinkle in my soon to be bride’s eyes, I cleared my throat and finished the bit. “You’re right. So, how about we show off what you’ve been hiding in your pocket?” Several gasps came from the crowd as Stassi pulled her engagement ring out, handed it to me, and I slipped it on her ring finger.
Then I took her in my arms and and kissed her, much to everyone’s delight. If I could have picked her up and dragged her to our bedroom, I would have, but she’d put a lot of work into tonight.
Shouts of “When did this happen?” and further catcalling followed as I wrapped my arm around her waist and scanned the faces of the people that meant the most to us in the world. Then my sisters stepped forward, and I did a double take.
“What? When did you guys get here?”
“Surprise! Stassi called us. Did you think we’d miss this announcement?” Eden and Tanya gave me a hug at the same time. “Well, damn. You managed to surprise me. How were you able to keep this secret, Stassi?”
She shrugged her shoulders, then pulled a piece of paper from her other pocket and held it up for everyone to see. “Well, it was easier to keep than this one.”
“No way!” Shocked shouts rang out. “Are we being punked right now?”
“Oh my, I think I’m gonna cry.” That one was from my sister, Tanya. The rest of the crowd congratulated us with hugs and handshakes.
Eden, who was the most skeptical of my sisters, tugged my arm and with laser focus held my attention.
“I’m really proud of you. You’re nothing like our dad.
Stassi is the total opposite of our mom, and this baby is going to be the luckiest kid in the world.
” She kissed me on the cheek, patted me on my shoulder and pushed me into Stassi’s waiting arms.
The sonogram she’d been holding was being passed around, and so were names and which obstetrician was the best in town.
Mika was still standing by the cake along with Callie.
Both women had tears in their eyes, but also determination.
“Hey, who wants to find out the gender? Didn’t you all know that’s what this get-together was really for?
” She pressed the glass into the cake, twisted and pulled it out for all to see.
Stassi squealed. A boy. I would have been happy no matter the cake’s color. I dipped the love of my life over my arm, kissing her to the sweet cheers, and some sniffling, of our stunned audience.
Keeping her in my arms, I reluctantly ended our kiss, then nuzzled the spot just behind her ear, where I’d learned she was supersensitive, and whispered, “I know you think I rescued you all those months ago, but I need to thank you. For rescuing me. If you hadn’t been such a lousy baker, none of this would be possible. I love you.”
Stassi sighed, then wiped fresh tears from her cheeks. “Damn you, Austin James. Always making me cry. I love you too. Forever.”
“I believe it’s called being hormonal when you’re pregnant.” I loved teasing her.
“Whatever. Are you sure you don’t want to try your hand at writing a romance? That was the perfect thing to say.”
Chuckling, I helped her smooth her clothes as well-wishers descended but before I let her go I added, “How about we re-negotiate my terms for chief consultant of sex scenes—later?”
Thank you so much for reading!