Epilogue
Donovan
“You are positively glowing,” I commented as I bent down to place a kiss on Emily’s forehead.
She snorted a laugh. “That’s called sweat,” she declared, pressing the back of her hand to her brow and dabbing at the perspiration gathering there. I could taste the salty proof of her claim on my lips, but I didn’t care. She still looked radiant to me.
“Why my mom chose the hottest week of the year to have a baby shower is beyond me,” she grumbled, attempting to fan herself with her hands. She only had about six weeks left until we welcomed our little one, and the unforgiving Virginia summer had been hard on her.
“Wait just a second. I’ve got something that will help,” I said then went to the hatch on our new SUV. I’d traded in my truck to have a more family friendly vehicle and hadn’t looked back.
I emerged with an ice cold cream soda—her current pregnancy craving—and a handheld fan.
I clicked it on to its highest setting and rounded the SUV, drawing up short as I took in the sight before me.
Emily stood with her face tilted up to the late afternoon sun, the rays highlighting the subtle smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose and cheeks.
The soft pink dress that hit just below the knees hugged her breasts, but flared out at the waist, leaving plenty of room for her growing bump.
Over the last several months, I’d watched her body blossom, her belly growing round with child. My child. Nothing had ever been more beautiful. I was a lucky man, and I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her. I just hoped she said yes.
I swallowed down the lump in my throat and approached her, holding out the can first. “Here you go.” Her eyes drifted open, and she turned to me. The second she noticed what I was holding, she gasped and snatched it from my hand.
“You’re a lifesaver,” she said, cracking it open and taking a sip, letting out a contented sigh. “Have I told you lately that I love you?” My pulse skittered, and a fluttering sensation filled my chest. It happened every time she said those three little words to me.
“No more than I love you,” I proclaimed, snaking an arm around her and dipping my head for a quick kiss. Her lips tasted sweet, and I had to force myself to pull back.
“Prove it,” she challenged, just like she always did when I told her I loved her more.
“Don’t worry. I will,” I promised with a wink and handed her the fan.
We walked into the community center where some of our family was setting up for the shower.
My mom immediately dropped what she was doing and came over to greet us, pulling Emily into a hug and fawning over her.
I now played second fiddle to my pregnant girlfriend, and honestly, I didn’t mind at all.
My family had welcomed Emily with open arms even though she was the reason I no longer planned to move back home.
The promise of another grandbaby softened the blow, but they also genuinely loved her.
“It looks amazing in here,” Emily said, admiring the decorations. They’d gone all out, ensuring my girl had a beautiful experience celebrating our first child. They truly showered us with love, affection, and of course, gifts for our baby.
But there was one last gift Emily wasn’t expecting. And it was waiting at home.
Emily
I was beat. My back ached and my feet hurt, so when Donovan suggested I take a nice long, relaxing bath while he brought in the gifts from our shower, I didn’t argue. When I finally emerged from the bathroom half an hour later, I went in search of my boyfriend.
The faint sound of music drew me toward the nursery.
I pushed open the door and gasped. The overhead lights were dimmed and fairy lights were strewn across the ceiling and down one wall.
The crib—which had still been in the box this morning—was now put together with the soft bedding in place.
The rocking chair in the corner had been assembled, and a stuffed bear sat in the middle of the cushion holding a rectangular box with a large bow resting on the top.
I walked over to it and reached down to skim my fingers over the silky ribbon.
“What do you think?”
I whirled around to find Donovan leaning against the doorway wearing a hopeful but pensive expression.
“H-how did you do all this?” I asked, turning to get a three hundred and sixty-five degree view of the room.
“A few of the guys came over while we were at the shower and put everything together,” he said, crossing the room to stand directly in front of me. I looked up into his handsome face and took in the emotion swirling in his chocolate brown eyes. “How did they do?”
“It’s perfect,” I said through my watery smile. It was such an incredibly thoughtful surprise. I’d begun to nest, and this was one item on the list that had been stressing me out, and he’d taken care of it without me even having to ask.
“Just like you,” he said softly and dropped a kiss to my mouth.
Words could not express how much I loved this man.
Over the past few months, he’d shown me with words and actions that he was all in, that he loved me just as fiercely as I loved him.
I never expected to fall this hard and fast when I set out to seduce the man I’d had a crush on for years, but I was so glad I’d taken that chance and invited him to stay at my cabin that snowy December night.
“This is for you,” he said and picked up the box, placing it in my hands.
“For me?” I asked excitedly, a huge grin splitting my lips.
He nodded, and I wasted no time tugging the ribbon free and lifting off the top.
I unfolded the tissue paper to reveal a tiny piece of clothing.
Lifting it from the box, I let the onesie fall open to reveal the design.
The breath caught in my throat as my eyes scanned the words printed across the soft fabric.
Mommy, will you marry Daddy?
Tears welled in my eyes, and my hands began to shake. I lowered the onesie to reveal Donovan kneeling on one knee in front of me and gasped. He held up a small square box trimmed in black velvet.
“I thought that when this day came I’d have some epic speech prepared, but nothing I wrote down came close to conveying what I feel for you, so I’m just going to speak straight from the heart,” Donovan began, the sincerity shining in his eyes hitting me square in the chest. “I’ve been happier these last four months than I have been my entire life.
I thought I knew what love was before you and wanted no part of it, but you showed me how wrong I was.
You’ve made me want to be a better man. You’ve given me something I thought I’d never want: a family of my own.
” My heart swelled at his words as happy tears spilled down my cheeks.
“For most of my life, I thought I was destined to be nothing more than a bachelor, the fun uncle who spoiled my nieces and nephews. But then you showed up in that damn elf costume,” he said with a chuckle, and I released a strangled laugh.
“And turned my world upside down. I tried to fight it, tried to pretend like you weren’t everything I wanted and more.
I tried to convince myself my career was the most important thing in my life.
But when you told me you were having my baby,” he said, reaching out to cradle my growing belly lovingly in his large hand, “I began to dream about a different future. And no matter how hard I tried to convince myself that wasn’t what I wanted, I couldn’t stop imagining you and me raising a little family together.
I knew from the moment I turned down that job in Boston I would ask you to marry me one day.
” His hand slid to my hip, and he gazed up at me with such reverence, I thought my heart might leap right out of my chest.
“I tried to wait, tried to be patient, but I can’t wait any longer.
I want you to be my wife. You already have my heart in the palm of your hand.
Now I want my ring on your finger, too. I want to give you my last name and spend the rest of my life showing you just how much I love you. If you’ll have me,” he added hopefully.
I didn’t hesitate. I threw my arms around his neck and crushed my lips to his. He snaked his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. My fingers threaded in his hair as I held his mouth against mine in a long, drugging kiss. Finally we pulled back, happy tears staining both our cheeks.
“Is that a yes?” he asked, a little breathless.
I nodded. “Yes,” I replied tearily against his lips, and he tightened his hold on me. He pressed his forehead to mine and closed his eyes, releasing a relieved breath.
“I love you so much,” he declared and loosened his hold on me. Then he dropped both hands to my belly. “And I love this baby more than life itself. I promise to give you both a happy life. I will love and cherish you for all the rest of my days.”
“I love you, too.”
“I love you more.”
“Prove it,” I challenged with a playfully wicked grin.
“Don’t worry. I’m about to,” he promised, scooping me into his arms.
He carried me to our room and laid me across our bed. Hovering above me, he watched me with nothing less than pure adoration shining in his eyes. Then he spent the rest of the night making good on his promise.
THE END
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