Epilogue
RIGBY
“They already love you, baby,” I assured Cleo as I tucked her hand into the crook of my arm. I guided her up to my parents’ front porch and shot her an encouraging smile as I reached for the doorknob.
I’d managed to talk her into spending Thanksgiving with my family even though we’d been together less than three weeks. In order to change the travel plan to make it for two, we had to travel on Thanksgiving Day, so we arrived just before dinner.
Despite having met my sister and video chatted with my parents a few times—just as I had with her family, including her three brothers who were almost as intimidating as I was—Cleo was still nervous about meeting them in person.
Even though my mom had practically broken my eardrum with her scream of delight—a talent Nat had obviously inherited from her—when I told her I was bringing Cleo home.
I hoped she would be more at ease when she discovered my first surprise.
Before I could twist the handle, the door flew open and my mom rushed out and wrapped herself around Cleo. “You’re here!” she squealed happily, hugging her tight.
“Hello to you too, Mom,” I joked.
“You know I’m always happy you’re home, dear,” she answered without taking her eyes off Cleo. “You are even more beautiful in person! Come in! Come in!”
Cleo shot me a look that demanded I save her when my mom began dragging her inside.
“Mom. Think you could tone it down about ten notches?” I groaned. “You’re going to scare her away before I can get my ring on her finger.”
Cleo’s gaze flew back to my face, and I winked at her, but she had no more time to react because her own mother came rushing out of the kitchen.
“Mom?” Cleo gasped as she was engulfed in another hug.
“Rigby thought you’d be more comfortable if we all met for the holiday, so he flew your dad and I up here yesterday.”
Cleo’s eyes filled with tears, and as soon as her mom released her, she threw herself into my arms. “Thank you. That was so thoughtful,” she sniffled.
Fuck. Had I screwed up? I gently grasped her hair and pulled her head out of my chest so I could see her face. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
She bobbed her head and smiled, despite the tears streaming down her cheeks. “Happy tears.” Then she blushed and shrugged. “I don’t know why I’m feeling so emotional. Weary from travel, I guess.”
I wasn’t totally convinced, but she stopped crying as I wiped the moisture away, so I tried to let it go. “Paula,” I greeted Cleo’s mother with a one-armed hug. “Where are Rob and my dad?” I had a hunch.
“Oh, you know,” my mother said with a careless wave. “Checking out your dad’s fishing gear, of course.”
Yup. Right on the money.
“I’ll go and let them know you’re here and dinner is about ready,” Paula offered with a bright smile. “You two go get settled in.”
My mom gestured for us to follow her, then spun around and led us up to the second floor where the bedrooms, other than the primary, were located. “I put you in your old room, but we bought you a queen-sized bed so you wouldn’t have to deal with the double that was here.”
I tried to hide my grimace, but she caught it and shrugged. “The room isn’t big enough for a king, Rig.”
“It’s great,” Cleo jumped in. “We’ll just have to snuggle…doesn’t sound like a bad thing to me.”
I grinned and kissed the top of her head. “It’ll save room if we aren’t wearing clothes,” I mused.
Cleo gasped, and her face turned bright red, making my mother snicker as she walked back out into the hall. “Don’t worry, Cleo. His dad and I save room by sleeping naked, too.”
“What the fuck, Mom?” I choked as I clapped my hands over my ears. “I don’t want to hear that shit.”
Cleo burst out laughing, and my mom simply skipped out the door and down the hall.
“I think I’m going to throw up,” I grumbled.
Cleo opened her mouth to respond, then froze for a second before muttering, “I know you were kidding, but I think I’m actually going to be sick.” Then she bolted to the bathroom in the hall.
I was hot on her heels, and she barely made it in enough time for me to pull her hair back while she bent over the bowl and lost her lunch.
Later, when she’d finished heaving, had some water, and brushed her teeth, I set her on the counter and caged her between my arms. “You told me it was just a bug,” I growled.
Cleo ducked her head, and I grasped her chin, forcing her gaze back up to meet mine. “I thought it was,” she admitted softly.
She’d been waking up feeling sick for the past several days and had thrown up a couple of times.
I’d been worried that she should see a doctor, but she’d sworn it was just something she’d picked up around campus that would quickly go away.
She hadn’t been sick this morning when she woke up with me before I headed to the stadium, so I assumed she’d been correct.
“Did you throw up this morning, Cleo?” I demanded.
She sighed. “Maybe a little.”
“What the fuck, baby? I’m calling the doctor.”
Before I could take a step, she wrapped her arms and legs around me to keep me in place. “I will, I promise. But…I don’t think we need to worry about it today.”
I stared into her gorgeous emerald orbs and debated whether I could be patient. Since I had big plans for the evening, and I didn’t want to ruin her holiday, I reluctantly agreed. “But tomorrow, we will call the doctor first thing.”
“Absolutely,” Cleo agreed, beaming at me with such beauty that it took my breath away.
“I love you so fucking much,” I told her as I cupped her face and rubbed my nose against hers.
“I love you, too,” she replied sweetly.
“Come on. Dinner is probably waiting for us.”
I helped her back onto her feet, then we walked hand in hand down the stairs and to the formal living room where our parents and my sister were waiting.
The meal was fantastic, but I was even happier to see how much our families seemed to enjoy each other’s company. Especially because Cleo became more and more relaxed, having fun instead of being nervous.
When the supper dishes were cleared, I jumped up and announced, “I’ll help with dessert.”
Our mothers tried to contain their excitement, but they were doing a piss poor job of it until I glared at them. My dad grinned at me, and Rob pointed a warning finger at me, waiting for me to nod before he was all smiles too.
When I called to invite Cleo’s parents to Thanksgiving, I’d asked to speak to Rob alone. I’d been prepared for a fight when I asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage, partially because we’d only been a couple for such a short amount of time.
To my surprise, he told me that he’d swept Paula off her feet after one date and convinced her to marry him the next day.
“Love has no timeline, son,” he’d drawled.
“So I have your blessing to propose?”
“As long as you promise to treat her like she deserves.”
“Without question,” I responded.
“And you don’t do anything to fuck up the Nighthawks’ chance at a ring this year.”
I wasn’t sure what to say to that…so I just agreed. “Okay.”
“Then you’ve got my blessing.”
It was a good thing we’d won that morning, or I wasn’t sure if her dad would still have been as agreeable about what I was about to do.
I popped into the kitchen and retrieved a small blue box from the pocket of my sport coat, then grabbed the trays that held slices from all of the different pies and returned to the dining room.
“Why don’t we all go around the room and say what we’re grateful for?” my mom suggested, as scripted.
“What a lovely idea,” Cleo sighed.
“I’ll start,” I volunteered as I pulled my chair away from the table.
I turned Cleo’s to the side and got down on one knee in front of her.
“Baby, there is nothing on this earth that I am more grateful for than you. You bring joy and sunshine with you wherever you go, and I’m a selfish bastard, so I want to keep it in my life forever.
I love you with all that I am, and I’d be even more grateful if you’d agree to be my wife. ”
I pulled out the box and flipped the lid to reveal a platinum ring with a four carat, marquis cut, pink diamond.
Cleo burst into tears, but since she was smiling, I didn’t freak out.
“Baby?”
“Yes!” she screamed as she launched herself at me, nearly knocking us both over. “I love you, Rigby. Absolutely! Yes!! I—”
I cut her off when I sealed my mouth over hers and kissed her with all the love and passion in me. “Thank you,” I mumbled against her lips.
Cleo pulled back, and she glowed with happiness as I slipped the ring on her finger. “It’s beautiful.”
“So are you,” I said softly.
“Okay, okay. Enough of this mushy shit and crying,” my dad grumbled as he passed a hand over his suspiciously shiny eyes. “Let’s eat. This pumpkin pie looks—”
“Oh, crap!” Cleo slapped her hand over her mouth and sprinted from the room.
As I hurried after her, my mother followed me, saying, “There are tests under the sink in the upstairs bathroom.”
“Tests?” I repeated with a frown as I knelt behind my fiancée and gathered her long, pink hair into my hands.
Cleo had finished dry heaving and flopped back against me. “Tests?” she echoed.
“Pregnancy tests. I bought some and put them in the bathroom upstairs,” my mom stated…as if it was normal for a postmenopausal woman with no children living at home to stock pregnancy tests.
We gaped at her, and she shrugged. “What? I want grandkids.”
“Judith, having the tests on hand won’t get her pregnant,” Cleo’s mom said, her tone exasperated. “If you really want grandkids right away, we can—”
“Oh my word, stop!” Cleo sputtered. “I’m not…”
She trailed off and looked up at me, her green eyes wide with shock.
I raised an eyebrow at her, and she blushed. We hadn’t used a single condom in all the times we’d fucked…and we’d been fucking like bunnies for two weeks.
“I’ll go grab one!” my mom trilled as she dashed out of the bathroom.
Ten minutes later, four positive pregnancy tests stared up at us from the counter.
Our mothers cried and chattered excitedly, so I gently pushed them out of the room, then shut and locked the door.
“Are you okay?” I asked Cleo softly as I brushed some bright pink strands behind her ear.
“I’m…I’m amazing,” she breathed as she looked up at me. Her eyes were filled with joy, and I was suddenly overwhelmed with love for my soon-to-be wife and our little one. Speaking of soon-to-be…
“Why don’t I take you upstairs so you can rest while I make arrangements for this weekend?”
I turned to unlock the door but stopped when Cleo placed her hand on my arm. “Arrangements?”
“For our wedding.”
Cleo chuckled. “We have time…wait. Did you say this weekend? We can’t possibly get married that fast.”
I jerked my thumb over my shoulder in the direction of our parents, who all stood on the other side of the door. “How long do you think your dad will let me live if I’m not married to his pregnant daughter?” As excuses went, it was lame, but it was the best one I had at the moment.
Cleo laughed, and I prepared to argue with her, but it turned out she didn’t need any more convincing. “Okay. This weekend.”
I whooped as I grabbed her up and spun her around but quickly stopped when her face turned a little green again.
“I love you, Cleo Hunt,” I said, trying out the name.
Cleo grinned. “That has a nice ring to it.” Then she put her arms around my neck and laid her head on my chest, with her cheek resting over my heart. “I love you too, Rigby. Forever.”