Epilogue
FOUR MONTHS LATER
Kassie
“Imiss you,” Oliver grumped, staring into the camera. “It’s been too long.”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s been four days, Olly.”
“I hate it here.”
I laughed quietly, moving around the kitchen. “No, you don’t. You love making movies.”
“I like it better when you’re sitting in my chair, waiting for me.”
“You wrap soon, and then you’ll be home.”
“And on a break,” he added with a grin, leaning back in his chair. His shirt rode up, showing me his ab muscles that flexed and shifted as he lifted his arms in a long stretch. He was so sexy and appealing. And mine. He grinned at me, knowing exactly what he was doing.
“I need pie, Wong Man, and you in our bed for a solid week.”
I shook my head as I pulled pies from the oven, sliding them onto the racks to cool.
“I can give you the first two. The last one needs some adult time.”
“That’s what I’m saying.” He winked lewdly. “Adult time.”
“Grown-up time, then. We have a house being renovated, this one going up for sale. A wedding to plan, and the Dill is crazy. I can’t keep up with the pies Quinn needs.” I slid more into the oven. “I’m going to hire an assistant to help me bake them.”
“Good idea,” he mused. “They can take over when the babies come.”
“One thing at a time, mister.”
He became serious, leaning close to the monitor.
“I don’t want you stressed. Use the wedding service Quinn told you about.
Book a date you want. Buy a pretty dress, and leave the rest up to them.
You loved the venue that Quinn caters for.
As long as you’re happy, I’m good.” He met my eyes.
“I’d marry you next week at city hall, but I want you to have a perfect day. ”
I smiled and touched the screen. “I know.”
“Your ring is sparkling today.”
I glanced down at the slim band. It was set with emeralds and diamonds. All small, perfect little gems with no beginning and no end.
“Like us,” Oliver had claimed when he’d slipped it on my finger.
“This is the first one. I know you work with your hands and you don’t like showy diamonds, but I thought these would suit you.
They’re stackable.” He had shown me pictures of others he planned to add.
They were all unique and beautiful, and he was right.
I preferred those to a large diamond I would worry about all the time.
And he chose emeralds because he loved my eyes.
I loved him. So much it boggled my mind. I had forgotten how much I loved him, and now he filled my entire days and nights. I missed him terribly, but knowing he was coming back made the goodbyes easier.
And he was taking a long break, refusing any other movies aside from the one he was going to work on with Davis next year.
And I would go with him, since Oliver had decided to rent a house and asked me to be there.
It was another reason I needed to hire help.
And he was right—once we started having children, I wanted to stay home with them. And be here when he was home.
“Lovely?” he asked. “Did you hear me?”
“What?”
He chuckled. “God, I love you. You get lost when you look at your ring.”
“I love it. It suits me.”
“You suit me.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Dammit, they’re calling me.”
“Go and act. I’m going to make some more pies and then head to the house to meet with the contractor. He has the kitchen plans.”
“Great. I’ll call you later.”
“Okay. I love you.”
He smiled. “I will never get tired of hearing you say that. I love you too, lovely. And I’ll see you soon.”
“Not soon enough.”
Six months later
“Are you sure?”
I grinned at Norman, my limo driver. He had become my regular ride. We still played the game of less than an hour. I was putting his kid through university now. “Yeah, I’m home early, and I want to surprise Kassie. Drop me at the corner.”
He chuckled and did as I asked. I slung my bag over my shoulder and sauntered toward the house.
The SOLD sign made me grin. We were moving in to the new place next week.
We were both excited, and the new owners of Kassie’s house had visited several times, measuring, and simply visiting.
Kassie had hired Tara as an assistant baker, and now she and her husband Rich were buying the house and planned on using it as a business the way Kassie had.
Tara was taking over as the main baker for Quinn, and Kassie was going to help out when needed.
I was happy she wouldn’t be working so hard, and we could have more time to devote to us when I was home.
I had been away with Davis, scouting locations for the upcoming movie.
I discovered quickly why he was such a great producer/director.
He was involved in every decision. Every locale.
We’d had a productive trip, but Kassie wasn’t well when I left, having picked up a stomach bug from Quinn, who was suffering the same malady.
And when I’d spoken with my wife yesterday, she had been no better.
Davis had seen my concern and sent me home.
My wife.
The words made me smile, despite my worry.
We had married in a simple ceremony here in Richton at a venue Quinn did catering for.
It was pretty and quaint, and we married in the early evening with candles and flowers surrounding us.
Kassie wore a lacy, flowery dress and looked so beautiful it took my breath away.
We had only close friends in attendance, with Annie front and center, actually beaming, her vape nowhere to be seen.
Quinn and John stood up for us, and it was an evening of love and friendship.
I had loved everything about our wedding. My vows had been short but heartfelt.
Kassie, I always thought love was complex.
Hard. But with you, it’s simple. Perfect.
I don’t remember falling in love with you.
The time we were apart proved to me that it will never end.
Because although we were apart, I never stopped.
Finding you again, falling all over again, has made me complete. I’m yours forever, lovely.
She had cried, and I had discovered an unknown allergy that made my eyes leak all day.
Still, it was amazing.
I shook my head at my musings and headed to the door. I was surprised to find it unlocked, and I stepped in, hearing Kassie’s voice in the kitchen. Her tone was shocked, the volume rising as I got closer. She was on speaker, and I stopped before she could see me.
“Are you sure? I mean, how—”
I recognized her doctor’s voice. “Really, Kassie, you’re asking how? I’ve seen that husband of yours and the way he looks at you.”
“I mean, I’m on birth control. How can I be pregnant?”
I gripped the doorway in shock.
Kassie was pregnant? Holy shit.
“Have you been taking it regularly?”
“Well, I missed one day, but I took it as soon as I remembered.”
“That’s all it takes,” Dr. Mitchell replied dryly. “As I have explained before, even taken as prescribed, it is not one hundred percent effective all the time.”
My eyebrows shot up. I had no idea about that fact. Not that I cared.
I was thrilled. Ecstatic.
Kassie hung her head. “Oh God. How am I going to tell Oliver?”
I stepped into the kitchen. “You just did, lovely.”
She spun around, her eyes wide.
Dr. Mitchell chuckled. “Well, I’ll leave you two to discuss this. Kassie, come in next week for an appointment. We need to get you on vitamins and check you out.”
She disconnected, and Kassie met my eyes, her gaze shocked.
“You were late one day?” I asked.
“Hours.”
“Hmm. And still, I knocked you up. Definitely a boy.”
“Oliver…”
I closed the distance between us. “Not the stomach flu.”
“No. I saw Dr. Mitchell this morning. She just called…” She trailed off. “Oh God, what do we do?”
I wrapped her in my arms. “We celebrate. Then we move in to our new house and get a nursery together for our little one.”
“But we planned to wait a year!”
I laughed. “I don’t care. I’m thrilled.” I pulled back. “Aren’t you?”
She blinked. Looked down. Cradled her stomach. “Yes,” she whispered. “Just shocked.”
“As long as you’re happy.”
“I am. I have to get used to the idea.”
“You have a few months. How far along are you?”
“About five weeks. It’s early.”
“Ah. I came home from being away for two days. You had missed me a lot that trip.”
She giggled. “Yes, I did. I think I jumped you when you walked in.”
I smiled and kissed her, resting my hand on top of hers that was still on her stomach. “And look what a miracle happened.”
“Oh God. A baby,” she said, sounding awed. “Our baby.”
“Our baby,” I replied, the words making my allergies start up again. “We’re gonna be Mommy and Daddy.”
“Mommy and Daddy,” she repeated. “I like that.”
“Me too.” I kissed her. “Great homecoming.”
“Hey,” she said, realizing. “Why did you come home early?”
“I was worried. It’s not like you to be sick.”
“I think you need to get used to it.”
“I’ll get used to anything you need.”
“Wong Man,” she said out of the blue.
“What?”
“I think I need Wong Man.”
I laughed. “And so it begins.”
The phone rang, and Kassie picked it up. “Hey, Quinn.”
She listened and started to laugh. “Really? Me too. No, I’m serious.”
There were squeals and laughter on the other end of the phone. Kassie was grinning, crying, and holding my hand. She hung up, and I chuckled. “Not the flu for Quinn either?”
“Nope. Our babies will be friends!”
“John must be thrilled.”
She yawned, and I bent, picking her up. “I think someone needs to lie down and relax.”
“But—”
“No buts. You need to rest, and we’ll make some plans. And later, I’ll get you anything you want from Wong.”
She didn’t fight me, laying her head on my chest. In our room, I skirted the boxes and laid her on the bed, stretching out beside her. “No more packing. I’ll get someone in.”
“Okay,” she agreed, snuggling close.
Moments later, she was asleep. I stared at her, resting my hand where our child grew. Still tiny, but there. Safe. Sound.
Boy or girl, I could hardly wait to meet them.
A year later