Epilogue
Dez dragged her fingers through her hair, drawing the strands to a ponytail at the crown of her head. “We picked the hottest day of the summer for a barbeque.”
Jaxon and McKenna’s large backyard was surrounded by trees. Tables of food filled the space. The scent of burgers on the grill made Dez’s mouth water.
McKenna passed Dez’s drink back to her and shrugged. “A few more of Josie’s drinks and the guests won’t feel a darn thing.”
Dez narrowed her gaze at McKenna’s empty hand. She must really not like Josie’s concoction. Dez hadn’t seen her with anything but water.
“Besides,” McKenna continued, “we had to celebrate the reopening of Raven’s Nest.”
“Thank you. I appreciate you hosting so I don’t have to clean tomorrow and can get everything ready for Monday.” She swirled the liquid in her glass. “Josie just went to make more. I should tell her to go easy on the tequila.”
McKenna held out her hand. “Quin told her already.”
“Oh, good.” She took a sip of the cocktail and her tastebuds tingled. Searching the crowd, she spotted Aiden with her mom’s arm looped around his. A flush of embarrassment lit her cheeks. To say Charlene had taken to Aiden was an understatement.
McKenna leaned toward her. “Looks like your mom approves.”
Dez snorted. “She’s probably talking to him about grandchildren right now.”
McKenna’s cheeks turned pink, and she fanned her face.
Concern filled Dez. “You okay?”
“Uh, yeah. Totally fine.” The pink turned to a shade of gray.
Dez glanced around the crowd and spotted Jaxon, who was talking to Wes. She motioned him over, and he quickly broke away and crossed the grass. He hopped onto the wooden deck and swooped his arm around McKenna’s waist. “What’s wrong?”
Fear pinched his brow and apprehension tickled Dez’s spine. Something wasn’t right. McKenna turned toward the house with Jaxon hot on her heels. Worry formed a wall of nausea inside her.
Josie sauntered outside, a huge glass beverage dispenser hugged to her body.
“Here, let me help.” Dez grabbed the side and they lowered it to the table so the tap hung over the edge.
“There.” Josie beamed. “Don’t worry, I toned down the booze. I don’t think anyone’s complaining, but it was way too strong for me.”
“And McKenna too, maybe. She looked pretty sick a moment ago.”
Josie’s eyes rounded. “Oh my gosh. I just saw her and Jaxon run toward the bathroom.” She pressed her knuckles to her lips. “Dammit. I hope she’s—wait. I didn’t see her drink anything, did you?”
Dez shook her head. “Maybe it’s a stomach bug. Shoot, we should maybe call off the party. I’ll go check with Jaxon.”
She entered the house and made her way toward the bathroom. McKenna exited just as she approached.
“Are you sick? I just came to let Jaxon know I can cancel the barbeque and—”
McKenna shook her head. “No, no. This isn’t contagious.”
Warning bells screamed in her head. She caught McKenna’s elbows and tears stung her eyes. “McKenna, please . . .”
Her friend let out a loose laugh. “I’m sorry. I should have told you before the party, but I didn’t want to overshadow the day.”
Dez shook her head in confusion, and then the pieces started to click into place. Footsteps sounded behind her, and Jaxon approached with a glass of water. “We’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t say anything. It’s still so soon. Only seven weeks.”
Dez gasped.
McKenna giggled.
Dez covered her mouth with both her hands and turned to Jaxon then McKenna.
“Oh my god, I don’t know who to hug first!
” She seized McKenna’s shoulders and squeezed her tightly, then did the same to Jaxon.
Her nerves started to settle, but excitement made her unable to stand still. “No wonder. You must feel so sick.”
“It comes and goes. But that was a quick wave. Thinking about tequila did me in.”
“I’m so happy for you!”
“What’d I miss?” A voice boomed from the living room. Aiden strode to the hall where they’d all gathered. “Ah, I feel like I’m intruding . . .”
Jaxon roped Aiden in by the arm and pulled him closer. “McKenna’s pregnant. We’ll tell Josie and Quin, but you four are the only ones who can know for now.”
“Holy hell,” Aiden bellowed. He clapped Jaxon’s hand and then pulled him into a hug. Then he moved more gingerly to McKenna and put his arms around her too. “That’s amazing news. Congratulations.”
Jaxon beamed, pride radiating off him as he hugged McKenna to his side. They all returned to the backyard, and McKenna and Jaxon pulled Josie aside. Her microshriek moments later told Dez they’d shared the news.
Aiden’s warm arm slid around her hips. His presence calmed the rollercoaster of emotions she’d just ridden. She rested her head against his chest and chuckled. “A baby. Gosh, that’s fantastic. They’ll be wonderful parents.”
“Mmm,” Aiden said. “The best.” His gaze slid to her. “Well, next to you of course.”
She swatted his abdomen, but the idea of having children with Aiden now clung to all corners of her mind. And it wasn’t just McKenna’s news that had her ovaries tingling. Since Aiden moved in and they fell into a rhythm, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about growing their little family.
Hearing Aiden say he thought she’d be a good mother rooted the idea deeper into her mind. For now, she needed to put away the fantasy. She’d just gotten her store renovated, and opening day was on Monday.
He turned her in his arms, forcing her to look at him.
“You know I mean that, right? You’re amazing at everything you do, and motherhood would be no different.
Watching you pull your store from the ashes—literally—made me admire you more than I ever have.
I think Raven’s Nest is going to be even more successful than it was before. ”
She beamed. “I think so, too. I can’t step inside a store or walk anywhere without someone stopping to ask me how the renos are going and saying that they can’t wait to see the new look. I cringe to even think this, but maybe Meredith did me a favor.”
Aiden laughed, revealing his perfectly white teeth. “The Universe works in mysterious ways.”
She pressed her middle to his and cupped his jaw. “It sure does. Meredith brought me closer to you. So I guess I can’t be too mad.”
He kissed her forehead. “We’ve got our whole lives, honey. Babies, no babies. I’m happy either way knowing I get to spend my life with you.”
“There you are!” Charlene’s excited screech made Dez wince. She watched her mom race across the lawn in her chunky heeled sandals and orange sundress.
“And don’t forget my mom,” Dez said with a laugh, poking him in the ribs.
Aiden smiled down at her. “Your mom is awesome and honestly, I’d hang out with Ray too if it meant I got to wake up to you every day.”
She widened her eyes. “That’s quite the compliment. Thankfully you won’t have to.”
After the dust had settled, Ray had reached out to Dez again, and she’d refused his request to leech money off her.
He’d left town pretty quickly after that, not even sticking around to see her mom, which Dez was grateful for.
Charlene had taken the news of Ray coming around quite well, although she was upset Dez hadn’t told her sooner so she could intervene.
Knowing Ray, she was sure he’d find his way back to Whistlemore, but for now, he was out of their hair.
Dez’s insides fizzled with all the goodness that had come to her life recently. Starting with Aiden.
Maybe Meredith was right and, in a sense, Dez had brought Aiden to her. Only not through a spell to control his feelings, but through her own manifestation power.
She looked up at Aiden’s wide smile and sparkling green eyes and contentment filled her.
She had everything she ever could have hoped for.