Epilogue #2
With that, Smithie took his leave, but not before I grabbed his hand as he tried to make by me and made him stop so I could give it a squeeze.
Smithie squeezed back.
Then he vamoosed.
When we heard the front door close, Tex asked me, “Am I gonna have to fight ’em all back with a club?”
He might mean Ray.
He might mean Mag, Auggie, Axl or Boone.
Hell, he might even mean Paul, Taylor or Rick.
My family was expanding, bonds were tightening, and it was just simply the manner of men I was fortunate enough to have in my life.
But for that role, there was only one for me.
The one who made my mother happy.
And the one who would pick that song to dance the father-daughter dance.
I smiled at my stepdad. “No, Tex, I think you’ve successfully staked your claim.”
“I better,” he muttered. Then he asked, “You healin’?”
“Almost good as new,” I told him.
He turned to Mo. “What’re you up to today?”
“Hopin’ I can spend a quiet Saturday with my girl without my sisters, her sisters, my brothers, her brothers, or any other parental units like you fuckin’ it up,” Mo replied.
“Right, that’s my get-the-fuck-out cue,” Tex said, came to me, dropped a hand on the top of my head before he removed it and kissed me there, gave Mo an insane-looking grimace that I was pretty sure was a smile, then he took off.
Mo moved to the front door to lock it behind Tex and came back.
The instant he hit the living room, I asked, “Where were we?”
Then I cried out because I was over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold.
Seconds later I was on my back in bed with Mo on top of me.
Oh yeah.
That was where we were.
Some time later…
“Mag, listen to me, it’s gonna be okay ,” I said into my phone.
“Lottie, I’m gonna?—”
“Mag,” I cut him off, “you’re gonna get married tomorrow. The end.”
Mag was silent.
I was silent.
He broke it first.
“Have I thanked you, darlin’?”
I smiled. “No.”
“Thank you, Lottie,” he said softly.
What he was thanking me for, it was my pleasure.
“Don’t mention it. Glad you’re happy. Glad you’re making Evie happy. Now go get some rest. You don’t need bags under your eyes in the photos tomorrow.”
“Like that’ll happen,” he muttered.
“It happens, even to dudes,” I told him. “You need to hydrate and get sleep, or you’ll have puffy eyes.”
“I meant resting, babe.”
Oh.
He was excited to make it official.
I loved that for Evie.
I loved it more for Mag.
Though I didn’t share that with Mag.
He already knew it.
“I gotta check on Mo and Pooks. Make sure he’s got her down. You good?” I asked him.
“I’m good, darlin’. Say hey to Mo for me and remind him the time we’re hooking up tomorrow and not to forget the ring.”
“He won’t forget the ring,” I assured him. “Later, Mag.”
“Later, Lottie.”
“At least try to rest.”
Soft and sweet came, “I will, darlin’,” and I was again oh so glad Evie was getting a lifetime of that.
And glad Mag had Evie to give it to.
We hung up and I placed my phone on the charge pad before I moved through the kitchen, the living room and up the stairs.
I stopped at the top landing, my breath suddenly catching in my throat.
Mo was in the nursery with our baby girl.
I didn’t know this because he’d taken her up there twenty minutes ago to put her down.
I didn’t know it because I could see him.
I knew it because I could hear him.
“No one’s gonna hurt you. No one’s gonna dare,” his deep voice sounded.
Oh my God.
He was sing-talking à la Bono to our little Pooks.
But better.
I pressed my back to the wall and closed my eyes.
Mo’s voice came back.
“Whistle, I’ll be there.”
Oh God.
That was my baby’s daddy.
My man.
He kept going.
“Nothing can harm you. Not while I’m around.”
I had to swallow the sob that soared up my throat.
I opened my eyes and lifted my hand, staring at the big rock Mo had planted there during our first vacation together. The one we took in Hawaii.
It was nestled above a wide gold band that had a match, the one on Mo’s finger.
Our wedding had been the best .
Even better than Jet’s, and she’d had a hayride.
And my gown had kicked Roxie’s gown’s ass.
Sheer bodice and long sleeves with a full sheer skirt, all covered in sparkling diamanté.
Plunging neckline that nearly went down to my navel, slit in the skirt that went up to my left hip, all this stitched to a bodysuit that covered only the important bits.
Outside the pictures of me with Mo, the pic of Tex escorting me down the aisle with my skirt flying out behind me, my left leg exposed from the hip down in full stride, me smiling so big at Mo, even in a picture, it was blinding, and Tex wearing his lunatic grin was my favorite.
Jet had been my matron of honor.
Mag had been Mo’s best man.
And Mom had sat between Tex and my dad in the front row after Tex gave me away, Dad smiling huge, fighting tears but not fighting that was the place he needed to be. Just happy he got the honor of being there at all.
By the way, Mo’s dad wasn’t invited.
But he did send us a wedding card with a hundred-dollar bill in it through the mail, writing that he hoped Mo was happy in a way that screamed it was tentatively…and hopefully.
Mo didn’t grab that olive branch.
His father had hurt his mother, his sisters.
For a man like Mo, there was no coming back from that.
Not while he was around.
With that hundred bucks, he took Alex, Dante and Cesar to the batting cages.
As an aside, I’d lost my nephews to their big, badass, commando Uncle Mo. They worshipped him.
I didn’t mind.
I totally got that he was way more fun to wrestle with.
Especially when he didn’t let you win.
Leaning against the wall, after I pulled it together, and after Mo was done sing-talking, I moved into the hall then to the doorway to Pooks’s room.
I rested a shoulder against the jamb.
My mound of hunkalicious husband was in the rocker, the long trunks of his legs stretched out, ankles crossed, using his heel to rock the little bundle in a pink polka-dot onesie held belly and cheek to his wide chest with his hand on her tiny diapered bootie.
Her eyes were closed.
I looked to my man.
“She’s asleep,” I whispered.
“I know,” he whispered back.
Of course he knew.
I said not another word.
I simply smiled at my husband holding our little girl and experienced something I experienced a lot from the minute I met Mo Morrison.
Falling a little deeper in love with him.
Then I left Daddy with his princess, his moon and stars…
And walked to our room.
The End