EPILOGUE
“Denise, it’s not the pumpkin pie I’ve been looking forward to. It’s your cheesecake,” Robert chuckled, savoring another bite of Denise's famous cheesecake.
Lainey and Robert were hosting Thanksgiving this year in their new home. This was the second time they’d brought Geoff’s family and Robert’s family together. The first was their wedding several months ago.
“I’ll have to make you my cheesecake for Sunday dinners more often,” Denise smiled.
Robert and Denise had found their groove over the past year.
He’d actually helped Mike on a few fix-it projects around their home, and he devoured Denise’s cooking on Sundays, which was the greatest compliment you could give her.
“Lainey, let me make the coffee, dear,” Robert’s mother said, taking the bag of grounds from her. “You need to get off your feet.”
Lainey sighed. “Thank you. They do seem to be swelling.” Lainey was seven months pregnant. The second trimester was a breeze, but this third trimester was kicking her butt.
“Are you really due on Valentine’s Day?” Lillian, Geoff’s sister asked as Lainey reclaimed her seat next to Robert at the table.
“Yes, and that was Robert’s name suggestion. Valentine.” She rolled her eyes, shaking her head.
“Hey!” He swallowed his last bite of cheesecake. “I thought it’d be a cute nickname to add Val in with Mace and Viv.”
Lillian laughed. “Unless she comes a week early like Vivian did.”
“Exactly,” Lainey agreed.
“Is that your new bright red SUV in the driveway?” Ethan, Lillian’s husband asked.
“Yes,” Lainey smiled. “With this new addition coming soon,” she rubbed her belly, “I needed a bigger car.”
“I’ve never seen that model in red before,” Ethan said.
“It was a special order.” She made a face at Robert.
“Red is one of the safest colors,” Robert said in defense.
“People won’t pull out in front of you if they can see you.
Gray and silver blend in with the roadway too much.
” He’d insisted her new car be yellow or red for safety.
She chose red. Lainey was sure to taxi the kids around, but didn’t want to look like one.
Jan Bingman had given Lainey and Robert a finder’s fee for the coins. They’d refused it at first. But Jan had insisted.
They’d put the money away, but when she needed a new vehicle, they dipped into the funds and splurged on the options.
Lainey glanced at the clock. “I thought Macy would be here by dessert.”
“I told her about Denise’s cheesecake,” he winked at Denise. “She’s gonna miss out if she doesn’t hurry.”
“She’s bringing her boyfriend to meet Robert,” Lainey announced smiling. Robert scowled.
“Smart girl,” Robert’s sister, Rebecca commented. “Robert’s less likely to hurt the poor guy if there're witnesses.”
“Ha.” Robert scoffed. “That’s what you think.”
Lainey patted Robert’s arm. “We talked about this. You agreed to be nice.” She turned back to Rebecca. “I’ve seen a picture of him. He’s a handsome young man and a senior at K-State too.”
Robert rolled his eyes. “At least his background check came back clean,” he said.
“You did a background check on him?” Robert’s mother asked.
“Hell yeah, I did!”
“Language,” Lainey said.
“Sorry.” He sat back in his seat. “I used my KBI resources to check out his family too.”
“You didn’t.” Rebecca gasped.
“I did,” he said proudly.
“And...?” Lillian asked.
Robert sighed. “Nothing,” he sounded disappointed. “The kid’s clean. His parents are too.”
The doorbell rang.
“That’s them, I bet,” Lainey started to get up, but Robert stopped her.
“You stay put. I’ll get the door,” he tossed his linen napkin on the table.
Lainey watched him straighten his shoulders back, as if he was preparing for battle. She shook her head, giggling.
If you would’ve told Lainey a year ago, she’d be pregnant, living in one of Abilene’s historic mini mansions and married to a man who was a better husband and lover than she could’ve ever imagined, she wouldn’t have believed it.
Her marriage to Robert was a complete one-eighty from Geoff.
Robert reminded her daily how much he loved her.
He’d often tell her she was the best thing that’d ever happened to him, and always complimented her beauty.
Even though lately she’d reached the size of an amateur sumo wrestler and didn’t feel pretty at all.
Yet Robert still looked at her and touched her like she was the hottest thing next to the sun.
Lainey couldn’t predict what the next year would bring with a newborn and Vivian becoming a big sister. But with Robert’s love and the support of their blended family, she felt beyond blessed, cherishing every second.
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THE END