Epilogue
SIX MONTHS LATER…
The boys were all at Rachel’s house for the next couple of days. Though Oliver didn’t always go with them, Rachel often invited him along.
Part of it was because the three boys had become very much a functioning unit over the past months. Like brothers. Ollie had makeshift brothers, and they all embraced this change with the resiliency only children could have.
Which was why Molly and Gavin could have their special Molly and Gavin naked time in the middle of the day on a weekday. Gavin had taken some time off.
Also, she’d made him a little something. That it took six months was only a testament to her unwillingness to quit.
“You’re going to laugh.” She reached under the side of the bed and pulled out the gift bag. She’d stuffed the blue bag full of tissue paper.
“I’m always game to laugh with you, Molly.” Gavin pulled the tissue out.
“Just don’t laugh too hard.” She laid her hand on his thigh, because she could.
“Oh my God.” Gavin pulled the mess of a scarf she’d been working on since the night of their class. “You finished your scarf.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I finished your scarf.”
He tossed it around his neck. The thing was ridiculous, and the stitches were not even. But somehow they held together.
Again, she was pretty sure there was a life lesson there.
She’d figure out what it was later.
Right now, Gavin was totally naked except for the horrible scarf she’d made.
“It’s amazing.” He kissed her. It was their way. “I love it. Thank you.”
She ran her hands up and over his back, holding him there on top of her. “I’ve also been thinking about that thing you keep bringing up.”
“The thing?” he asked.
“You know, the thing.” He was always bringing it up. Sometimes he even brought it up when he was going down on her.
“Getting married?” he asked.
Yup. That’s the one. “I wanna do it. Let’s do it.”
He frowned. Which was not really the response a girl wanted when accepting a marriage proposal.
“Are you ready for that?” he asked.
She nodded. So ready. She’d had lots of time to think it over.
“I figured this time when I have the baby, I might try being married first.” She shrugged. “Also, surprise.” She made jazz hands. Which was hard, given that she was underneath him. “And oops.”
Gavin stilled, the creases of his forehead more prominent. “You’re…”
She nodded. “Apparently, your swimmers are beyond normal birth control methods. Something we’ll definitely need to take into consideration in the future.”
“You’re serious right now?” Gavin had hardly moved. She nodded. She’d figured it out yesterday. Took a test.
Took a day to let that sink in, let herself adjust to the idea, welcome the knowledge that Gavin would have her back on this. He wasn’t her ex. He wouldn’t be leaving.
“How far along are we?” Gavin asked, stroking her temple as a gentleness in his gaze she’d never experienced before took hold. Hell, if getting that stroke of softness came from being pregnant, she might be willing to do this again.
“I need to see a doctor to confirm, but it looks like we’re about a month or so in.” Given her calculations.
That got her the biggest of big Gavin grins. “We’re having a baby?”
“Uh-huh. We’re having a baby.” She rolled her tongue over the edge of her bottom lip.
The smile that stretched across his face seemed to go from ear to ear.
“So I’d…ah…” She cleared her throat. “Like to take you up on your proposal.”
“Big wedding?” he asked. Hell to the no.
“Courthouse.” Definitely not big. And definitely no time for a fuss.
She’d learned that she still loved Evelyn, but she didn’t want to give her soon-to-be-mother-in-law the opportunity to turn her life inside out with wedding plans.
Evelyn took to Molly like her fake cat took to chicken broth.
A fraudulent cat with very specific preferences on his pretend chicken broth.
Rachel wasn’t lying. Evelyn was the queen of manipulation.
Molly was taking lessons, happy to be Duchess of Manipulation or princess or however all of that worked. She wasn’t sure, but she figured as a step-mom to two and a birth-mom to at least another two…she needed to get her manipulation technique down.
She was leaning toward a fake Beagle as her manipulation tool. She’d always wanted one. They were just so cute.
“When are we doing this?” he asked.
Of course, he’d want details with this commitment. “Now?” she offered.
“Should I send out texts or do you want to?” He was all business in his birthday suit.
She couldn’t erase the smile stuck to her mouth. “You make the arrangements. I’ll send the invites.”
Without emojis. Maybe one emoji.
A heart emoji was totally acceptable.
No. A brick emoji. That’s what today called for.
Gavin hadn’t rebuilt her. He’d handed her the hammer
so she could do it herself. Well, if hammers actually built brick walls.
A trowel was more accurate. He’d handed her a trowel.
He was up and dressed in no time. She just wrapped herself in a blanket before sending out the message.
So, she sent the mass text:
Molly: Wedding. Today. Details to follow.
She added the brick emoji at the end. Then she cc’d Gavin. Which wasn’t entirely necessary since he was right there with her making the calls for the future.
Still, he clearly got the text because his smile stretched across his lips.
“You’re happy?” She should just confirm. For clarity’s sake.
He nodded, glancing up from whatever he was doing on his phone to make the arrangements. “So happy.”
“Gav?” she asked, tilting her head to the side. “Mol?” He mimicked her movement.
“I’m so glad I didn’t fix you up with someone else.” Really, really glad.
“Me too.” He said it. She knew he meant it. “Me too, Molly.” He repeated it, apparently for the sake of clarity.
It was also their way.
Then he tossed his phone aside and moseyed right on over to her, lifted her hand to his lips, and kissed the inside of her wrist. Nipping with his teeth and then soothing the nip with a soft lick of his tongue.
“What are you doing?” They had a wedding to get on with.
Their wedding.
“I licked it.” He stared at the spot where he’d slid his tongue over her skin.
“I noticed.”
He stared her dead in the eye. “It’s mine.”
Ha. Really? “You know that’s not how any of this works, right?”
“We make our own rules, Molly.” He kissed the inside of her wrist again and the tether between them strung taut.
“Sounds like we’re about to have a lot of fun.”
“You have no idea.”
Actually, she had a pretty good idea.
He smirked. Gavin Frank smirked at her because they were pregnant, and they were getting married.
“I love you,” she said, meaning every word. And then she kissed him. Because she could. Because she absolutely should.