Chapter 23
Amanda
Last night, Will took me back to my place, and that’s where we stayed.
The night felt quiet and still, like the world had slowed down just for us.
We sat together for hours, talking about the future.
About where our lives are going and what we want them to become.
And somehow, without trying, we kept arriving at the same place in every conversation.
We want the same things.
We want to build a life together, raise our kids side by side, and create a home filled with love, laughter, and the kind of happiness that grows from simply being there for each other every day.
At one point, Will wrapped his arms around me and held me close—the way he does when he wants me to know he means every word he’s about to say.
He told me he wants to marry me. He said he wants to adopt Mia, to be there for her, not just in the ways he already is, but in every way that truly matters.
He talked about building a family, about the life we could have if we keep choosing each other.
For a moment, it felt almost unreal, like something out of a fairy tale, the kind of story you grow up hearing about but never really believe will happen to you. But the difference is this isn’t a story in a book, and it isn’t a dream I’ll wake up from.
This is real life.
This is happening.
And somehow, unbelievably, this is my life.
Will reaches over the console of his SUV and laces his fingers through mine. “You’re trembling.”
“I’m nervous.”
“It’s all going to be okay,” he assures me.
“You don’t know that. She was so angry, and she has a right to be.”
“She’s hurt, but she loves you. It might take some time, but it’s all going to work out.”
“How do you know?”
He pulls into Reid and Bellamy’s driveway, turns off the engine, and turns in his seat to look at me.
“Because you’re impossible not to love, and anyone who has ever been in your orbit knows that. Even that dickhead ex of yours,” he says with a chuckle.
“Will?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“I love you.” I watch as a slow, sexy smile tilts his lips.
“I’ll never get tired of hearing you say that.” He leans over the console and pecks my lips with a soft kiss. “I love you, too, Mandy. Let’s go get our girl.”
Together, we exit the car. When he meets me at the sidewalk, he takes my hand. I don’t pull away. I don’t want to flaunt this in Bellamy’s face, but I want to love him openly. Will is the best man I’ve ever known, and he deserves that kind of love. The kind he showers me with every single day.
Will knocks on the door, and a smiling Reid answers with Mia on one hip and Coral on the other. “Come on in. Welcome to the chaos.” Reid laughs. “These little monkeys and I just had a dance party.”
“What? Without me?” Will asks, scooping Coral into his arms.
“Papa, dance.”
“You know I’ve got the moves,” he tells her as we step into the living room. “Hey, sweetheart,” he greets Bellamy, who’s sitting on the couch with a blanket over her lap.
“Bell, your old man’s telling tall tales again.” Reid laughs.
“Dada!” Mia squeals and reaches for Will. Everyone in the room freezes. I’m not sure anyone is breathing. “Da!” Mia says again.
“Come here, baby girl.” Will holds his arm out, and Reid hands her to him. Both girls are now in his arms, and I melt for him.
This man is my future.
“She calls you dad?” Bellamy asks softly.
“Dat’s my daddy,” Coral says, pointing to Reid. She wiggles to be put down, so Will places her on her feet, and she takes off running for Reid, who lifts her onto his lap.
“It’s only happened one other time,” Will explains. “I spend a lot of time with her. It’s only natural, but we should get used to it, because I asked Mandy last night if I could adopt her.”
“Really?” Bellamy asks, sounding surprised. “Are you going to let him?” she asks me.
“She loves him, Bellamy. We both do.”
“Let’s sit. We don’t need you passing out again,” Will says, holding his hand out for me. He guides me to the couch and waits for me to sit before taking the cushion right next to mine. Mia stays snuggled up to his chest, as if it’s the only place she ever wants to be.
I smile at the two of them before turning my gaze to Bellamy.
“I’m sorry. Will wanted to tell you weeks ago, but I asked him to give us more time.
I’ve been living in a state of fear of losing you, my best friend, and losing him, too.
The man I never expected. The man who has shown me what it means to be loved.
It’s a feeling unlike anything I’ve ever known.
I’ve heard you and the girls talk about it, and I always wondered if I was the problem.
Ethan never once looked at me the way Reid looks at you, Knox at Corie, Landry at Rowan, Baker at Sloane, or Foster at Eden.
I saw it, though. I knew that kind of love existed because I was witness to it every time I was around any of you. ”
Bellamy remains still, staring at me, giving me the time to speak, so I keep going.
“I thought I was just one of those people who never got to find that kind of love. Then, there was Will. I can’t even tell you when or how it happened.
It just did. Life kept putting us in situations where we were together, and the next thing I knew, he was all I could think about.
He looked at me and saw me. He asked about my day and planned dates for us that Mia could join.
Every moment, every gesture had him slipping a little further into my heart. ” I pause to collect myself.
“Bellamy, I love you. You are my best friend. You’ve been there for me through…
well, everything in my life, and I know it’s selfish of me, but I need you here for this, too.
The thought of losing either one of you is tearing me up inside.
” My voice cracks, and a tear rolls down my cheek.
I make no move to wipe it because I’m sure there are more to follow.
“Aunt Manda sad,” Coral says.
“I’m okay, sweetie,” I assure her.
Mia crawls into my lap and hugs me around the neck, just as Will leans in and wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling us both in close.
“I can see it.” Reid nods. “At first, it was hard to wrap my head around, but seeing the two of you together, you’re in sync.”
“I wish I had the words to tell you, to explain it to you so that you would understand. I know asking Will to keep this from you was wrong. I’m sorry.”
“We’re sorry,” Will adds. “Bellamy, you’re my daughter. I love you more than anything, but this love, the love I have for Amanda, is a different kind of love. One I was sure I’d never find in this lifetime.”
Bellamy doesn’t respond right away. She just sits with her arms wrapped around herself, her eyes moving from my face to Will’s and back again, like she’s trying to solve a puzzle that suddenly has too many pieces.
The silence stretches. I try to think of something to say, but nothing will make this better. I just pray that one day she forgives us. I hope with everything inside me that I don’t lose my best friend.
“I know,” she finally says quietly. “I know it’s different.
” Her voice isn’t angry. If anything, it sounds tired and reserved.
“I know,” she repeats, swallowing hard. “I’ve seen it.
The way you look at her. The way she looks at you.
I just… didn’t want to believe it. No, that’s not true either.
I just didn’t think this”—she waves her hand in the air between us—“would ever happen.” Her eyes flick to me again, and there’s something raw there—hurt, confusion, maybe even a little betrayal.
“Sweetheart,” Will says gently. “Look at me.” She doesn’t want to, but she does. “You are my daughter,” he continues. “That will never change. Not today, not tomorrow, not ten lifetimes from now. Nothing and no one can take your place in my heart.”
Bellamy’s chin trembles.
“You’re my best friend. Always,” I add.
“I mean, if this is going where I’m pretty sure it’s going, technically, you’d be her stepmother,” Reid chimes in with a chuckle.
I freeze, expecting Bellamy to lose it, but instead, something miraculous happens. She smiles.
“And if you adopt Mia, that makes her your half sister,” Reid keeps going.
“And this baby, too,” Will speaks up, leaning over and placing his hand on my belly.
“What?” Bellamy gasps, sitting up and letting the cover that was thrown over her lap fall to the floor. “You’re pregnant?”
I nod, tears now flowing freely down my face. “That’s why I passed out. I didn’t know I could get pregnant. I thought… well, you know what I thought.” I wipe my cheeks, and fresh tears spring to life.
“You’re having a baby?” she asks again, needing clarification.
“Yes, we’re having a baby.”
“So, your baby is going to be my wife’s half-sibling, and Coral and her little brother or sister are going to be your grandkids, step-grandkids. You can’t be Aunt Manda and Mamaw both, or can you?” Reid asks, smiling.
“Wait! You’re pregnant?” I ask Bellamy.
Will can already see what’s coming, and he takes Mia from me, kissing her cheeks and making her laugh.
Her head bounces up and down in a nod, and I’m on my feet, rushing toward her. She stands, too, and we meet together, wrapping each other in a hug so fierce that I feel we might burst wide open. But I refuse to let go, not until she does.
When she pulls back, she’s smiling. “I might be a little hormonal. I’m sorry for how I acted.
I love you both so much, and this is… weird as hell, and it’s going to take some getting used to, but the two of you have been happier these past few months.
Now that I know it’s because you found each other, what I have with Reid, how can I be angry about that? ” she asks, wiping at her cheeks.
“I love you, bestie,” I say, my voice cracking.
“I love you, too.” She pulls me into another hug. “No more secrets. Whatever it is, we deal with it together. As a family.”
Relief washes over me, and the next thing I know, Reid, Will, and the girls have joined our group hug.
When we finally break apart, I snuggle back up to Will on the couch while the girls play on the floor in front of us.
Suddenly, the tension and worry from the past few months are gone, and in their place is pure happiness.
“I can’t believe you left the game,” Bellamy tells her dad.
“I got your message and panicked.”
“Did you know she was pregnant?”
“No.” Will shakes his head. “We didn’t think she could get pregnant, but I’m not mad about growing our family.”
“We won, by the way.” Reid chuckles.
“I know. I looked it up online, and Jerry texted me last night.”
“Are you going to get fined?” Bellamy asks.
“Nah, and if I do, then I do. As I said, I’ve learned my lesson.”
“How far along are you?” Bellamy asks, covering her face with her hands. “This is so weird.” She groans.
“I don’t know. My periods have never been regular. I have to make an appointment with my OB. They’re closed today. You?”
“Eleven weeks. We were waiting until we were out of the first trimester to tell everyone.”
“And here I thought I was winning. I had the most kids, meaning my—stuff”—Reid coughs—“was superior, and here comes Coach, beating me three to two.”
Everyone laughs, and even more of the tension slips away.
I’m sure there will be hiccups along the way, but for the first time since blurting out my love for Will, the room doesn’t feel like it’s closing in on me.
Bellamy finally drops her hands from her face and points at Reid. “First of all, that is not how that works.”
Reid lifts both hands defensively. “Hey, I’m just saying, my track record was strong.”
“Your track record?” she repeats, horrified and amused all at once. “We’re talking about children, not racehorses.”
Will snorts. “I’m not touching that one.”
“Coward,” Reid mutters.
Bellamy reaches for her glass of water. She takes a long drink like she’s trying to steady herself. Her eyes keep darting between her dad and me, still processing. “Okay, wait. So… you don’t even know how far along you are yet?”
I shake my head. “Nope. Just… enough to know I should probably start figuring things out.”
“That’s a terrifying sentence,” Reid says.
“Tell me about it,” I tell him.
Will shifts beside me, his shoulder bumping lightly against mine in a quiet, grounding sort of way. “We’ll figure it out together.”
The simple way he says it makes my chest loosen a little. Like it’s not a catastrophe. Like sitting next to his daughter’s best friend that he knocked up is no big thing, and well, I guess it’s not. Not with a love as big as ours.
Bellamy exhales slowly. “Wow. Okay. This is a lot.”
“You’re telling me,” I say. “I thought I couldn’t have kids, and now, here we are.”
She nods. “But also…” She glances around the room, a smile creeping onto her face now that the shock is wearing off. “Our Rampage family is growing. You, me, and Eden are all pregnant at the same time.”
Reid grins. “Those other losers need to catch up. They’re falling behind.”
Another round of laughter ripples through the room, louder this time, the kind that settles deep and lingers.
And as ridiculous as the whole situation is, as unexpected, messy, and slightly terrifying, it suddenly feels a little less like the world tipping sideways and a little more like something we might actually survive.
Together.
I smile over at Will, and he leans in to kiss the corner of my mouth. “That’s a risky play, Coach,” I tease him—kissing me so openly in front of Bellamy when emotions are still raw.
“There isn’t a play I wouldn’t risk for you, Mandy.” He kisses me again, just because he can.
It settles into my soul that this man gets all my kisses from now on, and I’m so damn lucky that I get to call him mine.