Epilogue
one year later…
“Big, hurry up! The people are waiting for us to open the doors,” Khaleya called from the front of her new brick-and-mortar store.
Khaleya no longer worked for Premier Wings and could quit the moment she got back, since my mother invested. Now Stamped by Khaleya was one of the most sought-after beauty brands. I was beyond proud.
I smiled every time I thought about how well she and my mother worked together. Khaleya was amazing at crafting a great smell, but my mom had an eye for business out of this world. We had really been sleeping on her talents. But at least she was using it now.
“I’m coming, Doll.”
I grabbed the velvet case that had been burning a hole in my pocket for the past three months. I don’t know what’s been holding me back. I didn’t have to question her love for me, and she damn sure didn’t have to question what I felt for her. She was my best friend, which was crazy to say.
I never expected a plane ride and an insane idea to be the key to the happiness I didn’t know I’d been missing. She was everything to me, and so were those two little girls we had on the way. I knew I would be the one to break all the family standards.
I smiled, thinking back to the look on my pops’ face when we told him we had twins on the way, and they were girls. He looked like he was going to pass out on the spot. One thing I loved was how good our support team was.
Although Da’ana lost her roommate when Khaleya moved in with me, she was around whenever Khaleya needed her.
Shit, she should be. She was so inspired by our story she embellished a bit of it and called it Terms of the Flight.
What’s even crazier is she got a book deal worth a nice check, too, and dedicated the book to us.
“Big—” Khaleya called again.
I released a breath, then walked out of the room to see Khaleya waiting by the door. Her belly round and on display in a form-fitting brown dress. I hoped my surprise would make her forgive the fact that I lied about what today actually was.
I’d roped my mother in on it, too. She told her she’d set up an exclusive first look of their brick-and-mortar store for Stamped by Khaleya, which was why Khaleya was so damn anxious to get to the store.
“Big, if you make us late, I don’t think I can forgive you,” she whined with her lower lip poked out.
I jogged down the steps and strolled over to her, then leaned down to rain kisses all over her cheeks, nose, and neck.
“I’m sorry, my baby. I promise we won’t be late. They can’t start without the visionary. That’s you, anyway.”
She smiled. “Really, Big? You’re not trying to butter me up so I’ll suck your dick in the car, are you?”
It took everything in me to keep a straight face. This damn woman just said anything.
“I mean it, baby. Now let’s go.”
I held my hand out to her as I led her out to the car I’d scheduled to drive us. The moment we got into the backseat, she started messing with my belt buckle. I popped her hands.
“Save that for later. I don’t want you to mess up your lipstick.”
“You’re only making me want to give you head more. But thank you, Big. It took me forever to get this lip combo right. You like it? My nose is big as hell, and it was blocking my canvas.”
“Your nose is not big, Doll. Also, I do like your lip combo. You did a great job. When I kissed you earlier, it didn’t even come off.”
She tilted her head to the side and poked her bottom lip out. “You noticed?”
“Hell yeah, I noticed, baby. I notice everything about you. You’re everything to me and more. I can’t wait until we share the same last name.”
Her eyes widened at my declaration. “You would want to marry me?”
I knew in this moment it was meant for me to propose right now.
“I had this whole grand gesture planned, baby. But I realize something—you’re definitely worth grand and more. But the little moments with you are what I cherish the most. When you tell me about your day, or the new lip combo you figured out, or when my girls have been giving you a hard time.”
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a custom princess-cut engagement ring with a diamond band. Her hands shot to her mouth.
“Big, is this what today is about?” she asked as tears slid down her cheeks.
I wiped the tears that were sliding down mine.
“Yeah, I’m nervous as hell, Doll. I want to be worth marrying, worth loving, and I know I have that with you. Will you marry me?” I asked.
She nodded.
“I need to hear it.”
“Yes, Big, yes!”
Our lips crashed together urgently, needing to be closer. I pulled back to slip the ring on her finger.
“We just can’t ever do anything the right way,” I said.
Khaleya wiped away her tears and smiled. “Nah, we just do things on our own terms, Big. I love you.”
“I love you too, Doll.”
The End.