Epilogue
EMMA
Lining up my shot in the viewfinder, I hold my breath and curl my finger onto the button.
The aperture clicks. I pull the camera back to check and the picture fills the screen. I fight the urge to groan.
“It sucks. Doesn’t it?” Aaron asks.
“No, it doesn’t,” I say, perhaps a little too quickly.
“You can be honest. I look terrible.”
“You don’t look terrible,” Selena assures him. “It’s probably me.”
“We all know it isn’t you.” He gives her a pointed look. “You’re a model, for fuck’s sake.” He pulls a face and pats her swollen belly. “Sorry, baby. Daddy will get his language in check before you’re here.” He sighs. “I swear like a fucking sailor.”
Selena and I exchange a look, but neither of us mentions his lapse. The poor guy is stressed out enough. Not that I blame him. While his wife is used to making the camera love her, I’d guess the only other time he’s been part of a photo shoot was on his wedding day.
And having been there for that, I can vouch that he struggled with taking the formal photos on that day too. At least he did until one of his fellow firefighters pulled out a flask.
Hmm. I tilt my head to the side in contemplation. I wonder if I can ask Kendrick to swing by the liquor store on his way here. I wouldn’t normally recommend alcohol during a maternity shoot.
But I don’t normally have a father-to-be who looks like he’s passing a kidney stone every time he smiles.
“You’re fine,” Selena says, looking over her shoulder at him.
Aaron sighs and stares down at her stomach, continuing to stroke it gently. “Daddy may not be good at this whole photoshoot thing. But I promise I’ll always be there for you.”
My bottom lip quivers, and I sniffle back the tears suddenly threatening to fall. Fortunately, Selena is on the verge of ruining her own mascara and doesn’t notice.
Instead, she raises a hand to cup his cheek and looks at him such adoration as he stares at her belly with love.
My photographer instincts kick in, and I subtly raise the camera. I snap photo after photo, moving my body slightly so the light shines around them, creating a halo surrounding their shared love.
Got it.
By the time Aaron and Selena have once again reined in their emotions, I have a whole series of the most stunning, candid maternity photos.
I scroll through them, the smile on my face growing wider by the moment. When I get back to the first few photos, my finger hovers over the delete button.
“Oh man,” Kendrick says, appearing suddenly over my shoulder. “I hope those aren’t the best photos you took today.”
I turn the display off and glare at him. “Excuse me?”
“Not that it’s your fault, sweetheart.” He slides an arm around my shoulders. “You’re doing the best with what you have to work with.”
By now, Aaron and Selena have noticed they have a larger audience, which also includes Gran. I fight a sudden ebb of disappointment. Not that I’m not thrilled to see her. I’ve truly grown to love the woman. She’s taken me in as if I’m her own granddaughter.
I just had some… plans for Kendrick. That’s why I’d asked him to meet me.
As if picking up my thoughts, he whispers in my ear. “I promised to give her a ride to the senior center. It’s BINGO night. She wanted to stop by and see the photoshoot first. Then, I’m all yours.”
I give a short nod, but don’t speak. I’m suddenly full of nerves thinking about being alone with Kendrick later tonight. Not that we aren’t alone all the time since I moved in with him. But still, tonight is different. I have something I want to discuss with him.
“You two look pretty as a picture,” Gran calls out. “I just know you’ll have the most beautiful baby.”
“As long as he takes after Selena,” Kendrick says.
“Be nice.”
“I am.” He gestures to my camera. “It’s not my fault the guy looks constipated in his photos.”
“Kenny…” She gives him a stern look while Selena soothes Aaron. “I raised you better than that.”
He blanches, and Gran chuckles in that way of hers that sounds more like a cackle and always makes me smile. I really am so lucky she’s welcomed me into their little family with open arms. I’m so lucky to have her. Now more than ever.
Kendrick stammers slightly, and my smile grows even bigger. I’m so lucky to have them both.
“What?” he asks at last. “I’m just saying it like it is.”
“Oh, give the boy a break.” Gran nudges his ribs. “We all know you’re going to be a wreck when it’s your turn. Which”—she shoots me a conspiratorial look—“shouldn’t be too long. Right, Emma dear?”
My jaw falls open and my eyes grow wide. How… how does she know?
Kendrick rolls his eyes and protests. Turning to me for confirmation, his words trail off as he takes in my stunned expression.
“E—Em—Emma?”
I release a shaky breath that’s part laugh and lift a shoulder. “I was planning on telling you tonight.”
“Emma,” he repeats, his tone softening and he narrows the distance between us. Hand shaking, he cups my cheek, stroking my chin with his work-calloused thumb. “We’re going to have a baby?”
I nod, a tear slips down my cheek. “We’re going to have a baby.”
“Oh, Emma.” He rests his forehead against mine, and pulls me closer.
The tears are falling freely now from my eyes, and I snuggle in closer to him and he holding me more tightly. I’m not normally this emotional. Or this clingy. No doubt the pregnancy hormones are to blame.
“Wait.” He pulls back suddenly, loosening his hold. “I’m sorry. I was probably squeezing too tight. Are you okay? Do you feel sick at all?”
“I feel fine.” Actually, I’ve been sick as a dog the past couple of weeks, and I’ll probably need a nap here shortly.
Honestly, it was the near-constant desire to puke that tipped me off. I’d been so busy after returning from our trip to Iceland and the thousands of photos I had to edit, I completely spaced missing my period.
Kendrick’s eyes narrow. “How are you really?”
There’s no use trying to pretend. “I kind of want to throw up all the time. And I could really use a nap.”
His eyes narrow even more. “Then why did you let these two drag you out into the middle of nowhere?”
“It’s not the middle of nowhere,” I object, even as Aaron promises they had no idea I was pregnant too, or they would have picked a different location.
Meanwhile Selena tells both of them they’re worrying about nothing. That I’m a strong, independent woman who is more than capable of saying when she needs help.
Kendrick is going on about how he knows I’m a strong, independent woman. But I’m a strong, independent woman who is carrying our child. And it’s okay if I need a little extra support—from him and everyone—for now.
Gran is still standing to the side, smiling over the chaos she’s created and—no doubt—the source of that chaos.
For my part, I can only smile up at the man I love more than anything else in the world.
Well, him and the little life we’ve started together.
It won’t be easy balancing a growing family, caring for our people and community here in Alaska, and supporting our careers.
But as I’ve told him countless times in the past year, neither of us has ever been interested in taking a path because it’s easy.
“Kendrick,” I say softly, drawing his attention back. “It’s going to be okay. Actually, no, it’s going to be wonderful.”
Be sure to check out the rest of Swift Mountain Fire & Rescue series. Up next: This Love.