Page 134 of Addiction

“I know going with Jonny had been the plan, but hopefully this means you can still experience everything you wanted to experience with him. I know it’s not going to be easy for you, but I wanted you to go and I wanted to be there for you when you did. So, will you go with me?”

His head is moving in agreement before I’ve even finished as tears cloud his eyes. “Yes. Yes. Yes!” He beams, happiness in his voice as he throws his arms around my neck. “Of course, I will go with you. Thank you so much. This is the best present ever.” He presses his lips to mine.

“There’s one more thing,” I say against them, pulling back to look at him.

“What is it?”

“We go in less than forty-eight hours.”

“What?” he shrieks, causing me to laugh.

“You heard. You’d best get packing.”

“But what about the gym?”

“It’ll still be there when we get back. Now go pack, we have a flight to catch soon.”

He looks back at the tickets and the biggest grin spreads across his face before he looks at me. “Thank you, Asher.”

“You deserve everything I can give you, Wade. And you deserve this. Happy Birthday, gorgeous. I love you.”

“I love you more than life itself.” He kisses me tenderly, pulling me close as I link my arms around him. “You have no idea what this means to me.”

Only I do. Because I can see it in his eyes, I can feel it in his touch, and I can feel it in the beat of his heart. I know what this means to him, but more importantly, I know what I mean to him.

Nothing will ever compare to the love he gives me. I never thought I’d be here. I never knew where my life would take me. But never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d fall in love with Wade-fucking-Johnson. He is my home and my guide, and I plan to spend the rest of my life with him because he is my everything and I love him unconditionally.

EPILOGUE

Asher

Two years later…

“Ashy, Ashy.”

“Hey, my little cupcake,” I say, picking up Ava who is running toward me. Her hair is in braids, and she is wearing a stunning, baby pink dress that matches the flowers in Nora’s hair. “Where is your mommy.”

“There.” She points to the dance floor where Nora dances with Grayson, her new husband. They got married late this afternoon and Mom, Wade and Makenna have worked their magic in transforming Hot Tuna into the most beautiful venue for the evening reception for them both. Lanterns, fairy lights and table decorations fill the space along with flowers placed as centerpieces. They’d wanted to keep the ceremony small, so Grayson has closed the bar to the public for the day and made it theirs.

“Shall we go see her?”

“Dance.”

“Dance with you? Well seeing as you asked so nicely.” I take her hand in mine and spin us both around the floor, twirling my way through people as I head to the dance floor. The giggle that leaves her melts my heart before she screams with excitement when she notices the bubbles that start to fill the air.

“Bubs!”

She tilts her head back and opens her mouth to catch them on her tongue.

“Do they taste good?”

“No,” She says but carries on doing it anyway.

When I reach Nora and Grayson, Nora tickles her daughter, and another round of giggles fills the air. “What are you doing my little bubble-eating monster.”

“We’re just having a little dance, weren’t we?” I say.

“Aww. Were you dancing with your Uncle Ashy?”