It took me a long time to overcome my demons and realize that what Linc and I have is worth fighting for. Looking back now, I wouldn’t change a thing because my journey gave me Lilah. It brought me to Linc. In him, I found the love of my life, and what a beautiful life it is.
Epilogue
LINC
The venue is stunning, the guests have arrived, and I’m standing sweating it out at the altar waiting on my two favorite women in the world to hurry up and walk down the aisle to me.
“Why are you nervous?” Anders is enjoying this. “It’s not like Dee’s going to be the runaway bride.”
“Let’s not tempt fate. And stop being so smug. I remember your wedding day, and you were shitting a brick.”
“Your daughter is the flower girl. I think it’s safe to say Dee’s coming.” He’s right, but there’s something about standing here with all our friends and family staring at me that has me on edge. I usually love being the center of attention, but I’ve been waiting for this day since our first kiss.
When soft strings begin to play and Brooke appears—her floor-length red gown hugging a now visible baby bump—I know it’s only a matter of minutes until I set eyes on my bride. My pulse is racing, and all I want to do is marry the woman of my dreams.
There’s a collective gasp from our guests as Lilah comes teetering through the doors, looking like the princess we all know her to be—red on top to match Auntie Brooke, and ivory and ‘pumphy’ on the bottom, as Lilah would say. We’ve been practicing for weeks, teaching her to sprinkle rose petals for Mommy from her basket, only a couple at a time. She was doing great, but the moment she spies me, she tips the basket upside down, dumping all the petals in one spot before toddling toward me as fast as her little legs will take her.
“Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!” Why did we pick this church? The aisle is too damn long. I can’t wait, so I jog down and sweep Lilah up into my arms.
“Hi, princess. You look so beautiful. Do you want to come with me and wait for Mommy?”
She buries her head against my chest, playing shy as I stride back to the altar, my nerves gone as I hold our daughter in my arms. But nothing prepares me for the sight of Diana when she appears at the other end of the aisle. She’s stunning, ethereal in an ivory gown. Her smile lights up the room as she begins her walk, every step bringing her closer to the start of our forever.
By the time she reaches the altar, I’m fighting back tears. I can’t cry in front of everyone I know. The entire Yankees team is on the guest list. If I break down, I’ll be finding women’s underwear and tampons in my locker until I retire.
Talk about a knockout. Corny, I know, but Diana leaves me dumbstruck as I take in every detail. Her dress is gorgeous, hugging every curve to perfection, sultry, sexy, and elegant. It fans out at the bottom—I have no idea what that’s called—but it looks amazing on her.
“Hey. Looking hot today, Nash.”
“Not looking so bad yourself, southpaw.” I give her a sly wink before leaning in to kiss her cheek. “You look breathtaking. Are you ready to become Mrs. Nash?”
“I thought you were changing your name to Mr. Lexington.”
“Are we ever going to have a conversation without some kind of jibe?”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
It took Diana and me a long time to get here, and the road wasn’t a simple A to B, but nothing in life that’s worth having is ever easy. We’ve grown together, built our family on a foundation of love, respect, and above all else, friendship. When I fell in love with Diana, I didn’t just find a lover and a partner, I found my best friend. She’s the one—the person I want to celebrate the wins with and commiserate the losses. She’s the love of my life.
When it comes time to say, ‘I do,’ true to form, Diana puts up a fight.
“I think you should say it first.”
“That’s not how we rehearsed it.”
“I know, but I want to make sure you actually say it.” Our guests chuckle at our playful banter, unable to get through our wedding ceremony without some kind of disagreement.
“Of course, I’m going to say it.”
“Okay, why don’t we say it together then? On three.”
“Have at it, southpaw.”
“Three…”
“I do.” Her smile widens at the sound of those two little words.
“Two…”
I slide one hand into her cascading loose curls, pulling her to within an inch of my lips. “I do.”
“One…”
“I do,” we exclaim in unison, joining our lives together as one, cementing our future with a sensual kiss, the chemistry that brought us together, tangible in the air between us, dark with promise of a wedding night to remember.
Diana and I are proof that love can find you when you least expect it. Not everything in life has to be conventional or always go to plan—the right steps in the right order. There’s a give and take in life, and love is no different. If you want it badly enough and strive to work and grow together, you can face whatever life throws your way. Diana and I are a formidable team, and when it comes to us versus the world, love isn’t a ball game… it’s a cage fight.
THE END
