“We’re having a baby,” she repeats with awe in her voice.
“We made a whole little person,” I whisper, kissing her forehead.“I love you so much.”Dropping to my knees in front of her, I place a kiss on her belly.“Hi, little one, I’m your daddy.I love you so much.”
A sob breaks free from Ellison’s chest, and I’m climbing back up to wrap my arms around her.I hold her tightly, saying the words I can’t seem to find with my embrace.This is the second chance we've only ever dreamed of.
“Dreams do come true,” she whispers, as if reading my thoughts.
“Come on.I need to hold you.”Lifting her into my arms, I carry her back to bed, where we snuggle, kiss, and talk about the plans we have for our future.Some things look the same, and some have changed, but there is one that has never wavered, and that’s the love we have for one another.
Nineteen
Ellison
Copeland’s lips press against my bare shoulder.“Morning, wife,” he mumbles sleepily.
My belly flips.“Fiancée,” I correct him, rolling over to my back.His hair that’s growing out is mussed, sleep lines mar his cheek, but his eyes, they’re lit up.Then he goes and turns that grin on me.
“Two weeks, Ells.I don’t know if you remember or not, but last night, you agreed to be my wife, and then this—” He spreads his hand over my belly.“Our baby,” he says reverently.
“How could I forget?”I ask, placing my hand on top of his.
“I guess we need to start making calls, telling people to plan for a wedding.”He grins.
“We could do that, or we could surprise them.”
“What are you thinking, baby?”
“What if we invite them all to a Fourth of July party?We don’t tell them it’s to get married.My grandpa is ordained.He’s performed tons of weddings here on the estate.We could tell him and my grandma, and your mom if you want, but our friends, even my sisters, we surprise them.”
“Edith was working at the pharmacy last night.I asked her not to say anything, but I don’t know how much time we have,” he says, chuckling.
“Well, it’s a good thing it’s only two weeks.We’ll stop to see Edith and tell her about the wedding.She’ll love that she’s in the loop before anyone else, and will keep quiet for at least until the party.”
“You think so?”
“Oh, I know so.To be able to boast that she knew it was going down, she’ll be all over that.She’ll be the queen of town gossip after this, at least until something else more interesting happens.”
“Not sure what’s more interesting than our second chance at love, Ells.”He leans in and kisses the corner of my mouth.“I’m game for however you want to play this.”
“Will your mom mind?Will she feel up to it?”
“She has chemo next week, so she should be feeling better by that weekend.If not, I know my mom is going to fake it until she makes it.She’s going to love the idea of everyone gathering at her house.She’s told me several times how much she enjoyed the Memorial Day get-together.”
“And we have to get a marriage license.I think we should wait until the Friday before,” I tell him.“Then we can bribe whoever’s working that day to keep quiet until Sunday.”
“Perfect.So, what do I need to do?”
“You have your uniform?”
“Yes.I’m all set there.”
“Invite the guys, and anyone else you want there.Tell your mom at least about the party, and the wedding if you want.”
“Kip,” he says.“He was my best friend in the Marines.We met in boot camp, and he heard me talk about you all those years.So, yeah, I want him here.I want to invite him and his wife and his daughter.”
“I can’t wait to meet him,” I tell him.
“What else?”
