Page 80 of Secret Sins

"Agreed."

"You've made my life perfect in every way, Bailey," I whispered into her hair. "I'm such a lucky man."

"Before you get too sappy, can we get something to eat? These cookies are amazing, but they're not enough to satisfy a pregnant lady."

Chuckling, I said, "We just have to walk next door for that. Alex and Ellie run the bakery cafe, and they make amazing food."

"I need to confess; I have a friends-with-benefits relationship with Alex." With a wink, Bailey said, "The benefit is free coffee and baked goods."

Beth nodded seriously. "That sounds fair. Can we see your place after lunch?"

"Sure, we can go upstairs afterward for the grand tour. Though I must warn you," Bailey said, closing and locking the shop door behind her, "it's much the same tour as you got here."

Warmth flooded through me with her words. My place was wherever Bailey was, and she agreed. "Wait until you see how much Heidi loves it here, and how well she and Bailey's cat get along. I bet she remembers you."

"And then you can meet my parents and our friends." Linking her arm through mine, Bailey walked beside me on the sunny sidewalk. "I have a hunch we'll all be spending plenty of time together in the future."

Here was the place where roses climbed the side of brick buildings, the scent of them mixing with the scent of baked goods soothing my soul. I belonged here, and no one could ever convince me otherwise.

I couldn't regret my past when it had brought me to the woman I was meant to live out the rest of my years with. Even the times I thought it was my destiny to spend life alone, the nights when there was nothing but darkness and rain, it all washed away when I saw her beautiful smile framed in the sunlight streaming through her shop doors. She'd created a spark in me that made me want to try again, to dig myself out of an early grave and fight for myself.

I had to stop Bailey for a second, just to hold her close and murmur in her ear. "You gave me my life back, and I'll forever be grateful."

Epilogue

Van

Visiting Maryland wasn't as stressful this time as it was the last time we were here. For one, no one was giving birth, and for two, I'd spent enough time in counseling to know how to deal with my emotions.

Gracie was turning a year old, and I wouldn't miss her party for the world. Bailey and I had traveled here for the birth, staying with Beth and Mike for an entire week. I don't honestly know what we'd do without Riley and Jay; they kept our pets for us, ran the store in Bailey's absence, and even hired an employee for her. It seemed clear to me that Riley was the type to take in strays, since she subtly pushed Andrea into applying for the position until she thought it was her own idea. The first few times I ran across her, she had a bit of idol worship for me that made me highly uncomfortable.

Until Riley told her to remember she'd been strong enough to leave Larry in the dust, and that she was a bright young woman capable of anything she set her mind to. That worked, and she stopped trying to fawn all over me with enough gratitude to make my skin itch. After the stunt the brothers tried, they were both going to be in jail for a few years. They had tried to intimidate me, and though they couldn't have known I would have testified anyway, the intent was still there. I was more than happy to help put them both where they belonged.

While I was in therapy, Bailey joined me frequently. We worked through her separation anxiety in time, and she stopped trying to push me away. Which was good, considering that I wasn't going anywhere. As a matter of fact, I'd proposed to her in her parents' backyard during a BBQ full of friends and family. Ro cried more than Bailey and Riley combined, and then the ladies segregated themselves to talk about wedding planning.

None of that bothered me. I wanted Bailey happy, in whatever form that took, especially after she stood by my side when we arrived at the hospital in Maryland and my parents were there. I'd faced down the barrel of a gun, walked through the meanest inner-city streets, and been brutalized in prison, but none of that compared to facing the people who'd abandoned me in my darkest hour.

My father, Dr. Adam Wilson, was grilling the obstetrician, speaking to her in that holier-than-thou tone of voice he had used on me entirely too often. Diana, my mother, sat in the corner of the waiting room beside the vending machine, sipping on a cup of designer coffee she’d obviously brought with her. The table next to her held a box of tissues, a handful of magazines, and her Chanel purse.

Bailey gripped my hand tighter as we approached, and I squeezed it back. With several deep breaths, I relaxed my shoulders and straightened my back.

"Mother."

Diana looked up at me, but might as well have looked through me for all the warmth in her eyes. "Justin."

Years had passed since we'd spoken or seen each other, and that was the greeting she chose to go with.

"It's not Justin anymore; it's Van."

Her brows went up, and I noticed her lipstick feathering into the lines around her mouth. Constant frowning had burned permanent creases into her forehead, and even when her brows returned to normal, she appeared to be scowling. I was surprised she hadn't turned to plastic surgery yet.

"Why did you come?"

I heard Bailey gasp quietly, but she covered it with a yawn.

"Because Beth invited us," I replied.

"And you are?" My mother had still not risen to greet me, but she glared at Bailey.