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EPILOGUE
Eli
Two Years later
“Good morning, Eli, it’s so good to see you.”
Closing the door behind me, I smile at Grace, Iain Fairchild’s PA. “It’s good to see you too. How’s the family?”
A proud smile lights up her face. “Lucy’s just had my grandbaby, so life is pretty perfect at the moment.”
“Ah, your first grandchild. Boy or a girl?”
“A boy,” she says, proudly. “And speaking of which, how’s Audrey?”
Now it’s my turn to smile proudly, that same warm, fuzzy feeling I’ve always had since Audrey came into my life washes over me like a welcome breeze. “Ah, she’s perfect. Life’s pretty darn perfect for me too, I must admit.”
“I’m so happy for you, Eli. You deserve happiness after all that business with Kendra.”
I wince at the mention of her name. I never knew why I held onto the relationship for so long. I think I was so focused on not ending up like my dad, I ended up choosing a path that led me down a spiral of unhappiness. It’s not been easy, but every crappy day I had since I woke up that one morning and realized that Audrey wasn’t with me anymore was worth it just to be with her. I would do it all over again if I had to.
Losing my dad was hard, as we never got that connection I had been after all my life, but I found myself mourning the loss of Audrey even harder. I knew I had to get myself straight and divorce Kendra before I even thought about pursuing Audrey. Considering none of my baggage was her responsibility, I owed her that much. The divorce was tough, and Kendra fought me the whole way, but the moment she knew I could prove her infidelity and subsequent pregnancy, she reluctantly accepted the conditions and signed the papers. She had an abortion—of course. I didn’t even need to see that coming. She told the press it was a miscarriage, which was also something I could see coming. Before that, though, after my mom’s lawyers threatened to have the fetus’s DNA tested, Kendra thankfully dropped the suit against my father’s money. It was a huge relief for myself and my mother, but something I will find hard to get over. Forgiveness will certainly take a while when it comes to my father—if it ever will.
In any case, it didn’t take Kendra long to find somebody else she could sink her talons into. Another big model, who she’d probably been sleeping with for a while anyway. There are even rumors that she’s been seen with her ex-husband again.
Despite all that, I wish her well. I have no ill will towards her, because why should I? I have Audrey. Life, for me, is more than I could wish for.
“Thank you,” I reply.
“Sit tight, I’ll let Iain know you’re here.”
I nod my thanks to her and take a seat opposite her desk, my excitement bubbling at the possibilities surrounding the conversation we’re about to have.
“He’s ready to see you now,” Grace sings, her cheerful voice carrying through the reception area.
I nod my thanks to her and walk into Iain’s huge office, taking in all the photographs of him with all these different celebrities over the years. Movie paraphernalia is dotted around the long display cabinet lined along the wall, together with the three Oscars he’s won for various movies.
“Eli, it’s good to see you.” He offers me his hand, so I shake it. “Take a seat,” he says, motioning to the seat opposite me. “How’s married life these days?”
The same day I went to see Audrey, I asked her to marry me. Within seven months of knowing each other, we were married. A year after that, we fell pregnant.
“It’s actually pretty awesome. I never knew being married to someone would make me this happy.”
He smiles genuinely back at me. “I really am happy for you, Eli. And the coffee stores? I hear Audrey’s expanding.”
I nod, proudly. “She is. Full of Beans stores are everywhere now. She’s quickly becoming the breadwinner.”
Iain belts out a laugh. “And you’re going to be a dad soon, too. When’s the baby due?”
“She’s due in five months.”
“She?” he asks, an eyebrow raised.
“Yes, we just found out yesterday. A healthy baby girl.”
And I haven’t stopped smiling since.
“That’s perfect, Eli, but I bet you’re going to have trouble with the boys once she’s older.”
