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What could be better than expanding my family with Jade?
I couldn’t think of anything.
EPILOGUE - JADE
Six Months Later
“Lookatyou,alldressed up,” I said when Ben came into the bedroom wearing the tux he’d chosen for his school dance. My heart constricted when he walked into the room. He was growing up so fast––too fast for me to keep up with.
It had only been six months since I’d moved in with Aaron and Ben and taken on the role of stepmom, but already I was all the way in this game, emotionally attached and such a teary mess about every milestone he achieved.
“Do you think it looks stupid?” he asked. “I think it looks stupid.” He walked to the mirror and studied himself from head to toe. He’d slicked back his hair––with Aaron’s help––and he wore a red bowtie rather than a tie.
“I think you look dashing,” I said.
Aaron appeared at the door and folded his arms over his chest, leaning against the doorpost.
“That’s what Dad said, too,” Ben said, tugging his bowtie. “But I don’t know…do you think she’ll laugh at me?”
Ben had a crush at school and summoned enough courage to ask her out. The cherry on top had been that she’d said yes. Now, she was going to meet him at the school, and she’d told him very specifically that she was wearing a red dress.
“I think she’ll think you look like a prince,” I said. “Girls love it when you dress up for them and make an effort.”
“Really?” Ben asked. “I feel better in jeans.”
“That’s normal, buddy,” Aaron said. “But girls really do like it when you treat them like they’re special.” He winked at me. “And as soon as you realize that you care so much about them that you’re willing to make an effort, they give you something you can’t find just anywhere.”
“What do they give you?” Ben asked, his eyes hopeful. I could see his mind leaning toward candy or a cool new toy.
“They give you their hearts.”
Ben groaned. “That doesn’t sound cool at all.”
Aaron laughed and reached for Ben’s hair to ruffle it, stopping himself before he messed up his hair.
“One day, you’ll get it.”
“Is that what happened with you and Jade?” Ben asked and looked between the two of us.
Aaron grinned at me, his gaze filled with warmth and affection.
“Something like that.”
Ben tilted his head, thinking about it. “Yeah, okay,” he said.
“Okay?”
Ben nodded. “If it’s like you and Jade, it can’t be all that bad.”
Aaron chuckled. “That’s my boy.” He held up his hand, and Ben high-fived him. “Let’s get going. You don’t want to be late.”
“Do you think she’ll like the flowers I got her?” Ben asked, fidgeting with nerves again now that his mind was back on the topic.
“She’ll love them,” I said. He’d chosen red poppies for her because they would match her dress. It was adorable.
While Aaron straightened his bowtie, I snapped a few photos of Ben and sent them to Olivia.
He’s so handsome!Olivia replied almost immediately.
