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“I will marry you. I will adopt the kids. Everything. When you are ready.” I love that he added the last part.
“That’s why I love you.”
* * *
Maverick
My body practically glowed with excitement when she told me she loves me too. I’m holding her in my arms now, and I don’t plan to let her go for a long time.
They moved her to a regular room a couple of hours ago, and we are waiting for the kids to come up and see her. She didn’t want them to see her like this at first, but then she decided they needed to hear the truth from her. The news stations have been playing the drama from the zoo and what happened to her over and over, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they know already.
I’m lying in the large hospital bed with her. Her body is resting against mine as she sleeps for a bit before they get here. She jolts and cries as she wakes up, and I know that counseling is going to be in our future. She stopped going but still makes the kids go. Now she’ll need to return because I predict Colton’s hold over her nightmares is going to last a bit longer. She falls back to sleep, unable to fight the strength of the pain meds she’s on.
“I didn’t know it was like this,” Darrell says from the doorway.
“Like what?” I ask softly so I don’t wake her up.
“That you both were in love. Don’t you want to give her time to get over Colton before you move on together? Aren’t you worried you’re just a rebound?”
“No, I’m not a rebound. I’m the man she should’ve married. I’m the man who truly loves her and will be with her forever. I didn’t know what love was until the moment she sassed me in the break room at the zoo. She’s my everything.”
“She’s been through so much.”
“Yeah, and I’ll give her the time she needs before I marry her. But don’t mistake my kindness for you. She will be my wife even if you don’t give your blessing.”
He chuffs and shakes his head. “Now that feeling, I know. Said about the same thing to Daphne’s dad when he said I was too old for her.”
A knock sounds on the door and we both turn. The kids walk in and see her. She wakes up, and I carefully lift them up one at a time for them to hug and kiss her.
EPILOGUE 1
MAVERICK
18 MONTHS LATER
Today is the day I finally make Lydia my wife. I’m not nervous at all. I’ve been waiting for this day for two years now. I gave her the time, and she tried to spring the proposal on me herself. But my boy, Micah, told me the plan and I spun it around. I was on a knee before she could even think of doing it.
Of course, she said yes. Right in front of the cage that held the bear that brought us together. Everyone cheered and laughed with us. It was a perfect moment, and this will be the next one for us.
I’m standing in front of the trellis in her brother’s large yard in Chattanooga as I wait for her. Zeke is at my side as my best man.
I’m ready, but the bridesmaids haven’t started walking down the aisle, and now I’m starting to get frustrated. Micah comes down the aisle with an envelope. Everyone starts to murmur, but I’m not worried. I know my girl wants to be my wife.
“Mom told me to bring this to you, Dad.” He smirks, and I raise a brow at him.
Yeah, that happened a couple of months ago when I asked the kids if I could adopt them. They were excited, and we found out yesterday that the adoption was official.
I open the envelope and remove a piece of paper and a picture.
“Is this real?” I look at him and then down the aisle, where everyone is waiting. My eyes find my girl and she nods.
I don’t think twice, I move down the aisle and push past everyone.
“Really?” I need her to tell me, and she smiles before the tears come. That’s why she’s been so emotional. It wasn’t the wedding planning.
“Yes. Six weeks along,” she says, her voice low and soft, the words meant for my ears only. I drop to my knees in front of her.
“I don’t know what to say. Until I met you, I didn’t think I wanted all this.” I kiss her belly and stand up. People ooh and aah until I lift her into my arms and storm down the aisle. Darrell chases after us.
