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“Ma.” I pull my face away from hers, but a smile flirts with my lips.
There’s a knock on the door.
I pause, an eyebrow arched.
“I’ll get it,” Asia says.
“I’ll come with you.”
Venus roars from behind us. “Now let’s get drunk!”
I open the door and a big grin breaks out on my face when I see Kayla and Brendon standing outside.
“What are you doing here?” Asia laughs, wrapping her arm around the crook of Kayla’s neck.
“Am I late?” The glowing new mother darts her gaze from me to Asia. "Did I miss the proposal?”
“By a hair.”
“Sorry.” Asia winces.
“I can propose again if it makes you feel better.”
Brendon gives his wife a tender look. “Would you? She was really looking forward to seeing it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Brendon.” Kayla’s lips twitch in amusement. Her light brown skin carries a hint of the sunshine despite the harsh fluorescent lights. Exhaustion pulls at her shoulders, but there’s happiness in her eyes. “I’ll just watch it on video.”
“Hey, little baby.” Asia waves to Kayla and Brendon’s newborn. The little girl has towny-colored skin, silky black hair and the smallest fingers and toes I’d ever seen.
My own heart twists watching her. Even though it’s not under the circumstances I would have planned, seeing Kayla and Brendon’s kid has me looking forward to having one of my own.
Doesn’t matter how it happened, I’m going to love the child and be there for them, the way I was raised by my real father to do.
Asia glances at me with a soft look and I know she’s thinking the same thing. She’s going to love the kid too.
Can she be even more amazing? How the hell did I get so lucky?
In that moment, I'm even more certain that I chose the right woman.
That I made the best choice.
I wrap my arms around her and pull her close. Kissing her forehead, I whisper in her ear, “I love you.”
“I love you too.” She squeezes her eyes shut and lets out a contented sigh. “I really freaking love you, Hansley Nicholas.”
Laughter rumbles in my chest. “Sounds like you’ve been waiting a lifetime to say that.”
“I have.” Her eyes meet mine. “I know we need to talk about… everything, when we’re not this crowded.” She gestures to the packed house. “But I want to make it clear that I’m not scared anymore. I want to be with you and if I get to be a mother-figure or an auntie to your child without actually going through any labor pains, well, I can live with that.”
I nuzzle my nose against hers. “You have my word. I won’t let you down.”
“I believe you.” She rubs her fingertips against my cheeks. “I trust you, Hansley.”
Venus’s voice boom through the room. “Can the newly-engaged-but-already-married couple please find themselves over here! We’re making toasts!”
Wrapping my arms around Asia’s shoulders, I step forward into a future that’s filled with love and light.
Thirty-Five
