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I didn’t know how much time passed after that before we moved, and I didn’t care. We laid on the blanket, snuggled tightly together, basking in the afterglow. My head rested on his chest and his arm was wrapped around my shoulders, holding me close.
Turning my face up to him, I murmured, “I’m so happy, Ryan. Sometimes, I feel like I have to be dreaming. I’m afraid I’ll wake up and this will all go away.”
He squeezed my shoulder and pressed a kiss to the top of my head.
“It’s not a dream,” he assured me. “It’s all real. I promise.”
“I know.” I nodded with a small grin. “I love you. I can’t wait to spend my life with you.”
“I can’t wait to spend my with you, too,” he replied, smiling down at me.
I held up my hand and looked at my ring, and my heart filled with more love for this man than I’d ever thought possible.
When I thought about our past, I was no longer angry or hurt. I had no regrets about how we had come to that point.
Everything that had happened had brought us to this life we were starting together. Ryan, Henry, and I were exactly where we were supposed to be, and I knew we would be able to face any obstacle that came along.
We were always meant to be a family, and if I had to go back and redo our first night together, I wouldn’t change a thing.
Epilogue: Samantha – One Year Later
“Sam?Sam,youready?They’re going to be here soon!”
“I’m coming!” I called as I continued studying my reflection in the full-length mirror on the wall of our bedroom. I was nervous, and I wanted the night to be perfect. I inspected my appearance carefully, turning from side to side and eyeing the loose dress I’d chosen to wear. It was cute, though not my most flattering outfit. That wasn’t the point, though. I wanted it to hide my figure, not show it off.
Suddenly, the bedroom door flew open, and Ryan strolled into the room. His brow was furrowed, and he was scowling.
“What’s taking you so long?” he asked, coming to a stop and looking me up and down. “Weren’t you wearing another dress earlier?”
“Yeah, I was.”
When I didn’t give further explanation, he released a growling sigh and moved to stand behind me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his chin on the top of my head as he gazed at me in the mirror.
“You look beautiful,” he told me. “Why are you so nervous?”
“I’m not nervous,” I replied in a breathy tone. “Not really, anyway.”
The corner of his mouth quirked up into a small grin. “It’s going to be fine. They’re going to be thrilled. Just relax, take a deep breath, and come downstairs, so I don’t have to greet everyone by myself.”
I chuckled. “What’s the matter? Are you shy? It’s just the family.”
“I don’t want to try and explain why you’re taking so long,” he teased me. “They’ll know something’s up. Trust me, baby, you look perfect. Now, come downstairs. Henry’s already been trying to get into the desserts. If we leave him alone for too long, we’ll find him covered in chocolate and whipped cream.”
That made me laugh, and I nodded. “Okay, okay. I’m ready. I swear.”
He gave me another kiss and took my hand, practically dragging me away from the mirror.
We made our way downstairs and toward the dining room. I gazed around, inspecting the table and its settings to make sure everything was ready.
“Henry? Where are you?” Ryan called, letting go of my hand and disappearing into the kitchen just off the dining room. After a moment, I heard, “Hey mister! Get away from the eclairs!"
A few seconds later, the kitchen door burst open, and Henry came running out. He was giggling like a maniac, chocolate smeared across his mouth. Ryan came rushing after him with a wash rag in one hand.
“Get back here!” Ryan demanded. “If you get chocolate on your shirt, your mama’s going to kill us both.”
I slapped my hand over my mouth to hide my grin as I watched my husband chase our son around the room. At last, Ryan caught Henry around the waist and hauled him up into the air. While our son squealed, laughed, and wiggled to escape his father’s hold, Ryan did his best to wipe his little face clean.
“Henry, be a good boy,” I ordered in a firm but gentle voice. “Don’t cause your daddy so much grief.”
