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“I want the babies, Aiden. I’m happy. I know its crazy fast, and I’m only nineteen, but?—"
“I’m not mad.” I chuckled. My head popped up to look at her. “Not even close.” One of my hands moved from the vanity to the front of her very flat belly. “You got not just my baby but two of my babies in there,” I reflected in awe. “That’s all I want. A forever with you and a couple of mini yous runnin’ circles around us and growing old together.”
“It’s not going to be easy,” she pointed out with worry laced in her voice. “You’re in college, and I don’t even have a job. Not a real one. I waitress when your mom’s short staffed and?—"
“Don’t worry about that.” I shook my head. “I got us, okay?” I promised. And I would. I’d work day and night to make sure she never wanted for anything.
“Aiden—"
“It’s going to be okay. When the hell has a little work every scared me off, Gem? As long as we’re together and the four of us are healthy and happy, that’s all I need. You get that?”
“The four of us,” she repeated sweetly. My hand clenched at her belly. “The four of us,” I repeated, and our gazes connected. Her beautiful eyes were smiling brightly, and even with all the what-ifs and questions of how the hell we would make it work, in that moment? Everything in the world was right.
epilogue
GEMMA
Seven years later
I smiledat the sight of my girls using their dad like their very one jungle gym. Climbing him while they giggled.
In moments like that, everything was worth it.
Every single high and low we’d experienced. The tough moments when we sat down and did bills wondering how we would make money stretch. Not so much now, but those first two years had been a doozy. We were both usually exhausted and sleep deprived, but more times than not, we were so damn happy it sometimes felt like my heart would burst out of my chest.
We’d made sure to enjoy every moment. And with hard work we made a go of it.
After we told his mom about the babies, and the shock wore off that she was about to become a grandma, she offered us her house. But we turned her down, asking if we could rent the apartment above the diner. Being as amazing as she was, she shook her head and insisted we take the space and not worry about rent.
Aiden finished his classes that semester and then moved the rest of them to online courses he could do from our place, commuting the hour or two for labs and other things that he needed to do on campus.
We got married in a small, sweet ceremony in my mom’s backyard surrounded by our families and closest friends about three months before the girls were due. Two nights before the baby shower my sisters and mom had planned for us, our girls decided to make an early appearance, and we’d shocked everyone when we walked in with a baby in each of our arms.
“Okay, girls.” Aiden set the girls down and stood up. His eyes found me, and it was very obvious he liked what he saw. He always did. The man had made it his mission in life to make it crystal clear how much he loved me for the last seven years. Seven years. I still had no idea how that happened.
Sometimes, a lot of the time, it felt like I had blinked.
“Mom’s ready,” he announced. His appreciating gaze dropped down and up my body. I shivered and felt my nipples harden beneath the lacey bra I was planning on surprising him with later. Thankfully, I was very well covered, and no one would be the wiser to how turned on my husband made me with just a look.
“Mommy!” My two babies rushed toward me, hugging my legs, and I bent carefully to hug them back.
“You look good, graduate,” he complimented with a wink. I watched as my handsome husband stalked toward me, and before I knew it, I was in his arms.
Right where I had always belonged.
“You think so now, just wait till you see what I’m wearing underneath,” I whispered in his ear before pulling back and kissing his cheek.
“That’s not fair,” he growled, and I laughed.
“Ready?” I asked, pretty excited. I’d decided to go back to school when the girls turned one. It had been a slow pace, and there were times I thought I would never reach the finish line.
But I did.
And I was officially business partners with my wonderful mother-in-law now that I had my business degree in restaurant management, and we were talking seriously about opening a second location.
“I’m ready to go anywhere with you, beautiful.” He kissed me and pulled away before we got too carried away. “Come on. Let’s go, ladies,” he called out, extending his hands for our girls to take.
I watched as they walked toward the front door of our new place. I looked around and smiled.
Falling in love with Aiden had most definitely been more than I had expected but worth every moment. Through thick and thin, good times and bad, we made it work, and seven years later, he was still my best friend.
