I lost touch with Emmett years ago, and I know Sean rarely hears from him anymore. It’s hard to keep in contact with everyone when we are all spread out and everyone leads busy lives. All I know is Emmett is happy living in Texas with his wife and two kids and he has a successful electrical engineering career.
We watch the game, rooting for our friend, while we dig into our Thai food and enjoy a few beers. When the doorbell chimes a short while later, I get up, taking the box with the cake into the kitchen. Theo helps me light the candles, and we all sing happy birthday to Saint. “Make a wish, Saintly,” I say, holding the cake out in front of him.
“I already have, queenie.” He holds my gaze as he blows out the candles in one go.
No one needs to ask him what he wished for because we already know.
Epilogue
Harlow
Six months later
MY HANDS SHAKEas I park the car at the curb, killing the engine before taking a moment to compose myself. My heart is beating frantically behind my rib cage, and hope bubbles underneath the surface of my skin. I pray I haven’t made a mistake coming here, because I never want to hurt Saint, but I have a good feeling about it, and I don’t want to do this without him.
Forcing my nerves aside, I climb out of my SUV, locking it with the key fob as I walk toward the entrance to the garage.
“What’s wrong?” Saint asks the second he sees me. “Did Bishop get into trouble at school again?”
I shake my head as I stride toward the reception desk. “Not that I’m aware of, and I’m sure Galen would’ve called me if there was an issue.”
Bishop started elementary school last year, and it’s been eventful, to say the least. He has a higher than normal level of intelligence for his age, and he isn’t fitting in easily. He has one best friend, Hayes, but he regularly gets into arguments with a couple of the other boys in his class, and it has caused some friction. We’ve been called in a few times to meet with his teacher and the principal, and we’re not convinced the private school we enrolled him in is the right fit.
Bishop takes it all in stride, and it doesn’t seem to upset him, but we can’t help worrying. We have considered moving him, but he doesn’t want to go to a new school because he is best buds with Hayes and he doesn’t want to be separated from him. Also, Luna will be joining him in August, and he wants to go to the same school as his sister so he can look out for her. His words, not mine.
“Is it Rora?” Saint asks, stepping out from behind the desk to greet me. He kisses me softly before bundling me up in his arms.
“Nope. She’s home with Galen this week. Remember?” Rora started preschool in September, and there have been some issues there too although she seems to have settled down recently. They are on a break this week, and Galen is enjoying having her and Luna around more than usual.
“Okay. I’m obviously way off track,” he murmurs into my hair.
“Can’t a wife just drop by her husband’s garage without there being a reason?” I ask even though thereisa reason I’m here, but I really should drop by more often. We could do lunch after my shift at the center some days.
“Of course, you can. I’m just surprised to see you, but it’s not unwelcome. I haven’t eaten yet,” he adds, winding his fingers through my lavender hair. “Let me take you out for lunch.”
“That sounds wonderful. But we need to do something first.”
He arches a brow, and I swallow over the anxious lump in my throat as I thrust the small paper bag into his hand. He opens it, sucking in a gasp as he removes the pregnancy test.
“There is a reason,” he whispers, sounding like he’s in a daze. When he lifts his head, there are tears in his eyes. “Do you really think you—”
“I’m two weeks late, Saint,” I admit, cutting across him. I didn’t want to say anything earlier, because we don’t do this anymore. Since we had our heart to heart, we have relaxed on all fronts. Where Saint used to force me to pee on a stick every month, now he just waits for me to mention my period. The fact it’s been this long and he didn’t even ask about it shows how far we have come. I’m not naive to think he doesn’t remember, but he doesn’t force the issue. Things are great between us again, but there is always this little niggle at the back of everything, and we all feel it.
“I’m scared,” he says, his voice sounding choked. “And excited,” he adds, his eyes lighting up.
“Me too, but this feels different.” That’s as close as I will come to saying it.
A look of steely determination washes over his face as he shoves the bag into my purse and takes my hand. “Let’s do this.” He leads me into the garage, and the guys wave and call out as we pass.
My chest heaves when I enter Saint’s private bathroom at the side of his office. Saint locks the door while I wipe my clammy hands down the front of my yoga pants, reminding myself to breathe.
“My queen.” Saint clasps my face in his hands. “Don’t be nervous. Whatever it says, we will deal with it together.” He rests his forehead against mine. “If it’s meant to be, it will happen.”
I press a hard kiss to his lips. “I fucking love you, Saint Westbrook.”
“Love you too, babe,” he says as I get down to business.
We hold one another after I’m done while we wait for the stick to show the result. It’s the longest three minutes of my life.
