I shake my head. ‘I was trying to do right by everyone, when I should have been doing right by you and me first.’
Chloe nods, her full lips millimetres from mine. ‘We need to work through this.’ Her hand trails across her stomach and she stares at me for a beat. ‘Because all joking aside, we’re about to become a family.’
My eyes feel like they’re going to pop out of my head.
‘We’re about to be a family…? Like afamilyfamily?’ I place my hand over hers, the two of us clutching her stomach.
‘How? I mean… are you sure?’
‘Surer than I’ve ever been of anything in my life. I didn’t mean to come and drop this on you, but if we’re being open and honest about everything, it’s only fair I tell you now. I love you. I love the baby you put in me more than anything else in the world, and I want us to be a family. I know it’s a lot to take in. You didn’t want a ‘mini-me’. Her eyes drop to the floor. ‘And if you don’t want to be a part of our lives, I fully respect your wishes. Neither of us planned this. It’s a tremendous shock for both of us.’
‘Princess, it’s a shock alright, but the best damn shock in the universe. I didn’t want a mini version of me back then, but I’d move heaven and earth to have a mini version of the man you helped mould me into.’ I scoop her up into my arms and her legs wrap around my waist.
‘We both grew. Changed for each other.’ Tears well in her eyes. ‘For the better.’
Our lips meet. Her velvet tongue slides against mine and I swing her round my kitchen in a gleeful twirl.
‘Careful, I’m already nauseous,’ she warns.
I place her down gently, cradling her in my arms. ‘Move in with me.’
Earnest eyes gaze up to meet mine, and the tiny nod of her head causes the heart I didn’t realise I owned to swell like a balloon in my chest.
EPILOGUE
Chloe
London
Lush, thick crimson carpet lines the magnificent steps of the Royal Albert Hall. I hang on to Jayden’s arm, climbing tentatively upwards. Flashing cameras blind us from every direction.
The paparazzi are out in full force. For once, Jayden isn’t hiding from them. In fact, he’s offering his trademark smirk while cradling me against the strong sculpted planes of his body. He’s making a statement. One that I love. We’re together.
Sporting a classic black tuxedo, he’s obscenely striking. My stomach flips and my hearts soars. Everything is falling into place. Everything I never knew I wanted.
How is he mine?
His head dips in my direction, huge twinkling graphite eyes seek my own. ‘Are you okay, Princess?’
I nod, overwhelmed at not only the commotion of attending my first red carpet event instead of organising it, but at the magnitude of feelings I have for the man beside me.
Precariously negotiating my Walter Steiger peep toes, one foot in front of the other, I hang onto my boyfriend for dear life.
Boyfriend. The moniker doesn’t do justice to what Jayden is to me, but for now, it’ll do. God forbid we steal Sasha and Ryan’s thunder by eloping like Jayden suggested. Besides, just because I’m pregnant, I’m in no rush to get married. Liberated is still my middle name, even though pretty much everything else has changed.
Victoria’s a couple of steps behind us, flanked by Archie, Ryan’s security guard. Dressed in one of Sasha’s stunning Evangeline Araceli dresses, she looks every bit the adult tonight.
Ruby and Levi follow closely behind, with Kim and Gareth at their heels. The entire gang’s here for Ryan’s big finale. A shiver of excitement ripples across my spine. I hope I’ve done them all justice.
The Royal Albert Hall exudes a class that no other venue can touch. It was the perfect choice for the finalfinalfarewell, and for the after-party to trump all after-parties. Although the only people I’m trying to impress tonight are my family. I want this to be the best night for them, not because it’s going to drum up more clients. I have more clients than I can manage. Although that doesn’t mean I’ll consider a merger with Ethan Harte, who’s apparently called into my office twice in my absence, asking Izzy if he can ‘help out.’
He’ll be lucky if he’s not ‘helped out’ a different way because if Jayden gets wind of it, he’s likely to throttle him.
Izzy doesn’t know it yet, but she’s about to get a huge promotion, along with four others from the original Liberty Events’ office. She practically organised the Edinburgh concert herself. I was in no shape to do anything. She’s proven herself time and time again. Proven to me I’m safe handing over control.
For obvious reasons, my priorities have dramatically changed.
While I’m excited about the new branches, I’ll be taking a step back from now on. I don’t want to go global on a personal level. I never did, really. What I wanted was to fill the global sized crater in my chest and I’ve succeeded, with the help of my family.
