“You’re such an attention seeker,” Cody muses, shaking his head. “Go on, Addie, let’s see the ring.”
She holds it up just as Logan joins the chat. Cassidy appears a second later with Blair right beside her, FaceTiming from their Milan hotel room.
“I see you spared no expense,” Cassidy chuckles. “Congratulations! I can’t wait to meet you, Addie.”
Addie mumblesme too, suddenly a little shy, the number of faces staring at her from the screen too overwhelming.
“So fucking classy, bro.” Logan whistles. “Ava has the same ring.”
“Quiet,” Nico says, then looks to the left, his features softening on cue. “Not you, angel. You’re doing great. Keep playing.” He turns his attention to us, stern look firmly back in place. It’s incredible how fast he switches from world’s softest dad to world’s biggest grump. “I think celebrations are in order. I’ll book a table atThe Olive Treefor tonight. We’re missing some information here, and the whole family need filling in, so don’t get too comfortable.”
Everyone nods, including Addie, who, like every other woman in this family save for Mia, seems to be taken aback by Nico’s commanding personality.
She’ll get used to him. Just like she’ll get used to Logan’s short temper, Theo and Conor’s weird jokes, Shawn’s protective cop instincts, Cody’s ostentatious demeanor, and Rose’s perfect blend of all things Hayes.
“And Colt?” Logan says, sitting Ava on his lap. Despite Cassidy’s blonde hair, Ava’s taken after her daddy, and thus far, Melody remains our only blonde. “For fuck’s sake, bro... you better get your fiancée a proper ring before dinner, or Grandma’s gonna wipe the floor with you.”
I wouldn’t dare let Addie show off that plastic thing in front of Grandma. Besides, Melody will want it back as soon as she sees it.
EPILOGUE
Addie
I WAKE TO GENTLE KISSESfeathering down my spine. Sunlight trickles through the sheer curtains, casting a soft, golden hue across the room. The scent of freshly brewed coffee filters through the air, making me smile as I stretch out on the bed.
“Morning,” Colt whispers against my neck, the vibrations adding to the tingles spreading across my skin.
“Morning,” I murmur, flipping onto my belly. The crisp cotton sheets rustle with our movements. “Happy birthday.”
“Thank you.” He smiles, pushing his hands under the hem of my nightdress. “Since it’s my special day, I’d like to start with dessert.” He drags his finger between my folds, eyes darkening with the wetness he finds. “Pink pussy sherbet. My favorite.”
I fake a smile, my heart thudding faster. “Okay, but I need five minutes.”
His brow furrows, but he lets me slide out of bed, and I patter across the wooden floor to the bathroom. Had I known last week, it could have been a first engagement anniversary gift. It seems a more appropriate occasion than a birthday, but I didn’t.
Five agonizing minutes later, I climb knees-first onto the bed, both hands behind my back.
“I’ve got something for you. It’s not really a gift, not in the traditional sense, but...” I pause, taking a deep breath.
I’m not afraid of his reaction, but I’m emotional, nonetheless. Wejustmoved into the new house and started building my dream clinic. Colt’s bought a huge stretch of land outside Newport where our house now stands, courtesy of Logan and Cody’s combined skills, the acreage perfect for a clinic and a safe haven for abandoned animals.
We flipped our lives upside down the day we met, and we’ve not stopped since. Now we’ve moved into our forever home, things were meant to slow down... we were supposed to plan the wedding so we can get married when I finish school, but things change.
“I love you,” I say, looking down at him, my eyes watering.
His expression morphs into confusion with a hint of alarm. He repositions himself, resting on his side, head propped up on one hand. “You’re close to tears, Addie. What’s wrong.”
Drawing a shaky breath, I hand him the pregnancy test, the first tears sliding down my cheeks. Happy tears because I know he’ll be over the moon. And as much as I didn’t plan this, and wanted to secure my own dreams first, I’m happy it’s happened.
Time comes to a standstill while he processes the news, his gaze flicking between the test and my face.
“You’re...” He stumbles over his words, eyes snapping to me. “Addie...” He stops again. Gazing at the two blue lines, and sounding almost incredulous, he asks, “Is this real?”
I chuckle softly. “Yes. Of course it’s real.”
He looks up again, then back to the test, up and down, up and down, completely shocked. “Jesus, baby... you’re pregnant.”
“I’m pregnant,” I confirm, my voice barely above a whisper.
