She nods, tears running down her beautiful face. “Yes! Yes, of course!”
I get to my feet and take the ring out of the box, slip it onto her left ring finger, and then kiss it as cheers and applause erupts all around us.
“I’m going to make you smile every day for the rest of my life.”
She lifts up on her toes, taking my face in her hands. “I love you.”
“I love you.”
Then the gunshot goes off, and we watch Midnight Valor take second place—and neither of us cares that we lost because we’ve won something so much better.
epilogue
Tessa
~Seventeen Months Later ~
“Tessa! Goddamn it! You are supposed to be sitting down!” Meredith yells as I’m standing on the step stool, trying to hang the new curtains that came in.
We are finally opening Hope + Mane Foundation tomorrow and we have an interview with Ainsley’s newspaper and a big magazine that I was able to call in a favor for. Killian paid extra to get things done quickly so I could hopefully enjoy the opening of our new foundation. What we didn’t anticipate was my pregnancy. I’m on maternity leave from Anchor Light and Brynlee offered that I could work part-time once I return.
I sigh heavily and step down, knowing if Killian hears her, it’ll be a million times worse.
“I’m fine, Mer.”
“You’re about to freaking pop!” She says through gritted teeth.
Yes, I’m thirty-seven weeks pregnant, but I can’t just sit around all freaking day. It’s a big, big day for us.
“I’m fine,” I tell Meredith, but then, Penelope enters and gasps.
“Tessa! We have staff to do that!”
I put the curtains on the table and lift both hands. “Fine. I was just trying to help.”
“Help by sitting over on the couch and putting your feet up,” Penelope says, pointing to said couch.
“I just want the photos to be perfect,” I explain as I flop my ever-expanding ass on the couch.
“It will be,” Meredith assures me as she pats the tiny butt belonging to the baby strapped to her chest.
Two months ago, my niece, who is technically my step-granddaughter—but we’re not even going to entertain that shit—was born.
“Give me Callie.” I extend my hands, waiting for her to let me hold my niece.
Meredith rolls her eyes, but unstraps her and then places her in my arms. “I’m only doing it because I know you’ll stay on your ass that way.”
“Works for me.”
Penelope and Meredith work together as I supervise, surely annoying the shit out of them. Finally after about another hour, I’m content with the way things look and feel a little more confident about today’s interview.
“Give me the baby so you can do one more walk through. I’m sure you want to,” Meredith says as she lifts her daughter into her arms.
Like a beached whale, I flop my top half, hoping the momentum will help me up, which it does, and I push my distended stomach forward, stretching my back. “God, I’m going to be so happy when this baby vacates my body.”
She laughs. “You say that until they’re out and then you dream of the quiet again.”
Callie has not been an easy baby. The first four weeks were absolute hell for Meredith and Jake. Killian and I came and stayed for two days to give them both some much needed rest. I didn’t know a child could cry that much.
