I am still crying, helplessly, but am so full of joy that I might burst like a balloon. I’ve never gone so fast from utter despair to unparalleled happiness. I’ve never had my expectations so completely subverted, and never had the tragic story I’d written revised so thoroughly into a happy ending. Rick drops my hands and opens his arms, and I collapse gratefully, blissfully into them. I could stay suspended in this perfect moment forever.
“Of course,” I whisper into his chest. “Of course we can do that. I’ll marry you, Rick. I’ll be the mother of your babies. As many babies as you want. But what caused this change? I thought you’d been traumatized by your divorce from Bailey’s mom.”
He pulls away for a moment, and I feel the strong pound of his heart in his chest. His handsome face is thoughtful.
“You know, you wouldn’t believe it, but it was Angela who got me to come to my senses.”
I crinkle my forehead.
“Angela? Your ex?”
He laughs harshly.
“Yeah. Bailey’s mom. We ended up having a meal together, just the two of us, when she was in town. Bails was supposed to come too, but she had a last minute bout of morning sickness and couldn’t make it. Anyways, Angela was her old self: pushy, bitchy, and all too perceptive. She knew immediately I’d had my heart broken, and guessed that it was because you were pregnant, and didn’t want to tell me.”
I gasp, my eyes wide.
“Really?”
He shakes his head ruefully.
“Yeah, my ex is a piece of work. She was none too gentle in her manner, but the thing is, Angela has always been canny. She was able to pinpoint exactly where I hurt, and dispense advice, albeit in a heavy-handed manner. And when you called, suddenly, I knew, sweetheart. I knew that you were pregnant, and had been afraid to tell me.”
I press my face against his chest, my tears coming again.
“I was scared,” I admit in a whisper. “You’d said so many times that you didn’t want more children.”
Rick pulls away for a moment, holding me by my shoulders gently. His amber eyes flash, and that deep voice is gentle.
“I think I only said that once, honey, and that was at a bar when I was a little tipsy. But yes, I did say those words, and I’ve regretted saying them ever since because with you, Kara, everything’s different. I have a new perspective on life. With you, the thought of a child, and starting a family together sounds wonderful.”
He laughs suddenly, and then I am laughing too, as he spins me around in his arms. I stop him with a kiss, and sigh my relief, my joy, and my excitement against his lips. He returns my kiss with just as much passion, if not more.
“I love you too, Rick,” I breathe when we finally break apart, still wrapped in each other’s arms. “I’ve been so lost and so miserable without you. I’m sorry for the pain and confusion I caused you. I never meant to hurt you. I was just trying to prevent any more hurt. But now, we’re together again. Now…” I caress the side of his face with my thumb, my fingers curling gently into his hair. “Everything is going to be okay, isn’t it?”
Rick stares at me, those sculpted lips forming a smile. He presses a kiss to my forehead. “Everything is going to be more than okay,” he promises. “I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that you and our baby have happy lives. That our family is happy. That we’re happy, together, always, sweetheart.”
He kisses me, and here, in his arms at last, I believe him.Epilogue 1RickNever in my wildest fantasies did I ever see myself getting married again. But they say you can teach an old dog new tricks, so maybe an older guy can be taught some new things, too.
Lately, I’ve learned a hell of a lot of new things. I learned that my fiancée craves fried pickles, Moose Tracks ice cream, and Coke (without ice) when she’s pregnant. And sometimes, she craves all of these things at the same time. I learned that Kara is at her most radiant just after giving birth while she smiles down at our newborn daughter, Rose, with tears in her eyes. I learned that I can cry too, especially when seeing the woman I love cradling our precious daughter in her arms.
Most of all, though, I’ve learned just how much love was left in my heart, even when I swore for years that it would never happen again. I swore I’d never get married again. That I’d never have another child. That I’d never lose myself to a woman.
But I was wrong, and that bullheaded stubbornness almost cost me my life. Sometimes, I just need to listen to my heart--and to my beautiful fiancée.