Charlie
Three YearsLater
Never in a millionyears did I think there’d be a second Sugar Buns location, but as in life, with the right partner, anything is possible. I put the tiny flower bouquets on the row of tables pressed against the far wall. Aria coos from the carrier strapped to my chest. I do a little bounce and sing a silly song so that she won’t erupt into a fit. Lucky for me, it works.
As if on cue, Mick strolls through the front door with Brenton, our two-year-old. His left shoe is untied, but he’s in my husband’s strong arms, so it doesn’t matter. He’s here on time, and we’re under the wire.
“Babe,” he says and presses his lips to mine before giving Aria a little kiss on the top of her sweet-smelling head. His gray eyes meet mine and a jolt of giddiness washes over me. After three years together, he still makes me feel like a lovestruck teenager. “What can I help with?”
“My nerves,” I say as Brenton wiggles free from his arms.
“Baby, it’s going to be great. Everyone in town has been waiting for this opening. Just take a deep breath and relax.” I do as he says, and I immediately feel better. But I know it’s not because of his advice; it’s because of Mick himself.
Once we decided we were together, there was no turning back. When he told me what he’d been in prison for, standing up for a woman’s life, I fell even harder for him. He proposed six months later, and I accepted. It turns out, Mick’s family had a trust put aside for him. Money was never an issue, it was only his reputation that precedes him—something he occasionally still has to validate, but things have gotten better.
Two kids in three years and a new location in a mountainside resort has kept us busy, but not too busy to find plenty of alone time together. He’s taught me that everyone deserves a second chance, that we’re not our past, and that it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks when it comes to matters of the heart.
My sister knocks at the front door, pulling me from my thoughts. I rush to unlock it. She shoots me a big smile and pulls me into her arms. “Where are those babies?”
“Mick took them into the kitchen. Brenton’s having a snack.”
“Oh yeah, sugar them up before they come to Aunt Lacey’s house.” She playfully rolls her eyes and heads back toward the kitchen.
While it took her a minute to come around to Mick, once she did, it was like life finally all fell into place. I know she only wanted what was best for me, and once she realized it was Mick who was best for me, she not only understood but apologized to him for her behavior. Life’s a learning experience, and luckily, Lacey wasn’t afraid to admit she was wrong about him.
Water under the bridge.
The kids head out with Lacey, and it’s just me and Mick left in the cafe before the grand opening party. He pulls me into his arms and gives me a squeeze. “You look beautiful.”
“Stop. I’m twenty pounds away from breaking the scale.” He tilts my chin upwards so that our eyes meet. “You’re perfect the way you are.”
He presses his soft lips against mine, parting my lips with his tongue. I melt into him, letting the stress of the moment fade away. He has that effect on me, and I’m grateful for it. I press my cheek against his dress shirt and let him give me a long, tight squeeze. Nothing’s as comforting as Mick’s strong embrace.
“I love you so much,” I say, breathing in his clean scent.
“Not as much as I love you.” He kisses the top of my head.
He always talks about how me giving him the job saved him, but the truth is that we saved each other. Like two puzzle pieces in need of a match, we just happened to fit together.
It’s time to open the doors; the party’s about to begin. Mick gives my hand a squeeze. “Are you ready for this?”
I nod, smiling up at my handsome, reformed bad boy of a husband. As long as I have him, I’m ready for anything.