Epilogue

Britta

Oxygen heaves from my lungs in short bursts with each hard pump of my legs. I try to remember the breathing techniques Cash instructed me on, but with each passing mile, those techniques seem harder and harder to remember.

Even with him reminding me.

“Come on, Britt,” he huffs from behind me. “You got this.”

A growl rips from my throat. “Quit. Saying. That.”

“Can't,” he retorts. “It's my job as your trainer, and your boyfriend, to encourage you until you cross the finish line.”

I roll my eyes and wipe the dripping sweat from my brow. “If you wanted to encourage me, you could at least run beside me like you did at the beginning.”

“And miss this view? Nah, I’m good.”

I shake my head with a laugh as we pass by a couple who can’t be younger than eighty, judging by their wispy white hair and wrinkles. If ever I thought I was winning this 5k, now it’s confirmed I won’t. I’m lumbering at the back of the line with the geriatric runners.

“You’re ridiculous,” I say once the older couple is out of earshot. “Come on and run beside me. I’m losing steam.”

Cash jogs up to my side, easily matching my pace. And he’s barely breathing hard, the jerk. “We’ve only got one mile left to go,” he says, looking me in the eyes. “You can finish this strong. I won’t let you quit.”

“Who said anything about quitting?” I shoot him a smile before digging deep and taking off with all my might. Hearing that there’s just one measly mile left unlocks my stubborn side.

“Thatta’ girl, Britt. Keep going.”

Cash races beside me, murmuring encouragements, until I’m huffing and puffing my way over the finish line. As soon as we cross over the end, covered in glitter and paint, I launch myself into his arms.

“You did it, babe.” He buries his face into my neck. “I’m so proud of you.”

“I did it!” I cry. “No thanks to you.”

He leans away, shock twisting his expression. “Excuse me? I helped you get ready for this.”

“Oh, please.” I shove him back with a laugh. “You are the worst trainer. You spend more time checking me out than actually getting me in shape.”

His knowing smirk says he doesn’t regret a second of preparing for this 5k with me. “I’ll have you know that I exhibited great restraint when it comes to training you. You’re just too much of a brat to follow my instructions. You’d rather mess around than get a good work out in.”

With an eyeroll, I tug on his shirt until our mouths are a breath apart. “You like my bratty side and you know it.”

His lips barely graze mine as his eyes spark with desire. “And you like when I can’t take my eyes off of you. Admit it.”

I give in to the longing between us just as my fitness watch begins to vibrate. I look down and see that A.J. is calling me.

That can only mean one thing.

“Cash, we need to leave. Now.”

I answer the call, holding the watch up to my ear, while we run to where Cash’s truck is parked. “Is it time?” I screech, excitement and adrenaline bleeding into my voice.

“We’re having a baby!” A few people near us turn at the sound of A.J. yelling though the phone, but I breeze past them without a care. Because I’m going to be an aunt! Again!

“Oh my gosh!”

“Where are they?” Cash asks once we reach his truck.

A.J. must’ve heard him because he responds with, “Just now at the hospital. Her water broke about thirty minutes ago, so we packed everything up and headed out.”

“Where’s Lyric? Do you need us to get her?” I slide into the passenger seat of the truck as Cash cranks the engine.

“Nope. Mom’s with her,” A.J. says. “She’ll be bringing her up to the hospital once we know where Liss is at in the laboring process.”

A guttural moan sounds through the speaker, and I meet Cash’s horrified eyes. He frowns down at my watch. “Is that…?”

“Okay, gotta go,” A.J. says. “I’ll keep you guys posted.”

“Wait!” I yell. “Does Liss want me there?”

“Hang on, let me ask her.” A.J.’s voice is muffled for a few seconds until he comes back over the line, loud and clear. “She says she only wants you to come if you can bring her chocolate.” A heavy sigh drains from him before he murmurs, “Stubborn woman.”

“Okay, we’ll be right there. Love you guys!” I end the call and let out another squeal. “She’s having the baby!”

“So I gathered.” Cash chuckles. “I’ll swing by your apartment so you can change, then we’ll head up there. Sound good?”

“Yes. But don’t forget to stop for chocolate.”

***

Labor is not for the faint of heart, or so I’ve come to realize in the last nine hours.

Ace ended up being bigger than they originally expected and had some trouble squeezing through the birth canal, but praise God, he made it. And so did Liss.

She’s a warrior woman.

I’ve never had the opportunity to witness life being brought into the world before, but Liss’s sheer determination during the pushing phase gives me a new respect for moms.

And A.J…God bless him. He never left her side once, held her hand through the worst of it, and kneaded her back constantly to relieve the pressure Ace put on her body.

Those two were truly a sight to behold. A team to envy, for sure. My emotions are all over the place after getting to hold their sweet little angel baby, and I’m still swiping at tears when I leave their room to go and grab Cash. Liss wanted to get cleaned up a bit first before they let anyone else in, and I couldn’t blame her.

A.J.’s parents have been called, and they’ll be bringing Lyric up to meet her brother soon. But first, the godparents get to have a minute alone with Ace.

When I step into the waiting room and see Cash, head flopped back, mouth gaped open in sleep, I’m forced to cover up a laugh. His hair is disheveled like he’s run his hands through it one too many times tonight. No one else is around, so I take the time to study him. To drink in his good looks and even greater invisible qualities.

Will we ever reach this point in our relationship? Marriage? Parenthood? Cash is the most honest, straightforward guy I’ve ever been with. But even in all his declarations of love, he’s never once mentioned marriage, so a girl has to wonder.

I amble over until I’m standing between his knees, then bend and brace my hands on his thighs. “Hey, sleepyhead. Wake up.”

His eyes flutter open as he shifts to sit upright. “Hey, you.” Rubbing he sleep from his eyes, he asks, “Ace here yet?”

A wide smile stretches across my face. “He’s here. And beautiful. Lots of dark hair like his mama.”

Cash’s smile is lopsided and oh, so adorable. “That’s awesome news. Everybody okay?”

“Liss is good. Tired, but good. A.J. is beside himself. I’ve never seen him so happy.” Cash lets out a breathy laugh, and I finish with, “And Ace is perfectly healthy. Ready to meet his uncle.” I hold out my hand for him to take, and he does.

With fingers laced together, we make our way back to Liss and A.J.’s hospital room. And let me just say…I thought I loved Cash before. But seeing him cradle and snuggle a newborn baby in those strong, tattooed arms of his, has my ovaries screaming at me to drag him down the aisle. STAT.

“You look good with a baby, Cash,” Liss says, a small smile curving at the corner of her lips. A.J. bends to press a kiss on her forehead, brushing back the hair that frames her face.

“Too good,” I mutter, eyeing my way too sexy boyfriend.

“I can’t believe how tiny he is,” Cash says, never once taking his eyes off Ace.

“Tiny?” Liss huffs. “That stinker nearly split me in two.”

Cash winces, but A.J. laughs. “Aw, come on, Bliss. He just got a little shy on his way out. Wanted to stay where it was warm for a bit longer. Seriously can’t blame the kid.”

Cash’s expression morphs from mildly uncomfortable to horrified. “As Ace’s designated godfather, I’m going to have to ask you to stop right there or I’m covering his tiny baby ears.”

“What?” A.J. holds up his hands. “That was an innocent comment.”

I meet Liss’s eyes and shake my head. Grasping her hand in mine, I lower to the side of her bed while A.J. and Cash verbally spar back and forth. “Do you need anything?”

“No,” she says with a breathy laugh. “I’m fine just exhausted.” The way her eyelids droop tugs at my heartstrings.

“Can I hold Ace for you for a while so you can get a nap?”

Her gaze lifts to where A.J. is trying to wrestle the baby away from a belligerent Cash. He’s stiff-arming him, warning A.J. to stand down.

“If you can pry him away from your boyfriend,” Liss chuckles, “I say go for it.”

I smile. “Maybe we can hold him together.”

And we do. For at least an hour, Cash and I snuggle little baby Ace while he rests in my arms, and I rest in Cash’s. Liss gets some sleep while A.J. leaves to meet his parents and Lyric.

Cash’s fingertips graze the top of Ace’s dark hair as a hum vibrates through his chest. “I’ve never seen a more perfect baby boy,” he murmurs. “Kinda makes you want one, doesn’t it?”

I tilt my chin toward him, curious. “I don’t know…does it?”

He hums a laugh. “Yeah. In fact…” He shifts underneath me, rustling around for something in his pocket. I try to adjust my body so he can grab whatever it is, but Ace starts to stir, so I freeze.

Then freeze again when a platinum ring encased with diamonds appears in front of my face.

“Cash.”

My breathless response gets swallowed when he nuzzles the side of my face and whispers, “Shh, don’t say anything. Just put it on.”

“But—how? Why?”

I hear the smile in his voice when he says, “Is that an objection?”

I shake my head slowly, trying not to jostle little Ace. “No, but…you haven’t officially asked me.”

“Haven’t I?” His deep voice rumbles with amusement. “Pretty sure I told you last week that I was going to keep you forever.”

“But—”

“And the other night when we were snuggling on the couch, I told you that we needed to make this permanent.”

“I thought you were kidding.”

“And let’s not forget about me telling you from the beginning that I’m yours and you’re mine.”

“But Cash this is—”

“Right. Perfect. Inevitable.” He drags his nose up the side of my neck with a deep inhale. “You and I were meant for each other, Britta.” He pauses, breathing me in. “But if now isn't the right time—”

“No,” I rush to say. “It’s not that.”

He hisses out a breath. “You wanted me down on one knee, didn’t you? I screwed this up.”

I close my eyes and lean into him. “No, you didn’t.”

“I just couldn’t think of a more perfect moment,” he whispers. “Holding you, holding Ace. Dreaming of starting our own family…”

“It’s perfect.” A tear leaks from my eye. Arms still wrapped around me, he grabs my opposite hand and slides the ring onto my finger.

“Will you marry me, Britta?”

I twist to face him as much as I can without waking the baby and press my lips to his. "Yes. I'll marry you."

Cash grips my chin and kisses me so deeply, I nearly mewl like a baby lamb. Pulling back, I meet my fiancé’s eyes.

“Let’s not say anything to anyone yet, though, okay?” When Cash’s brow furrows, I clarify, “I don’t want to steal Liss’s thunder.”

He nods. “Good idea. We’ll wait until things get back to normal.”

After checking to make sure Ace is still sleeping, I ask, “How do you think Kai will feel about this new development?”

“He already knows.”

I blink at Cash. “What?”

“Yeah. He helped me pick out the ring.”

I’d laugh if I didn’t think Liss and Ace would wake up. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope. In fact, he’s the one that told me I should go with an emerald cut rather than a round cut diamond.”

I have to cover my mouth with my hand before I sputter a laugh. “Why do I find that so amusing?”

Cash scoffs. “Probably because the kid acts like he could take or leave us most days.”

“He is a little prickly. But it’s good to know I’m growing on him.”

“You’re more than growing on him, Britta,” Cash says. “I think you won him over the day you brought breakfast to my house.”

I chuckle, but he keeps on. “I’m serious. He told me a few weeks ago that if I didn’t ask you to marry me, I was an idiot.”

My eyes mist over. “Wow. What a sweetheart.”

Cash grunts. “Don’t let him hear you say that.”

I bite back a laugh and admire the glittering diamond on my ring finger, along with the beautiful baby in my arms. How could life get any better?

“Kai's Mom called yesterday.”

I perk up and face Cash. “Really?”

He nods. “Yeah. She gets out of rehab in a couple of weeks.”

“That’s good, right?”

He releases a long sigh. “It is. I worry about him, though. He acts like he doesn’t care whether or not she makes an effort to get him back, but it’s impossible not to see the hope in his eyes whenever she gets brought up.” Cash pauses briefly. “I don’t want to see him be let down again.”

“All we can do is be here for him, Cash. Pray that his mom takes this seriously and does what’s best for them both.”

“I know.” His arms tighten around me. “I know you’re right.” After another long pause, he says, “I told him I wanted him to start working at the training center after school to earn some money for himself.”

“What did he say?”

“He seemed excited at the prospect of earning money.”

“That’s promising.”

He nods against my temple. “I think so. I just want to see the kid succeed, you know? I don’t want anything to hold him back in life.”

Ace stirs, forcing me to readjust my position. I stand and begin rocking him back and forth, facing Cash.

“You are making a valiant effort with Kai and I couldn’t be more proud of you,” I say. “I have no doubt that he’ll benefit from your influence, however long that may be.”

Cash gets to his feet and gathers us in his arms. “I love you.” Pressing a kiss to my forehead, he whispers against my skin. “Wifey.”

I smile and meet his eyes. “You don’t get to call me that yet. Not until you’ve walked me down the aisle.”

Cash’s smile is devastating when he says, “Soon, baby. Soon.”