Bonus Epilogue

Bonus Epilogue

Finn

We’d been engaged for a few months, but we hadn’t decided on a date or a venue. It was driving our Happily Ever Afters friends a little crazy, but it was us. We’d know when the timing was right. For now, we were content.

Aria had been drawing more and more cartoons, playing with various characters. She felt a lot of pressure to get it just right since so many authors only had one main character and would write long series around them.

She worried it wouldn’t be right or that no one would want to read them. Tonight, her newest one sat on the nightstand. She was waiting to read it together.

After we put Paisley to bed, I lifted the book from the nightstand. “Can we read it?”

“It’s ready,” she said with a smile, settling next to me.

She rested her cheek on my shoulder as I began to read. This one was a little different. There wasn’t one main character. This one was two people who looked a lot like me and Aria.

“Is this supposed to be us?” I asked her.

Her cheeks flushed. “Maybe.”

She’d written our story into several different acts. The first was when we first met and argued about weddings and love. The next was us hooking up at wedding venues, which she’d kept PG. She even included our fighting, how we made up, and the engagement song.

I loved that she’d memorialized our relationship into a book. It was something we could look back on.

I turned the page, and there was one more section titled “The Next Act.” I looked over at her, not sure what to expect, and she squeezed my bicep. “Read it.”

Aria’s cartoon character handed me a box with a ribbon. “What’s this?”

“Open it.”

My character unraveled the ribbon and pulled out a black-and-white picture. I turned to Aria, “Why is there an ultrasound pic in your comic?”

I thought this was a sweet way to commemorate our relationship, the perfect anniversary gift, even though it wasn’t that. Instead, there was something new, something that was making a roaring sound in my ears.

I couldn’t keep reading. I needed to see her face. I sat so I faced her. “Is there something you wanted to tell me?”

She reached over to her nightstand and handed me a square image. It was a baby. It brought back memories of my first ultrasound photograph of Paisley when I vowed to always protect her. “Are you—”

Aria smiled tremulously. “I’m pregnant.”

We hadn’t planned on it happening so soon, but we’d talked about it for the future.

“Are you upset? We never used condoms, and I was on birth control, but it’s not 100 percent effective.”

“I’m not upset.” I traced the outline of the baby’s forehead, the nose, and the chin. “It’s our baby.”

Still clutching the ultrasound image, I touched her stomach, overcome with emotion.

Aria touched my wrist. “Are you happy?”

I lifted my gaze to hers. “I can’t believe we’re having a baby. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, and he or she will be the perfect addition to our family.”

Aria smiled. “Paisley will be so excited.”

“It’s surreal.” I lifted the book and thumbed through the pages. “Meeting you. Connecting with you, and now starting a family. I love you so much.”

“I love you too. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted. I saw my parents’ love and wanted it for myself. I didn’t think I’d find it with you, but you surprised me.”

I kissed her. “You surprised me too.”

I didn’t think this kind of love was possible. I wasn’t worried about things not working out because we were in control of that. Relationships were hard work, and my parents were never willing to do it. “You—this baby—you’re the best kind of surprise.”

My life was full in ways I didn’t think was possible. Aria gave me a reason to expand my love for her. I wouldn’t take her or this life for granted. I’d live it to its fullest.

I hope you loved Aria and Finn’s story! You you can read more single dad romances in this special edition bundle !