Epilogue

BANKS

ONE YEAR LATER

It's hard to believe it's been a whole year since Yvette and I tied the knot. Time has flown by, and here I am, standing on the brink of fatherhood, waiting for our first little one to make his grand entrance.

Honestly, I never thought I'd be the guy counting down the days until I could say goodbye to the fire station for a month and dive headfirst into diapers, sleepless nights, and everything that comes with becoming a dad. But here I am, feeling a mix of excitement and terror as the due date looms over us.

Today is my last day at the fire station, and I'm surrounded by my fellow firefighters, who can't help but give me a hard time about going on paternity leave. "You sure you want to leave us high and dry like this, Banks?" Emmett calls from the corner of the station, his eyebrows raised in mock concern. "What if we need a heroic save from an old-school fireman right at this moment?"

"Old-school? I'm only two years older than you," I remind the fucker.

"Like I said, old." I roll my eyes as he laughs at himself like he's the funniest guy ever.

The minutes are dragging by so goddamn slow. The truth is, I'd rather be home prepping for baby madness with Yvette than sitting here with these assholes. My buddies might be pains in my ass, but I know they're just as excited about this baby as I am.

As I'm casually dodging another round of teasing, Emmett suddenly calls me into the station dining room, and I'm hit with an odd mix of curiosity and reluctance. I can hear the raucous laughter and chatter echoing behind the door, and I have a sinking feeling that it's about to be an awkward meeting.

"Come on in, slowpoke!" Emmett shouts joyfully through the door, and I force myself to push it open, greeted with a sight I wasn't expecting.

The room is decorated with balloons, streamers, and a big sign that reads "Welcome to Fatherhood!" stretched across the far wall. A cake sits on the table, covered with baby-themed decorations, and the whole place looks like it was pulled straight from some cheesy party catalog.

"What the hell?" I shake my head, taking it all in. "Men don't get baby showers."

"Who says we can't have baby showers, too?" Alessandro pipes up, a playful smirk lighting up his face. "We have equal rights with women, man."

"That's so progressive of you," Dacen says with a laugh, clapping Alessandro on the back like they've unlocked some new level of manhood together. "I'm proud you've gotten with the times."

I'm torn between laughter and disbelief, hands on my hips as I survey the scene. "You guys are really doing this? For me?"

"Damn right," Emmett replies, a proud smile plastered on his face. "It's time to celebrate the impending chaos you're about to dive into. We figured we'd help you get geared up for all those sleepless nights."

I shake my head, barely able to suppress a grin. "You guys are ridiculous."

They cheer as if I've just announced my support for a local sports team, and they start handing me gifts—onesies with funny slogans, a baby book titled "The Dad's Guide to Diaper Duty," and an enormous bottle of baby powder that could probably last through half a dozen kids.

"You might need this to mask the smell of poop, man," Dacen jokes, raising an eyebrow as he hands me a military-grade gas mask.

"Thanks," I reply, and try on the mask for them to see. Even if I want to kick ass half the time, moments like this remind me how lucky I am to have a tight-knit crew that feels more like family.

As we sit there, I can't help but smile, already envisioning my future with Yvette and our little one. The idea of diaper duty may sound terrifying, but with her by my side, I feel way more prepared than I ever thought possible.

Once the laughter dies down, I catch Emmett's eye. "Thanks, man. This means a lot. I never expected you guys to do something like this."

"Don't mention it," he replies, a serious look crossing his features. "We've got your back."

After the baby shower wraps up, I leave the station feeling a mix of confusion and excitement. My buddies put together an unexpected party to celebrate my imminent transition into fatherhood. I'm not gonna lie, it's somewhat surreal to have my tough-guy friends throw a baby shower for me, but it speaks volumes about the bond we share.

Hopping into my SUV, I can't wait to head home and check on Yvette. The anticipation builds as I drive through the familiar streets of Silver Spoon Falls, each corner bringing me closer to my home and my wife. The town has always felt like home, but it takes on a completely new dimension now that I know I'm about to be a dad.

When I finally pull up to our house, the sight of it instantly puts me at ease. The wrap-around porch is perfectly quiet, everything glowing in the afternoon light. I make my way to the door, juggling my arm full of baby presents.

I step inside, and before I can even call out, I hear the unmistakable sound of soft padding footsteps. Moments later, Yvette waddles into view, hands resting on her belly, and the moment she locks eyes with me, her face lights up with happiness and stops me in my tracks.

"Hunny bunny!" she exclaims, and before I know it, she's charging toward me, arms outstretched. I toss the gifts onto the hall table before turning to pull her soft body against mine. Electricity flows down my spine and I have to order my cock to stand down, knowing it's going to be a long fucking six weeks once she has the baby.

"Hey there, knockout," I say as I wrap my arms around her, holding her close. The feeling of her curled against me, all bump and softness, fills me with a sense of belonging that I didn't know I needed. "How's my favorite girl doing?"

"Feeling like a giant beach ball," she replies, her voice muffled as she buries her face into my shoulder. "But at least I've got a little extra padding for all that chaos to come."

"Giant beach ball, huh? You definitely rock it." I lean back just enough to meet her gaze, the affection deepening as I take her in. There's a teasing light in her eyes, and it draws me in like a moth to a flame. "You're so goddamn gorgeous, and you're all mine."

"Keep coming with the compliments." She laughs, rolling her eyes playfully.

"I love you, knockout." I lean over and kiss her soft lips.

"I love you, too. But you're not going to get out of telling me all about the baby shower." She laughs, stepping back slightly, finally letting me look her over.

"It was surprisingly nice. The guys went all out," I say, trying to suppress the goofy grin spreading across my face. "Can you believe I'm officially in the baby shower club?"

"Oh, I can totally see it," she quips, and we both break into laughter, the sound echoing through our home like music.

"They did a good job," I say, gesturing to the few gifts I lugged back from the station. "I'm staggered by what they came up with. You'd think they were preparing for the baby, not me."

"Let me guess," she says, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. "A bunch of comical onesies and questionable parenting books?"

"And enough baby powder to last a lifetime," I say, shaking my head. "How did you know what they gave us?"

She grins slyly. "I'm in the firefighter wives' club. Who do you think helped them plan all of this?"

"The wives really nailed it," I respond, pulling her close and crashing my lips against hers.

"I'll be sure to let them know you thought so," she teases, that playful smirk still dancing on her lips. "Now, let's check out what we've got!"

We wander into the living room, rummaging through the bags and discovering the treasures intended for our impending arrival. As we sift through the hilariously themed onesies and assorted baby gadgets, I feel excitement bubbling in my chest.

As Yvette holds up a onesie that declares "Future Heartbreaker," I can't help but chuckle. "Great, we're already setting the stage for a little troublemaker."

"If he ends up with your charm," she shoots back, rubbing her round belly, "we're doomed."

Yvette stands beside me, her eyes sparkling as she continues digging into the mountains of goodies.

"I can't believe they went all out like this." She holds up a onesie that reads, "My Dad is a Firefighter. What's Your Superpower?" with a bemused look on her face. "This is ridiculous."

"Ridiculously cute," I counter, leaning over to peck her cheek, and I can't resist wrapping my arms around her from behind, hugging her close. "Our little man is already set up to be a legend."

She chuckles, tossing the onesie aside to grab a plush fire truck. "This is adorable."

As we sift through the gifts, I find myself increasingly aware of how much I love Yvette. She's still the fierce, independent woman I fell in love with, but now she's stepping into this new role like it's already a part of her DNA.

"I'm so excited for this," I admit, my voice softer, more genuine as I rest my chin on her shoulder. "You know that, right?"

"Nowhere near as excited as me." She laughs, but there's a nervous edge to it that makes me pause.

"I promise you I am," I say honestly, pulling back to look into her eyes. "You and me, we're in this together. I can't wait to meet our little guy."

She bites her lip, a slight blush spreading across her cheeks. "Me neither, but I'm kinda dreading the labor and delivery."

"Don't worry, little knockout. I'll be there with you the whole time."

Yvette nods, but there's still that glimmer of anxiety flashing in her eyes, and I want to wipe it away. "I know. We'll do it together." She leans back against me. "I love you, hunny bunny."

She pulls back to look me in the eyes, and I let all the emotions I'm feeling shine from my eyes. "I love you, too, knockout. You're the best goddamn thing that ever happened to me."

"We're both so freaking lucky." She's not wrong.

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