18. Epologue

TANNER

5 Years Later

J ax winked at me from across the aisle as the string quartet started playing Ave Maria by Bach. I knew what the piece of music was because I'd heard it a million times when Jodie couldn't make up her mind.

A lump formed in my throat, and I forced myself to look at the bride.

Jodie looked like an angel, and my new favorite girl and all-time best friend, Lily, led the bride in her white dress, sparkly pumps, and dark curly hair.

I glanced at Matt beside me and put a clean handkerchief in his hand. Who knew my former bartender was a crier?

My eyes landed on Jax's again. Our wedding had been nothing like this. No orchestras, no family-filled rows of seats. Just us.

Our vow renewal had only been marginally better attended than the wedding because Jodie had insisted we wait until Lily could walk to be our flower girl. And, of course, our parents had to be there, as well as Noah, Lior, and Noah's brothers and their partners.

We'd waited two years.

Jodie had waited five.

It was impossible to not believe in love at first sight when you saw Jodie and Matt become inseparable practically from the day they met.

Her pregnancy hadn't fazed him. Quite the opposite, Lily had gained an overprotective, loving father before she grew limbs in her mother's womb.

Whoa, weird thought. I've been watching too many medical documentaries with Jax.

Lily approached us with a beaming smile. All her practice walking the pretend aisle we set up in our house had paid off.

As soon as she was within touching distance, she threw herself at her dad and hugged him. "I got Mommy for you."

"You sure did. Did you help her get dressed too? She looks very beautiful," Matt asked.

"I did."

He set her down, and she ran to sit with Jodie and Jax's parents.

Jodie took Matt's shaking hands, and they both turned to the officiant.

I never understood the purpose of having the best man stand at the altar with the groom, but with Jax facing me, just a few feet away, I didn't mind one bit.

We shared constant smiles during the ceremony, and as soon as it was all over and everyone was celebrating the bride and groom, I sought my own groom.

He held my hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing my palm.

"I love you so much, Tan."

"Right back atcha, husband."

As we followed the crowd into the gardens of the hotel, he whispered in my ear, "You look fucking sexy in that suit. Can't wait to peel it off you."

"You think anyone will miss us if we sneak up to our room?"

He chuckled. "If you think we'll get past Lily, you're sorely mistaken. She has a list of everyone she wants to dance with, and you're going first."

"Yes! I knew I was her favorite."

"Only because I gave up my spot."

"Liar."

Jax's parents approached us after congratulating Jodie and Matt. "Hello, my darlings," his mom said, touching both our ties with an adoring expression. "Don't you both look so handsome."

"Thanks, Mom." Jax kissed her cheek.

I was close enough to Jax that I felt when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He got it out and looked at the screen. I couldn't see it, but I could tell from his face that it was something important.

"Mom, Dad, mind if I borrow Tanner? Just need to go through some stuff for the reception."

He took my hand and pulled me to the side of the room where there was a door leading to the gardens.

"What are you talking about? We don't have anything else to do today," I said.

He held his phone up to me. It was a photo of a positive pregnancy test.

"Oh my god. Is this real?" I asked.

"It's from Shanaya."

I covered my mouth with my hand. It couldn't be possible. We'd been trying so hard to get pregnant. Three attempts, and it wasn't just us starting to wonder if it would ever happen. Our surrogate, Shanaya, was gutted for us every time she didn't get the two lines on the test.

This time, she'd been convinced it would happen, but I hadn't wanted to get my hopes up again. We'd looked at fostering and adoption, which was something we wanted to do in the future, anyway, but we really wanted a biological child. Just one.

Jax wrapped his arms around me. "We're going to be parents."

I looked at him and pulled him into a kiss. "And we'll be the best dads in the world."

As we walked back to the reception, I thought about our journey to this day.

From convenient grooms to husbands and now fathers, Jax and I had always been meant to be because that was what life did. It brought what you needed when you were ready for it.

That was why I couldn't be bitter with my ex for lying. Or at Jax's ex for going along with our Vegas wedding story. Every single event in our lives had brought us a little closer together and now we were headed to the next big stage in our lives.

With my husband, his sexy abs, big dick, and even bigger heart, I could handle anything.

"Uncle Tan!" Lily shouted as she ran into my arms. I picked her up, and she put her little hands over my ears. "I know a secret."

"Oh really? Then you're not supposed to tell."

"I tell you, okay?"

I smiled at her angel-like face and bouncy curls.

"I'm going to be a big sister."

I turned to Jax, who'd clearly heard what she'd whispered . He put his arm over my shoulders, tickling Lily's hair.

"That's a very special thing to be, sweetie, and you're going to be the best big sister in the world," Jax said.

"I know," she replied.

Because it was that easy.

Just like falling in love with Jaxon Mitchell.

I hope you enjoyed Tanner and Jax's story. The Convenient Groom is also available as an audiobook on Audible, narrated by Alexander Cendese.

Tanner first appeared in The Lost Fiancé Twist with his flirty eyebrows directed at Noah. As you know now, that was just a little harmless flirting. If you want to know how Noah got his happy ever after, you can read The Fake Husband Deal now.