me that last time. I’m sorry he’s gone, and I hate that Vi is hurting right now. But baby, I need this ring on your finger before I lose my fucking mind.”
With his casted hand, he took my left hand and lifted my fingers to his mouth. He kissed the fingertip of my ring finger and then slid the engagement ring into place. “Shaw, I love you so damn much. The thought of spending even a day without you sounds like the worst kind of hell.” He frowned, then blinked a few times. “Fuck, what was I going to say? I had it all planned out.”
Swallowing a sob, I bent so we were eye level. “I don’t care what you were going to say. This… This is perfect, Jags. I love you so much. Yes, of course, I’ll marry you.”
“Really?” Tears filled his pale-blue eyes. “You mean that?”
“Absolutely.” I cupped his jaw. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“No Vegas wedding!” Mom and Dad yelled, causing us both to laugh, and I looked over Jagger’s shoulder to find them both crying.
Dad had his arm around Mom, and she was clinging to him. “This is one of the best moments of my life,” she sobbed, turning her face into Dad’s chest. “Ax, our little baby is getting married.”
“Not tonight, she’s not, hotness.” He kissed the top of her head. “Both of you, in bed. Now. Mom and I need a good cry without you watching us.”
Jagger jumped to his feet. “I’d carry you, baby, but I’m scared I’ll drop you right now.”
I laughed and pulled his arm around my shoulders. “I think I can make it to my old room all on my own, babe.”
Epilogue
Shaw
I’d missed getting to hold my little goddaughter the day she was born. I’d missed the first time she tried solid foods. The first time she rolled over and the first time she crawled, I was on a set for a damn commercial. And I wasn’t even going to get into missing her first word, which, not surprisingly, was “Da-da.”
I was not going to miss that precious baby’s first steps. Nope. Not happening.
As soon as Violet mentioned that Love Bug was starting to pull herself up, I grabbed Jagger and told him we were making a trip to Tennessee because I knew in my bones that she was going to be walking any day. Thankfully, he loved me more than life itself and indulged me and my need to be around Violet and Love Bug as much as possible, so we were on the first flight to Nashville.
Instead of going to my parents’ house in West Bridge, we went straight to Violet and Luca’s house a few miles away. It was close to dinnertime, and Vi knew we were coming. The front door was unlocked, and we simply walked in, because that was just how it was with Violet and me.
With her and Luca now officially back together, and it being only a matter of time before Luca popped the question, I knew Vi was a permanent resident of West Bridge, Tennessee. Which meant I wanted to be too. And not at my parents’ house either. This trip wasn’t just for me to get the chance to see one of Love Bug’s firsts.
I wanted to use it as a chance to talk my man into settling down—or at least owning our own property—close to my bestie. We already had a house in Santa Monica. It was in the same neighborhood as my parents. We lived about a mile away from them, closer to Uncle Drake than Mom and Dad, really. But I loved our house.
I just wanted something of our own closer to Violet and my precious goddaughter.
Especially now.
I walked into Violet and Luca’s house with Jagger right behind me just in time to hear Love Bug squeal “Da-da!” and I took off running because I just knew. Violet’s happy scream hit my ears just as I entered the living room and watched as Love Bug took her first steps toward Luca.
“Da-da-da-da-da-da!” she jabbered as she walked stiff-legged toward her favorite person in the universe.
Luca was crouched down, his arms wide open, tears pouring down his face as he beamed at his baby girl. “That’s it, Love. Come to Daddy.”
Violet stood on the other side of him, her phone already recording as her daughter threw herself into Luca’s arms and started baby-talking a mile a minute, as if she were telling him all about her day. He sniffled and kissed her chubby little cheeks, telling her how much he loved her.
“I finally got to see a first,” I whispered, leaning back into Jagger as we stayed where we were so that the little family on the other side of the room could have a moment to celebrate.
“Just think, though, Dimples,” Jagger whispered against my ear. “This time next year, we’ll be celebrating a few firsts of our own.”
I gasped and jerked around to look at him. “You know?” I pouted.
He grinned. “I know everything about you, Shaw. Did you think I wouldn’t notice that you haven’t had a period in two months, or that you gained ten pounds—which I fucking love, by the way. Your tits taste sweeter lately, and that pussy…” He groaned and licked his lips. “I think I want to keep you pregnant just so I can have more of that delicious cream.”
“I wanted to surprise you this weekend.”
“No, you wanted to use the baby announcement to tempt me into going house hunting here.” He caught my chin between his thumb and forefinger so he could tilt my head back. “Which is why I had Ma set up an appointment for tomorrow afternoon with a local real estate agent.”
Happiness exploded in my chest, and I threw my arms around him. “You make me so happy. Do you know that?”
He lowered his head and brushed his lips softly over mine. “I love you, Dimples. My life’s goal is to always make you happy.”
Playlist
“I miss you, I’m sorry” by Gracie Abrams
“We Belong” by Dove Cameron
“Scars That I’m Hiding” (ft. Anders Friden) by From Ashes to New
“I See Red” by Everybody Loves an Outlaw
“Listen to Your Heart” by Through Fire
“White Flag” by Bishop Briggs
“Broken Heart” by Escape the Fate
“Tell Me” by Adelitas Way
“Her Eyes” by Fame on Fire
“Hunting Grounds” (ft. Joe Cotela of Ded) by In This Moment