General Joe (Magnolia Ridge #2) - Alexa Riley Page 0,15
up again and carry her out of the gazebo and into the tent. The dancing has already started and we are swept up in it with the crowd. People are laughing and having a great time, and I see Barbie and Shaw slow dancing in the corner. They can’t keep their hands off each other, but I can’t say I don’t know how that feels with my woman.
If it were up to me I would have eloped, but seeing Kayla do the electric slide with Chief while holding a plate filled with wedding cake is not only one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen, but the sweetest.
We spend the whole night laughing and dancing and it’s more perfect than I could have planned. It’s everything she ever wanted and that’s all I ever want to give her.
Epilogue
Kayla
One year later…
“Are you going to be good for Grandpa?” I ask my little Sophie-bug. She opens one eye and peeks up at me before she opens the other and gives me a big gummy smile. “It’s okay if you want to give him hell.”
“I think I can handle a little girl that likes to cause trouble,” Dad says dryly.
He’s freshly retired now and Joe took his place at the station. Now Dad can babysit whenever I need him to, not that I’ve been willing to give Sophie up for long. I always knew motherhood and being a wife was my calling, and since getting married and having a baby, it’s come true.
“I’ve calmed down.” I kiss Sophie’s head again.
“You staged a picket outside of the Piggly Wiggly a few months ago because they stopped selling the beef jerky you like.”
“I got it back, didn't I?” I say smugly.
I was eight months pregnant and they stopped carrying my favorite craving. It was cruel and I let them know it. It also didn't look so good with two pregnant girls marching back and forth in front of their store. Okay, I marched, Barbie sat in a lawn chair since her feet were really swollen. Thank god they went back to a normal size because I was worried there for a second.
Joe only chuckles. He came down and made me quit, but I was surprised it took him so long to get there. I thought he'd be there a few minutes after I arrived with the signs, but it took him two hours before he showed up and told me to get my sexy ass in the truck. I huffed about it, but when I got in the truck I saw why it took him two hours. He’d gone to the city and bought the jerky from every place he could find it. I was stocked up for months, but I still got the town of Magnolia Springs their jerky back because I wasn't sharing my stash.
“Come kiss our baby girl goodbye. I want to get to Pappy’s before they run out of wings and I have to break out my signs and start another picket.”
Joe comes over and takes Sophie from my arms. He kisses her chubby cheeks before handing her over to Dad.
“I love you, baby girl, but I love wings too.” Joe snags my hand and pulls me out of the house before I can go in for more kisses. I tend to get a little carried away. This is the first time we’re leaving her for more than a couple hours. Dad will pop over almost every day and watch her while I wash clothes or run to the store or something. Tonight we are going out to dinner and then home for some uninterrupted alone time.
“She’s fine,” Joe says, and I’m not sure if he’s reassuring me or himself as we make our way to the truck.
“I know. Dad raised me and look how great I turned out.” I give Joe a giant overdone smile.
“Right.” He lifts me by my hips and puts me into the truck.
“I’m glad we agree on that,” I say when he hops in and we take off.
“Maybe we’ll make another one tonight.”
“After my wings.” I point at him. He better not be taking a detour before dinner.
“After your wings,” he agrees as he drives to the small bar that sits on the edge of town. I’m out the truck door before he barely gets it parked and he comes after me.
“I’m going to spank your ass if you’re not careful.”
“You can do anything you want to my ass after I eat.” A few people turn