Part 21 (1/2)

My brother speaks from behind us. ”Wait your turn, idiot.”

My dad leans over and whispers in my ear. ”You can still back out.”

When I give him a dirty look he winks at me before kissing me on the cheek. He extends his hand for Cob. ”You better take care of her.”

When he walks away I watch Cob shaking his hand like it aches. I quietly giggle about it.

Then it happens.

I pledge my love and life to Jacob Monroe, son of Heather and Jesse, and he promises to love me forever, Ca.s.sie Healy, daughter of Conner and Amy. And when it's over we're left to settle old wounds with new hope. Our parents hug and chat amongst themselves, while I celebrate a new future with the man I adore.

We have no idea if the excitement will wear off. We can't predict what the future holds for us, but for now we have each other, and at the end of the day it's all either of us need.

A Little Epilogue One Year Later ”Babe, my dad is going to kill us.”

”Why? I think it's awesome.”

I shake the stick as if it will change the result. We've been careless. I was supposed to be on the pill, but I keep forgetting to take it. Now I'm left looking at two lines that predict the next eighteen years of our lives, at least.

”I promised we'd wait a while.”

”We have. Look, we're cool. He'll be excited. Look how much he loves Maddy and Jade. Hopefully it'll be a boy and they'll be thick as thieves.”

”Here's to hoping.”

Cob wraps his arms around me and takes the stick from my hand. He peers down at it and smiles. ”Yeah, it says right here that it's a boy.”

I roll my eyes. ”You wish you could tell.”

”I know.”

”Like you knew I was the one?” I ask sarcastically.

”Yep.”

His kisses me deeply. ”You know you're excited.”

I shrug and smile. ”Okay. I'm a little excited, but I'm scared too. We just moved back to North Carolina, and we have a lot more work to do before the new Bed and Breakfast is up and running.”