Page 99 of When Annika Met Thom

“How so?”

“Inevitable. Maybe even inescapable.”

“Just like it was meant to be,” she teased, laughing as he smiled at her. He knew she’d give him a hard time later about changing his mind but in this moment, he didn’t care. He turned and led her to the minister, who greeted everyone as a butterfly came and landed clumsily in Annika’s bouquet.

Their rings had been made by Ty’s sister and were both platinum, engraved with a never-ending Celtic knot that resembled Thom’s tattoos. They were booked to have their ring fingers tattooed with the same design by Chynna, a sign that their bond was forever. Thom swallowed as he slid the ring onto Annika’s finger, unable to imagine his life without her by his side. She smiled up at him as she pushed the matching ring onto his finger and Thom had no words.

He was ready for that kiss.

By the time he looked up at the end of the service, hundreds of butterflies had taken flight and were fluttering over the crowd. As the minister pronounced that they were married, streamers were released from the summit of the rock wall. People blew the horns and tossed the confetti supplied by the club. Club members and onlookers joined in, celebrating the wedding along with the invited guests. It was like New Year’s Eve in the middle of the afternoon, a celebration of a return to all the activities they’d missed for two years.

Best of all, it was the beginning of his future with Annika.

After their celebratory kiss, she stretched up to whisper in his ear. “I’m pregnant,” she confessed softly and Thom smiled. He’d guessed but he knew she didn’t realize as much.

“I know,” he whispered back. “Happy about it?”

He knew she would be, because they’d had a long talk before deciding together that she would stop taking the pill six months before.

She nodded with enthusiasm, her eyes sparkling green with delight. “Are you?”

“Of course,” he said and kissed her again, taking his time over it. The ten years they’d shared was just the beginning of their adventure together and Thom knew every year would be better than the last.

Because he was with Annika.

* * *

Meesha satin the office of the club that night after the wedding guests had left. She was reviewing F5F’s social media accounts and tallying results. The weekend had been absolutely kick-ass in terms of gaining visibility for the club and enticing new members to join. The wedding had been gorgeous, the video had been awesome, and everything had gone like clockwork.

She’d really done it.

She wasn’t going to think about everyone getting married and her having no one waiting at home. She was thinking about heading up to the dance club. The music was echoing through the club, making the floors vibrate, and Meesha was ready to celebrate not just her success but her singleness.

There had to be some hot guy there who deserved to be taken home by her.

There was a knock on the office door and she glanced over her shoulder, expecting it to be Christa, the night receptionist.

But it was Kyle.

Meesha spun in her chair to face him. “What are you doing here?”

“Came to see you.” He was pulling a wheelie bag that was wrapped in pink cellophane with a big bow on top. He spun it around into the space between them, then dropped to one knee. “And to worship at the feet of the social media goddess, who has coordinated the most awesome fitness club reopening since the dawn of time.”

Meesha laughed. “I like it. Did you bring an offering?”

“Only the best will do.” Kyle perched on the edge of Jacquie’s desk as Meesha opened the cellophane. Inside was a beautiful pink leather suitcase, a Birdy bag. She’d seen them online and wanted one for ages. It had a retro shape, round with a handle on one side, but all the features inside, like space for a laptop.

“I love it! I’ve never seen one this color.”

“Custom,” Kyle admitted. “Given that pink’s your signature color.”

Meesha admired the bag some more. “Thank you. I’m going to need a Lear jet to go with this, though, or at least a ticket for a ride on one.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Kyle said, then became serious. “The internet is all about us.”

“Best club in town.”

Kyle scoffed. “East of the Mississippi, easy.”

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