Page 101 of Only You and Me

“I knew I liked you,” Trina grins.

“Kiss ass,” Shayna mutters behind her hand. But she grins when Finn pulls her into his lap and whispers something in her ear.

“So, no one won.” I can’t help chuckling.

“Not true,” Fitz says. Trina’s head whips to face him. “I won.”

“You guessed we got married?” she asks, her voice incredulous.

I lean back in my chair and laugh out loud.

“You weren’t acting normal. Even before all the creeper stuff. I know we haven’t spent as much time together as usual, but I know you. You were off. So, I took a wild guess. Go big or go home. It paid off.”

Trina shakes her head and turns to me. “Why are we friends with these people?”

“Because you love us.” Emily stands and comes over to Trina, hugging her tightly. “Even the more obnoxious ones of us,” she says as she exaggeratedly gestures to Shayna with her head. Emily returns to her seat, rests her elbows on the table, her head in her hands, and smiles at Trina and me. “Now, tell us everything. Don’t leave out a single detail.”

* * *

TRINA

After Ben tells everyone a condensed version of our marriage story, we tell them we plan to do it all again. This time hopefully with them in attendance. Then he tells them all that we love them, but they have to leave, claiming I need to rest.

Though I hated admitting he was right, I fell asleep on the couch after everyone left and woke up three hours later.

When I awaken, I keep my eyes closed for a few minutes, getting lost in my thoughts and checking in with how I’m feeling. There’s definitely relief at knowing I no longer have to live in fear of my stalker, and joy that, though we’re not all related by blood, I have the best family in my circle of people. But it’s the peace and true strength I feel that is the most pervasive.

I’ll never not be someone who needs to control many of the areas of my life, but I’m also no longer the woman who needs to control every aspect of my life. And that’s because I’ve found my person. The one who I know loves me unconditionally, would do anything for me, and who often knows me better than I know myself.

It’s because I trust Ben to sometimes know what I need when I can’t see it, that I’m at peace. I don’t have to figure it all out alone. And when you lean on each other—two people meant to be together like we are—there’s strength and power in that for both of us.

Ben and I pass the rest of the afternoon and into the early evening doing the daily jumbles he saved up while I was in the hospital and watching a new regency romance series he heard about from some women at work. I tease him about it, but honestly, it’s pretty damn good.

When an elaborate wedding scene plays out on the screen in front of us, Ben looks over at me. “Have you given any thought to what kind of wedding you want? And when?”

I give him my best grin. “Yup. I have the perfect wedding for us already planned.”

EPILOGUE

SIX MONTHS LATER-LAS VEGAS

TRINA

I can’t take my eyes off Ben as he prepares to say his vows. He looks hot as sin in his navy blue suit, and I cannot wait to get him out of it later. Hey, I can’t help it. These pregnancy hormones have me so horny I’m constantly trying to get Ben naked. Not that it takes much convincing. We’re only ten weeks into the pregnancy and we plan on telling our friends and family today. I trust we’ll know when the moment is right.

Ben focuses his smoky blue-gray eyes on me as he speaks.

“Trina, I’ve been in love with you for so long, it’s hard to remember a time I wasn’t. You’re the strongest, most beautiful woman—inside and out—that I’ve ever met, and I’m constantly in awe of you. I promise to love you with all of my heart, to cherish you—never taking for granted how amazing you are—and to honor our marriage, you, and our family with everything I do, with everything I am. My goal every day, for the rest of my life, will be to make your dreams come true, no matter how big or small.”

My eyes blur with tears at Ben’s words and I squeeze his hand tight as I prepare to say my vows.

“Ben, I know I resisted giving you a chance when we were younger because I think deep in my soul, I recognized you as my perfect other half and I knew that if I fell for you, there was no going back. I was right, because when I gave in, it was no time before I was wildly in love with you. It was exhilarating, but, as a young woman, it was also frightening how much I loved you. So, when we were apart, I tried really hard not to love you, to hate you even. But I never could, because you have always been the part of me that was missing, and my soul was never willing to let go of the string that tethered us together. You’re the most honorable man I know, and you make me feel safe and protected in a world I can’t always control. Thank you for not giving up on me, for freeing the parts of my heart that only your love could. I promise that, even though I know there will be moments you annoy the heck out of me,”—I let the chuckles from our friends and family die down—“I will never stop loving you with everything I have. I promise I will never stop seeing the amazing man you are and reminding you of it when you forget. I will honor you as we walk through this life together, never failing to appreciate the husband, friend, and, eventually, the father you’ll be to our babies.”

At this, Ben continues to hold one of my hands but takes his other and places it on my belly and, as our friends and family realize what I just said. Ben and I grin at each other to a cacophony of excited commotion from our loved ones.

“Really?” Rose, who is also our officiant today, thanks to the miracle of the internet and online ordination, asks.

We turn to her in unison and Ben nods. “Yep, we’re having twins. Coming in September.” Tears stream down her face and she smiles.

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