Page 65 of Best of Me

I grin even though from our cuddled position he can’t see it. “Well, someone’s gotta tell my landlord I’m breaking my lease.”

“Okay, Cricket. I think I have an in there; that’s a deal I can make.” He kisses my temple before skimming his nose along my hairline. “Sweet dreams, Mallory.”

I snuggle deeper into him, letting the feeling of his heartbeat and strong arms soothe me. “Love you, too,” I mumble, the words almost unintelligible, through my exhaustion.

My grin never fades, even as sleep overtakes me, knowing that with my morning alarm, I’ll be waking up to the first day of our forever.

epilogue

Duke

One Year Later

The past year-and-a-half with Mallory by my side has been fucking amazing. After losing her sister, I was resigned to being alone forever and then…there she was. Mallory should have been a reminder of everything I lost, but instead she became my redemption. I firmly believe the universe crossed our paths for a reason and I thank God every day that we found each other; that she’s mine.

After her accident last year, I didn’t let her out of my sight for weeks. No lie, she agreed to move in with me that night, and by lunchtime the next day I had her stuff packed up and in my house by lunchtime.

I realize that makes me sound obsessed, and I guess in a way, I am. I’m obsessed with the way she makes me feel, the way she loves me, the way she’s embedded herself into my very fucking soul.

“This year’s When I Grow Up assembly is almost here.” Mallory’s eyes twinkle as brightly as the rock on her left hand as she rubs her growing belly. “You think you can top it?” She’s only eighteen weeks, but our little ones are already giving her hell.

I can’t fight my smile as I think back to the events that led us here. I know she thought I was kidding when I asked her to marry me the night of her wreck, but I was dead-ass serious. For as long as I live, I’ll never forget the look on her face when I surprised her at last year’s assembly.

The way her eyes clouded with confusion as Nate and I called her class down to help us. Or the way she gasped when “For Her” by Chris Lane started pumping out of the sound system as her kids held up signs readingMs. Cricket, please say yes!and I dropped to one knee. Truly, it was epic.

“Baby, I already beat it when I put those twins in your belly.”

“You’re so cocky.” She shakes her head at me, but she’s smiling; she loves it.

“Mallory Kincaid,” the nurse calls and we both stand. She greets us with a warm smile. “Right this way, you two.” She leads us down a short hallway and into a dimly lit room. “Okay, Dad, you can take a seat over there and, Mom,” she passes Mallory an ugly-as-sin robe, “I’ll need you to change into this and take a seat on the exam table.”

Mallory accepts the robe with a smile and heads into the bathroom while the nurse fiddles around on the ultrasound machine. “Alright, the technician will be in in just a minute.”

Mallory returns just as she exits, climbing up onto the table. Her hands fidget and her legs kick as we wait. I reach over and grab her hand, knowing my touch will help soothe her—and vice versa. “Nervous?” I ask.

“No, more like excited. You?”

“Definitely excited.” I stroke my thumb over her knuckles. “How far along is Natalie now?”

“She’s almost thirty weeks.” Her lips turn down in a pout. “And I’m more than twice her size. How is that fair?”

I stand from my chair, coming around to stand in front of her. Clasping her cheeks in my palms, I press my forehead to hers. “First of all, you’re carrying two babies, she only has one. Secondly, you’re a ten all day every day, but knowing that my babies are growing in your belly, makes you a full-blown twenty, Cricket.”

Her cheeks take on that rosy hue I love so much. “Sweet talker.”

“Only for you, baby.”

“Speaking of babies,” the ultrasound tech says in lieu of a greeting as she enters the room, “are you two ready to check on your little ones?”

Mallory and I exchange loaded looks before simultaneously answering, “Yes!”

“Great.” She fiddles around on the machine before snapping on a pair of gloves. “Go ahead and lie back; this may be cold.” She squirts a glob of jelly onto Mallory’s rounded stomach and begins pushing it around with the wand. My heart beats a mile a minute as she moves through the standard routine, taking various measurements and checking their heart rates.

I’m about ready to come out of my skin when she finally says, “Do y’all want to know the genders?”

Once again, we both reply in sync. “Yes!”

“Great.” She begins moving the wand again, pushing it around until she gets the view she wants. “It looks like baby one is a…boy!”

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