Page 134 of Hello Doctor

“Your daddy and I are getting married today. Pretty crazy huh?” I heard a soft chuckle go through our family and friends, but Maya only nodded. “Marriage is a big deal for your Daddy and me, but also for you, and I want you both to know, that I understand you two are a package deal. So Maya, I promise you that I will always be there for you, on good days and bad days, when a random coyote shows up in the yard, when you’re accidentally putting gum in my hair, and when we’re pulling pranks on your dad. When you’re sick, hurt, sad... I’ll be there. I promise to always support your relationship with your mom and never come between you. And I promise, if your dad and I ever have a baby together that you will be loved every bit as much as that baby and treated just the same. Deal?”

She nodded. “Graham too?”

I let out a tearful laugh. Of course, she’d want the damn dog to be a part of the deal. He was her best friend in the world.

Liv smiled and aimed her gaze at the dog in Maya’s lap. “Graham, you’ll always be our special road dog. We love you to bits and pieces.”

Maya smiled, satisfied, and I wiped at my eyes again.

“You can go sit with Grampy, sweetie,” Liv told Maya.

As she and Graham went back to my sniffling dad, I stood and helped Liv up too.

Thank you,I mouthed. What she did meant more to me than she’d ever know.

71

Liv

I tilted my head with a smile, glancing at my paper so I wouldn’t miss a part of what I had to say. “Fletcher Madigan. You have been my brother’s best friend. My prom date. The guy I crushed on from afar and the one who made me wonder what might have been. You’ve been my friend. My boss. My inspiration. The love of my life. And I’m so glad you’ll soon become my husband.” I choked on my words, overcome with emotion. Taking a deep breath, I wiped at my eyes and smiled across the aisle at him. “I promise, I will always be there for you. I’ll be your best friend when you get home from work, your partner in crime when the kids are asleep, your girlfriend on date nights, a soft place to land when you’ve had a hard day, a kick in the ass when you need it, because we all know you’ll need it.” He let out a tearful laugh, and I reached up, cupping his cheek, “And I promise, for as long as I live, I’ll be your wife every moment in between.”

He held my hand and kissed it.

I smiled up at him before passing him the microphone.

Fletcher reached into his pocket, taking out a notebook. He flipped over the cover and held it as he spoke, his thick, dark, contrasting his skin.

“Olivia Griffen, when you walked into the doctor’s office, I was lost at sea doing my best not to drown under the weight of it all. Not just my responsibilities, but the guilt of my past. I asked you to be my nanny, not knowing you’d quickly become my everything. A smile I looked forward to seeing in the morning, a laugh I wanted to hear at every turn, a shoulder to lean on and above all else, the life raft I desperately needed.

“Over the years, you and I have lived parallel lives because of timing, distance, family loyalties, our careers, and sometimes my inability to realize when I have a good thing in front of me and shouldn’t let go. I promise you, in front of all our family and friends, I will always remember thatwe,us together,are a blessing. I promise I will never take for granted the support you give me, or the invincible way you make me feel, like I can take on the world with you by my side. I’ll always remind you exactly how beautiful and loved you are. And whether we have only Maya or a hundred babies, I promise, you’ll live a life surrounded by family, friendship, and most of all, love.”

He looked up at me, and I could see it in his eyes.Forever.

The preacher announced us man and wife, and Fletcher took me in his arms, kissing me until I forgot everyone around us. When he let go, I opened my eyes and saw him.

My husband.

My happily ever after.

Epilogue

Rhett

Three Months Later

Hard to believe a few months ago, we’d celebrated Liv and Fletcher’s wedding in this very backyard. Now, the grass was turning green and summer was finally coming back as we had another Wednesday night dinner. Fletcher and Maya had been a part of every last one for the last several months, and Grayson even came over most weeks.

It felt like our family was growing all the time, and even though they joked about me being a perpetual bachelor, I couldn’t help feeling a little left out with everyone having their spouses and children around.

There’d only ever been one woman I loved that way, and I’d fucked it up so colossally it was better not to look back.

So instead, I sat at the table with everyone, drinking my beer and eating my steak Dad refused to cook any way but medium rare.

Toward the end of the table, Liv stood up and said, “Can y’all be quiet for a sec?” When we only got marginally quieter, she said, “I know it’s hard, but give me a few!”

The talking slowly died down and Liv grinned, reaching down to touch Fletcher’s shoulder. “We have some news. We just found out Baby Madigan is on the way! Maya’s going to be a big sister!”

If she thought we were loud before, she was in for it now because no one was louder or more excited than a group of Griffens finding out another baby was on the way.

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