Page 165 of Cougar

I huff out a laugh. “I can’t believe she eloped.”

“Can’t you?” he chuckles.

I let out a soft sigh. “I don’t know what I’m doing, Marcus. I really tried, but I feel like I’ve let you down. Our daughter hasn’t had the best year, and then she eloped. And here I am, forty-one and pregnant by a man twelve years younger. Clearly you were the better adult.”

He chuckles again. “I miss that smart mouth.”

“I miss you.”

“You could never let me down. She’s our daughter, and I want her to be her own person, to do what makes her happy. I want the same for you. Are you happy?”

“I am.” I look over my shoulder at Cam curled up behind me, his hand resting on my belly. “Cam… he’s so good to me. He’s patient with me. He loves me the way I need to be loved. You’re the love of my life—”

“But he’s your happily ever after.”

“Yes,” I breathe. “He wants all of me, and I want to give it to him. But I need to move at my own pace. It’s hard to explain, but I’m not that impulsive young girl anymore.”

“He’ll wait.” He gently pulls his hand from beneath mine and stands from the bed.

“I’ll always love you, Marcus.”

A wide smile spreads across his face. “For eternity.”

Extended Epilogue

Emerson

One year and eight months later…

“Hey, Mom,” Jay calls out from the front door.

“In here,” I call out from the kitchen. A moment later, she waddles into the kitchen wearing a T-shirt that says “Pregnant AF.” Jay is pregnant with twins and due next month. She moves over to Trace and drops a kiss on his head before she makes her way over to me and kisses me on the cheek.

“My momma,” Trace insists from his highchair like a little dictator, his little eyebrows furrowed. He looks like Cam with his light brown hair and bright blue eyes.

I roll my lips between my teeth and try not to laugh. “Trace, Jayla is my baby, too.”

“Noooo,” he whines and slides down in his seat.

“Someone needs a nap,” Jay mumbles under her breath so only I can hear her. Then she says, “Yes,” arguing with Trace. And just to aggravate him, she wraps her arms around me and peppers kisses all over the side of my face. I want to tell her to stop teasing her little brother, but I’m laughing too hard.

“Noooo!” he screams. “I you babaaaaaaay!” The last part comes out with a screech.

“Hey!” Cam rushes into the kitchen with wide eyes, then narrows them on Trace. “What’s the problem, little man?”

“Apparently your son doesn’t want to share his mother with me,” Jay tells him.

Cam turns his accusing eyes on us.

“What?” Jay and I both ask with a laugh.

“Em.” He shakes his head, exhaling an exasperated breath, and turns to Trace. Cam is definitely the disciplinarian between the two of us. “Trace, JJ is your sister. Your mommy is her mommy, too.”

Cue the meltdown.

“Stop it, Jay,” Cam chides with a knowing look.

“What? I didn’t say anything.” She snickers.

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