“We’re getting married, dad,” I say, pressing my lips together.
“I heard.”
“Maybe…it would be good if you could come. I mean, the invitations haven’t gone out yet. But if you’d like one, I could put your name on the list.”
He nods. “I’d like that. I’d like that very much. I’d also…” He shifts on his feet. “I’d like it if maybe you and Cillian came to dinner at the house sometime. Maybe we could talk? Get to know each other again. As adults.”
A smile curves my lips as tears burn the back of my eyes. “I’d like that, Dad. Actually, I’d like that a lot.”
“OK,” he says, nodding as he takes a step back. “Then I guess I’ll be in touch?”
I nod as he moves toward the door, and I think that’s all there is until he pauses and turns back to me.
“I’m sorry, kiddo,” he says, meeting my eyes with sadness in his. “I shouldn’t have let things get this far. But I’m going to make this right. I don’t want to lose you. You’re all I have.” His voice gets tight and my heart goes out to him. And before I know it, I’m rushing through the store and throwing my arms around his neck, hugging him tight like I didn’t even know I wanted to, like I did when I was a little girl.
“I’m sorry too, Dad. I never wanted to fight with you. I just wanted—”
“To grow up,” he states. “I know. And I guess I wasn’t ready for that. But I am now. I am now.”
“Does this mean you’re going to give Cillian his job back?”
He smiles as he nods. “It means I’m going to do better than that. I’m going to make him head chef like he wants. Something tells me he’s the reason the restaurant was a success in the first place. I think his position needs to reflect that.”
Now I’m crying and nodding. “I think that too.”
“OK,” he says. “Then I have another stop to make this morning. And hopefully you two lovebirds will have something to celebrate tonight.”
I hug him again. “Thank you, Dad,” I whisper. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” he says, clearing his throat emotionally. “I’m just glad he makes you happy.”
“He does, Dad. He really does.”
Cillian
“Holy fuck!” Hazel yells, her body arching into mine as I thrust hard and tip her over the edge into climax, following her by coming myself. They say nothing is better than makeup sex. But I am here to say that celebratory sex is pretty fucking awesome too. Everything's coming up roses for my girl and me. I have my job back, and a promotion, and now I can give her everything I wanted to in life. There’s nothing holding us back anymore.
“That was intense,” I pant, kissing Hazel languidly before I roll to the side and she snuggles into my chest.
“Are you happy?” she asks, pressing a kiss against my pec.
“I always was.” I run the tips of my fingers along her curves. “I had you.”
“Oh, you’re so smooth. No wonder I’m so desperately in love with you,” she says, tilting her head to smile up at me. I lean down and press my lips to hers, inhaling as I suck gently on her swollen lips. I can never get enough of this woman.
“But to answer your question, yes, I am extra happy now. I have my girl, I have my job, and everything is as it should be.”
“And what about Kelly’s?” I ask. “How did your mom and dad take the news?”
“Mam was ecstatic because it means we’ll get married and give her grandbabies that much sooner. And Da was happy too. He’s just going to miss having me there each day running the kitchen. But I’ll do what I always did and help them set up, so it’ll still work out.”
“I love how supportive you all are,” she says. “You all literally turn your lives upside down and inside out if it’s to help each other.”
I shrug. “That’s what being a family means. It means you always have each other’s backs. And I think that’s something your father is learning too. He seemed very solemn when we spoke today.”
“He was like that with me too. You know, I’ve been so busy feeling angry with him, that I didn’t realize how much I missed him. I’m looking forward to starting over. But more than anything,” she says, shifting her weight so she’s climbing on top of me, “I’m looking forward to being your wife.” She positions her heat over my ready cock. “And to having your babies.”
My hand goes into her hair. “Fuck, Hazel. I want that too. And you never know, you could already be growing our first baby in your belly right now. We might have been careful since that first time, but you never know, that first time could have been it.”
“True,” she says, brushing her lips against mine playfully. “But I think we should keep having sex until we’re absolutely sure. And then we can just do it because it’s fun.”
“Oh, I see. You’re using me for my seed, now?”
“And your body, and your cock.”
“I love it when you say ‘cock’,” I say, grabbing her hips and flipping her on her back. She giggles.
“Cock.”
I climb over her and catch her hands above her head, looking down at her and feeling a burst of love, affection and pride. “I love you, a stór,” I murmur, taking her lips in mine as I thank my lucky stars that this beautiful woman chose me. She completes me like no one and nothing ever could.
She releases a slow gasp as I slide myself inside her depths. “I love you too, Cillian. More than you’ll ever know.”
Epilogue 1
Hazel
Five years later
They say the passion fades with time, that every relationship has a honeymoon period that eventually ends, routine taking place of spontaneity, familiarity overtaking desire. But half a decade and two children later, I burn for Cillian as much as I did that night I first saw him. And it’s every time I watch him standing in our kitchen, cooking for our family, that I’m reminded of this. He is the other half to my whole. And without him, I don’t think life would be worth living. I exist for him.
“Smells amazing,” I say, setting our youngest child, Natalie, into her playpen. She’s six months old and almost ready to crawl. She’s also daddy’s little princess. Our son, Callum, daddy’s prince. Cillian dotes on his children just as much as he dotes on me.
“It’s just some throw together pasta and some creamy sauce, with vegetables from that farm we went to in our beginning,” he says, flipping the pan expertly so everything mixes together.
“The place with the strawberries?” I ask, moving into the kitchen where I slide my arm around his waist as he turns the heat off and turns to kiss me.
“The place where I knew I’d fallen in love with you,” he says, staring into my eyes and making my tummy all fluttery, even though he’s told me he loves me every day for the last five years. It still gives me a thrill.