But they were going to make it work. They were going to be okay. They were going to get married and if Mother Nature was kind they were going to have babies and they were going to grow with their love.
“Yes,” she said.
Ethan stilled, his body warm and heavy on hers.
“Yes?”
“Yes,” she said.
And it was the easiest decision she’d ever made in her life.
EPILOGUE
“THE THING ABOUT THE Stone men is that they don’t do anything by halves,” Kay said.
“No kidding.”
“It’s not a bad thing, really. In most cases it’s a good thing,” Kay said.
“Sure it is.”
“And anyway, it could be worse.”
She and Alex both winced as a loud four-letter word floated across the yard to where the two of them were relaxing in sun loungers beneath the shade of a big old oak tree. The tree dominated the backyard of Ethan and Alex’s new home, an Edwardian weatherboard house in Box Hill, a five-minute drive from where Derek and Kay lived. It was unclear whether Ethan or Derek was the perpetrator, since both men had their backs to the women as they hunched over the pile of furniture parts that might one day resemble a baby’s crib if the two men glowering and swearing over them took the time to read the instruction booklet.
“How could it be worse?” Alex wanted to know, not taking her eyes from her husband’s behind as he bent to sort through the pieces of wood spread across the patio.
“We could be living in Georgian times and Ethan could have you confined to your bedroom.”
“Good Lord. Don’t give him ideas. That’s the last thing I need.”
As though he could sense them talking about him, Ethan’s head came up and he glanced over his shoulder. He was wearing sunglasses to combat the bright glare of the sun, but Alex knew he was looking straight at her. Could feel it in her bones.
Despite the fact that she thought he was being ridiculous right at this moment in time, she smiled. How could she not when she had so much to smile about?
Ethan stood and strode across the grass toward her. His jeans rode low on his waist and his white T-shirt had shrunk a little in the wash and she could see the muscles of his thighs flexing and contracting with each step. He was forty-four now, but he was a man in his prime.
Beside her, Kay fanned herself with her hand. Alex spared her a dry look.
“Pretty Boy strikes again.”
“Hell, yeah,” Kay said, and they both laughed.
Ethan’s shadow loomed over them.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “Are you feeling okay? Do you need some crackers? Some milk?”
Alex looked up at her husband. “I was smiling, Ethan.”
“It looked weird.”
“Well, it wasn’t.”
“Are you sure? What about some cold water?”
Alex sighed. “Are you going to be like this all the way through my pregnancy?”
“I don’t know. Ask me in six months’ time.”
He squatted beside her lounger and put his hand on her still-flat belly.
“I just want to make sure you’re okay. I know how much this means to you.”
And to him. This was their second pregnancy. Her first had ended in a miscarriage at nine weeks just over eight months ago and it had been a sad time for both of them. Now she was thirteen weeks and counting. The doctor had assured her their baby was doing well at her scan yesterday. With her fortieth birthday around the corner, Alex had her fingers crossed he was right. The moment the doctor had made his pronouncement, Ethan had disappeared to the shops and returned home with enough furniture to fill five nurseries.
“I’m fine. The baby’s fine,” she assured him.
She slid her hand over his where it rested on her stomach. Ethan was silent and she reached out with her other hand to push his glasses on top of his head. She didn’t know what he was thinking when she couldn’t see his eyes.
He looked back at her, love and worry and hope and excitement all intermingled in his gaze.
“I’m going to…you know,” Kay said, waving her hand to indicate she was making herself scarce.
Alex hooked her finger into the neck of Ethan’s T-shirt and pulled him toward her.
“Stop worrying. Whatever happens, we’ll work it out.”
She kissed him. He tasted like sunshine and beer and she made an approving noise. Ethan deepened the kiss and she felt his hand slide up her torso toward her breasts. She’d already seen Kay lead Derek inside to give them some privacy so she didn’t do much more than shift restlessly as Ethan’s hand closed over her breast.
She loved him so much. The past eighteen months of her life had been filled with so much joy and laughter with him by her side. He was her best friend, the most wonderful lover she’d ever had, the best husband she could imagine—even with his overprotectiveness and over-purchasing of nursery supplies.
He made an impatient noise and she scooted her leg out of the way as he dropped a knee onto the lounger and climbed aboard. She felt his weight settle over her and smiled against his mouth.
Then she let out a wild shriek as the legs on the sun lounger collapsed and they dropped half a foot onto the grass. She threw back her head and laughed, clutching Ethan’s shoulders.
He was laughing, too, and she looked into his deep blue eyes and let the small perfection of the moment wash over her. Her life was full of moments like these now, and there would be even more of them to come, she knew.
After a moment they both sobered and Ethan reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear.
He didn’t say anything, and neither did she.
Some happinesses were beyond words.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-7523-6
THE BEST LAID PLANS
Copyright © 2010 by Small Cow Productions Pty Ltd.
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