Gray shook his head. “He was actually backing out of the parking space when I found him. I think he would have continued on to the hospital.”

Suzy rolled her eyes and stepped back for him to take Beth’s side. Nick was trying to be calm, but still looked ready to pass out. Suzy and Beth’s parents walked up behind them with Beth’s mother stepping forward. “Your father and I will take care of your guests here, if you need to leave now.”

The whole conversation felt a little awkward to Ella, but she had mother issues of her own so she couldn’t really throw stones. Beth nodded her head, adding a quick “Thanks,” as they separated and went to their cars.

By the time they made it to the hospital, Beth was gasping in pain and Nick was in danger of losing his mind while he tried to do breathing exercises with her. Gray and Nick’s mother planned to be in the delivery room. She had also invited Ella, but Ella felt like it should just be their families. Brant and Emma were the last to arrive at the hospital. They came down the hallway arguing. Brant was shaking his head saying, “Where on God’s earth did you learn to drive? You almost killed us three times.”

“Well, you should have driven yourself, Mr. Dictator,” Emma huffed. “Oh wait, your car was blocked in so you couldn’t. Wow, it seems like I did you a favor.”

“You call almost killing me a favor,” Brant said incredulously.

“Please tell me you aren’t staying,” Emma moaned.

“Fuck me,” Declan whispered, “What’s wrong with them?”

Jason shook his head while Claire smiled. “I think they’re kind of cute.”

Ella nodded in agreement.

Suzy raised a brow, “I think it’s some kind of redneck foreplay.” Gray patted her shoulder and rolled his eyes. John, Gray’s father, looked amused as he studied the bickering couple.

Beth and Suzy’s parents came to the hospital a few hours later and, after exchanging a few words, they retreated to the waiting room across the hall. Ella knew things were strained there, but she was glad they had come to the hospital to support their daughter. She looked around at the rest of their group. No wonder people were staring at them as they walked by. She was sitting here in her wedding dress, while the rest of them looked like they were going to the prom. The women still had on their long bridesmaid dresses and the men were in their tuxedos.

They had been waiting almost three hours when Nick’s mother walked into the waiting room crying softly. Everyone jumped to their feet and her husband walked to her side, lovingly embracing her. With tears still rolling down her face, she said, “We have a new baby. Henry John Merimon was born twenty minutes ago and weighs seven pounds and ten ounces. He’s . . . perfect.”

Ella saw tears in John Merimon’s eyes. He had looked surprised and touched to find out that Beth and Nick had named the baby after him and his wife’s father. Suzy was wrapped in Gray’s arms and they looked a little teary over the new Merimon family addition.

A few minutes later, Nick walked out with the baby. A nurse was hovering behind him to take the baby to the nursery for his first checkup. Ella felt her own tears gathering as she looked at Nick with his new son. The look of awe and happiness was enough to have everyone in their group a little misty eyed. She couldn’t help but imagine Declan standing there showing off their baby. She must have been pretty transparent, because she felt his hand slide across her flat stomach and rest there. Maybe in the near future, Evan would have a new brother or sister to play with. Between her and Declan, and Julie and Graham, that was bound to happen sooner rather than later.

Epilogue

It was her first Christmas as a married woman and Ella was giddy with excitement. She had been married for four months and she still had to pinch herself to make sure it was all real. On Christmas Day they would be having lunch with her parents and dinner with Declan’s family including Julie, Evan, and Graham. They had all become a family unit and had even double dated with Julie and Graham a few times. Understandably, Graham had been thrown when Declan entered their lives. He had been afraid of losing Julie and Evan. When he finally understood that there was nothing romantic there, he had been happy that Evan would have two father figures in his life.

Beth and Nick were settling into their roles as new parents. The first few months had been a little rocky for them and they still looked terribly sleep deprived, but Beth had never looked happier. Unlike Claire and Jason who were happy to have anyone hold Chrissy, Beth and Nick were just the opposite. They were terrified of someone dropping Henry or giving him some kind of illness. Beth joked that Nick had turned into a major phobic about germs and was driving her crazy with his constant nagging about her hand washing. Suzy had even overcome her aversion to kids for her new nephew. Nick had grudgingly allowed her and Gray to babysit one evening so that he and Beth could have some time alone. Gray had snapped a picture with his cell phone of Suzy’s reaction the first time Henry spit up on her. In one word . . . it was priceless.

Declan walked in as Ella placed the last wrapped present under their tree. She could still remember how choked up he had gotten as they had decorated their first tree together. He hadn’t had a tree since his parents were alive and it was an emotional moment for him. He helped her to her feet and pulled her into his arms. “Hello, wife.”

Smiling she said, “Hello yourself, husband. Where have you been?”

“Getting your Christmas present.”

She looked around, not seeing any bags on the floor. With a mischievous smile, she lowered her hand to his crotch. “Should I start by looking here?”

He groaned, giving her a sexy laugh. “Um . . . there is definitely something in there for you, Ellie. But right now, we need a car to go get your first present.” Pushing his hardening cock against her hand, he added, “You can have that present when we get back.”

She rubbed her body against his, teasing him. “The car, huh? I think the seats recline—”

Declan pushed her away from him saying, “Ellie, behave yourself or we’ll never make it to your present tonight.”

Intrigued, Ella let him bundle her into her coat and settle her in the car. They appeared to be heading toward Gray and Suzy’s. Surely a visit with their friends wasn’t on the agenda for tonight. When they passed Suzy and Gray’s she asked, “Where are we going?”

“Just a little further, baby.” After a few more miles, Declan turned into the driveway of a two-story colonial house.

Confused, she asked, “Who lives here?”

Tweaking her nose, he said, “We do,” before leaving her in the car with her mouth hanging open.

She was still stunned when he opened her door and helped her out. “We do?” she repeated weakly.

“Yep.” He took her hand and led her up to door. “Apparently, when you work at Danvers, you get married and buy a beach house. Claire and Jason are a few miles further down the road and I think you saw Suzy and Gray’s house on the way. I have some insider information that Nick and Beth will be moving into the neighborhood very soon as well.”

Ella was still in a state of shock when he put the key in the lock and opened the door. He picked her up in his arms and carried her over the threshold. “Welcome home, Ellie.”

“Oh my,” she whispered.

When he lowered her to her feet, he took her hands in his and, with his voice full of emotion, he dropped to his knees and said, “Ella Stone, love of my life and woman of my dreams, will you live with me in our house, make it a home? Will you be the mother of our children and teach them to love just as you do? Will you love me every day as you do today even when you want to kill me? Will you—”