Page 176 of Secret Lovers
He scoffs. “I’m forty-eight, not eighty-eight.”
We both turn to the sound of our daughter’s happy squeals echoing around the beach as Matthew throws her up in the air to Theo, who then takes off toward the water.
“Nooo, Uncle Matty, save me!” she yells, but Matthew does the exact opposite. He picks up his son and follows them into the water.
“I love that kid.”
I turn toward Sadie, who’s walking up beside us.
Me too.
“Isn’t it funny how your firstborn is more like me than anyone else, and mine is like you,” I say.
She chuckles. “Yes, but at least yours has my DNA. No clue where Charlie gets it from.” She reaches over, stealing my drink.
“That has alcohol in it!” I grab it from her lips.
She rubs her pregnant belly with my fifth niece. Wills begged for years for one more kid, and when he finally got it, it was another girl. Not shocking whatsoever.
“One freaking sip won’t do anything. Do you know how hard it is to be on this beach with you all, dying of heat stroke, while you’re partying it up and having fun?” I smirk at my dramatic soul sister. “Everywhere I go, it’s an army of us just kicking back and having fun. Then there’s me. I’m about to roll over on the sand and pretend I’m a beached whale.”
“Oh please, stop complaining. At least all your girls are well-behaved. Our four boys are absolute maniacs,” Nora says as she approaches, double-fisting margaritas.
I smirk, thinking how Sadie’s going to lose her mind.
“How about you both stop complaining? It’s not like any of yours were ‘oopsie’ babies. You planned on them. There’ll be eleven between just the two of you, plus Archie. Eleven, that’s just too many.”
They both grin, knowing I’m right and that they wouldn’t change it for the world.
While checking on Emmy, I only notice Charlie and Clara, their third daughter. “Where’s Chloe and Claire?”
“With Dad.” She turns toward Jack. “Inviting him was nice of you. I know it meant a lot to him.”
Jack’s relationship with his dad has been rocky, but it’s better than nothing. It will never be perfect, but it’s good enough for him to be here, and that says enough.
Suddenly over the beach club speakers, the music changes to a slow song, causing everyone to groan.
The second I hear the song, though, I freeze and turn toward Jack, already teary-eyed.
His hand is outstretched. “It’s finally our wedding day.”
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Haley Reinhart plays out over the beach as I take my husband’s hand and he pulls me into his chest.
We glide the best we can through the sand, singing the lyrics of the song I waited nine years to dance to. “You make me the happiest man alive, Annabelle Peters. Thank you for being my wife.”
I drop my head and cry the happiest tears. “Your words always hit just right.”
“Mummy and Daddy, may I dance with you?”
Jack leans down and picks up our sweet girl, placing her between us.
She frowns. “Why are you crying?”
“Because I love you and your daddy so much that I can’t control my emotions. They’re happy tears, I promise you.”
She hooks her arms around us and kisses our cheeks. “Well, I love you too. Both of you.”
I look at Jack smiling at Emmy, then at me. “And I love you,” he says.
“Always.” I kiss his lips, and that’s the truth.
I will always love this man.
Like I always have.
The End.
