Chapter 37: Deeply Romantic Yet Witty

Brennan let out a breath, and it felt like he was releasing a heavy burden that had been weighing him down.

The doctor said that if Brennan continued to get better, he could be home by the weekend. We dialed his parents to share the good news.

Jaq was so overjoyed that she started crying and asked if we needed them to cut their vacation short. Brennan, being Brennan, told them to enjoy the rest of their trip.

When Brennan’s lunch arrived, I checked my phone. There were no messages from Belle.

She’d been really upset, and I was worried about her. I’d been so wrapped up in my own problems that I’d neglected our friendship.

“You okay?” Brennan asked, his voice laced with worry. “You seem far away.”

“Belle stayed over last night. She was really upset. She found her boyfriend—well, ex-boyfriend now, I suppose. She found him with another woman. I’ve never seen her so low.”

I glanced at Brennan, who was grimacing at his unappetizing lunch. He looked at me and bit his lip.

“You should go see her. I’ll be fine here with my gourmet meal.”

I laughed and stood up. I sat on the edge of Brennan’s bed and swiped a not-so-fresh carrot stick from his tray.

The crunch was disappointing. They weren’t boiled, but they sure tasted like they were.

“Ugh, I’ll bring you back some real food,” I said. “You sure you’ll be okay alone?”

Brennan nodded. He picked up his phone and showed me the screen. He had work spreadsheets open.

“You’re working?” I laughed.

“What can I say, I miss it.”

I stood up again and leaned down to kiss Brennan.

“I won’t be gone long. Promise me you won’t work the whole time.”

Brennan just gave me a mischievous smile and turned his attention back to his phone.

“I don’t make promises I can’t keep,” he said.

I left the room and tried to call Belle before I left the hospital. She didn’t pick up. My worry grew with each unanswered call.

She had always been so confident, so full of life. Seeing her so shattered had really thrown me.

When I got back to the apartment, I half expected to find her still on the couch, but she wasn’t there. The blanket was neatly folded on the arm of the couch and there was a note on the breakfast bar.

I put my keys down and picked up the note.

~Hey babe!~

~We talked, and he said that me catching him made him realize how much he loves me and that he doesn’t want to lose me.~

~I know you probably think I’m an idiot, but I really want to give this a shot.~

~We’re going away for the weekend. I’ll call you when I get back.~

~All my love, Belle.~

I frowned. Belle wasn’t an idiot, not by a long shot. But she was also worth so much more than she was giving herself credit for.

***

Brennan was up and moving the next day, using a walker at first. By the time he was discharged on Friday, he was managing—barely—with crutches.

Jaq made me promise to arrange for some home help, even though Brennan was against the idea.

When we got home, the nurse was already bustling around the apartment, setting up things to make Brennan’s life easier. Once she left, we were finally alone again.

“I was thinking I could come into the office with you tomorrow,” Brennan said as we sat on the couch. I smiled and nodded.

If I thought I had any chance of winning an argument about him staying home, I might have tried to fight it. But I knew it would be a losing battle, so I agreed.

“If you want,” I said. “But I’m driving, and if you feel any pain at all, you have to tell me.”

Brennan nodded and took my hand. We’d been playing the fool for so long. But that was all behind us now. We were going to be okay. We were going to be a family.

“Deep in thought?” Brennan asked.

“Just thinking about how long we were kidding ourselves. Since we met, really. All that wasted time, almost losing you… I will never take our love for granted, Brennan Wolf.”

I looked at Brennan. His brown eyes were misty. He tugged on my hand, and even though he wasn’t fully recovered yet, I knew he wanted me closer.

I moved closer, curling up against his side and resting my head on his chest.

“You know, if this was a rom-com, I’d have something deeply romantic yet witty to say right now. But I’m a little high on painkillers, so forgive me. But right back at ya, Grace.”

Epilogue

Lucy cooed in my arms, fresh from her nap. I could hear the chaos outside of Brennan’s childhood room.

It was the morning of our wedding. Everyone was getting ready while I sat holding our daughter.

The door opened and Brennan slipped in. He was as ready as I was, dressed in a t-shirt and ripped jeans. He smiled and walked over to the bed.

“How’s our little girl?” he asked, sitting down next to me. His thumb brushed against her forehead, and she looked at him.

“She’s very content, Mr. Wolf.”

“And how are you, Mrs. Wolf?”

I smiled and looked at him. We’d eloped twelve months ago, when I was six months pregnant, getting married in secret at the courthouse. Today was really for everyone else.

“I’m ready for our honeymoon,” I said, raising an eyebrow.

“So am I,” he said.

The door opened again and Jaq walked in. She smiled at both Brennan and me before scooping up Lucy.

“Little Miss, we’re ready for you.”

Lucy giggled and snuggled into her grandma’s chest.

“You two need to get dressed too. The guests are arriving.”

“Mom, we won’t be long,” Brennan assured her softly. “We chose a laid-back wedding for a reason, remember?”

Once Jaq had left the room, my gaze drifted to the dress bag hanging on the bathroom door. I’d only worn it once before, just for Brennan.

Our wedding was going to be a small, intimate affair in the garden behind the house. Jaq had wanted to go all out, but Brennan and I had other ideas.

“Tomorrow, it’ll just be you and me on a beach, soaking up the sun and each other,” he said, wrapping his arm around me. I returned his embrace, turning to straddle his lap. Brennan let out a low groan, his hands tracing up my back.

“If we’re going to do this now, we should lock the door,” he suggested, his voice low. “Who knows who might barge in next.”

I grinned, sliding off his lap to lock the door. But before I could even turn around, Brennan was there, his arms encircling my waist. He spun me around to face him.

“I can’t wait until I truly have you all to myself,” he confessed.

I knew exactly what he meant. With Lucy now nine months old and work being a whirlwind, we’d barely had a moment to ourselves. But it didn’t matter. We knew it was all worth it.

For our love, for our future, for our family.

“Brennan Wolf, I’m all yours, always and forever,” I promised him.

He smiled, leaning in to kiss me. It started off gentle, then grew more passionate—more demanding. I surrendered to it willingly.

“I’m too turned on to find the right words,” Brennan admitted with a chuckle, pulling back slightly. “But I love you. You’re my everything.”

I giggled, leaning into Brennan as he nuzzled my neck.

Just as things were heating up, there was a knock at the door.

“Don’t make a sound,” Brennan whispered. “Maybe they’ll leave.”

“Mom says you guys need to get ready!” Blake’s voice echoed from the other side of the door. “I’ll tell her you’re on it.”

Brennan grinned, lifting me off the ground. “How long do you need to get ready?”

“Five minutes, give or take,” I replied.

Brennan checked his watch and grinned. “I can work with that.”

I knew our lives were about to change forever, that the way things were now wouldn’t be the same in five or even ten years. Once, that thought might have scared me. But now, with Brennan by my side, I was ready for anything.

Including a pre-wedding quickie.