Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 61576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
Six years…
It’s hard to believe it’s been six years since Jake proposed. We were married shortly after. Neither of us wanted to wait, which was good, because I found out I was pregnant only two months later.
We had the ceremony outside at Cove Island Park right where Jake proposed. Everyone warned us not to do it outside as it might rain and the weather might ruin everything—especially in New England. But as it turned out, the skies were clear, and the temperature was perfect. Everything went off without a hitch.
We had a quickie before the ceremony and then went two rounds after everything was finished. I sold my house, Jake sold his, and we moved into a beautiful blue Cape a few blocks closer to the ocean. It’s even closer to Cove Island Park, a place we go almost weekly now. After all the nonsense with Howard, it felt great to put that place behind me and start fresh with my new husband.
My forever husband.
My mom even found someone. It’s sort of new. They’ve been seeing each other for about four months now. His name is Kevin, and he’s actually an accountant, which I thought would make him boring, but he’s turned out to be quite nice, and they get along really well. He hasn’t managed to get her to calm down any, but here’s hoping.
I still work at the restaurant…sort of. At thirty-two weeks during my pregnancy I stopped working my normal duties as a waitress, and Jake took over full financial responsibilities for the family. I felt bad, but he said he was happy to do it, and just like that moment on my front porch when he took Howard down with that submission hold, I have to admit that it turned me on.
He continued to take care of the family after I gave birth to Jeremy too. The delivery went smoothly, and my mom and Julia brought things to the house when Jake had to go out on a protection job, which were happening more and more due to the rising reputation of Jake’s firm. In fact, Jake’s company was getting to be so popular that he had to take on a couple more guys to keep up with the workload. And that’s when he had the idea.
“Why don’t we buy the restaurant?” he said to me one night. It didn’t even take me long to think about it and say yes. The restaurant was doing so much business lately, but Scotty had been saying for the last year that he’d been wanting to open a bar in the city.
So we went to him with the offer, and he accepted it. Well, sort of.
He didn’t take the full buyout, but he let us purchase a half-stake. So Jake and I are now partners with Scotty and own half of Cherry’s while Scotty takes care of The Old Saw Mill, his new bar in the city. Julia manages it for me, and we have new girls working our old jobs, only they actually have someone they can talk to when their night is terrible. And we no longer put up with rude guests who think they can mistreat the staff.
Howard and Tiffany both served jail time for the little stunt they pulled at my house. For the assault and violation of his restraining order, Howard ended up doing a year and a half, while Tiffany did six months. I have no idea what either of them are up to now, and I don’t want to know, but the judge said that if either of them ever come anywhere near me, he’ll throw them in jail again without even thinking twice.
So here I am, married to the man of my dreams, part-owner of a restaurant, mother of a gorgeous little man, and sort of getting my mom to finally cool down. Every day feels like I’m living a dream. I’m the luckiest woman in the world. My heart is bursting with love every morning I wake up and every night when I go to bed. I really don’t know what more I could ask for.
Epilogue
Jake
I’m filled with gratitude as I tuck my son into bed. He protested the whole time I carried him upstairs, saying he wasn’t tired and that he was totally able to stay outside and play with his glider for a little longer. But fathers know best in these situations, and I knew that if I were to let him stay out past his bedtime throwing his glider with me, he would be a total nightmare in the morning and have no energy tomorrow.
So I lifted him into my arms and brought him up to his room. He didn’t kick and scream or put up a fuss, which further let me know just how tired he really was. Jeremy isn’t one of those kids who throws a tantrum when he’s tired. He just kind of frowns and accepts it.