Page 57 of Stuck Together

Epilogue

Madison

One year later

Ihad never been sonervous in all my life. I thought I was nervous last year when I showed up at Althea’s apartment on Christmas Eve to give Logan and Rylee a present. This year, sitting next to Logan, I was even more nervous about my gift. If he wasn’t happy with it, I’d be completely crushed.

My life changed in ways I never imagined over this past year and I’ve never been happier. I just hope that happiness continued after Logan opened his gift.

I thought getting fired from my job last year was the worst thing that could’ve happened to me. But it turned out to be the best. Sure, it sucked getting fired by a man who sexually harassed me. I was still amazed he was able to get away with saying those things to me and it was my career that was ultimately damaged because of it.

But that loss led me back to Logan, and I’d always be grateful for that. Besides, Daniel got what was coming to him. He hit on another young copywriter, only this time, someone was around to witness his actions. I heard he was fired and still hadn’t found a firm willing to hire him.

“Are we ready to open our Christmas Eve gifts?” Althea came into the room carrying a tray of hot tea and hot chocolate. My grandma was right behind her with a tray of cookies.

Just as it should be. It was such a shame we all miss out on this Christmas tradition because of Logan and me. We had acted so poorly over the years. Both blaming the other for our individual pain and unable to see our own mistakes. At least we finally worked through it and found each other again.

“I’m ready.” Rylee plopped down next to the tree and dug around for the gifts. I told her in advance which one her daddy needed to open. It was important that he open a special gift from me. She found it and rushed over to the couch where we were sitting.

“Here you go, Daddy. You have to open this one.” Rylee handed him the gift and curled up on the floor at his feet.

“I do, huh.” He tousled her hair with a grin. “Who’s it from?”

“Open it and find out.” Rylee retorted.

I tried to remain relaxed, but I tensed up next to him regardless. We had been living together for the past eight months and talked often about our future together, but that didn’t mean I was secure in how this particular surprise would turn out.

Logan gave me a sideways glance and squeezed my knee. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. Just open the present.” I smiled, but he still looked at me like he wasn’t sure if he should believe me. He must have felt me tense up when Rylee handed him the gift.

“Okay.” He gave me a quick kiss before he ripped the paper off the present. When he opened the box, he stared at its content without saying a word.

Seconds turned into minutes and minutes turned into an eternity as I waited for him to react. When he finally spoke, I was able to breathe again.

“Madison.” His eyes turned to mine, wide and full of surprise. But was it a good surprise or a terrified surprise? “We’re going to have a baby?”

The words came out of him at a whisper and I didn’t think anyone else in the room heard him except me. “Yes. Is that okay?”

My voice was shaking because I couldn’t read the expression on his face. He sat the box on his lap that contained a small ornament that I made with a baby wrapped up in a blanket next to a Christmas tree. He cupped my face and pulled me in for a kiss. And not a quick, gentle kiss. But on passionate, exploratory kiss that showed me just how much he loved me.

When he broke away, we both struggled for air. “You know what this means now, right?”

I felt his lips turn up into a grin against my lips as he kissed me again. “What?”

He let go of me, the hunger in his eyes undeniable. He shifted on the couch, so he was facing me and slipped his hand in his pocked. He pulled out a small box and opened it. “You have to marry me.”

I covered my mouth with my hands and yelped. Whatever fear and worry I had over telling him I was pregnant vanished. “Logan. Is this what I think it is?”

“Yes.” His smile grew and his panty-dropping dimples that I loved so much sent a quiver straight to my core. “I planned on asking you after everyone else opened their one present but since your gift was so revealing, why wait. Marry me, Madison.”

“Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.” I wrapped my arms around him, and he pulled me up off the couch. He spun me around as cheers erupted from our family. When he sat me back down on my feet, he kissed me deeply.