I can’t take my eyes off my wife as I watch her throw her head back, a laugh splitting her mouth wide open. She turns and says something to her parents before leaning forward and snipping through the shiny red ribbon held in front of Peppen’s Pastry with scissors that are as big as her.
She laughed as she told me the name she’d picked, pointing out that it was our celebrity name. Thank goodness she didn’t go with her original idea of Bepper’s Pastry.
The grand opening of her dream has truly made her exuberant, and I have the urge to strip her out of the light-blue dress she’s wearing and tell her to keep the heels because her legs look fucking amazing.
Smiling, I look around at all our friends and the kids running around, and I’m happy.
“Hey, man.”
I turn at the hand that rests on my shoulder. Mark is standing there, a woman by his side, and I wrap him in a bear hug.
Mark lives in Texas now and works for Pepper’s family. After he was shot, the Feds were able to track the money, infiltrate the gambling ring, and put away the men responsible for hurting Mark.
“How are you? You look good,” I say as he steps back, placing his arm around the woman beside him.
“I’m great. This is Marianne, the woman I’ve been telling you about.”
Pepper walks up, and I lean over, planting a kiss on the top of her head.
“Pep, this is Marianne, Mark’s girlfriend,” I say, making the introductions. “Marianne, this is Pepper, my wife.”
After the two meet, I turn my smile toward Mark. “It’s so good to see you. Are you still at Stratten Enterprises?”
Once Mark completed rehab, Pepper’s mom took him in as an intern on a trial basis. After proving to them and us that he was clean and trustworthy, he finally got an entry-level job, and over the past three years, he has worked his way up within the company, paying me and Pepper’s family back what he owes, little by little. He enjoys working in the corporate world and has turned his life around.
“Yep, I love it there. I can never thank Pepper and you enough for getting me down to that rehab facility.”
Marianne leans her head over on his shoulder for a second, a huge smile on her face, and I’m glad he’s finally found someone for himself.
“We’re happy that you’re happy,” Pepper says, her hand resting on her stomach. “Please, enjoy all the food and sweets that you want.” She gestures to the table set up in front of the pastry shop, and we watch Mark and Marianne walk over to it.
Pepper turns an infectious grin on me, putting a smile on my face as she rises on her tiptoes to put her arms around my neck.
“It’s finally open,” she says, one hand playing with the small hairs at the back of my head and the other lowering to my chest.
“You did it,” I whisper, placing my lips on hers. Then, I lean further down to plant a kiss on her round belly.
Pepper wasn’t planning on getting pregnant right in the middle of the craziness of opening a pastry shop. But she told me she wouldn’t change it for the world. And I agree. Pepper is going to be the most amazing mother, and I can’t wait to see her take care of our babies. She’s only four months along, but she’s showing because we are having a boy and a girl.
Hanna, Jules, and Nora—Craig’s wife—have been busy planning a baby shower for us, and I know we are blessed beyond belief to have the friends that we do.
“We are killing it at all this adulting stuff,” she says, a laugh sneaking out, and it makes me chuckle.
I went back to school and graduated with a master’s in psychology, and now, we are both doing what we want to do. I’m still volunteer firefighting, but I also get to help people on the inside as well.
“I can’t wait to get you home, Mrs. Johnson,” I say, turning her to pull her back against my chest, pushing my lower half into her ass and rubbing back and forth.
“Benjamin,” she hisses, “we are in public.” She reaches back to playfully swat my leg, and I chuckle. “I can’t wait to get home either.” She gives me a long wink and then saunters off to greet more people who have come to celebrate her.
A hand claps on my shoulder, and I turn to find Mason standing beside me. Craig and Ezra walk up behind him, plates of food held in their hands. Ezra holds a beer out for me, and I grab it, taking a swig and relishing in the coolness during this hot, humid day.
“Shop looks good, man,” Mason says, glancing around at the bright, cheery inside, the tables covered in a lavender gingham with white chairs.
“It’s Pepper’s vision,” I say, taking another drink of my beer. “She worked hard for it and made it come together.”
The guys nod, and we fall silent. Each of us watching our respective families.
“How’d we get so lucky?” Ezra asks, shaking his head.
“Don’t know. But we all hit the jackpot.”
Everyone hums their agreement, and we go our separate ways, scooping up kids, wrapping arms around wives, and hoping that our luck never runs out.
Pepper
I sigh contentedly as I lie back on my pillow, the fluffiness cocooning my head in the most wonderful way. My heart is so full, and so is my belly. I reach down to caress the bump before pausing.
“Hey, babe,” Ben says, walking into the room and stripping his shirt over his head in that sexy, effortless way guys do with one arm.
I bite my lip and stare up at him, focusing.
“What’s wrong?” he asks when he notices I haven’t said anything.
“Come here,” I say, grabbing his hand when he’s close enough to me and laying it over my stomach.
We are silent for a few moments, hardly daring to
