Page 266 of My Rules

“Will you make me lasagna?” he whispers.

Oh . . .

“For how long?”

He smiles softly. “Forever sounds pretty good.”

“Well, forever is a bit presumptuous.” I shrug. “We didn’t even go on a first date yet.”

“Rebecca.” Amusement flashes across his face. “Do you want to go on a date with me?”

“Where to?” I hold my hand up and pretend to look at my fingernails.

His amusement breaks into a smirk. “To a restaurant.”

“I’ll have to think about it. I’m pretty busy.”

“Get into the house before I smack your ass.” He points into the house, and I laugh out loud and turn and run.

He chases me down and crash tackles me to the floor and holds my hands up above my head. His lips take mine in a soft kiss. “Hi.” He smiles down at me.

“Hi.” I smile back.

Who am I kidding?

Forever does sound pretty good.

Epilogue

Twelve months later

The dinner table erupts into laughter, and I smile as I watch the game.

Carol, Taryn, and Chloe are on the couch talking to Juliet, and Winston is playing cards with Antony, Blake, and Henley. I’m bouncing Hannah on my lap; she looks up at me with her big blue eyes and tries to grab my necklace. “Hey.” I smile.

“Hey,” she coos right back.

The cutest little baby girl that you ever did see.

“You are one hundred percent cheating,” Henley tells Antony.

“I am not,” he scoffs. “You’re just a sore loser.”

Blake smirks as he looks at his cards, and I get the feeling that he’s the one who’s cheating.

Some things never change, and yet some things do. Life is different for me now.

I live with Blake in his house. Our life is filled with love and laughter, and I guess, as the saying goes, time does heal all wounds.

I’m laughing my way through life with my best friend.

“Could you be any cluckier, Bec?” Juliet teases.

“Not really.” I bounce Hannah as I hold her little hands in mine.

Blake’s eyes are glued to his hand of cards. He’s deep in concentration.

“Give the woman a baby, Grayson,” Henley mutters.

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