Page 93 of Under My Skin

“We did it!” she screamed as we started to jump up and down, still holding on to each other. “Oh, my God!”

“I can’t believe it’s really over!” I exclaimed.

“I know,” she giggled. “Okay, come on, let’s go find our men!”

“And our kids,” I laughed as we started to head out to meet our family and friends. “I need Isaac hugs. And baby snuggles.”

Yep, Morgan was a mom now too. And a wife. She and Malachi had gotten married two years ago and welcomed a beautiful baby girl named Aisha – Braden and I’s goddaughter – into the world last summer. I still hadnoidea how she’d juggled being the mother of a newborn while in her last year of medical school. Raising a baby during myfirstyear of med school had been hard enough. But during the last year? I couldn’t even imagine.

As for me and Braden? We hadn’t tied the knot yet. Our relationship was stronger than ever, and I fell more in love withhim every day. Every time he’d picked up the slack around the house because I was too frazzled and stressed to clean. Every time he’d gently slidden a huge textbook off my chest and carried me upstairs to bed when I’d fallen asleep studying. And especially every time I watched him being the most amazing father to our little boy. We both wanted to get married – hell, I was pretty sure he wanted it even morethan I did, which was saying something – but he’d respected it when I’d told him that I wanted to focus on being a mom and finishing my degree before we took that step.

“Mamá!” Isaac squealed as he barreled toward me, almost hitting at least four different people on the way.

“Hola, mijito!” I laughed, wrapping my arms around him and kissing the top of his head.

“You’re arealsuperhero now!” he exclaimed.

“She’salwaysbeen a real superhero,” Braden said as he joined us, looking at me with so much love and pride that I thought I might burst.

Pulling me into his arms, he claimed my lips in a fierce kiss that may or may not have been appropriate in public. But as I melted into his embrace and let my tongue slip out to stroke against his, I couldn’t bring myself to care. Because all that existed was the two of us and our son and the overwhelming love we shared.

“I amsofucking proud of you, Dr. Ramos,” he murmured against my lips.

“Papá!” Isaac scolded him. “Swear jar.”

I laughed. Braden had tried so hard to cut back on his swearing, but a tiger couldn’t change his stripes. At least Isaac was benefiting from his dad’s potty mouth, in the form of the swear jar college fund. This boy was going to end up with enough money to go to Princeton, Cornell, and Harvard if he wanted to, though he insisted he wanted to be a pilot. This week. Last week,he’d wanted to be a veterinarian, and the week before that, a firefighter.

“I know, champ,” Braden snickered. “Actually, just because it’s such a big day for your mom, I’ll puttendollars in it. Deal?”

“Deal. And we get ice cream on the way home,” he bargained.

“We’ve got ice creamathome,” Braden reminded him. “And a shit ton of food for the party.”

I snorted out another laugh. “Twenty bucks now.”

Pulling out his wallet, my man retrieved a twenty and handed it to our son. “This time it goes to you directly. Don’t spend it all in one place. Now, come on. Let’s find Aunt Morgan and Uncle Mal and get out of here. We have a party to get to!”

As Braden pulled into our neighborhood, I saw cars lining both sides of the street for the whole block – all of them here for me and Morgan. The whole football team was here, plus some of Braden’s old teammates from college who had been signed to different pro teams, and all of our friends and family. And I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Spending the day surrounded by all the people I loved, my chosen family, was exactly how I wanted to celebrate earning my medical degree.

“There they are! The women of the hour!” I heard someone announce over a speaker as Braden, Morgan, Malachi, the kids, and I walked into the backyard.

Turning in the direction of the voice, I found Cassidy King, one of the most popular pop stars in the world – who had just gotten engaged to Braden’s teammate, Evan Montgomery – standing on a small stage. Accompanied by her whole band.

Braden and I had been at the concert when Evan met Cassidy, and the way their love had blossomed after that was thecutest thing ever. I didn’t know her well yet because she’d just finished a world tour, but I did know she was a sweetheart and that she’d wanted to be here to celebrate with us today. But the thought of her actually performing wasn’t even something that had crossed my mind.

“Oh, my God!” I exclaimed as my jaw dropped.

“Surprise, beautiful,” Braden chuckled.

I spun to face him and found him standing there with a shit-eating grin on his face.

“You…what…how?”

“All I did was ask if she’d be willing to play a song or two on her guitar.” He pulled me in for a kiss. “Doing a whole mini concert was all her idea.”

“Let’s hear it for Dr. Ramos and Dr. Houston!” Cassidy exclaimed.

Everyone started applauding, cheering, and whistling…while Morgan and I both flushed crimson. Even though I’d been in a relationship with a pro football player for the past four years, I still hadn’t gotten used to being in the spotlight, and I didn’t think I ever really would.

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