Page 74 of Turbulent Fires

I tap my glass with a spoon, and the crowd quiets as all eyes turn our way. Wolf raises a brow but stays quiet as he remains at my side. He never knows what new adventure I’m about to throw his way, but he’s always game for something new.

“I just want to say...” I begin, my voice growing a bit choked as my heart thunders. I smile, take a breath, and continue. “I want to say I’ve never felt luckier to be surrounded by those I love most in this world. This past year has given me more joy than I ever thought possible. It’s given me a husband who makes me lift off every single day, a family who never stops showing me love, a book that’s brought me so much joy to share, and a life that shouldn’t be legal it’s absolutely perfect.”

Applause ripples through our friends and family. Wolf squeezes my hand, gazing at me like I’m the most amazing creature he’s ever seen.

“There’s another chapter coming into our lives,” I say. I pause, then gaze straight into Wolf’s eyes. “We’re having a baby.”

His eyes widen before he smiles, tosses his glass aside, lifting me in his arms, and spinning me while our friends and family cheer around us. Glasses clink. Chloe cries out in pleasure, Drake hugs Jayden who looks like he’s going to faint. My mother cries, and my father puffs out his chest. Everyone’s happy for us.

But Wolf, my sweet, charming, confident husband... his reaction is the best. He gazes at me like I’ve hung the stars, moon, and sun. He lifts me to the very upper heights of heaven, and there’s no chance we’ll ever fall from where we are.

“We’re having a baby?” he asks, his voice choked with emotion.

“We’re have a baby.” It’s been killing me to hold this information in for the last two weeks. But I wanted to be sure, and wanted to announce it in a big way. Our life has never been simple, and I hope it never is.

Wolf kisses me before setting me back down. I giggle and shake away the dizziness. “You’re going to have to be a bit more careful. This morning sickness thing is real.”

He throws his head back and laughs with raw joy. “I’ll bubble-wrap you and cater to your every need.”

I shake my head. “How about you stay my partner and we take care of each other?”

He looks as if he wants to argue, but he knows how stubborn I am. He nods before pulling me close, this time more gently. He kisses me in front of all our loved ones, and I relish the love.

“I love you, Audrey Young.”

“I adore you, Wolf Young.”

He then turns to the crowd. “We’re having a baby!” he shouts. They again cheer as if hearing it for the first time. This is our life, this is the perfection of a love too strong to ever shatter.

The music swells as we get hug after hug and more love than anyone can possibly handle. It’s overwhelming and beautiful at the same time. Our laughter carries to the stars above as they appear over us.

It takes a while, but we manage to slip away from the crowd, kick off our shoes, and walk barefoot into the gently rolling waves, our toes curling in the soft sand.

“How are you feeling?” I ask. He wraps his arms around me from behind and rests his chin on my shoulder.

“I’ve never felt better. I have you, a bright future, and a family that keeps growing. I have the entire world in my hands, and I’m not sure how it all happened.”

The stars above sparkle like confetti. The wind carries the sound of music and joy behind us. In front of us is nothing but new horizons. Nothing can hold us back.

“Do you think we’ll ever run out of stories?”

He laughs. “There’s zero chance of that ever happening.”

“Remember that when we’re exhausted from a screaming baby.”

He laughs. “I’ll never forget my vows to you, Audrey. You’re my world. This little peanut inside of you will beourworld. We’ll share it together and create stories for the rest of our lives.”

I lean against him, once again counting my blessings, once again wondering how I was so fortunate to get this lucky. I won’t question it, just allow myself to bask in the beauty of the moment. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Chapter Thirty

Audrey

The sails on the boats in the harbor flutter like sun-whitened wings, and Catalina’s summer sky stretches wide and blue above us. The scent of grilled citrus, sea spray, and sunscreen clings to the breeze, mingling with the laughter of friends and family gathered on the island once again. This time, there’s no fire, no chaos, no dramatic escapes or emergency landings. This is just life and love and the Young brothers... mostly shirtless, extremely competitive, and incredibly invested in a sailing race that’s already ended.

“I won,” I say again, arms folded, standing with my bare feet in the sand and the kind of smug grin that can ruin a man.

Wolf is behind me in aviators, pretending to stretch his back. He scoffs. “Your boat crossed the line first because the wind shifted.”

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