Page 105 of Insatiable Hunger

My eyes go wide. “Shut up, no he didn’t!”

“He did.” She nods. “So… did you say yes?”

My cheeks heat as I bite the inside of my cheek in a failed attempt at tamping down the ridiculously huge grin sliding on my lips. “Yeah, I did.”

“Honey, that’s wonderful!” Her clasped hands are held close to her chest as she smiles big. “I’m so happy for you. Truly. This was always how it was meant to be, and I’m so glad to get to watch it happen. I love you both so much.”

“Thanks, Mom.” My eyes fill, throat clogging. I don’t want to cry in this tiny restaurant, so I do my best to hold it back, butGod,it’s actually real. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it. Like maybe it’s all one big dream.

It’s crazy to think back, at how far we’ve come. How one night changed everything. Changed the trajectory of my life, his life. One lust-fueled night turned into so much more. And I can’t fucking believe it sometimes.

It feels like Simple MindsDon’t You (Forget About Me)should be playing in the background as I triumphantly punch the air, the sun setting at my back.

I’m John Bender, getting the person I never thought I would. The one who never made any sense, and fuck, does it feel good. I may not know what the future holds, but knowing it includes Zeke, with my mother’s blessing, makes everything we had to fight for to get here worth it.

Epilogue

Zeke Alvarez

Six Years Later

It’s an exceptionally warm spring day. The grill is heated up, the burgers ready to get thrown on, and the pool sparkles under the pristine sunlight. It’s a beautiful day, and I can’t wait to spend it with the people we love the most. My muscles ache, my eyes burn, and I can’t deny, I would kill for a solid six hours of sleep, but despite the exhaustion, I’m happy. The type of happy that would be nauseating to look at had this been several years ago.

Today is special for more reasons than one. It marks two years since Elias and I shared vows on the beach in the Florida Keys. It felt fitting that the beginning of our marriage started in the same place our unconventional meeting had occurred. It was a perfect, serene day. The water was calm behind us, everybody we loved was present, and it felt like my sister was watching down on us, celebrating her brother finally getting his true love. His real wedding. What I wouldn’t have given to have her be there in the flesh, though.

The sound of the backdoor opening pulls me from my thoughts. Glancing over my shoulder, a smile slides on my face as I see who it is. “Hey, guys,” I greet as I return my attention to the grill, placing the patties on the grate.

To my left, Katie and Valerie take a seat at the table.

“How’s it going?” Katie asks.

“Oh, not too bad. A little tired, but good.”

“Where’s Elias?” This time, the question comes from Valerie.

“Upstairs. He was going to take a shower, but that was like a half hour ago, so who knows what he’s up to now.”

I toss them a genuine grin, and Val’s face softens as she returns the gesture. Raising from the chair, she closes the distance, taking the spatula from my hand. “Go get him.”

She’s practically vibrating with excitement, and I don’t blame her.

Stepping inside, it’s significantly cooler than outside. The air conditioning feeling incredible on my sun-kissed skin. Hilda is walking in the front door as I reach the stairs. I asked her to run to the store for a few items we were missing.

“Thank you, Hilda.”

“My pleasure, sir.” She smiles, heading toward the kitchen.

The door to our room is ajar, the lights off. When I push open the door quietly, my eyes immediately find Elias, where he’s sitting on the edge of the bed. Silently, I cross the room, sitting beside him. Our arms brush, his fresh scent washing over me, dark hair slightly damp still.

“She’s looks so peaceful,” Elias whispers, gazing down at the bundle of chubby cheeks and tiny black curls where she lies in the soft pink and cream bassinet beside our bed.

“For now.” I laugh softly.

He peers over at me, his eyes as bloodshot as mine feel. Dark circles and tired features.

It’s been five days since we brought her home. Five days of diaper changes and late-night feedings. Five days of little sleep, but an abundance of love and joy. Her being here is a miracle all on its own. It wasn’t that long ago that we decided we wanted to try to adopt. The birth mom is someone I met when I was a teenager. She is the daughter of one of the women who used to babysit me when Elena was working.

She suffers from addiction, and her getting pregnant was never planned. She didn’t have the means or the stability to raise a child, so we adopted her. She was born prematurely, weighing barely six pounds when we brought her home from the hospital. She’s a tiny thing, but she’s strong. Fierce. And boy, do her lungs work.

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