Page 131 of Other Side Of Never
“Does Isaiah understand?”I whispered.
“Oh, yeah,” he answered, jerking his chin toward his son.
Spinning around, I opened my arms, and he flew into them.
He tolerated my embrace for a solid thirty seconds before drawing back slightly and, reminiscent of his dad, he cupped his tiny hands around my face.“Will you be my mom, Bridge?Ficially?”
“Oh, yeah,” I replied with a nod, his face a blur of tears.“But you’re going to have to eat spinach.”
He pressed his little mouth tight and narrowed his eyes.“We’ll talk.”
The next few hours passed in a whirl of family, photographs, food, and laughter.
Everyone we knew and loved showed up to celebrate with us at my first fully planned event at The Sage Ridge Resort, my own wedding.
Noelle claimed I was the worst bridezilla she’d ever encountered.
Instead of throwing my bouquet, I picked it apart and offered each of the precious women in my life a single stem, keeping exactly one for myself.
Kian declared in no uncertain terms he was keeping the garter, garnering a laugh as he surmised it was most certainly reusable.
When the time came for the last dance of the evening, he drew me into his arms.
Eyes twinkling, he smiled down at me.“Tell me, my Bridget, how are things looking here on the other side of never?”
I tipped my chin up and smiled back at him, my throat tight as I remembered how neatly I’d written him off.
And how, even so, there was never any question.
My voice husky, I gave him the truth.“They look like everything I never dared to dream.”
Closing his eyes, he pressed his forehead to mine.
“I won’t let you down.”
I tipped my chin up and pressed my lips to his and smiled.
“I know.”
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Epilogue – Hunter’s Story
Hunter
I flitted in and out of consciousness, my eyelids heavy.I’d never slept so deeply or so well, the bed beneath me seemingly contoured to my body.
As if it was made for me and me alone.
I couldn’t feel any blankets, but I wasn’t cold.In fact, I couldn’t sense the air around me at all.The temperature on the outside perfectly matched that of my body.
I breathed deeply, coming alive.
My lips curled up at the corners, ready to face the day.
Sitting up, I stretched my arms over my head and blinked my eyes open to find myself in a room with no walls.“Where the fuck am I?”
A vague memory of shattered glass teased the corners of my mind.
