Page 90 of Mine to Keep

Epilogue

Two months later…

Jamison gripped the counter and took in a deep breath. He glanced outside at all the people, and his heart pounded against his chest like a jackhammer.

“Hey, Jamison,” Henry said as he leisurely strolled into the kitchen. It had been nice for both Bryn and Zadie to have Henry and Anna move to Lighthouse Cove. Unexpected, not necessary, and, honestly, a little crowded since three out of four of Steve’s kids had moved into town, too, and Jamison had been doing his best to have a relationship with all of them.

“You look pale.” Henry laughed as he slapped him on the back. “You’re not getting cold feet, are you?”

That was the rub. He couldn’t get cold feet because he and Bryn had run off and eloped over the weekend. While they loved their families, all of them in one place could be overwhelming. His mother was still trying to tell him how to run his life, including his romantic one. However, she realized that Bryn was the perfect woman for her son. At least, that part was good.

But there was still the meddling, and now she would harp on his parenting skills—or lack thereof.

And she still pushed the Steve agenda.

Jamison would never accept him as a father. Not even a stepfather. But as a friend and confidant…he could do that. Steve wasn’t a bad guy. Actually, once Jamison gave him half a chance, he’d learned that he kind of liked the man.

Jamison also enjoyed his two half-sisters and brothers.

He struggled less to accept them, but they still had their reservations, and he completely understood.

“I assume since you’re having this party that today is the day you’re finally going to pop the question? I mean, you went to all that trouble to tell me you love Bren—I mean, Bryn.” Henry patted his chest. “I know how much it means to my daughter to keep her new identity, and I want to honor that. But it’s hard sometimes.”

“She doesn’t care that you call her Brenda occasionally. She just doesn’t want to confuse Zadie as she gets older and starts talking. Eventually, we’ll have to tell Zadie about her past and where she came from. We don’t want her to go through what I did, but Bryn doesn’t want Zadie to be tied to her past.”

“Trust me. I respect that.” Henry pointed to the pool patio. “You have quite an interesting family. They too are trying not to hold to past mistakes. It takes a lot of love to do that. You’re a lucky man.”

Jamison’s chest tightened.

“Just relax. breathe. You know she’s going to say yes. So, ignore the rest of us.” Henry snagged a beer from the fridge. “See you outside.”

Jamison groaned. The last thing he wanted to do was displease his future—no,present—father-in-law. He and Bryn hadn’t gone away for a romantic weekend with the idea of getting married. They’d done so because she’d stopped nursing and Steve and his mom had agreed to take Zadie for a night.

It was a win-win in his book.

The sight of his beautiful wife padding across the tile floor made his pounding heart slow just a tad.

“What’s wrong, honey?” She set the baby monitor on the counter.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tightly to his body. It still terrified him that he could have lost her. Mark Perish had every intention of killing Bryn and taking Zadie. From prison, Mark and his wife still rambled on about how he’d make sure that Bryn paid for what she’d done.

Bryn and Jamison took the necessary precautions simply because the Perish family had connections, and Jamison being part of a family filled with cops helped. However, they didn’t spend their lives looking over their shoulders. Nope. There was enough evidence regarding Mark and Barb’s businesses to send them away for eighty years.

And people were turning on them left and right.

It was over.

“Your dad thinks I’m going to propose to you today.”

“Well, he is going to get some great news.” She glanced up at him, and her eyes sparkled with mischief.

He laughed. “I’m still in shock over that one.”

“You and me both.”

“Shock over what?” Jamison’s father said as he entered through the big sliders.

“All part of the big announcement we’ll make in a bit.” Jamison kissed Bryn’s temple before leaning against the counter, keeping an arm around her waist. “What’s in your hand?”

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