Page 56 of No Limits

“So I hear Lochlyn told you our news.” I dare to look into Wes’s crystal eyes. They’re almost as mesmerizing as Lochlyn’s.

“He did, in fact. Congratulations. On two accounts. Man, you two really just get it all done at once, huh?” He tilts his face to the side and half smirks.

“Well, one was intentional. One, not so much.”

“Yeah, planning babies is a big deal. Glad you planned that for a while.”

I laugh and look at the ground as I sway to a Coldplay song with the man who’s become much like a brother.

“You know we’ll be at your wedding in not too long, right?”

“I do. And I can’t wait. I’m ready for Chelsea to be a Palmer.” The way he says it, with so much light in his face, I know he’s at least as excited as she is.

There are a lot of times as we grow older that we don’t know the intimate details of each other’s lives and relationships. Part of how I’ve always known Wes was different for Chelsea is that she’s never flaunted those details like she had with the boys who came before.

“Mind if I cut in?” Lochlyn’s deep voice makes a smile pull across my lips as I look at Wes and shrug. We both know that Loch won’t leave.

This is the fourth time he’s done this, the second time to Weston. Everybody wants to dance with me, including Don and Lochlyn’s father, but he practically refuses to let anybody, getting no further than the second verse of a song.

The rest of the night goes by in a blur of dancing, eating, kisses, clinking glasses, and more kissing and dancing.

By the end, Lochlyn has to carry me upstairs to our room as I’m almost asleep on my feet.

He helps me out of my dress, slipping one of his t-shirts over my head. After he pulls back the covers, he sits on the bed with me and undoes the bobby pins that have half of my hair up in a sort of bun.

Once I’m free, he adjusts my body so I’m lying down and he quickly strips off his tux, sliding under the covers and curling me into his chest. My eyes have been shut since he started doing my hair.

“It’s our wedding night. We’re supposed to have sex.” I’d be surprised if he could differentiate the words from my slurred, sleepy voice.

The bed shakes with his laugh. “No can do, baby girl. You’re exhausted, and we’re not having sex when you’re this tired. Sleep, and we’ll see what happens when you wake up.”

“But you’re not tired.”

“I’ve never had an issue just sitting with you while you sleep. Now is no different. Especially because I need to be able to watch over you all the time. That’s my baby in there. Have to make sure you’re okay. So you sleep, I’ll be right here.”

“Okay.” Without another word, I let sleep overtake me, happily married, with a baby growing inside me.

Epilogue

Sevenyearslater

The café is packed tonight. Rolling Thunder got back from a huge tour and gave Lochlyn a call to play for us. It garnered enough attention that we have them playing every night for a week. Even still, we had to turn people away. A lot of people.

I’m conversing with a customer when my eyes lock on my seven-year-old carrying my one-year-old out from the backroom. My heart plummets to my feet. Not just because we pay our sitter well to keep them in the back, but because that means my other two children are elsewhere. I scan the crowd quickly for Lochlyn and find him nowhere. Now that I think about it, it’s been a while since I've seen him.

Laying my hand on our customer’s arm, I excuse myself. “I’m sorry, my daughter just walked out, and I need to check on her.” With a smile, I’m crossing the room as quickly as I can.

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” I tenderly cup the back of Ophelia’s head as I pull Jackson from her arms.

“Jackson needs a diaper.”

“Okay, honey, where’s your father?” Looking up, I glance around for him again.

“I don't know.”

“What about Jenna?” She’s the young, pretty babysitter. The other moms think I’m crazy for having her around Lochlyn. But they don't know him like I do. His eyes would never stray, let alone any other part of him.

“She’s busy with Leo and Lorelei.” I frown at this. Leo does well enough on his own at five. Though Lorelei may be giving her some trouble. Three has been a hard age with her and she’s been on a rampage this week.

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