Page 99 of The Wedding Hoax

“Did you always want to name our baby after your dad?” Harry smiled as he asked. “Because you could’ve just told me. I would’ve been happy to name our son after him.”

“After my dad?” It took me a few seconds to piece everything together. “Oh my God. I think I just accidentally named our son after my dad. I wasn’t even thinking. It just came out—”

“I love it,” Harry cut me off as he reached for my hand. “I think it’s perfect, Simone.”

“Good.” I let out a tired sigh. “I hope Lucas likes his name, too.”

I felt my eyes closing, my mind drifting off to another planet. By the time I opened them again, I was surrounded by our family, everyone gathering in the large room. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted my mom, slowly making her way through the door using her walker. Harry’s dad was holding the door open for her.

“Can I hold him?” Grace asked as she looked over at Harry. Harry handed his mom our son, and she softly squealed as she took hold of him. “Oh, little Lucas. I can’t wait until you’re older. We’re going to have so much fun playing in the backyard together.”

“Lucas?” My mom’s voice was low as she walked over to Grace. “His name is Lucas?” Mom smiled at me, her eyes welling with tears. “Thank you, Simone. Your father would’ve loved that his grandson was named after him.”

“Hold on. When’s it going to be my turn to have a look at him?” Harry’s dad joined the conversation. “Why do men always get to hold the baby last?”

“Oh, hush.” Grace laughed. “Lucas, that’s your granddad. And no, he’s absolutely never going to change.”

Jonah laughed now, too, as he stared down at the baby.

“He’s so little,” Maxon said, in awe at the baby. “Look at his tiny fingers!”

Ruby laughed. “You were that little not so long ago.”

Maxon’s eyes widened. “I was.”

I laughed, then my attention drifted back to Harry, who smiled at me.

He moved closer to me, so close that he was able to whisper, “This is the happiest day of my life.”

“Mine too,” I whispered as my heart warmed behind my chest. “I love you so much, Harry.”

“I love you so much, too.” He squeezed my hand and brushed the hair off my forehead. I settled against the pillows, once again letting myself drift off to sleep, knowing that everything was going to be okay.

Because I had Harry. Because I had my son.

And because we were one big, happy family.

EPILOGUE

HARRY

Four Years Later

“Dog! I want to get a dog!” Lucas greeted me with the request as soon as I stepped through the door. “Mommy said I have to ask you first.”

I’d just gotten home from work, but it was only 5:00 p.m., so it was still pretty early. Gone were the days when I’d spend half the night working in my office, getting home so late it was almost time to go right back to work again.

Because now, there were more important things in my life than just work.

“Is that what Mommy said?” I hummed, pretending to think the question over. Simone and I had already agreed that we should get a dog for Lucas; it was just a matter of him picking one out. “Well, I think…”

“Yeah? Yeah?” Lucas’s face lit up with excitement. “What do you think?”

“I think that it sounds like a good idea to me.” I smiled down at him. “Let’s get a dog.”

“Yay!” Lucas broke into a cheer before he ran across the house. “Mommy! Daddy said yes!”

“How exciting!” Simone said as she walked into the living room, playfully shaking her head. “If he’s this hyped up about just the idea of getting a dog, how’s he going to be when he actually gets one?”

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