Sweet addiction Bonus Epilogue

Davis and Abby

ABBY 

One Year Later

It’s been a year since we got married in my parents’ backyard. Alexis is in the first grade now, and I’m still teaching at the middle school. Davis is working at the rehab center and loves his job. Like really loves it. Plus, he’s still attending therapy. Not because it’s required of him or anything now; no, he goes because he knows it helps him keep his demons away.

I’ve grown close to the five men that were all with him that day. They are all amazing men, and I’m thankful that Davis—and I—have them in our lives. They have been doing amazing things, but that’s their story to tell.

I’m packing Alexis’ lunch while Davis is putting the finishing touches on her ponytails.

“You’re giving me that look again,” Davis singsongs as he brushes through her hair.

I shrug my shoulders. “What look? Oh you mean the one where my daughter says you do hair better than I do? That look?”

I give Alexis a glare even though there’s no heat in it. She just giggles. They’re sitting in the living room, and Davis is working on some kind of braided ponytails. I still can’t believe this man has been watching YouTube videos on how to braid hair.

“I can do yours next if you want,” he tells me, and I’m prepared to roll my eyes at him until I catch the heated gaze on his face.

I never would have imagined that our life could be as good as this last year has been. Yes, of course we’ve had our ups and downs, but even when it’s down, Davis has kept his promise. He has never walked away from me. We talk things out, and we work it out… together.

I finish packing the lunch and set it on the entry table next to Alexis’ backpack before walking into the living room. I admire Davis’ handiwork and tell my daughter, “I love it. You look beautiful, Alexis.”

She preens up at me, and when Davis is done, she takes off running to check herself in the mirror. Davis grabs me, pulling me into his lap. “You next?”

I pat my hair with my hand. “I think I’m too old for piggy tails.”

He tosses the brush on the couch and holds me, both arms circling around me. “Okay, we can do something else.”

I lean my head against his chest, not wanting to look at him. Because I know if I do, I’m not going to be able to keep this secret from him.

“I actually have plans. I mean, we have plans.”

He tenses underneath me. “Plans? What are these plans, and how can we change them? I don’t like any plans that mean I can’t take full advantage of time with my wife. You have an inservice day, I took the day off work, and I thought for sure that meant we were going to stay in the bedroom all day and not come out until Alexis got home from school.”

I shrug and try to keep my voice calm. “It’s not an inservice day. I requested the day off, and I made plans.”

He leans back and tries to see my face, but I keep myself glued to his chest. I know as soon as he sees my face, he’s going to know something is up.

“Abby Jones, what are you not telling me?”

Finally, I lift up and try my best to keep my facial expression clear. “I have a doctor’s appointment, and I thought you’d want to go with me, that’s all.”

I try to pull from his arms and put some distance between us, but he doesn’t let me budge. “Doctor appointment?”

I nod, blinking at him.

His forehead creases in worry. “What’s wrong, Abby? What is it?”

I grip his shirt. “It’s not bad. I’m fine.”

He doesn’t believe me. It’s obvious by the way he looks at me. “Then why didn’t you tell me about this appointment? Abby, I can handle it. I promise, whatever it is, I can handle it.”

I bring my hands up to cup his face. He still worries about being the man I need. I nod my head and finally let the smile form on my face. I’m done keeping this from him. It’s not how I planned to tell him, but this is perfect too. “Oh, I have no doubt you can handle it. You’ve had enough practice in the last year, I know you’re ready for it.”

He’s confused as he tries to make sense of it all. I scoot farther onto his lap. The bulge in his jeans is hard, pressing against my hip, and I know I’ll be taking full advantage of that later. After our appointment. “I’m pregnant, Davis. We’re going to have a baby.”

“You’re pregnant!” he bellows, his eyes searching my face, and I’m nodding my head and laughing all at the same time.

“Yeah, we have a doctor’s appointment to see the baby today. It’s still early, and it will probably just look like a lima bean or a peanut, but yeah… we’re having a baby.”

He pulls me in for a fierce hug and then instantly releases me. “Oh God, that was too tight. Did I hurt you?”

I giggle. “No, you can never hug me too tight, Davis.”

I’m watching the emotions play across his face when I see something out of the corner of my eye. I hold my hand out to Alexis. “Come here, we have something to tell you.”

She walks over hesitantly, and my smile dips a little. “We’re having a baby.”

She stops next to Davis and looks between us. “I’m going to be a big sister?”

The way she says it, without a lot of emotion, starts to worry me. “Yes. You’re going to be a big sister.”

She nods her head, and a small smile forms on her face. I’m about to ask her, but Davis gets it out first. “What is it, Lex? I thought you’d be happy about it. Your mom said you’ve always wanted a little brother or sister.”

She nods her head assuredly. “Oh, I did. I mean I do, but…”

Her voice trails off, and her little lip starts to quiver. I’m still on Davis’ lap, but that doesn’t stop him from lifting her up and setting her on his lap too. “Talk to us. What’s going on?”

She blinks up at him. “Well, you’re going to be a dad now. Does this mean you’re going to love your baby more than me?”

She serious as she asks the question, and my heart breaks in two. I hold my breath for all of two seconds and start, “Alexis, it’s going—”

But before I can get it all out, Davis stops me. “Can I take this one?”

I nod my head, and he looks at Alexis. “So two things, okay?”

She nods her head and sniffles.

He puts his hand on her shoulder. “First, for the last year, I’ve been a dad. I know you have your dad, but I’ve always considered myself your dad too.”

Her eyes light up, and she leans toward him. “Second of all, no matter how many kids your mom and I have, you will always be my first love. I will love each of you equally, but you, Alexis, are the first one that showed me what the love between a father and daughter could be like. No one can take that away from you or from me.”

This time, she sniffles and runs the back of her hand across her nose. “So all this time, you’ve thought of me like your daughter?”

His voice is thick with emotion. “Yeah, honey, this whole time I’ve thought about you as my daughter.”

She slings herself to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I love you, Davis.”

He rubs his hand on her back. “I love you too, Lex.”

She pulls back. “Come on guys, we gotta go. I have to get to school so I can tell everyone that I’m going to be a big sister.” She’s still talking as she runs to grab her things.

“Are you happy, Davis?”

He shakes his head in awe. “Fuck, Abby, when I think my life can’t get any better, you throw me for a loop. You saved me, you know?”

I tuck myself in his arms again, resting my head against his hard chest. “We saved each other.”

I know we need to go, but I sit here a few more minutes, relishing the feel of my husband’s arms around me. A man that loves me the way I need to be loved.