Page 89 of Slide

Epilogue

Lucy clung to Adam’s hand as they raced down the hospital corridor. “What room did Joe say Shay was in?”

“Should be just up here.” Adam gave her hand a squeeze, eyes softening when he looked at her. “You good?”

Lucy was smiling so wide her face ached. She nodded. “Excited to see my niece.” She reached up and flattened the hair sticking up on the side of his head.

Adam chuckled and tugged on the tag at the back of her shirt. “It’s inside out.”

“Damn.” They’d been woken a short time ago by a text to say Shay was in labor. No way could she stay at home and wait, so they flew out of bed and raced to the hospital.

They rounded the corner and found Joe and Darcey already there.

“Any news?” Adam said when they joined them.

“Nothing yet.” Joe reached out, slung an arm around her neck and tugged her close. “You okay, squirt?” he said close to her ear.

“I am, I promise.” And she was. The sharpness of that ache in the pit of her stomach when she lost her baby wasn’t as sharp anymore. She knew she’d always feel a little sad when she looked back, but right now she was just so damn excited to be an aunt, nothing could taint the happiness inside her.

“Is Noah with you?” The kid was Joe’s mini shadow.

“At a friends the night.”

Her brother gave her another squeeze and let her go.

Two hours later, they were still waiting for news. Darcey was sitting up asleep on one of the couches. Joe was lying down, his head in her lap, giant feet hanging over the edge, completely out to it. Adam had drifted off sitting up a little while ago, arms folded, ankles crossed, chin resting on his chest. He looked kind of adorable, especially with the way his lips were sticking out, though she’d never tell him that. She pulled out her phone and snapped a picture, grinning to herself. They were in a small waiting room down from the delivery room, and at the moment, it was only the four of them.

A throat cleared.

Lucy spun around and hers got so tight she didn’t know if she could speak. Tears instantly sprang to her eyes. “Oh, Hugh,” she rasped.

Her big burly brother stood at the door, hair sticking up everywhere, tears running down his face, and wearing the widest smile she’d ever seen. In his massive arms he cradled a tiny bundle in a pink blanket.

“She’s beautiful, Luce.” His lip trembled. “Shay did amazing. She’s Superwoman. I married Superwoman.”

Lucy walked over, pulled back the fuzzy blanket, and bit her lip. “Oh my God. She’s just perfect.”

Everyone else woke up and stumbled to their feet, coming over to meet the newest member of the Colton family.

A little while later, Joe, Darcey, Lucy, and Adam walked out of the hospital. They said their goodbyes after agreeing to meet at the hospital to visit with Shay and baby Milly later that afternoon, then Lucy followed Adam to his truck.

The sun was starting to rise, casting a warm orange glow over everything.

“I don’t want to go home yet,” she said. “You want to find somewhere nice to sit and watch the sun come up?”

“Yeah.” He tugged her closer and kissed the top of her head. “Then we should go get breakfast. Pancakes?”

“Sounds perfect.”

“Then we’ll go ring shopping.”

“What?”

“You want to get married tomorrow?”

Lucy stumbled to a stop. “What, now?”

Adam rubbed the back of his neck. “Forget I said that. Crazy, right?” His brows lifted. “You’ll want the whole church thing, family and friends there, that kind of thing?”