The Next Chapter

Chapter 73

*Epilogue - 5 years later*

Emery's POV

"My turn to hold her!" I say and reach out for the baby. Mom hands her to me, she's so small. "Hi, Grace! Welcome to the Scott family. God... She's so precious." 

"She may be precious but she can scream like hell broke loose." Auden said, yawning. 

I laugh, "No sleep?"

"No, Oliver had a big day at work so I had to take her all night. Apparently, she's a night person."

"All babies are like this, you just have to get used to it. It'll be over before you know it."

"As you know, you're not the one who has to wake up every hour."

"Yeah, not looking forward to those moments. I'll enjoy my sleep as long as I can." I say, smiling. When they told us that they were going to adopt everyone was thrilled. And little Grace was just what they needed, they look so happy, all three of them. The process took some time but it was all worth it when she was finally here. I know it's impossible but her eyes are just like Audens, so beautiful. They're amazing fathers, no doubt. She's so lucky.

"Not getting any ideas are you?" Jake wraps his arms around me, resting his chin on my shoulder, looking over Grace. 

"No." I lie. I am getting ideas actually, I even have an entire list of baby names on my phone. Nothing that Jake has seen. He never talks about kids, I think he wants them though, just by looking at his face while he watches grace. He's in love. 

But then again, why hasn't he proposed yet? I'm at that part of my life where I want a marriage and a family. And I want it soon.

"Where's my granddaughter?" Dad yells from across the yard. He immediately starts smiling when his eyes land on her. He's quickly by my side reaching out his arms. I carefully hand her to him. "Look at you! The first Scott grandchild, don't tell him I told you this but your other grandpa is a wanker."

"Hey! That's my granddaughter you're talking to. She loves me. Don't you?" He starts talking to the baby, the sleeping baby might I add.

"She will definitely love me more." Dad says.

"I think not. I will be her favorite." They walk away to the tables still arguing over who's the favorite.

"She's just a baby, why are they already fighting?" Oliver says, laughing. "Where's Auden?"

"I think he went to get some water. He walked over- Oh, found him." I point over to the bench by the door, to the sleeping Auden.

"Dear God, poor thing. He didn't get any sleep, I have to go and help him. What are husbands for?" We all start smiling and he walks over to Auden. I can see him waking him up and pointing to their house, probably saying that he can go to bed if he wants but Auden just shakes his head. Of course, if there are guests, he's not leaving. I can see Oliver starting to talk back to him but quickly giving up knowing how stubborn Auden is. Instead, he takes a seat next to him and brings Auden's head to his lap. His eyes almost immediately close. They're so cute.

"Hey-" Jake tears me away from them. "Can I steal you for a moment?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Here-" He says and hands me a blindfold. "Put this on."

"What, why?"

"Just do it." 

"This is very weird, just saying." But I do as he says and he starts leading me away from the house. The voices are getting quieter and quieter until it's silent.

I can hear the waves from the beach and feel the salt in the air.

"Where are we exactly?"

"Wait, a little more." He says, my eyes are still covered but I smell smoke.

"Is something burning?"

"No, relax. Almost there." We take a few more steps then he stops. "Okay, open." I remove the blindfold to see Jake standing in front of me with a rose.

"What's this? What's going on?" 

"I think you know." Oh, the butterflies. So so many butterflies.

"This isn't- Is it? Are you-"

"Emery-" He laughs. "Calm down sweetheart, look at me." I do as he says and he hands me the rose. It actually helps, he looks so calm. But why does he look so calm? If this is what I think it is then-

"No, stop. No overthinking."

"How did you know?"

"Please. I know you more than yourself."

My breathing is quickening with every passing second. It gets so much worse when he gets down on one knee. 

So much worse in the best possible way.

"Emery Scott-"

"Oh my God, you're really doing this."

"Emery..."

"Sorry, I'll shut up. Go on. Propose to me." 

He laughs, shaking his head. "You're really something else, aren't you?" 

I laugh, tears forming in the corner of my eyes. I am not already going to cry. I can hold them back for a little while more. I think.

"Emery Scott. My best friend, my girlfriend, my soulmate, and hopefully my future wife. Our love story hasn't been the best but nothing in the world could make me change it. Every single decision has led us here, even if some parts were hard or heartbreaking, it led us here. It led me to you, and I will thank God for the rest of my life for that. He brought you to me, even if you thought I was an asshole in the beginning, that I bothered you like hell, I did all of that because I really liked you. I had no idea how to act around you, you would make me forget words, forget how to speak like a normal human being. I tried so hard not to let you affect me, not to let you notice the hold you had on me. But I think we both know that I failed." He stops to chuckle, the tears have now started to drop. I don't care. "After our first kiss, I couldn't get you out of my head for weeks. You were on my mind all the time, and it only got worse after the first time we slept together. At that moment I knew that you were the one I wanted. You were the one I wanted to grow old with, but of course, I was a teenager and a fucking idiot so I didn't act on it or share my thoughts or feeling with you. That's something I regret, but we're here now, aren't we? You look as beautiful as ever and I'm down on one knee, either absolutely crushing this or failing miserably. By your crying, I'm going to go with the first one." He laughs. "Emery-" He grabs a small box from his pocket. "I showed you this ring five years ago and told you that I was waiting for the perfect moment to use it. This is it. This is the moment. I've been carrying this ring with me for two years now, never finding the perfect time to propose. But tonight felt right." He grabs my hand, "Emery Scott, you are the one I've been waiting for my whole life." The box opens, "Will you marry me?"

My throat is closing up, how the hell am I supposed to speak? I sniffle and wipe my eyes clear of any tears. "Mm... I don't know. Same ring?"

He starts smiling. "Just say yes."

"Yes, of course, I'll marry you." I say, tears spilling again. He takes the ring out of its box and places it on my finger. A perfect fit.

I grab his face, pulling him up to my level, and wrapping my arms around his neck. "Looks like we have a wedding to plan, Mr. Jake Evans."

"Looks like it, Mrs. Emery Evans." He smiles, "I like the sound of that."

I lean forward and kiss him. It's a slow but deep kiss. The perfect kiss for this moment.

"I love you." I say.

"I love you more."

--- --- --- --- --- --- 

That's it.

It's done.

I'm done.

What to do now?

But I really hope you guys liked this book! I honestly get so happy when I read all the comments!