Page 44 of The Hook Up

“Yeah, I guess,” he says, looking a little overwhelmed by all the attention. “Thanks for coming.”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” I reply, feeling a swell of pride. It’s been a long road for Jake, but he’s made it.

Auden comes back over, her hand resting on her belly as she smiles at Jake. “We’re so proud of you, Jake. You’ve worked so hard to get here.”

Jake’s cheeks turn pink, and he ducks his head.

“Thanks, Auden. It means a lot.”

We all start walking toward the school, the girls chatting about the ceremony while Ray and I fall into step behind them. Ray gives me a knowing look, one that says he’s just as grateful as I am for how everything turned out.

“Who would’ve thought?” he says quietly, nodding toward our little group. “We’ve got a lot to be thankful for.”

“Yeah,” I agree, glancing over at Auden, who’s laughing at something Ellie said. “We really do.”

As we find our seats in the auditorium, Adley stirs in her car seat, and I gently rock it, hoping she’ll stay asleep for a little longer. Auden sits beside me, her hand slipping into mine, and I squeeze it, feeling a deep sense of contentment.

The ceremony begins, and we watch as one by one, the graduates cross the stage. When Jake’s name is called, our group erupts into cheers. Auden’s voice is the loudest, and Jake looks over at us with a grin, giving a little wave before accepting his diploma.

As the ceremony comes to an end, I glance around at the people who’ve become my family. Ray, Ellie, Jake, and most of all, Auden. She catches my eye and smiles, leaning her head on my shoulder.

“Ready to go celebrate?” she whispers.

“Yeah,” I murmur, kissing the top of her head. “Let’s go.”

We gather our things and head out, making plans to meet up at Lena’s bakery. As we drive through the familiar streets of Lilac Harbor, I can’t help but feel like the luckiest guy in the world. I started out with nothing, but now, I have everything I could ever want, a loving wife, a beautiful daughter, another baby on the way, and a family that I never dreamed I’d have.

And it’s all because of Auden. She’s the one who brought this all together, who made me believe that I deserved this happiness. As we pull up in front of the bakery, I reach over and take her hand, giving it a squeeze.

“Thank you,” I say softly, and she looks over at me, her eyes filled with love.

“For what?” she asks, tilting her head in that adorable way she does.

“For everything,” I reply, leaning over to kiss her gently. “For making me the happiest man alive.”

She smiles against my lips, her hand resting on our daughter’s car seat. “I love you, Wade.”

“I love you too, Auden. More than you’ll ever know.”

As we step out of the car and into the warmth of the bakery, surrounded by the people who mean the most to us, I know that this is just the beginning of our happily ever after.