Page 75 of Justus

“It’sso beautiful,” I breathe.

“Almostas beautiful as you,” he murmurs.

Turningto face him, I cup his face, and place a light kiss on the dimple in his cheek.“I’ve never been this happy. I didn’t think it was possible.”

Hishand wraps around mine and he holds it against my chest. “I feel the same way.”He fingers a lock of my hair. “I quit the club.”

“What?Why?” I’ve never given him any grief over stripping.

“Idon’t need it anymore. It used to make me feel good, knowing that those womenwanted me. It’s all I hoped for when I was young, for someone to want me. Butit wasn’t real. I was just a fantasy to them. You want me, and that’s myfantasy. A family.”

God,this man can make me want to tear my hair out one minute and completelydevastate me the next.

“Ilove you, Justus. I’m so proud to be your wife, your family. I didn’t realizehow much I wanted a family until now.”

“So,I’m going to knock you up with a brood of little Justus’s, right?”

Giggling,I turn back to face the mountains. “How many is a brood?”

“Youknow, five or six. Whatever you want.”

“Hmm…Ilove the thought of a little Justus running around, getting in trouble forsaying inappropriate things to the girls at school, but I have another idea Iwant to run by you.”

“Yeah?Because I think we need a little Sadist too, who will probably get suspendedfor fighting the boys.”

“Yeah,we could totally ruin kids with our blood. Maybe we should adopt from thefoster system. You know, after we have a few years by ourselves.”

He’ssilent for a long minute until I turn to face him. Swallowing, he looks like hemight cry. “Would you really want to do that?”

“Ofcourse. If there’s one thing you’ve taught me it’s that blood doesn’t make afamily. Love does. We could help a boy or girl who is struggling like you and Hannahstruggled. And you’d know how to help them because you know what they’re goingthrough.”

I’mpulled into his arms and we stay that way, wrapped up in one another as theballoon slowly descends to the ground.

Acheer goes up as we’re greeted by our friends who have all turned out for thewedding.

Momis the first to rush up and congratulate us, hugging me and then Justus. “Mylittle girl is married! And I have a son-in-law.”

“Astripper son-in-law,” Jeremy quips, giving Justus one of those one armed hugsmen are so proficient at.

“Notanymore. I quit,” Justus replies, shoving him.

“Oh!I didn’t get to see you perform!” Mom exclaims, and everyone laughs.

“She’sSadie’s mother all right,” Zoe remarks.

Aswe walk away from the balloon, I notice Doug falling back to talk to Justus.“What was that about?” I ask when Justus catches back up to me.

“Justguy talk.”

“Dougis taking classes to be a paramedic, and he’s actually holding a job,” I tellhim, amazed.

“Imay have had a little talk with him last time we visited.”

Hisarm slides around my shoulders as we continue. “About what?”

“Growingup. Being a man. It’s hard to grow up without a father figure, but that’s noexcuse. He needed somebody to light a fire under his ass.”

Ibeam up at him. “You’re going to be a great father.”

“Yep.Our kids are going to be lucky little fuckers to have parents like us.”

Laughtershakes my body. God, I love him. I take a moment to glance around at all of ourfriends, laughing and joking together. Justus’s sister and my mother, bothmiraculously healthy and making plans to get together in the future.

Imeant what I told Justus earlier. I’ve never been so happy. Sometimes you don’tknow what you’re missing until you find it.

Andsometimes that happiness is wrapped up in a sweet, goofy, gorgeous, exoticdancing package.

THE END