Page 69 of Not Mine To Love

“Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

He narrowed his eyes at me. “That depends.” He yawned before continuing, “Why do you want me to invite you in? So that you can stomp all over my heart again. No thanks.”

He tried to close the door, and I caught it. “I’m sorry I’ve been so stupid.”

His eyebrows shot up. “I’m listening.”

I shrugged. “That’s all I got. I’m sorry I’ve been so stupid. And I want to be a part of your life. I want to grow old with you. Marry you. Have your babies.”

He stopped me. “Hold on a second there. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. How about we start with going out to dinner as an official couple or something?”

“That sounds like a pretty good plan.”

He scratched his chest. “Life with you will be very interesting, Becca.”

“Interesting is better than boring, right?”

“I don’t know,” he said, leaning against his doorframe and scratching his head. I thought he was finally waking up. “Someone once told me that I was the most boring person she ever knew.”

“I like boring,” I said, moving closer to him and wrapping my arms around his neck. He didn’t try to stop me, so I moved closer until our lips were just inches apart. “Boring is sexy.”

“Oh is it now?” he said, smiling down at me.

I nodded.

“Is it okay if this boring guy tells you that he loves you?”

I pretended to consider it. “I guess… just this one time…”

“I love you, Becca.”

“I love you too, Julius.”

“Finally, you admit it. It’s about damn time…”

He lowered his head and kissed me. And he was right, it was about damn time.

EPILOGUE

“I can’t believe I’m doing this again,” I said to Meredith.

“I know! Isn’t this exciting?” She made the prettiest bridesmaid. Aquamarine was definitely her color.

I looked in the mirror. I didn’t make too bad of a bride. I opted out of the traditional white dress and went for an off-white gown that sort of hid the baby weight that I hadn’t exactly shed in the past six months since the baby was born.

Julius and I hadn’t exactly done things in order, but that hadn’t meant I was going to be deprived of the wedding of my dreams: an intimate, small wedding on the beach.

It was a perfect day. The weather had cooperated. The sun was shining but not oppressive. And there was a breeze in the air. Everything I wanted with the man I couldn’t have asked more from. Dad was right. Julius was definitely a winner.

And as if reading my mind, Dad peeked his head in and the music began to play. “That’s our cue, lovely lady,” he said, extending his elbow to me.

I took it and gave him a smile. Dad looked so handsome in his pale linen suit. I loved him so much. He was great and helpful with all the wedding plans. He even spoke to Mom which was a huge deal. She wasn’t attending. She said she had a previous engagement. I didn’t know what was more important than seeing her oldest child get married, but I knew better than to get upset. Mom would always be Mom.

As Dad and I positioned ourselves to walk down the aisle, I realized that my heart was racing, but not from excitement. I was kind of scared. Of what? I didn’t know. After all, Julius and I had already been together for three years before we had our son Julius Jr., J.J. for short. I knew Julius was a great father. He was also my best friend. He meant everything to me. So what was I so afraid of?

Meredith and my other bridesmaids, Piper, Dana, and Ana, started down the white runner that led to the perfect spot on the beach where Julius and I were to be married.

And then it was our turn.