Something in my chest loosens at her words. For years, I've kept people at a distance, convinced that my baggage was too heavy for anyone else to help carry. But looking at Sunny, feeling her warmth against me, I wonder if maybe I've been wrong all this time.
I try to give her a genuine smile, the gesture feeling rusty and unfamiliar on my face.
"Are you trying to smile right now?" she asks, a teasing note in her voice.
"That obvious, huh?"
"A little." She traces my lips with her finger. "You have a beautiful smile, Garrett. You should use it more often."
"I'll work on that," I promise, capturing her finger and pressing a kiss to it.
As I look at her—wild curls even wilder now, lips swollen from my kisses, eyes bright with a mixture of satisfaction and affection—I'm struck by how lucky I am. Against all odds,against my own stubborn resistance, I've found someone worth fighting for. Someone worth staying for.
I pull her close again, "Spend the night with me," I murmur against her lips. "And tomorrow night. And the night after that."
Sunny smiles, "Are you asking me to be your actual girlfriend, Garrett Stone?"
"I'm asking for a lot more than that," I admit. "But we can start there."
"Yes," she says simply, pressing her lips to mine. "To all of it. Yes."
As I hold her against me, feeling her heartbeat steady and strong against my chest, I'm filled with a certainty I haven't felt in years. This isn't the end of something, but the beginning, messy and complicated and more perfect than I deserve.
And for the first time in longer than I can remember, I'm looking forward to tomorrow, and all the tomorrows after that, with Sunny Bloom in my arms.
Epilogue - Sunny
Eighteen months. That's how long it's been since our "fake" dinner with my parents turned into something very real. A new life I could never have imagined.
I glance down at the tiny bundle in my arms, still marveling at his perfect fingers, the dark hair that promises to be as thick as his father's, the way his little nose wrinkles when he's about to wake up. Ethan James Stone, two months old and already the center of our universe.
"They'll be here any minute," I fret, bouncing slightly as Ethan stirs. "What if they think we rushed everything? What if they judge our house? What if—"
"Sunny," Garrett's voice is steady as he takes Ethan from my arms, cradling our son. "Your parents adore you. They're going to adore him. And they've accepted me, which was the toughest sell."
I smile despite my anxiety. "They more than accepted you. My mom calls you for advice now, which is still weird."
It's true. Somewhere between our engagement announcement (six months after that first night together) and our small backyard wedding (three months after that), my mother decided Garrett was the most sensible person in our family. Now she consults him about everything from retirement investments to vacation destinations.
Garrett settles Ethan against his broad shoulder, the contrast between his massive frame and our tiny son never failing to amaze me. "The house looks great. You look beautiful. Ethan is perfect. Stop worrying."
He's right about the house—our house. He sold his place and we bought something together, a craftsman bungalow with enough room for Garrett's workshop and my home office, plus the nursery we painted sunshine yellow. My colorful style has merged with Garrett's minimalism into something that feels uniquely ours.
The doorbell rings, and I instinctively smooth down my dress, touching my hair.
"Ready?" Garrett asks, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
"Ready," I confirm, drawing strength from his steadiness.
I open the door to find my parents beaming, arms laden with more baby gifts than one infant could possibly need.
"Sunshine!" My mother exclaims, dropping her packages to embrace me. "You look wonderful! Where's my grandson?"
"Mom, Dad, come in," I usher them inside, where Garrett waits with Ethan.
My mother makes a beeline for them, cooing over the baby while my father claps Garrett on the shoulder, careful not to disturb his grandson.
"He has your eyes," my mother says, gently stroking Ethan's cheek.
