Grady
Years Later

“Daddy, Daddy!” Leonora screams as she runs into the room, flinging her little body into my arms. “I get to play with Little Liam and Tatianna today!” 

Bailey comes into the room with a brush in her hand. 

God, she’s beautiful. She still looks so much like she did all those years ago when she ran into my arms. 

Crossing her arms over her chest, she says, “Not unless you let me do your hair.”

Leonora sticks her tongue out at Bailey, but complies, knowing that if she doesn’t listen, she won’t get to see her friends. 

“Are you sure Eva and Liam are up to this?” I ask nervously. 

Bailey rolls her eyes and tucks a lock of chestnut hair behind her ear. “Of course they are. It’s only for a weekend.”

“I know, but two kids are a lot to take care of, especially since Eva is pregnant, and with Tatianna coming over—”

“She’ll have help from Lily. Besides, Penelope isn’t due for months, and Leonora sucks up to Uncle Liam more than anyone else.”

Bailey finishes Leonora’s hair, and we pile into my truck. 

“I want a baby goat!” Leonora shouts from the backseat. 

“Baby goats are a lot of work,” Bailey says. 

“Daddy can take care of him!”

Bailey and I look at each other, smiling. It’s hard to believe that we’ve come so far considering all we’ve been through, but here we are, happy as can be, making our way through life together. 

After dropping Leonora off, we head to the airport, just making our flight. 

“I keep forgetting parts of my speech,” Bailey tells me in a worrying tone. 

For a long time, we led a quiet life, and we still do, but somewhere along the way, people learned of Bailey’s story. About her accident, her kidnapping, and subsequent success in the vinyl wrap business. 

She’s so in-demand, that people have offered to fly her across the country to do jobs, but she refuses to leave her family. Recently, an expo wanted to honor her and her story. She was worried about going on stage because of her scars and the slight limp she still has, but I refused to let her shy away. 

I squeeze her hand. “You don’t need a speech, baby. Your story is your story. Just start from the beginning and don’t stop until you get to the end.”

After the plane lands, we’re picked up in a limousine sent by the expo and brought to our hotel, but we’re not in our room for three minutes before a knock sounds on the door. 

A tall man stands on the other side in blue jeans and a black muscle tee shirt, tattoos lining his arms. 

“Do you need something?” I ask bluntly. 

The man extends his hand to shake. “My name is Dale Whalen, and I was looking for Bailey Brigger.”

I consider slamming the door in his face but think better of it and instead give his hand a tight squeeze. “I’m her husband, Grady.”

“Hello?” Bailey says, peeking around me. “Did I hear my name?”

He retracts his hand. “Hello, Ms. Brigger. My name is Dale, and I’m here on behalf of Bling it in Vinyl in hopes of offering you a position with our team.”

Bailey blinks. “Doing what?”

“We have an upcoming reality television show where contestants are tasked with wrapping vehicles for prizes. It’s set to film next week. We were hoping you would consider being a judge.”

Her face lights with excitement for all of a moment, then she smiles and shrugs. “Thank you for thinking of me, but I have a family to take care of.”

“You’d only be gone for two weeks,” Dale says. 

“Still, I can’t justify—”

“She’ll do it,” I interrupt. 

Bailey’s head snaps in my direction. “I can’t—”

“I can take care of Leonora for all of two weeks, especially with help from your friends.”

“I don’t know.”

Dale hands Bailey a black leather portfolio. “Here are the details. Look it over, and if you like what you see, we can talk after the expo.”

He leaves, and before the door’s fully closed, I say, “I’m not letting you say no to something I know you want to do. I’ll take over your upcoming jobs if I have to.” 

“That’s not the only thing I’m busy with.” She bites her lower lip.

“What is it, baby?”

She digs into her purse and hands me something white and plastic. “I was going to save it for dinner tonight, but I guess now is as good a time as any.” 

“Are you joking?” I ask, taking the pregnancy test from her hand. 

“Do you want me to be?” 

“No! I mean, wow. I didn’t even know we were trying.”

She giggles. “It’s not like we were not trying.”

“Holy shit! This is amazing! Leonora is going to be so happy!” I lift Bailey off the floor and spin her around before setting her back down gently. 

“See why I’m hesitant.”

“Yeah, but it’s not like you’re going to have the baby tomorrow. Do the show, come home,” I open the portfolio, scanning over the paper inside, “and collect a seven-figure paycheck.”

“Seven figures?” She grabs the portfolio from my hand. “No!” 

“You’re not just a car chick. You’re an icon to women across the US. Of course you’re going to get paid a butt load of money.”

“Well, I guess this settles it, then.” She waves the portfolio. “A million dollars for two weeks of work—I’ll take it.”

“Why don’t you get your coat back on and we can head out to dinner early to celebrate?”

She licks her lips and waggles her brow teasingly at me. “I think there are other ways I’d rather celebrate.”

I wrap my arms around her and tilt her face up to meet my gaze. “Oh, yeah?”

She hops into my arms, wrapping her legs around me, and for the next several hours, I lose myself in her.

She’s mine. Mine to love. Mine to care for. 

I’m hers too.

The End

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