Little Kisses

Epilogue

“Amy, those are ridiculous!”

I laughed. “I know, I bought the most ridiculous party decor I could find.”

“Poor Ean.”

“Do not feel sorry for him.” Turning, I stood on my tiptoes to press a frilly, sparkly Hawaiian inspired balloon up.

“We could have done a hunting theme,” my sister-in-law suggested.

“Nah.” I shrugged her off. “He’ll love this.”

Annie laughed. “I don’t know about that.”

“Well,” I smiled, “He’s got no choice.” I stepped back and inspected the decor in my large living room. “It looks awesome!”

Annie came to my side. “It’s sparkly.”

“Ean loves sparkles!” I laughed. “Let’s go help your Mom.” I turned to her as knocking filled the house.

“Oh!” I bounced. “People.”

“I’ve never seen you wanting to be social so bad.”

“I live in the middle of nowhere, after four years, you’re welcome any sort of cheesy party you can get your hands on.”

She laughed. “You mean your husband’s surprise birthday party?”

“Yeah, exactly.” Walking to the front door, Annie followed.

I opened the door to reveal my best friend. “Beth!” I jumped on her.

“Hi!”

I parted from her and looked to Steve waiting. “Hello, stranger!”

He smiled and I hugged him too.

“We brought five types of dessert,” Beth announced, walking into the house with us.

“I told you one.” I reminded her.

“Yeah, well, we had issues deciding.” She handed me the platters of the fancy desserts, very city, polished and all.

I looked them over. “Nice, Beth.”

“Where’s Cord!” She exclaimed.

“Kitchen.” I led the way, to reveal my four-year-old helping spread icing all over a chocolate cake.

“Corden,” I called to my four-year-old son as he helped my mother-in-law spread icing over a cake.

Beth attacked him. “Oh, Cordy, I missed you so much!”

He squeaked. “Aunty Beth, you’re killing me.”

I laughed. “You’re killing him, Beth.”

She snorted, pinching his cheeks as he wrinkled his nose and whined. “He loves me!”

Corden cringed. “Mama . . .”

I smiled. “She won’t actually kill you, Cord.”

He huffed, Beth letting him go.

“I just missed him so much!” She parted from him, turning to me. “He looks so much like Ean, holy!”

I nodded. “I know but I sent you photos.”

“I know but,” Beth broke, moving her hands through all his floppy hair he’d inherited from his father. “He’s like a mini Ean!”

“I’m Corden.” My son deadpanned.

“She knows, Cord,” I assured him.

“Okay! What needs to be done?”

“Ask Donna.” I pointed to my mother-in-law and pointed Beth in the correct direction.

Beth, peppy, excited, became Donna’s problem.

The door bell an hour later became an annoyance and I ended up leaving the door open with a note attached to just come in.

Annie had been in charge of ushering people in and then it became a waiting game for my husband. Which for some reason, I was fearful and nervous of, and that had to do with the fact that I expected Jason to open his mouth and ruin the surprise.

As the minutes ticked on by and Beth’s head in the window finally moved, she turned to us, pensive. “Okay, I think they’re here!”

I grumbled, “Finally.”

Beth and Annie got all twenty-five people into silence, which I found impressive.

Standing in the middle of the room, I waited, hearing the keys in the door as it opened. Jason’s voice, followed by Ean’s husky laugh made my heart flutter. I hadn’t seen him in almost four weeks but the job he’d just completed had just paid for the rest of his brand new truck.

I had to stop myself from leaving the spacious living room to run to him and waiting became painful.

“Why is it so dark?” Ean grumbled, “Amy!”

I heard Beth giggle and I swallowed, hushing her from where I stood front and center.

“Jeez,” Jason’s voice echoed through the front hall. “Maybe she left your ass.”

“Oh, thanks, Jason, that’s-” He walked into the living room and Beth led everyone in a huge roar.

“Surprise!”

The lights flipped on and lit his room full of birthday guests into view.

He stopped duffle bag over his shoulder. “Oh, no, what is all this?”

I smiled as he took in everyone. Corden fought in my arms and I put him to the ground, letting our little boy tackle him.

Ean caught him, dropping his bag and lifting him in arms. “Awe, buddy, did you do all this?”

“Yep!” Corden took credit.

Ean laughed as people started to say happy birthday to him.

I waited my turn though I could tell he was hurrying that along, wanting to get to me.

“Wife.” He greeted, once I stepped towards him.

I smiled. “Were you surprised, or did Jason blab?”

“What? I was fully surprised.” He kissed me.

I took ahold of the front of his t-shirt and it got his full attention. “So, how do you feel, old man?”

“Is thirty-seven really this big of a deal?”

I giggled. “You’re old and Annie and I saw an opening for a surprise party.”

He kissed me again. “I missed you.”

“You didn’t,” I argued.

He brushed my bangs from my forehead. “Oh, I did.”

I wanted to tell him my real surprise but I’d save that. “I missed you too.”

His lips brushed my cheek as Jason came roaring up.

“I got the beer-bong!”

Ean stared at him, beer-bong in all. “You’re joking.”

“Right!” Jason bellowed. “You’re an old man, I’ll do it!”

Ean rustled away from me, giving me Corden. “Take our child.”

“Don’t do it!” I laughed.

“I’m doing it.” Ean grabbed Jason’s shoulder and dragged him to the kitchen.

“To the beer!” Jason announced, making a complete fool of both of them.

~~~

I snapped a birthday cone over his brown head of hair and kissed his cheek. “Are you drunk enough, my husband.” Falling into his lap as he manhandled me.

“I’m plenty drunk.” He murmured, “Plenty.”

I giggled as his mouth came to my ear and nibbled, my core shot with warmth and I wanted my husband. . bad.

With fewer people and a dying party, I snuggled into him on the couch. “Did you like your party?”

“It was great.”

I smiled, proud of myself. “Good.” Toying with the paper hat again.

“Stop it.” He stopped me, taking my hand and kissing my palm.

My stomach fluttered, knowing now was more than the time to tell him my actual surprise. My hands caught his stubbled cheeks and I kissed him, our mouths more than serious fast.

“Oh, baby.”

I giggled. “Literally.”

He paused his mouth. “Hmm?”

I dropped my mouth from him, nodding. “Surprise.”

He drew back, looking at me, tilting his head in his natural Ean way. “What?”

I smiled, holding my giggle. “Oh, baby.” I made it clearer for him to understand.

He stared at me. “You’re pregnant?”

“Like I said, surprise.” I breathed.

His smile grew. “Oh, how did I manage that?”

“You have good aim.”

“Or is it my huge-”

I threw my hand over his mouth. “Shut up about your cock.”

He laughed through my hand and took me down on the couch.

“Ean, there’s still people here.” My face reddened.

He grumbled into my lips, kissing me again, coming over me.

My hands grabbed fist fulls of his hair, as I wished we were alone, encouraging him to keep kissing and making out with me. He tasted of beer but smelt like Ean, so it satisfied.

“You guys are like teenagers.” Jason’s slur of a voice chimed in between our entangled tongues.

Ean broke away from me. “Amy’s pregnant!”

“Ean!” I pushed him into a sitting position, my face tomato red.

“What?” He smiled. “It was my surprise.”

“That was his birthday present?” Jason stared at me.

I shrugged.

“That’s a horrible birthday present pawn off, Amy.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “He likes it. Don’t you, honey?”

“Heck, yes.” Ean stumbled up. “Mom, guess what!”

“Oh, no,” I grumbled as he left the room, drunk but happy.

Jason smiled. “Backfired on you, didn’t it?”

“Slightly.” I admitted, getting off the couch.

“The thought was there.” His friend toyed with me.

“It’s not like your present was much better.”

He huffed, “Hello, beer, drunk . . . in fact, I probably helped your gift go over so well.”

I snorted. “Well, I really thought you were going to blab, so, at least, you kept it shut.”

Jason giggled, drinking his beer.

“You blabbed!” I exclaimed.

“Came out.” Jason shrugged.

“But he . . .”

“Ean’s good at pretending,” Jason smirked.

“I’m gonna . . .” I made a growl, “I knew you’d tell him!”

“Hey,” Jason protested. “I did try.”

“I’m gonna kill him for lying.”

“He didn’t lie!” Jason explained, “He went along with it.”

“It’s the same thing.” I marched into the kitchen to a warm welcome of smiles, coos and hugging and Ean beaming in between. I lost my edge, thanking everyone, ignoring my own mother’s finally comments and crushing into my husband’s side.

He kissed my forehead. “Why are you clammy?”

“I’m not.” I grumbled.

“What’s wrong?” He laughed in a low voice.

“You knew about the party.” I whispered.

He ran his hand over my stomach as everyone returned to whatever they had been doing before my entrance.

“It’s Jason, what did you expect?”

Huffing, I settled my temper down. “Just as long as you had fun.”

“My fun-card is full.” He smiled.

“Is it?”

His eyes met mine. “Hmm, mostly.”

“Yeah?” Knowing what the rest of his fun would mean for later that night. “Four weeks is a long time, Ean.”

“Don’t I know it.” He pressed his lips to mine and I enjoyed his kiss.

Sharing a few more seconds of intimate contact, he tugged me along into the living room to visit with the last our guests. If this was true happiness, I knew I would never be able to replace it, not with anyone in the entire world. He had become my everything and I was ecstatic to be his VP the rest of our lives.