Faith

 

With both of Bry’s hands in mine, I take a deep breath in and slowly exhale. It’s normal to be nervous, right?

“Bry, twenty-seven years ago I was sitting in my front yard, probably being ignored by my annoying big brother and sister—”

“Hey!” Delilah gasps.

“Probably true,” Ez says with a laugh.

I frown but end up poking my tongue out at both of them.

Bryant’s eyes are dancing when I look back at him, but he’s nodding. “Definitely true,” he mouths, and I can’t stop a snort escaping my lips.

“You were my first best friend, my first—and only—great love, my first husband…” Bry’s eyes widen, making my lips twitch, but I don’t let it sway me. I’ve waited long enough for this. “Now I know right down to the bottom of my soul that you’re going to be my last everything too. But before Jax hurries us along so he can hit the bar, there are two more firsts to get out of the way.” Bry’s brows bunch together, his eyes narrowing adorably, then there’s a dangerous gleam there.

“But I thought you said it was exit only?” he whispers just loud enough for those closest to us to hear—Jamie, Jax, the wives, and the sister’s ears only. Thank God Axel is clueless.

“Bryant…” I teasingly scold, biting my lip as I try not to burst out laughing.

“Ez?” I ask, calling him over. He walks toward us, a white A4 envelope in his hand.

When he reaches us, he puts his hand on my shoulder and leans in to kiss my cheek before handing me surprise number two for the day. Turning to Bry, he holds his hand out and shakes it before pulling him in for a man hug.

“No kiss on the cheek?” Jax pipes up, a huge smirk on his face.

“Fuck off, Jax,” Bry and Ez say in unison, earning a laugh from everyone watching the exchange.

I wait until Ez has retaken his seat before looking down at my hands, my fingers crinkling the paper with a nervously tight grip.

“Faith?” Bryant says, soft and low, as if for my ears only. “What is it? ’Cause if you’re about to tell me you’re moving to Antarctica to study penguins, then I guess I’m stocking up on snow gear.”

And somehow, that’s all I need to know that whatever comes at us, whatever we have to conquer in life from this point on, we’ll make it because we’ll always do it together.

“No penguins,” I reply with a wry smile. I lift my head to watch his face as I hold out the first surprise for him. “It’s hard to make a home if we’re living on the other side of the world.”

He purses his lips and studies me before he opens the envelope and pulls out a folded piece of paper. His gaze drops to the page as he reads the words before his head jerks up, his eyes wide, his lips parting. His breath catches.

He looks from Jamie, then back to me. “What?”

“C’mon, Bry, what is it?” Ez calls out.

“You… how?” he stutters, blinking rapidly as his eyes dart down to the paper then back up again.

“Pending approval from my husband, the owner has agreed to let us buy the pile of sticks we helped turn into a home.”

I shoot another glance at Jamie, who’s grinning huge now, chuckling quietly at Bryant’s shock.

Bry’s mouth gapes, but he quickly snaps it closed again. His expression full of wonder as he takes a step forward to close the remaining distance between us. He cradles my jaw and leans in to touch his head to mine.

“You bought us the house?”

I reach out and rest my hands on his hips. “It’s where we found each other again. It’s where I fell even more in love with you than I already was—and that was already a hell of a lot. It’s our first house as a married couple. Why not make it our future home?”

“Wrecking ball?”

“Total destruction of any doubt that I’m going to be anywhere except by your side for the rest of our lives,” I whisper.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” Then he tilts his head, runs a hand into my hair, and kisses me with so much feeling, I’m barely able to stay standing.

Jamie clears his throat, and I’m smiling as we finally pull apart. Tears fall down my face at the happiness and absolute peace I find in Bryant’s eyes.

I turn to look at April, Ronnie, Delilah, and even Abi and find every one of them crying. Then I look at Ezra, who’s beaming with pride, and my parents and the Cooks, who are all grinning at each other, and Axel, whose cute little brows are drawn together in complete and utter confusion.

“Bry, do you have anything you want to say?” Jamie asks.

Bryant is full of wonder and surprise, his shock still plain to see. He turns around and hands the purchase and sale agreement for the house to Jax, who cups a hand on Bry’s shoulder and nods approvingly at him before letting him go. Facing me again, Bry snakes an arm around my waist and draws me in close.

“I remember what you said to me in this very same backyard when I was a clueless thirteen-year-old. I remember you telling me even way back then that you were only ever going to get married once, and when you said I do, your husband would know that you meant it and that he’d be the only man you’d ever love from that day forward.”

I suck in a breath, my eyes flooding with tears.

He reaches up and sweeps my cheeks with his thumbs, his love, and adoration completely undeniable. “I knew the first time I saw you again that this was the chance I’d been waiting the last twelve years for, and that I would do absolutely everything in my power to make sure you’d never wanna leave again. What I didn’t count on was it being the easiest fight of my life because every step of the way, you’ve been right there with me.”

“You’d already won me the day I met you,” I whisper, loving the way his gaze turns soft.

“And every day for the rest of our lives, I’m going to be there. Through the hard times, the easy times, the challenging and the fantastic times, I’ll be there. I want to build a life with you, a family. I want everything with you because that’s exactly what you’ve given me,” he finishes.

“Well, by the power invested in me by absolutely no one, I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Jamie announces.

Bryant is beaming as he lowers his head to kiss me. I almost fall into my usual Bry haze, but manage to keep a level head just before his lips make contact and gently push on his chest.

I step back, loving his sexy, confused frown. “I kind of have one more thing to give my husband.”

“Wasn’t a house enough?” Cohen calls out, earning a round of laughter.

“It can’t be your V-card; that’s long gone,” Jax teases, which makes Bryant snort.

“Jax!” Ronnie says, shaking her head.

“Dad,” Ax whispers. “What’s a v-card?”

I tune him out though because the butterflies in my stomach are whipping up a storm and the nerves are kicking in. That’s because there’s one last thing I’ve been holding close to my chest, and now is as good a time as any to reveal it.

Dipping my chin, I look down and take a deep, fortifying breath. I lift my gaze to find Bryant staring at me.

I hook a hand behind my back, and as planned, Delilah discreetly places a final white box in my hand, one she’s been holding for me since just before I walked down the aisle.

I bring it around and pass it to Bry.

“Another memento?” he asks with a wry smile.

I nod toward the box. “Open it,” I whisper.

I’m sure my heart stops as I stare at his face, not wanting to miss a single moment as I wait for him to look.

 

Bryant

 

Placing my index finger under the lid of the box, wondering what the hell is left for her to give me. I’ve got the love of my life, I’ve got the house we’ve renovated and lived in. I can’t think of anything else that she could—

I go completely still. I’m stuck on the piece of plastic nestled inside the box. The white stick with the word pregnant on a small screen staring up at me. I jerk my head to find Faith biting her lip, her eyes wide and cautious as she waits for my reaction.

She doesn’t have to wait for long. I drop the box and wrap my arm around her waist, slowly drawing her in against me and bringing her face right in close to mine.

“I only found out this morning. I thought I might—”

There are soft murmurs around us, but nothing compares to the quiet, happy sob coming from my wife. A sound that represents everything and that I know I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.

“Fuck, I love you,” I growl before dipping her backwards and giving her a long, slow, and very deep kiss. I languidly stroke my tongue against hers, groaning when she gives it all back to me, not giving a single shit that we’ve got an audience as I set about exploring every inch of my mouth.

The sound of applause and catcalls fill the air, but I ignore it all, too lost in the taste, smell, and feel of my one and only forever love.

There is one voice that does break through, and of course, it’s Axel’s. “Dammit, why didn’t I bring my swear jar? I could’ve made a killing. Son of a bit—”

A chorus of “Axel!” rings out, and I feel Faith smile against my lips but nothing—not even Ax being Ax—can tear me away from kissing my wife right now.

My life began four months ago, and within the next year, it’s going to change all over again when our baby is born.

There’s a lot to be said for working your way back. It’s just that in our case, it was Faith working her way back to me the way she needed to, and for me to continue loving her the only way I’ve ever known how.

Completely.

 

Keep reading for an exclusive sneak peek of Hard Work—Cohen and Skye’s story.