“Hailey, you deserve more than a Vegas shotgun wedding. You mean a lot to me. I want you to have a big wedding. I'm a jerk for even suggesting it. I have come to have feelings for you. I know what I am feeling is love. I know you are forever for me. I will be here to protect you until the end of time. When we are too stubborn to call each other, I can't stop thinking about you. I want to wake up next to you every day. What do you say let's do this together. Will you marry me?”

I can’t describe how I feel. I am at a loss for words. I know that I love him. When he was in Vegas I felt a void. I wanted to be there, but I needed time. During that time, I thought about how I felt not being with him. I missed him. I longed to see him and be with him physically. I know what my answer has to be.

“Yes, I'll marry you. How can I say no to this proposal or to you? I’ve missed you a lot.”

He always knows the right thing to do. He kisses me and puts the ring on my finger. “I’ve missed you too.”

This is like a dream come true. I couldn't even have imagined that this would be happening to me, not after everything that we've been through for so many years.

“Wait, I have to go apologize to my client. I had a meeting at one. Wait... What the hell? How? You sent in the book…!”

“I forgive you,” he says, smiling once again.

“What? I’m…”

“I wrote a book about a girl who was teased in high school about her weight and ended up marrying the guy who protected her.”

“You wrote Provoked?” I struggle to comprehend everything that is going on.

“Yes. I wrote it for you. Everything that happened in high school never left me. I always thought about it. I always wanted to be a writer, as well as a lacrosse player. This was the story I needed to tell.”

“Oh, Chase, that’s the best thing anyone has ever done for me.” I grab him and kiss his face. “I honestly thought it was going to be Carrie. She's an author, so I heard.”

“She's on drugs. God only knows what she does with her life.”

“I know. I'm just shocked you are the author.”

“So... Do I get signed or what?”

“You get better than that. You get a package specialized just for you. You get a book deal, and the publisher comes with it.”

He whips out a pen from his pocket.

“I'm in… forever,” he says, grabbing me by my waist.

“So am I...”

CHAPTER 43

Chase

I CAN ACTUALLY say that I am the happiest I have ever been in my life. It has been four months since I became engaged to Hailey. So much has happened in such a short amount of time. The man, Mr. Katz, that I was purchasing the pharmacy chain from became ill and wanted to get the deal done sooner than I expected. I found this out when I met with him in Vegas. After our meeting, I called my dad and discussed the details with him. I told him that this was what I wanted to do. I wanted to take the deal. I explained to him what happened with Hailey and how I asked her to elope with me and she didn’t show up. He made me realize how wrong I was and how he didn’t blame her for not showing up. After hanging up with my dad, I gladly accepted the offer and started my plan to get my lady.

After the proposal, Hailey and I purchased a new condo together and she decided to rent her previous one out for now. I put my house on Staten Island up for sale and it sold quickly. I am just waiting to make settlement on it.

Today is a big day for me. It is the grand opening of my new pharmacy in Greenwich Village. We are having a ribbon-cutting ceremony. I signed the final paperwork last week. I faxed it over to Mr. Katz because he couldn’t fly back to New York. Everyone is here today to support me: My parents, grandparents, my sister and her boyfriend, and Hailey. She has been my rock throughout this entire process. She is a very savvy businesswoman and made sure everything was perfect with my contracts and all the logistics.

I look over at her and she is smiling while she talks with my mom and sister. I walk toward them.

“Isn’t this amazing?” I say, feeling proud of myself.

“It really is, Chase. You worked so hard for this,” my mom says. “You deserve all the happiness in the world.”

“Thanks, Mom.” I grab Hailey’s hand in mine. “She makes me happy and that’s all I need. Everything else doesn’t come close.”

I kiss Hailey’s lips. “I love you. I can’t wait until you’re my wife.”

“Are you ready to open your new business?” Hailey asks.

“Let’s do it.”

We walk toward the front of the building holding hands. The mayor hands me the scissors. As I cut the ribbon, for me, it symbolizes new beginnings, not just for my business, but for my life. Everything is perfect. Six months ago I would have never in a million years thought I would be where I am right now. Now that I have all this, I wouldn’t have changed anything. Hailey completed me. We approach the door together and turn the knob to our future.

EPILOGUE: 3 MONTHS LATER

Parker

I SCROLL THROUGH my Facebook page as I sit here, waiting for Megan to come out of her exam with the doctor. They are doing an internal, so I chose to wait outside. They’ll call me back in once she is finished to discuss when she will be delivering. According to her previous visits, she is due tomorrow. The doctors are saying if she doesn’t deliver naturally by Saturday, they will admit her into the hospital and break her water.

There is nothing interesting happening on Facebook, just a bunch of people complaining. I come across a post from Hailey. Despite everything that happened, she never deleted me as a friend. I know from her previous posts that her and Chase were engaged about seven months ago and are getting married next year. When I first found out about the news, I was upset. I messed up a lot, but one thing that was true was that I really liked Hailey. I’m still upset with myself over the way I treated her. I messed up any chances I had with her.

As for my friendship with Chase, I really miss him. We were very close. I sometimes feel lonely, even though I have other friends to hang out with. It’s not the same as having your best friend. I tried to reach out to him, but he refuses to speak to me.

Megan and I have become close over the past few months. I guess that’s what a child does to you. I have enjoyed this journey with her but have no idea where it will end up. I know one thing for sure: I will be a part of my child’s life. I wish I could go back and do everything differently. I would have made different choices.

The nurse comes out to get me. “Parker, we are ready for you.”

“Thanks.” I follow her back to the room.

Megan is sitting on the bed, smiling as I enter the room. “How’s our little girl?”

“She’s doing great. I’m dilated, so she should be here very shortly.”

“Oh, Meg, I’m so happy. Are they going to admit you?”

“No, they said I can go home and just wait. They’re going to do a regular ultrasound, so you can see her on the screen again.”

“I want to see her in person,” I say, grabbing her hand.

Hearing my daughter’s heartbeat up on the monitor brings tears to my eyes. One thing is for sure: out of all the mistakes I have made, this is one that I don’t regret. This baby has changed my life and made me realize what’s important.

“Come on. I’ll take you home. I’ll stay with you to make sure you are okay and don’t go into labor alone.”

“Are you sure? You don’t have to.”

“I want to.” I grab her bags and put my hand on her back as we walk out of the doctor’s office to await our little girl’s arrival.