Derek was moved beyond words to know that they still thought of him, even after he left. “I know I’ve already said I’m sorry, but that doesn’t even begin to make up for it. I hope I can earn your trust and friendship again, in time.”

  “Hey, it won’t be long before me and Mike are havin’ kids of our own. We’ll be countin’ on you to teach them all the things you taught us.”

  The fact that they were even willing to consider allowing him to be a part of something so precious gave him hope that they could rebuild their relationship. “You have no idea how much that would mean to me.”

  “I think we have some idea,” Jay said, tipping his head toward his brother. “Listen, anyone who could put up with this guy for as long as you did deserves a second chance.”

  “Derek, we missed you,” Mike said, before clearing his throat. “A lot. That’s why I was still so angry and bitter when you came back to town. I thought you were just passin’ through on your way back to your real life.”

  “This is my home, and you guys are part of my family. If you still wanna be?” Derek had put himself out there more in the past week than he had in the past fifteen years, but he knew the potential reward outweighed the risks. If he could have Ashley and her sons back in his life, he wouldn’t ask for another thing as long as he lived.

  Mike grinned as he grasped Derek’s hand and pulled him closer. “Like we have a choice. You’re our old man’s best friend; you’re gonna be our mother’s husband…” Mike looked Derek in the eye as his smile slipped. “I’d be proud to call you my stepfather, but even more than that, I’d like to call you my friend.”

  They were giving him a gift that exceeded his wildest expectations. He’d been hoping for forgiveness for his mistakes and acceptance of his place in their mother’s life, but they were giving him so much more than that. They were offering him another chance to be a part of their lives again, and not just as Ashley’s husband.

  “Thank you,” Derek whispered. “I swear to God, I won’t let you down this time.”

  Jay slapped Derek on the back and laughed. “You better not, man. ‘Cause this time we’ll hunt you down if you try and get away.”

  Ashley was completely overwhelmed watching the three people she loved most in the world reconnecting.

  Jay drew her into his arms when he saw her wiping away the tears. “You made the right choice, Mom.”

  “Thank you for supporting me, for supporting us,” she whispered, hugging him hard.

  Mike pushed his brother out the way and laughed when he pretended to stumble. “Back off; it’s my turn.”

  When Ashley looked up to see the son who was so angry and bitter just days ago smiling down at her with unconditional love in his eyes once more, she couldn’t hide her emotion. “I love you so much.”

  “Right back atcha.” He lifted her off the ground. “I couldn’t have picked a better man to stand by your side for the rest of your life, Mom. I mean that.”

  There were no words to express her gratitude to her sons for giving her the gift of accepting her relationship with the man she loved. She knew without Derek, her life wouldn’t be complete, but without her children, her life would be hollow.

  She drew back and took one of Jay and Mike’s hands in hers. “I cannot tell you how proud I am of the men you’ve become.” Her voice was trembling, but she knew she had to say everything that was in her heart. “You’re so strong and brave…” She turned to smile at Derek. “Forgiving and generous… You’ve all given me a second chance at happiness, and you’ll never know how much that means to me.”

  Mike leaned in to brush a kiss across her cheek. “You were the best mom a kid could ask for. You deserve to be happy.”

  Jay smiled. “For once, he’s right.”

  Ashley laughed through her tears. “Thanks.”

  “I’m serious,” Jay said. “When Derek left… then Dad left, it was rough.” He cleared his throat. “It felt like the rug had been ripped out from under us, but you were the one constant, the one person we could always count on to be there for us, day and night.”

  Her sons had never talked to her about the divorce and the impact it had on them. She was glad they were all finally able to say things they should have been brave enough to say years ago. “You were the only reason I got through,” she said, biting down on her lip. “Those were the darkest days of my life, but somehow you always managed to make me smile.”

  “We don’t want you to be alone anymore,” Mike said quietly. “We’ve watched you date over the years and we kept hopin’ you’d find that connection again, but you never did. Then we saw you with Derek the day of the funeral and it was so obvious why.” Mike sighed as he released his mother’s hand. “It wasn’t easy for me to accept at first, but Dad helped me realize you sacrificed everything to be a good mother to us. It was time for us to give a little in return.”

  Ashley would have to remember to thank Josh for his part in this tomorrow. In spite of everything, she still counted him and his new wife among her closest friends and she knew she was blessed to have people like them in her life. “Your father’s a good man.”

  “The best,” Derek said quietly.

  They all turned toward him and smiled.

  “Okay,” Mike said, shaking Derek’s hand. “I gotta get back to work. I hear the new boss is a real tyrant.”

  Derek laughed. “You heard right.”

  “So, when are guys movin’ in?” Jay asked as he walked with his brother toward the door.

  “The sooner, the better,” Derek said.

  Ashley couldn’t agree more. She couldn’t wait for her new life to begin.

  Once they walked her boys to the door and waved them off, Derek closed the door and turned into her arms.

  She smiled up at him. “It’s been quite a day, hasn’t it?”

  “The best.” He leaned in to kiss her. “I didn’t feel I had the right to ask you this question until I had your sons’ approval, Ash…”

  Her heart started thumping in her chest. She’d waited most of her life to hear Derek utter those four little words that would change her life forever. She could scarcely believe after years of wishing and praying for a miracle, the day had finally arrived.

  “I know I’ve let you down,” he said, taking her hands in his as he looked into her eyes. “First, back in college, when I was too young and stupid to realize that a love like ours only comes along once in a lifetime, if you’re lucky…”

  Ashley didn’t even try to stop the flood of tears; she knew there was no way to keep her emotions in check now.

  “Then fifteen years ago, when I wasn’t man enough to stay and fight like hell for what I wanted.” He palmed her cheek, absorbing her tears. “I’ll never make that mistake again. I swear to you, Ash, I’ll never leave you and I’ll never let you leave me. You’re mine, and I’m yours, forever.”

  “As it was meant to be,” she whispered.

  “Let’s make it official. Agree to be my wife, sweetheart.”

  There wasn’t a moment’s hesitation when she finally said, “Yes.”

  Epilogue

  Derek reached out to pull Ashley into the circle of his arms. After twenty-five years of waiting to make Ashley his bride, the day he’d been secretly planning for the past month was finally here.

  Ashley snuggled in closer, releasing a contented sigh. “I love waking up with you every morning.”

  They’d been living in their new house for a month, and Derek still woke up in awe of his good fortune when he glanced at the woman sleeping next to him. “Me too, sweetheart.” He kissed her neck, smiling when he heard the hitch in her breath. “You and the girls still on for today?”

  “As far as I know we are.”

  Ashley assumed she and Derek would be saying their vows next week at the courthouse, but Derek had waited too many years to allow this day to fly under the radar without getting the fanfare it deserved. Ashley argued this was her second wedding, and they weren’t kids anymore. She joked that it didn’t matter how they took their vows as long as their marriage was legal, but it mattered to Derek, a lot.

  She deserved the best of him, and he wasted so many years he should have spent by her side, as her husband, her best friend, her shoulder to cry on. He was determined to give her the wedding they should’ve had years ago.

  Thankfully, they had the best friends and family in the world. They worked tirelessly to help him pull this off. Trey and Sierra volunteered their home for the venue, Marisa was handling the wardrobe, Lexi had volunteered to help him with the flowers and catering, Nikki and Avery were arranging the transportation and entertainment, Mike and Jay were dealing with security and photographers, J.T. was handling the alcohol, and Sierra was working with the wedding coordinator to ensure their home was picture perfect for the big day.

  Derek was still amazed they’d managed to pull it off without tipping Ashley off. “What time do you have to meet them?”

  She turned into his arms before pressing her lips to his bare chest. “We thought it would be fun to have another spa day.” She raised her head to look at the alarm clock. “I have to be there in a couple of hours.”

  Derek tipped her chin to claim her mouth. There were so many things he wanted to say to her today, but the surprise he was planning meant he had to suffer in silence. “I love you,” he whispered. He knew in the end that was the only thing that mattered and once she walked into the fantasy he’d created for her, she would have no doubt about how much she meant to him.

  Ashley smiled. “I love you, too.” She brushed her fingertips through his hair. “It would be nice to get away for a few days next week, wouldn’t it?”

  He told her he was swamped at work. Since he’d just taken over the new position, she believed him when he told her it would be difficult, if not impossible, for them to have a proper honeymoon right now. Of course, that was just another part of his surprise. Trey and Sierra had offered their condo in Panama for the honeymoon and presented him with plane tickets as their wedding gift.

  “It sure would, but I’ll make it up to you over the holidays. Right after Christmas, we’ll go somewhere tropical…”

  “Yeah, I know.” She forced a smile. “I can hardly wait.”

  He knew she was trying so hard to pretend it didn’t bother her, getting married at the courthouse, postponing their honeymoon, but she had been the one to try and convince him it was their best option. She claimed it was too soon after Dave’s death to consider a big family celebration. Besides, she argued, this was her second time walking down the aisle. She didn’t need the fancy dress or legions of guests to watch them take their vows.

  If he didn’t know her so well, he may have believed her, but she couldn’t hide what was in her heart, not from him. He knew she felt the same way he did. They had waited twenty-five years for this day; it should be a day they’d remember forever. Thanks to their friends and family, it would be.

  Derek had shared Ashley’s concern about having the wedding so soon after Dave’s death, but his parents and brothers assured him that Dave would want them to claim their happiness, and he knew they were right. So many times in recent weeks he felt his brother’s presence, and he knew he’d be with them today, in spirit.

  Derek leaned over, pinning her to the mattress with his body. “Since you don’t have to be at the spa for a couple of hours…”

  She laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “What did you have in mind to kill the time, handsome?”

  They’d made love more in the past month than they ever had in the preceding years, but Derek knew he’d never get enough of her. When he thought of all of the lonely hours he’d wasted, thinking about her, lying in his big empty bed, wishing she were beside him, he knew they had a lot of time to make up for, and he didn’t want to waste another second.

  She tipped her head back and moaned when his tongue found the sweet spot at the base of her neck. “Mmm, I love when you do that.”

  He had spent the past month mapping her body. He knew exactly what she liked and what she needed to be satisfied. He shifted his attention to her sensitive breasts, using his hands and mouth to heighten her arousal.

  She grazed his back with her nails as she arched her back. “I need you… now.”

  He knew, judging by her desperate plea, that she couldn’t withstand endless foreplay today. Neither could he. He looked into her eyes, hoping he was effectively conveying everything he wished he could say with words. He wasted no time seeking the heat radiating from her core as her eyelids trembled in an effort to hold his gaze.

  “Yes,” she whispered as she opened to accept his intense invasion. “God, I love the way you feel, Derek, the way you make me feel. So complete, so—” She lost her breath when he couldn’t hold back any longer.

  He wanted to take her slowly, reverently, this morning, but his body had other ideas. “Jesus, Ash,” he muttered, bowing his head, silently praying for an ounce of the self-control he was so famous for. On the job, he was the epitome of discipline, but when she worshipped him with her beautiful body, he couldn’t remember his own name, much less how to control his reaction to her.

  “Let go,” she whispered, drawing his body down until he was resting his weight on top of her. “You don’t have to be on guard with me,” she said, peppering kisses all over his neck and shoulder.

  He knew she was right. Ashley was the one person in the world who knew him inside out. She knew how to please him in bed, what made him laugh, his favorite memories, his dreams, and the only thing in the world that terrified him beyond reason… the thought of losing her again.

  His body took over, shutting his brain down as he gave himself over to the sensations tearing through him. He filled her, thrusting deeper, harder, faster… “Oh man…” He clenched his jaw, trying to draw on the remaining ounce of sense his raging libido hadn’t displaced. “Baby, please, I’m so close.”

  “It’s okay. I’m right there with you.”

  And when he opened his eyes to watch her give in to her body’s demands, it was the sexiest thing he ever witnessed. Seeing her climax with his name falling from her lush lips was the one thing guaranteed to send him over the edge faster than anything else. She was so gorgeous. And from this day on, she would be his wife.

  By the time they both descended that elusive peak, they opened their eyes and smiled at each other. “Wow,” she said, shaking her head. “How is it you keep getting better and better?”

  He stole a kiss before rolling over. “You bring out the best in me, baby.”

  Ashley felt a little overwhelmed as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her friends had convinced her to surprise Derek with glamorous make-up and a formal up-do, but she hadn’t expected anything like this. It was breathtaking. The make-up artist and hair stylist were clearly magicians. She’d never looked or felt more beautiful in her life. Not even the day she married Josh all those years ago.

  “Oh my God,” Avery whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder as she stood behind her in the mirror. “You look incredible.”

  “It’s the hair and make-up…” She held a trembling hand against the soft upswept tendrils.

  “No,” Avery said, shaking her head. “It takes more than a few sparkly pins and a mascara wand to create that.” She squeezed Ashley’s shoulders. “You’re radiant.”

  Ashley felt a pang of regret that she wouldn’t be able to recreate this look for her wedding day. It would look silly, she reasoned, getting all dolled up to exchange their vows in a stuffy judge’s office. “Thanks, Avery.” She placed her hand on her friend’s as she smiled at her reflection in the mirror. “You look beautiful, too.”

  All of the ladies decided to treat themselves to manicures, pedicures, massages, hair, and make-up. Nikki teased they would have to insist their men take them out on the town tonight so their glamorous looks wouldn’t go to waste sitting in front of the TV watching the big game.

  Sierra clapped her hands as she peeked out the window. “Look, girls… the car’s here.”

  Ashley frowned. “What car? We all drove here. I thought we were heading home—”

  “Not just yet,” Sierra said before taking Ashley’s hand to pull her out of the chair. “We have a little surprise back at my house. Come on, let’s go.”

  Derek stood beneath the floral arch taking in their magnificent surroundings. Trey and Sierra’s home was beautiful without the additional lights, flowers, organza fabric, and satin covered chairs lining the lawn. But with the elegant adornments, the grounds looked like they belonged on the pages of a glossy magazine.

  Josh, who stood at Derek’s side, slapped him on the back. “You nervous, man?”

  “Not nervous, just anxious. I can’t wait to make Ashley my wife.”

  “You should’ve done this a long time ago, if you ask me.”

  “It means a lot to me and Ash that you support us. If not for you, Jay and Mike may never have come around.”

  In the weeks since he and Ashley had moved in together, her sons has been over for dinner a handful of times, and the time they spent together was even better than Derek could have hoped for. Day by day, they were slowly, carefully, rebuilding their relationship. Jay or Mike would often come over to watch sports with him, shoot pool in the basement, or talk shop. He thought Ashley’s absence created the void in his life, but the time he spent with Jay and Mike made him realize that he’d missed them almost as much as he’d missed her.

  Josh shrugged. “They’re hard-headed like their old man, especially Mike, but I know they would’ve come around eventually.”

  “Hey, thanks for agreeing to be my best man. I hope it’s not weird for you.”

  “Why would it be weird for me? You and Ash are my best friends. The fact that you guys have finally found your way back to each other is awesome.”

  J.T., Ty, Trey, Mike, and Jay made their way down the aisle to take their place alongside Josh. Having Ashley’s sons standing beside him, showing their support for this union, meant everything to him, and he knew Ashley would feel the same way.