This is it, the final chapter but not the end of the story...Thanks so much for all of you who have marked favorite and/or author/story alert. I will probably find ideas to write as long as you are interested in reading what I write! :) If you've been reading faithfully but haven't taken time yet to tell me what you think, now's a perfect time!
Chapter 36: Reasons to Celebrate
******A Few Hours Later Back on Campus******
Duncan went to two of his professors' offices to apologize for missing class and to turn in an outline for his midterm business proposal. It was lunch time when he finished. He went to the Child Development Center, knowing Parker should be coming out. He couldn't wait to see her. There she was walking with a classmate. "Parker!" he said loudly with a wave to get her attention. She looked toward him and broke out into a happy smile. She walked quickly toward him and threw her arms around his neck.
"I can't believe you're back! I'm so glad! I missed you!" She hugged him. She pulled back and started to ask about his trip, but Duncan had other plans. He kissed her. He meant for it to be just a friendly kiss, but the moment his lips touched hers he couldn't resist. He had missed her more than he realized.
When the kiss ended, he looked down at her. "I missed you, too," he said with a warm smile.
"I can see that," she said with a pleased expression. "How's Lily? Did you have a nice visit?" she asked.
"I have a lot to tell you. How about we grab some lunch, so I can fill you in?" Duncan suggested.
She agreed. He took her hand, and they headed toward the food court.
When they made it to the cafeteria, Duncan grabbed a tray for them while they each made a selection.
Across the cafeteria, Wallace was finishing up his lunch when his phone rang. He smiled when he recognized the voice. "Piz! It's about time you called, man! Emails are not the same thing as a phone call! I was beginning to think you had dumped me!" Wallace teased.
Back in New York, Piz smiled into the phone. It was good to hear Wallace's voice. "I'm sorry. I know I've been a lazy friend. From your last email, I could tell you were pretty stressed out. I wanted to call and see how you were," Piz replied.
"I'm okay. Feeling better today. My dad is moving to Neptune!" Wallace said. Then he filled Piz in on his dad's new job change.
"That's good news. I know it's not easy being away from your family. I've been torn between being homesick for home and missing everyone in Neptune," Piz admitted. "New York is great, but it's really easy to feel alone in a crowd."
"Yeah, that's how I felt at first when I was in Chicago. But I had my dad and friends from Neptune in town, so it wasn't too bad. How's the job?" Wallace asked.
"It's really great. Everything I hoped it'd be," Piz said. However, Wallace could sense he was leaving out something.
"That's good. I'm glad for you," Wallace said.
"How's Parker?" Piz finally asked.
"She's fine. It took her a while, but she's joined the cheerleading squad, trying to stay busy and meet new people. She's living with Mac and Jazmin," Wallace said carefully. He didn't want to bring up Duncan.
"Is she over me?" Piz asked gloomily.
"Well, you could call her yourself and find out," Wallace pointed out. "I can't believe you not only broke up with her for no good reason, but you haven't even called her. I thought you were in love with her."
"I was. I am!" Piz insisted.
"Then why did you break up with her?" Wallace asked, not for the first time. However, maybe enough time had passed, and Piz would be willing to talk about it.
Piz sighed heavily. Wallace could easily picture his expression. "I guess I got scared. I was just afraid of her slipping away like Veronica did," Piz admitted.
"Do you really think your relationship with Veronica was the same as the one you had with Parker?" Wallace asked.
"No, of course not!" Piz exclaimed. "I mean I was crazy about Veronica. You know that. But it was more like infatuation. She never felt the same."
"So if you loved Parker so much, why'd you give up so easily and just let her go?" Wallace wondered.
"I don't know," Piz admitted quietly. "I really wanted to stay in New York for this job, and I figured a long distance relationship would be doomed to failure, especially since I knew Duncan Kane was into her and would be sniffing around." When Wallace failed to comment, he asked, "They're together, aren't they?"
"I wouldn't say that exactly. I'm pretty sure they haven't slept together, but I know they've been going out," Wallace said.
"How do you know that?" Piz asked. "Are you and Duncan best friends now, too?" There was a definite note of resentment in his voice.
"No, we're friends. But I'm not his confidante," Wallace said. "However, I am Dick's, and he's got a big mouth about that kind of thing. He's teased Duncan about not getting any a few times recently."
Piz snorted. That sounded like Dick. The guy never knew when to shut up. "So do you think I've lost her?" Piz inquired.
"I don't know, man. I'm not privy to Parker's feelings. However, I know she loved you a lot, and I don't see her as just forgetting you so easily. Do you?"
"It's been almost two months," Piz reminded him.
"All I know is if you stay gone, she will move on. Maybe with Duncan or maybe some other guy. You really hurt her, you know," Wallace said.
Piz put his head on his hand and was silent a moment. Finally, he said, "I'm an idiot. No wonder Veronica never loved me. It's a miracle Parker did. No woman has ever looked at me the way she did, and I just threw what we had away. Who does that?" His self-loathing was evident in his voice.
"I'm not sure I'm qualified to give romantic advice," Wallace said. "But if I've learned anything from watching Logan with Veronica, it's that persistence pays off. Logan never gave up on Veronica. He never stopped loving her. Or fighting for her." Wallace knew he didn't need to explain. "If you want Parker or a future with her, you're going to have to do something before it's too late."
Wallace spotted Duncan and Parker with food and drinks looking for a table. They spotted him and were coming toward him. Parker was laughing at something Duncan said. It was obvious the connection between them was growing. Wallace felt torn. "I gotta go, man."
"Okay. Thanks for talking to me," Piz said.
"Thanks for finally calling. Oh, by the way, I now know all the words to every damn Toby Keith song ever written. Thanks a lot for that!" Wallace scolded.
"What? I don't play country music on my station," Piz said confused.
"I have a Texan roommate who loves country music," Wallace said. "I never thought the day would come when I'd actually miss that weird music of yours or those cheesy ballads you wrote!"
Piz laughed. "College is all about new experiences," Piz said.
Duncan and Parker approached. Duncan sat his tray down. "Can we join you?" he asked.
Wallace smiled and nodded. "I gotta go, Piz. I'll talk to you later," Wallace said quickly and hung up.
Parker sat down next to him. "That was Piz? Is he okay?" she asked in concern.
"He's fine. Just called to chat," Wallace said, very uncomfortable. Duncan looked put out to see Parker's concern.
"Oh," Parker said softly. She blinked hard at the sudden tears. It hurt to be reminded of Piz or the fact that she hadn't heard a word from him since she left New York. He must not have really loved her after all.
The silence was awkward between the three of them. "So I have some very good news for you guys," Duncan said, filling in the silence.
Parker and Wallace looked at him expectantly. "You'll never guess who showed up today and quickly ended the feud with Sorokin," Duncan said.
"Really? It's over? Tell me!" Wallace demanded excitedly.
Then Duncan began sharing the events that occurred just a few hours earlier.
*****Jazmin and Eli*****
After making love twice, Eli rolled to Jazmin's side and hugged her close. "God, I missed you!" he said, placing a kiss on her neck.
Jazmin turned in his arms and frowned. "So where were you and why were you gone so long?" she asked. "And don't give me any of that 'don't worry your pretty little head' crap my dad gives me! I'm not some helpless little woman for you to shield, damn it!"
Eli grinned at her sudden anger. "Although I find you incredibly sexy when you're angry, I'm not your father or Jason," he said.
"Well, then tell me!" she insisted. "Because doing secret business and making me pretend I don't know about it or keeping secrets is what my dad and Jay do. I don't want that for us."
"Neither do I. I don't want to keep things from you, but sometimes the nature of the work I do for clients won't allow me to tell you," Eli told her.
"I get that I can't know all the details. But I can't handle you just disappearing for days and not calling or telling me a single thing. I don't think it's fair for you to expect me to just accept that," Jazmin said, upset.
Eli sat up in the bed. "Well, since your dad effectively ended the threat of the Sorokins, I guess I can tell you. However, don't say anything to Veronica or your brother. I think Keith enjoyed pulling one over on V. And I know I liked doing that to your brother," Eli said with a smug grin.
Her curiosity was peaked. "Okay, so now you've got to tell me!" Jazmin said.
"Keith was determined to convince Sean that Gory had resurfaced. Naturally, he didn't want anyone to know he was involved. We laid a false trail for Jason and Veronica. He knew that his daughter would be suspicious, so I gave my cell phone to this decoy we hired who went up north. I went south with an actor we hired to play Gory," Eli shared.
"You hired an actor? Really?" Jazmin asked surprised.
"Well, Keith wanted to be able to give a real impression that Gory was alive. We found a Russian actor who actually spoke Russian. He went with me. We went into some dives that people running from the law would go to. We ended our trip in Brazil. That's when my decoy called with the message from you. I decided I had done enough and had to come on home. So Keith had Jake Kane send his plane," Eli shared.
"So you didn't call me because you didn't have your phone?" Jazmin asked.
"No. I gave it to the decoy. Since Veronica mentioned Portland, I know Keith's instincts were correct. She tracked me," Eli said in disgust.
Jazmin laughed. "Mac might've or Jason. That's what you get for having too clever friends!" she teased.
"Thanks to your dad, I basically wasted my time," Eli said sourly. "Speaking of your dad, are you okay?"
She laid her head down on his shoulder. "Now that you're back, I am," she said.
"How are you feeling about what your dad said?" he inquired.
She sat back up. "I'm trying not to think too hard about it. I don't know whether to be happy that he apologized and said those nice things about me or angry that he and Mother really thought I was going to get back with Joseph. Their complete lack of knowledge of who I am or what I am about kind of hurts me. Not to mention offends me. I caught him in bed with TWO WOMEN! Why in the world would I just forget that and take him back? It makes me really angry if I think about it," she admitted.
"I get that. It kind of pissed me off, too," Eli said. "But I could tell how much your dad loves you. He wants the best for you."
Jazmin nodded. "I know he does. But he's so frustrating. Sometimes I just want to scream. But it wouldn't do any good. He'd either find my show of spirit delightful or pat me on the head like a child. It's very patronizing," Jazmin complained.
Eli patted her head. "But it's such a pretty little head!" he teased.
She pulled up the sheet and shield her breasts in outrage. "Don't make me withhold from you! Women can go much longer than men without sex!" she boasted.
"Oh yeah? You think so?" he said raising an eyebrow. He leaned over and kissed her neck.
"Not going to work!" she insisted.
Eli grinned and continued nibbling on her neck. She giggled. But when he made it to her earlobe, she began to melt. For some reason, her earlobes were very sensitive. Eli had been tickled to discover that particular fact—even more so than her breasts. He brought one of his hands down her body, stroking her gently. He stopped and rested his hand right below her belly button causing her to quiver in anticipation. When he made no move to go further, she squirmed. Eli let out a low chuckle. "Are you wanting something, Princess?" he asked.
"No. Not at all," she said firmly, but she closed her eyes when his mouth moved down her chest.
He was kissing her belly when a moan finally escaped her lips. Eli moved his hand and put a finger inside of her causing her to gasp. Feeling smug, he pulled out his finger and sat up. He crossed his arms and waited. She opened her eyes in disbelief. "What are you doing?" she asked.
"Nothing. I thought I'd turn on the TV and watch some football. You know how I love the sports," he said with a mocking grin on his face.
"Why you!" she sputtered in rage. She threw herself at him, hitting his shoulder. "That is so mean! I'm going to make you pay for that!"
"You don't have the killer instinct, babe, but you can punish me all you like," he said laughing as her naked body fell on top of his. He laid on his back and pulled her on top of him, her hair blanketing them both. She was pouting. He moved some of the hair, so he could see her face. He loved running his hands through her silky strands. His grin faded as he got serious and said, "God, I love you. I promise I won't ever lie to you or treat you the way your dad and brother do. I don't want you to ever feel inferior because the truth is I think you are too good for me. And I will never take you for granted or forget how lucky I am."
Jazmin's eyes filled with tears at his heartfelt vow. "I'm the lucky one. In all my life, no one has ever loved me the way you do or made me feel like you do. I was so proud of you today. And I know my dad was impressed. You are quite the man, Eli Manuel Navarro. I love you, too," she said. Then she placed her lips on his.
*****Logan*****
After they left Jason's, Logan, Veronica, and Dick went to campus to find Mac. While they were giving her the play by play of the events of the morning, Logan slipped away to call Daisy.
"Daisy, I need a favor. Are you free for the next hour?" Logan asked, watching his friends a few feet away. Dick was giving a lively impersonation of Sebastian.
"I can be. Why?" she asked.
"Has Jason called you and filled you in?" he asked.
"No, what's going on?" she asked curious.
"I don't have time to explain. All good things. I want to do something nice and surprise Veronica. I need you to pull her away from me like right now. Call her and when she starts telling you the news and our plans for this evening offer to help or something. Anything to give me a few hours free without her noticing I'm up to something," Logan said. "Do you think you can do that? Distract her?"
"Now I'm dying of curiosity. Of course, I'll help. I'll call her right now," Daisy said.
Logan said goodbye and stepped back to rejoin his friends. "And then Jazmin's dad was like, 'Party time!' He blew my mind! He dealt with Sean like it was nothing and then said let's party!" Dick was saying to Mac.
"That's not exactly what he said," Veronica protested. "He wanted to have a nice dinner with everyone to celebrate my baby!" She patted her stomach proudly.
Logan came up behind her and put his arm around her shoulder. "Don't you mean our baby?" he corrected.
Veronica grinned up at him. Her phone rang. "Hello," she said when she answered. "Hey, Daisy. Do I have a story to tell you!"... "Where are you? I'll come to you and fill you in." She disconnected. "That's Daisy. Let's go meet her and tell her the good news."
"Actually, I need to have a quick meeting with Mac and Dick about a new client at Faces. We'll catch up with you later, okay?" Logan said casually. Dick looked confused and started to ask what Logan was talking about. Logan looked at him and gave a slight shake of his head. For once, Dick caught the hint and waited for Veronica to kiss him goodbye and wave at him and Mac.
When she was gone, Dick looked at Logan. "What client? Why didn't Trina say something?" Dick asked.
"There is no client. I just wanted to talk to you two without Veronica," Logan said.
Dick frowned in disapproval. "Haven't you learned not to keep things from Ronnie yet?" Dick asked.
Mac smiled affectionately at him. She could tell Logan had something else in mind, but she found Dick's sense of loyalty so endearing. "You are so wonderful. I really love you, Dick," she said as she put her arm around his waist and leaned against him.
Dick was caught off guard at her sudden declaration. He looked down at her. "Well, thanks. I love you, too. Why is everyone acting so weird?" he asked confused by their odd behavior.
Mac giggled while Logan rolled his eyes. "Relax, Dick. I want to surprise Veronica and thought you two would like to help me," Logan said.
"Sure," Mac said eagerly. "I would love to actually be part of something Veronica doesn't see coming!"
"Pull a fast one on Ronnie? Count me totally in, dude!" Dick said enthusiastically.
"Great! Let's go!" Logan said, not wanting to waste a moment.
******Daisy and Veronica******
Veronica and Daisy were sitting on a bench in front of the library. Veronica had just finished telling Daisy how Sebastian Jaleno had single-handedly ended the feud with the Sorokins.
Daisy smiled to see Veronica's obvious happiness. It'd been too long since Daisy had seen a real smile on her face. "I'm so glad for you, Barbie. It's good to see you so happy once again," Daisy said with a smile.
"So whatever you have planned tonight, you're going to have to cancel it!" Veronica exclaimed. "Jason's dad wants to have a dinner party. Hasn't Jason called yet to tell you?"
Daisy frowned. "No, he has not," she said.
Veronica could tell Jason's delay in calling her was bothering Daisy, so she tried to shrug it off. "I'm sure he will. He said he had a class to go to before he could get back to his dad."
Daisy knew Jason's schedule as well as she knew her own. She knew that he's had time to call her if he wanted to. However, she didn't comment on it. Instead, she said, "What can I do to help? I only have one more class today, and then I'm free."
Veronica got out a notebook and pen. "I need to make a guest list first. I can't call and reserve space at Luigi's without a head count. There's you, me, Logan, Mac, Dick, Jason, Jazmin, Weevil, Wallace, my dad and Alicia. Probably Trina. She can bring the baby. Then Parker and Duncan, and Jake Kane. I don't think Lily and Celeste are back home yet. I'm sure Duncan's called and told them to head home, but it takes time to get back to the United States. But I'll have to call Jake and find out. Who am I forgetting?"
"Doesn't Wallace have a roommate? If I know Wallace, he'll assume his roommate is invited," Daisy said.
Veronica grimaced. "You're right. But Weevil won't be happy. David's got a crush on Jazmin," she said.
Daisy gave her a devious smile. "That'll make the evening much more interesting!"
Veronica laughed. "Your shameless!" she said. "Hey, invite your brother Chip. He's been really supportive of Dick and that whole fraternity mess with Sean."
"I'll call him," Daisy replied.
Veronica got a particular look in her eye that had Daisy wondering. "What?" Daisy asked.
"Well, I was thinking that you could ask Chip if he knows any nice girls we could set Wallace up with? No bimbos. I can't tolerate any Madison Sinclair types," Veronica said. "But just someone that might make Wallace smile some. He's not been very happy lately, especially with me."
"I'm not sure how well I'd trust Chip with the assignment," Daisy said dryly. "However, he's been dating this new girl lately that is very tolerable. She's Theta Beta. Maybe she has a friend."
"Of course, she has a friend! She's got a sisterhood!" Veronica cheered.
Daisy rolled her eyes. "Most of those girls make me want to hurl," she said.
"Some aren't too bad," Veronica said. "Oh, I just remembered. Wallace's dad is in town. I think he's moving here permanently. So I've got to add him to the list. Numbers are getting a bit large here." She looked down at her list with a frown.
"Why don't you make the calls and find out who is coming for sure? I'll deal with the restaurant and the food. We can get them to set up like a buffet style catering thing. Order all the most popular dishes like spaghetti and chicken alfredo and a few pizza's," Daisy said.
"Don't forget the baked ziti! Dad loves that stuff," Veronica said. "I'd really appreciate your help. I told Jason I'd do it, but I really do have some school work to do. I've gotten a bit behind."
"I'm good at details. Let me do this for you. I'll go directly to the restaurant in about an hour. I have time," Daisy said.
"You're the best! Thanks!" Veronica said happily. "I'll tell everyone to be there at seven. Tell them food for twenty-five even though it'll probably be closer to twenty. Too much food is better than two little. Then we can take home the leftovers!"
Daisy smiled at her enthusiasm. She got up. "I'll call you after I talk to the manager at the restaurant," Daisy said.
"This is late notice, so tell them money is no object. With more than one millionaire there, the tab can be whatever. If we can get a few servers, we'll give them an obscene tip. Tell the manager that," Veronica said.
"No problem. You make the calls, and I'll see to the food," Daisy said. Then she turned to leave. As she walked away, she pulled out her phone to see if she missed any calls or texts from Jason. There was none. He hadn't been in their morning Shakespeare class, but she had notes for class. She decided to send him a quick text. I have notes from class for you. Missed you. She had made it to her car when he finally sent a reply. Thanks. Dad showed up unannounced this morning. Will call you later. Although Daisy was glad he replied, she couldn't help but be irked that he still didn't mention the dinner. Did he not want her there? Maybe he didn't want her to meet his dad. The idea pissed her off. It was too damn bad. She'd meet his dad if she wanted. If he didn't call her before dinner, she'd have a whole lot to say to him when she saw him.
******Later that Night at Luigi's******
Veronica examined the room with a pleased expression on her face. Daisy had done well. They had set up a long table close to one wall with the tables for the food adjacent. They left open a lot of space so that everyone could visit and mingle before and after dinner. Daisy had told the restaurant to bring out the food out at 7:30pm because she knew everyone would show up at various times. Veronica had talked to Daisy before arriving at the restaurant. Daisy went home to change. She laughingly told Veronica that she had to make an entrance. Sometimes she reminded Veronica too much of Lilly Kane. However, Veronica could admit now that Daisy was much kinder than Lilly had ever been.
The Jalenos arrived with Weevil and Nico. Veronica watched as Jazmin laughed at something Weevil said. Weevil's love for Jazmin was so obvious. It warmed Veronica's heart to see them together, to see Weevil so relaxed and carefree. Sebastian made it to her side and smiled. "This is perfect. Some privacy and great food. I hope there will be plenty of wine," he said.
Veronica laughed. "Yes, I ordered a few bottles, but you can definitely order whatever you like when we start eating. The servers will be happy to get it for you," Veronica said. Jason was talking to Nico a few feet away and hadn't yet made it to her side to say hi. Veronica looked over again at the happy couple and smiled.
Sebastian noticed her smile. "You look pleased about something," he observed.
"Yes, it makes me happy to see Weevil so happy," she replied.
Sebastian looked and frowned in confusion. "Who is this Weevil?" he asked her.
Veronica laughed. "That's Eli's nickname. He always went by Weevil in school. Those of us who went to high school with him still call him that," she explained. "Jazmin hates it, though, so she calls him by his real name. Of course, my dad always did, too."
"Eli is a fine name," Sebastian said.
"I think so, too. I was telling Logan this morning that if we have a son we should name him Eli Echolls. Don't you think that sounds great?" Veronica asked enthusiastically.
"You wish to name your son after my daughter's boyfriend?" Sebastian asked, a note of disapproval in his voice.
"Weevil saved Logan's life last year. We wouldn't have a child without him," she explained.
Jason and Nico joined them in time to overhear her remark. Then Sebastian said, "Some women would not like a woman who was not related to them naming their son after their man."
Jason grinned and motioned to his sister and Eli. "Sis, come join this discussion," he ordered.
They walked over to them to see what the discussion was about. "I was just telling your dad that I want to name our baby Eli Echolls if it's a boy. Logan suggested Keith Echolls, so I countered with Keith Eli Echolls," Veronica shared, grinning.
Weevil laughed. "I bet that pissed him off!" he declared proudly.
Sebastian hadn't quite grasped the groups dynamics and was frowning. "You would name your son after a man that the father doesn't like?" he asked Veronica.
"Logan likes Weevil," Veronica insisted loyally. "They just have a complicated history. Now that Logan knows that Weevil isn't secretly in love with me he's relaxed a lot."
Jason laughed while Weevil snickered. "I love pissing off those rich white boys, especially the smug ones like Logan. It keeps them on their toes," Weevil said.
"Your dad is worried that you'd be upset if we named our baby after Weevil," Veronica told Jazmin.
Jazmin smiled. "You're the only woman that could get away with it," she said. Then she looked at her dad to explain. "Eli's like her older brother, Dad. I'm not jealous. But I didn't realize Logan was."
Weevil grinned. "It's a reflex with him. He can't help it. Wallace and Dick are probably the only two men on the planet he handles being around you without any qualms," Weevil said.
"That's true. He tends to be a wee bit jealous," Veronica said.
Jason looked at her in disbelief. "A little bit? Are you crazy? The first time I met you and kissed your cheek, he almost attacked me!" Jason reminded her.
Veronica looked sheepish. Sebastian said, "If the man doesn't treat you right, let me know, and I'll take care of him. I'll teach him some manners."
Keith and Alicia had arrived. Keith overheard the comment and said, "I think that's my job!"
The group looked to him. Jason's phone rang. He stepped away to answer it. Sebastian smiled in greeting. Veronica introduced Alicia to Sebastian and Nico to Alicia. Veronica explained, "We were discussing baby names. Logan doesn't like Eli Echolls. But Dick hates it, so of course, I'm going to get my way."
"I bet Logan's praying for a girl," Keith replied with a grin. The group laughed. "Don't worry about Logan, Sebastian. He's come a long way. My daughter's welfare is always his chief concern. But if he ever forgets, I'll remind him," Keith said.
"Or I will," Weevil added.
"Speaking of the devil," Veronica said as she noticed her lover arriving with Mac and Dick by his side. He looked very satisfied while Mac and Dick both had an excited air about them. Veronica figured that things must be going well at Faces. She left the group to greet them.
As Jazmin and Weevil wondered off to get a drink, the parents turned to watch Veronica and Logan. "So there's no chance we could talk her into looking at my son that way?" Sebastian asked, only half kidding.
Alicia looked startled while Keith laughed at the thought. "No. Sorry. Your son is a fine young man. But Veronica is attached to Logan. We've grown quite fond of him. And she is his entire world," Keith said.
Sebastian could see that. However, he couldn't help but wish Jason had met her first. "What a daughter-in-law she would've made!" he thought.
An excited screeched pierced the air. "Logie! Dick!" a child's voice called out.
Everyone turned to see that the Kanes had arrived. The inclusion of Lily and Celeste surprised Duncan's friends who thought she was still out of the country with Lily. Lily Kane burst into the room overjoyed to see so many of her favorites in one place. Dick succeeded in getting to her first and picked her up and swung her around to gleeful cries. She was soon passed around the room to everyone.
Jake introduced his wife to Sebastian. Celeste gave him a warm greeting, unbending like always for a man she considered her equal. "I see your granddaughter has a lot of admirers," Sebastian said, watching the interaction.
Jake smiled at the group. "Yes, Duncan's friends lavish her with attention. She loves them all. It's good for her since she was gone for the first two years of her life when Duncan was overseas," Jake said.
"I think they spoil her," Celeste said disapprovingly.
"All children should be spoiled," Sebastian insisted. "I want to meet your granddaughter."
They took him over to meet her. She smiled shyly at the big stranger. "Duncan, she is a jewel. It speaks well of you to be such a good father and have such a sweet daughter," Sebastian said to him.
"Thanks. Sir, I don't think you've met Parker Lee. She's your daughter's roommate. I'm trying to convince her to be my girlfriend," Duncan said, giving her a sly smile.
Parker blushed at his declaration and held out her hand for Sebastian. "It's nice to meet your, sir. I had a great summer with your mother-in-law in Italy. It's such a beautiful place, and she was such a great hostess," Parker said sweetly.
Eli and Jazmin joined them and the girls started reminiscing about Italy. Celeste even deemed to add a comment or two.
Across the room, Veronica was holding Lily close. Lily was telling her all about her trip. "Where's the baby?" Lily asked suddenly. She looked around the room. "Daddy says you have a baby," she declared.
Veronica grinned. "I am going to have a baby, but not for many months," she explained. She patted her stomach. "It's inside me right now."
Lily looked confused. She started to asked further when her eyes lit up. She pointed. "There's a baby!" she exclaimed. Veronica looked and saw that Trina had arrived with Richie. She took Lily over to meet him.
At first, Lily was happy to admire the baby. But when she noticed Alicia and Keith and all the other adults surrounding the newborn, she frowned. She was always the center of attention. Suddenly, she wasn't sure how she felt about the new interloper.
Nathan, Wallace, and David joined the fray. Nathan joined the parents while David attached himself to Jazmin's side, much to Weevil's annoyance. Wallace was there, so Weevil kept his actions to a few dark glowers at David, who pretended Weevil didn't exist.
Jason and Nico were talking to his dad about their investigation business when Jason's eyes lit up. Daisy had arrived.
Sebastian noticed his son's interest and looked to see what held his attention. He saw a very attractive, full-figured petite girl entering the room. She had a cascade of dark, curly hair and wore an expression that said she was both confident and knew her own appeal. He smiled as he watched the couple.
Jason went to greet Daisy. He bent down to kiss her, but she turned her head so his lips hit her cheek. Jason gave her a questioning look. "I'm glad you came!" he said.
Daisy looked up at him with a somber expression. "Are you? Really?" she asked.
"Of course! Why would you say that?" he asked.
"Maybe because you didn't call me all day. Nor did you think to call and tell me what was going on. I'm only here because Veronica filled me in," she said sourly.
Jason looked surprised at her upset. "I told you my dad was in town. He's kind of distracting. I knew Veronica would fill you in and that I'd see you tonight," Jason said.
"You really don't get it, do you? If I meant something to you, you'd want to share what was going on in your life," Daisy pointed out.
"Of course, you mean something to me!" Jason protested.
Daisy gave him a searching look. He looked sincere, but she didn't care. She didn't like feeling unimportant. Suddenly, she was very grateful that she'd waited to start having sex with him again.
"Is that your dad?" she asked, looking at the only new man in the room.
"Yes. Come on, and I'll introduce you," Jason said quickly, hoping to counter her irritation. He took her hand and led her over to his dad. "Dad. I'd like you to meet Daisy, my girlfriend."
Sebastian looked surprised at the title. "Girlfriend? What a delightful surprise!" Sebastian said with a smile. He took her hand in his hand. "I'm very happy to meet my son's girlfriend. I don't think he's ever introduced a girl to me before with that title."
Daisy looked annoyed. Her anger came up like a shield to protect her from feeling the hurt Sebastian's words brought. "It's nice to meet you, sir," she said with a charming smile. She gave a cool glance toward Jason. "However, your son is overstating our relationship. I'm not his girlfriend. I'm not important enough to have that title. It's more accurate to say that I'm just the girl whose pants your son is currently trying to get in. But that's not going to happen anytime soon." With that proclamation, she turned to go talk to Veronica.
Jason's mouth was open slightly in dismay. He looked at his dad, who started to laugh. He slapped Jason on the back. "You really have a lot to learn about women, son!" his dad said. "One thing I've learned in dealing with your mother, don't let her stew in her anger. Women make up wild conjectures and imagined slights if left to their own devices. And that one looks like she's going to lead you on a merry chase!"
Jason went over to Daisy who was talking to Veronica and Lily. "Daisy, can I talk to you?" Jason asked.
"Why? It's clear that you don't really enjoy talking to me," Daisy said with a bitter edge.
Veronica's eyebrows went up at her tone. She started to comment then she saw Chip arrive with two women. He had brought a friend for Wallace. She held Lily's hand and left Jason and Daisy to go greet them. One of the women was extremely cute—the cheerleader vibe about her. That must be Chip's girlfriend. Since he was holding her hand, Veronica felt safe making that conclusion. The other girl was average height. She was average in appearance. Her hair was dark brown and straight. It fell to her shoulders. The cut framed her very serious face. As Veronica approached, she saw the girl had a slightly large nose. She wasn't ugly, but she was definitely plainer than Veronica expected. Disappointed, Veronica put on a smile to greet them. Lily looked with interest at the new people. "Who are you?" she asked them without preamble. The new arrivals looked down at the pint-size interrogator. The plain looking girl's face transformed as she smiled down at Lily. Relieved to see that her smile really made her attractive, she greeted the new arrivals.
"Hey, Veronica. This is my girlfriend, Rebecca Riley, and her roommate Thea," Chip said, introducing the girls.
"Hi. I'm glad you could join us. This is Lily Kane. Duncan's little girl," Veronica introduced.
Lily charmingly held out her hand to the guests. They grinned at her and bent down to shake her hand.
"Thea? That's an interesting name," Veronica commented.
"It's short for Athena," the girl explained. "I'm Greek. My last name is Gianopoulos. Greek parents either name their children after family members or someone else in Greek history that they think is worthy."
Veronica laughed. "Well, my last name is Mars, and I believe he was a Roman God, so we're in good company."
"You're a god?" Lily asked Thea in awe.
"No. I was named after a greek Goddess. Athena was the goddess of wisdom and war. Mars was the Roman god of War, so we are definitely well matched," Thea said with a smile to Veronica.
Veronica blinked. It was amazing how different the woman looked when she smiled. Veronica could tell that the woman was much more serious than most college students, but she was interacting well with Lily. If she didn't like children, Veronica wouldn't proceed with her plan to introduce her to Wallace.
"Chip, help yourself to a drink. We'll begin dinner shortly. I'll take Thea and introduce her around," Veronica said.
"I will!" Lily said excitedly. She took Thea's hand and pulled her along. Thea looked back helplessly at Veronica. Veronica laughed and followed as Lily led them to her father who was talking with his parents and Veronica's dad. Nathan and Wallace was there, too, so Veronica didn't try to steer them elsewhere.
"Daddy, this is Thea. She is the goddess of war!" Lily said excitedly. The group turned to look at the newcomer who grimaced at Lily's introduction.
"Hi. I'm Athena Gianopoulos. Call me Thea," she said. Lily painstakingly introduced her to the group until she got to Wallace and Nathan. She didn't know Nathan.
"Wally, who's that?" Lily demanded.
"I see your daughter isn't at all shy," Nathan said to Wallace, grinning. He bent down to get eye level with her. "I am Nathan, Wallace's daddy. I work for your grandpa now, so you'll probably see me a lot. We've met before, but you didn't pay much attention to me."
"Wally's daddy?" she asked perplexed. She looked at Keith. "Aren't you Wally's daddy?" The group laughed as Alicia calmly explained to her. Like most toddlers, she quickly lost interest and turned to her dad. "Daddy, I need to go potty."
Duncan grinned down at his daughter and led her away.
As expected, the parents began to try and find out more about the newcomer. "I'm a senior. Pre-med," Thea answered Keith's inquiry.
"You seem young to be a senior," Alicia observed.
"I'm only nineteen. I skipped a few grades," Thea said. She wasn't shy. Nor did she seem to be bragging. She had a no-nonsense air about her that instantly made adults like her, especially parents.
Jake asked about her last name. "There aren't a lot of Greek families in Neptune. Where are you from?" he asked.
"My grandparents live in San Diego. My mom isn't Greek. She went to San Diego State. My dad was raised in Greektown in Chicago," Thea said.
"Are you from Chicago? That's where I just moved from," Nathan said.
"I spent my childhood there, but I went to a special high school in Los Angeles. Since my grandparents were so close by, I spent a lot of weekends in San Diego," Thea said.
"Wallace, we should go introduce her to the twins," Veronica said, wanting to get her away from the parents so they could interact more privately. Wallace agreed, and they stepped out of the group.
"Sorry about the interrogation. We're mostly a closed group, so our parents don't meet new people often," Veronica said with a laugh. "This is Wallace, the friend Chip was telling you about."
Wallace smiled. "Glad to see a new face. I'm tired of looking at Veronica's pesky one!" he teased.
"How do you know Chip's girlfriend?" Veronica asked. "You don't seem very much alike."
"We're sorority sisters. Theta Beta," Thea replied. "I'm her roommate."
Both Wallace and Veronica looked surprised at her admittance. "You're in a sorority? You don't seem the type," Veronica observed.
"No, I'm not," Thea said with a sigh. "But I'm a legacy, so they couldn't refuse me. Not to mention, my academic standing sort of counters my lack of obvious sorority assets."
"Your mom was a member?" Wallace asked politely.
"She was president of her sorority at San Diego State," Thea said. "I'm the oldest of six, and my mother would've disowned me if I didn't pledge." She turned to Wallace. "So what fraternity are you in?"
"I'm on the basketball team. Scholarship. It takes enough of my time," Wallace admitted. "I hang out with the Pi Sigs because Dick is a good friend of mine, and he's a member. My major is tough and takes up the rest of my time."
"I'm not much of a basketball fan. Chicago is nuts over the sport, but I never saw the appeal. I think baseball games are more fun," she said. "What's your major?"
"Aerospace engineer," Wallace said. The girl didn't like basketball, so he really wasn't interested in talking more to her. What kind of girl didn't like basketball?
Suddenly, the girl smiled, and Wallace was taken aback at the transformation. "I love airplanes! My dad flies. He promised to teach me this summer after I graduate," Thea said with enthusiasm.
"Your dad's a pilot?" Veronica asked.
"No, he's a doctor. That's how my parents met. Mom was a nurse with Doctors Without Borders where my dad was a doctor. But he sometimes needed to fly himself into remote villages," she explained. "Or used that as an excuse to get his pilot's license!"
"Wow! That's cool!" Wallace said. As they began discussing their mutual love of planes, Veronica slipped away to leave them together.
She went over to Weevil and Jazmin who were obviously watching Jason and Daisy. "So it looks like your brother's screwed up with Daisy," Veronica observed.
"She seems upset. What did he do?" Weevil asked.
"Will they break up?" Jazmin asked hopefully.
"Don't be so excited, babe. It's not nice," Weevil said, giving her shoulder a squeeze.
"Sorry. I can't help it. Daisy has heartbreaker written all over her," Jazmin said.
"Actually, I think it's your brother who continues to hurt Daisy," Veronica defended. "He didn't bother to even invite her to the dinner or call her today to tell her what's going on. Your brother may be one of the smartest guys on campus, but he's clueless when it comes to women."
Weevil smirked. "Glad to know I excel over him in some area!" he boasted.
Jazmin frowned, never liking her brother criticized.
Veronica knew they needed to change the subject, so she pointed out the newcomer. "You need to go meet Thea. She's from Chicago. Well, sort of. She said she went to elementary school there. But she's like a genius and skipped high school," Veronica said.
"What's her name?" Jazmin asked curiously.
"Athena Gia-something or another. It's a long Greek name," Veronica said.
"Athena? I knew a girl named that once. We went to elementary school together," Jazmin said. She went over to meet the newcomer.
Daisy was giving Jason a hurt look. "We're wasting our time, Jason. You don't know how to be anyone's boyfriend. I'm so insignificant to you that your dad didn't even know I exist!" Daisy exclaimed.
"I'm a guy. We don't tell our dads everything," Jason protested.
"Yes, but you're not a normal guy. Your dad is like your best friend. I know you well enough to know this," she argued. "I bet you talk to him once a week, don't you?"
Jason looked uncomfortable but admitted. "Well, normally, yes."
"I talk to my mom once a month if that, and we're close. But I get caught up in things, so I forget to call her. She emails me, though. And she knows all about you. You know why? Because you are important to me. I thought this was going somewhere. I was excited," Daisy said.
"That's good. We are going somewhere. You're important to me, too," Jason insisted.
"No, I'm really beginning to think no one is but your family. Or Eli. You easily ended the entire Sorokin mess with one phone call to your dad because Eli was upset with you. Not sure why you didn't do that sooner. I guess because Veronica isn't important to you either. But whatever. All I know is that I'm really glad I hadn't moved forward in our relationship," Daisy declared. "I don't think I want you to see me naked ever again."
With that announcement, she flounced off. Jason was at a loss. She was so different from his sister that he was unsure how to proceed. It was obvious that his oversight had really hurt her. He knew enough about her to know that she got angry when she was hurt.
The servers had brought in the food. "It's time to eat!" Veronica announced to the room.
"Before we eat, I need to do something first," Logan said as he made his way to Veronica's side.
Mac and Dick shared an excited grin. This was it. Finally.
Logan took Veronica's hand and lifted it to his mouth for a kiss. Then he looked around the room at his friends and family. "Most of you here know that Veronica and I started dating our junior year of high school. That's when she broke my heart for the first time and ran back to her loser ex-boyfriend," Logan said, looking pointedly at Duncan, who was a few feet away. The group laughed as expected.
Duncan grinned. "Glad to do my part!" Duncan said.
"Well, I finally won her over for good last fall. Almost a year ago," Logan said. He looked down at her, his eyes filled with adoration. "I convinced her that her life was meaningless without me!"
Veronica's mouth fell open in outrage. "I wouldn't go that far!" she protested, while the group chuckled.
Logan got serious. "Well, I knew that my life was meaningless without her in it. She was the only thing that always made sense. My parents are dead; my sister and I have no real extended family. Veronica and I grew up together. She was my anchor. Knowing that we're going to be a family has made me so happy," Logan said to her. Then he looked at the group. "Having you all here today to celebrate our happiness means a lot to both of us. So I decided that now was a perfect time to do something I've been waiting to do for a while now." He pulled a small box out of his pocket that instantly caused the group to murmur excitedly. He got down on one knee. "Veronica Mars, love of my life, mother of my unborn child, keeper of my sanity and my heart, you know that I love you and that we've already pledged to get married someday. I want to make it official in front of our family and friends. Will you make my dreams complete and marry me?" He opened the box to reveal a sapphire ring, surrounded by small diamonds.
Veronica looked at the ring, her eyes filling with tears. She brushed her hand across Logan's face. "Only in my dreams did I ever think I could be this happy. Of course, I will marry you!" she announced. Logan got to his feet to kiss her. The room broke out in cheers and clapping.
He pulled her off her feet and swung her around, much to the rooms delight. Then he put her on her feet and placed the ring on her finger. Veronica admired it. It wasn't too ostentatious. "I love it!" she told him. "And I love you!" She kissed him again.
"The blue sapphire matches your eyes. It's not traditional. We're not, so I thought it appropriate that our ring not be," Logan said.
Dick and Mac crowded around. "We helped him pick it out!" Dick announced proudly.
"That's why you were so excited when you came in! I just thought you had a good work day!" Veronica said.
"See, we pulled one over on her!" Dick bragged to Mac, who smiled at the happy couple.
Veronica took off her promise ring and moved it to her right hand and put her new engagement ring back on. Everyone took turns crowding around to admire the ring. When Sebastian made it their side, he offered his congratulations and looked over at his daughter and Eli. "We should have a double wedding!" he announced, sweeping his hand toward his daughter and Eli.
Veronica and Logan looked at him in surprise. Jazmin's eyes got big. "Dad! Are you insane?" she asked in outrage.
"What? You love Eli. He loves you. You marry and have your own bambinos!" Sebastian said simply.
Keith laughed and said, "I don't think it works that way."
"We'll get there, sir," Eli said calmly.
"Dad, we've only been together a few weeks! We are not ready for marriage!" Jazmin said.
Sebastian shrugged. "Youth is wasted on the young," he said to Keith. "Why waste time? Life sometimes gets in the way."
"That's true but there's no reason to rush into marriage," Alicia said firmly.
"Let's eat! I'm starved!" Veronica said loudly, hoping to end Jazmin's humiliation. She gave Veronica a grateful smile and hid her face on Weevil's shoulder.
Logan whispered to Veronica as they sat down, "I'm beginning to appreciate your dad more and more!" They gave Jazmin a sympathetic look.
The group began to grab plates and fill them with various items. Logan left Veronica's side to fill a plate for her. Daisy sat down in his vacated seat. She admired the ring and offered her congratulations.
"Thanks. He really surprised me. I didn't suspect a thing!" she said.
"Well, he did call me and ask me to distract you," Daisy admitted with a grin.
"Really? You sneak! I didn't even have a clue!" she exclaimed.
"I know. It was perfect really," Daisy said, pleased.
"So is everything okay with you and Jason? You looked like you were annoyed with him," Veronica probed.
"Annoyed is putting it mildly!" she exclaimed. "He didn't even tell his dad he had a girlfriend!"
"Ouch!" Veronica said with sympathy.
"Yeah, right. I think I should quit wasting my time. He's totally clueless," Daisy said in disgust.
"Well, do you really like him?" Veronica asked.
Daisy looked over at him talking to his dad and sighed. "Yeah, I really do," she admitted. "But I just don't feel that he likes me as much as I like him. I just want him to look at me like Logan looks at you. Is that too much to ask?"
Veronica laughed. "Probably!" she said. "You know, not everyone gets to the same place at the same time. But as long as you eventually get there, it's okay. You know Logan loved me months before I truly loved him. Even though Lilly had cheated on him with two guys, he still opened his heart to me. But I didn't trust him. Nor would I let myself love him. I kept running. But he never gave up on me. On us. And look at us now. If you want that type of relationship, it doesn't come easy. But it's totally worth it!"
"I don't know if we'll ever get there," Daisy said.
"Maybe you should quit putting so much pressure on each other. I know that when Logan pushed me I either pushed back or ran. It never worked. What worked was him being there and just loving me. Give yourself a break. Give Jason a break," Veronica advised.
Daisy knew that was good advice, but she was still unsure. She wasn't sure if Jason was boyfriend material or if she had it in her to be patient enough.
A few feet away, Jazmin and Eli were sitting down with their full plates. Eli watched Jazmin carefully. She was still upset. "Princess, it's okay. I'm not planning on getting down on one knee, so relax," he said.
She looked up at him and flushed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I hope I didn't hurt your feelings. It's not that I don't hope for a future with you, but it's really humiliating for my dad to try to force your hand," she said. She glared over at her oblivious father. "He is so controlling sometimes. He kept Joseph around hoping we'd get back together. Now that he finally realizes that's not happening he wants to marry me off to you!"
"I don't mind," Eli said grinning.
"I mind! It's just wrong on so many levels!" she protested.
Eli covered her hand with his and gave it a squeeze. "Don't let it bother you. Just be happy that he wouldn't oppose our union. I wasn't so sure myself, so I'm happy to have his approval. We all know you can do better!" Eli said.
"No, I can't!" she said hotly. "I don't want anyone but you. You are perfect for me!" She punctuated her words with a kiss.
The couple was oblivious to the ugly look David was giving them from across the table. However, Sebastian noticed. He said to Jason, "Who is that overly large blonde man?" He pointed to David.
"That's David. He's Wallace's roommate. A freshman football player from Texas," Jason replied.
"I don't like the look of him," Sebastian said with a frown.
Jason looked surprised. David had those all-American good looks that most preferred. "He seems nice enough to me. He has a crush on Jazmin. She went out with him once before Eli came to his senses and surrendered to the inevitable," Jason said.
"Keep an eye on him," Sebastian advised. "Your sister is finally happy. I don't want anything to mess with that. Sometimes a rejected suitor can cause problems."
"Okay, but I don't think you need to worry. He lives on campus, and Jazmin has no classes with him. When she sees him, Eli or Wallace is always there," Jason said.
"That is good. I like the friends you and your sister have accumulated here in Neptune. Too bad none of them live in Chicago. Don't get too attached to this place," his dad advised.
"Well, Eli's close to his family, but I hope that someday he'll consider moving to Chicago," Jason said.
"Your sister is very happy here. She may choose to be where ever he wants to live," his dad pointed out.
"I know. But I plan long term. Maybe in ten years he'll be ready for a change of scenery," Jason said with a grin.
His dad laughed and slapped him on the back. "Now that's my boy!" he exclaimed proudly. "Did you work things out with your sweetheart?"
Jason sighed. "No. She's stubborn and hot-headed. Sometimes I think she lives to keep me tied up in knots," Jason complained. "I didn't call her today and invite her to the dinner. She thinks it's a personal slight—a reflection on my lack of regard for her."
Sebastian smiled. "No woman that falls easily into your arms will keep your attention for long," his dad said. "A woman must always be shown how important she is to you. We may be busy men, but the people we care about should not be neglected."
Jason nodded. "I know. You're right. I guess it's not natural for me to think of another woman besides Jazzie," he admitted.
"It's a fine thing the way you look after your sister. It's something we'll always do," Sebastian said. "But she's not alone now. She has a strong man to watch out for her. It's okay for you to start paying attention to your own personal life." He looked over at Daisy who was talking to Duncan and playing with Lily. "She likes children. That is good."
Jason rolled his eyes. Sometimes his dad had a one track mind. However, he was right about one thing. He needed to pay more attention to Daisy before he lost her for good.
Keith watched Alicia with Trina's baby. She cooed down at Richie. He smiled at the scene. Then he looked around the room. What a funny world this was! His wife's ex-husband was here talking easily with Jake and Celeste Kane, and he was just fine with that. Alicia didn't mind his presence. Nor did the twins' father cause any discomfort. Keith couldn't feel anything but gratitude for the man. And since Sebastian Jaleno did not live in Keith's town, he wasn't his problem. Wallace seemed to be enjoying his dinner conversation with the new girl. He looked over at his daughter, who was glowing with utter joy. The stress of the past few weeks had washed away from her countenance. Her excitement for the baby was tangible. As Logan teased and whispered in her ear, she laughed in response. Finally, his world was perfect. He knew that life was fragile and unpredictable and often messy. However, now in this moment, Keith was happy that all the people he cared about were doing so well. His daughter was finally getting the happy ending she deserved.
Veronica flushed as Logan whispered into her ear all the things he wanted to do to her after they got home. "Stop! I can't listen to anymore!" she protested, her heart racing in response to murmured sex talk.
Logan chuckled. "How soon before we can leave?" he asked with a suggestive leer.
"It's a party celebrating us! We can't leave first! It would be rude!" she insisted.
"It's rude to keep a newly engaged couple from privately celebrating their engagement!" Logan replied.
Veronica looked down again at her ring. It was white gold. It was perfect. "I really love my new ring. You did good!" she bragged.
"You really will have to thank Dick. He spotted it, and Mac thought it was perfect, too. I was eying a very big pink diamond," Logan said.
Veronica rolled her eyes.
"What? I like you in pink!" Logan informed her.
"I never thought I'd be so grateful for Dick!" Veronica said.
They shared a smile. Then Logan gave her an intent look. "You know, right, that you being pregnant isn't why I proposed?" he asked.
"I know, but it's nice to be assured," she replied.
"I knew the perfect time would present itself ever since you proposed to me last Christmas. It would take a lot to top that, and I know tonight really didn't, but I felt it was the right time. Fall break is in two weeks. I want to take you away for the weekend and celebrate properly," Logan said.
"That sounds perfect!" she said. "So when do you want to get hitched?"
"Tomorrow?" he suggested hopefully.
She laughed. "Well, I only want to do this once, and a bit of planning couldn't hurt!" she said.
"How about New Year's Eve?" Logan suggested. "We can have a week to honeymoon before the spring semester."
"I'll be showing," she said.
"Some, but you're so tiny. A few curves will just make you more appealing," he said with a lecherous grin.
She shook her head. "I'm not so sure about that, but New Year's Eve it is. I like the idea of toasting the new year as your wife," she said.
"I like the sound of that, too," he said. He leaned over and kissed her. When he pulled back, he said, "I can't wait to make you Veronica Echolls."
"That's Veronica Mars-Echolls," she corrected.
"As long as you call yourself mine, I don't really care," he replied.
"I am. Yours. Always," she said softly. "I love you, Logan, and I am so grateful that you never gave up on us and that you fought for our future. I promise to be the kind of wife you deserve. You won't regret this."
"Of course, I won't. Marrying you—with or without kids—is the greatest dream I have. I hope you know that. I'm glad about the baby, but I know it would've been better if we'd had more time together as a couple. To work out all the kinks. This is a bit of a curveball, but we'll handle it like we do everything else. Together," Logan said.
"Together," she agreed. Then she gave him a mischievous grin. "Just so you know, Jazmin said it was okay with her if we name our son after Weevil!"
Logan groaned. "Since you are going to have a perfect little girl, it doesn't matter!" he insisted.
Veronica laughed. "Nope, it's going to be a boy!"
The newly engaged couple argued good-naturedly. Neither really cared about the sex or the name as long as the baby was healthy.
Mac watched the happy couple with pleasure. She put her head on Dick's shoulder. "Today has been a perfect day," she said with a happy sigh.
Dick smiled down at her. "Are you sure you don't want me to get you one of those?" he asked, indicating Veronica's engagement ring.
"Tempting. But no. I like living in the moment with you. I like the fact that you are unpredictable sometimes. And I know that our life together will be whatever we make it. We don't need to conform to some time table that works for others," Mac assured him.
"I could get you a promise ring, so you'll know that I'm serious about you," Dick suggested. He had really enjoyed looking at the rings and didn't want Mac to feel slighted.
Mac laughed. "Dick, I know that you're serious about me. You were the biggest playboy in our high school. There's no doubt in anyone's mind that you're serious about me," she told him. She leaned up and kissed him.
Dick looked at her in awe. "I really am the luckiest guy ever!" he said.
"And don't you forget it!" Mac said happily.
"I just want to make sure you know that I love you as much as Logan loves Ronnie. He thinks they're so epic because he and Ronnie make everything so hard. They're very drama-prone. But you and I don't need the drama!" he proclaimed with a smug grin.
"Well, I doubt that things with us will always be smooth sailing, but we are different from Logan and Veronica and that's okay. They deserve their happy ending, and I'm happy for them," Mac said as she watched the happy couple kissing. She smiled. Life was good.
*****THE END*****
So I hope you liked this insanely long (longest in the story) chapter ending this story. Thanks so much for those of you who have shared your thoughts about this story and my characters. It's been a fun ride, and I've enjoyed every moment!