hot shot

last shot series

BONUS CONTENT

ANOTHER EPILOGUE

Marco

“It’s a scavenger hunt.”

I resist the urge to heave a sigh. I’m tired. It was a long and busy night. I was supposed to be home hours ago, but we had some unruly guests at the bar and somehow we ran out of gin. “You have a present for me, but I have to hunt for it.”

Carrie beams. “Yes.”

“Could it wait until morning? I’m beat.”

Her eyebrows pinch together and her bright eyes dim. “Well. Sure, I guess.”

Her disappointment kills me. “No, never mind, it’s fine.” I smile. “Let’s do it.”

“Okay! I sent you a text as your first clue.”

I pull out my phone and find the message. “Start the hunt where you begin each day, where you brush and floss to keep decay away.” I look at her. “Cute.”

She grins.

I walk down the hall to the bathroom. There’s a folded paper taped to the mirror. I pluck it off, open it and read, “Where food is stored and meals are made, you'll find your next clue in the place with a fridge and stove.”

Not exactly hard clues to figure out. I hike to the kitchen and look around. I don’t see any kind of note here, so I move closer to the counters to inspect the surfaces. Finally, I open the fridge and peer in. There’s a beer sitting on the top shelf with a note attached.

I pull it out, pluck the note off, and pop open the beer. I take a big swallow, then read my next clue. "Time for fresh air and a change of view, your next clue can be found where plants and flowers grew.”

“Ooookay. Don’t leave your photography, honey. This poem is…”

She laughs. “I know. I’m not a great poet. But it was fun.”

With my beer, I head outside to the patio. It’s dark, but the string of lights Carrie has hung above the patio gives enough illumination for me to see the paper sitting on the table next to a pot of geraniums.

I read this one aloud. “A place to unwind and watch TV, where you might sit on a comfy settee.” I look up at her. “Settee?”

She shrugs, but she’s still smiling. “I wanted it to rhyme.”

“I gotta say, I had no idea you were so creative. Come on.”

I give her ass a pat and we walk back inside and into the living room. I sit down on the couch and look around. Now I have a beer, I’m not in such a rush. I take a few swigs as I survey the room.

Carrie perches on the couch next to me, clasping her hands around one knee.

“You look really pretty.” I ease a few strands of hair off her face. Her smile is so tender and warm it makes my heart expand. I’m also getting horny. Don’t ask me why. She does that to me.

Finally I spy a piece of paper folded tent-style sitting on a shelf of the bookcase. I rise and pick it up. “Where clothes are washed and the dryer hums, look for your next clue where the laundry is done."

I tilt my head and give her a puckered smile. “Okay then.”

Our laundry room is basically a closet off the kitchen, but I go there next. I peer into the washing machine, study the jugs of detergent and bleach, then open the dyer. “Aha!”

I’m actually getting into this. I have no idea what kind of present she got me or why she’s putting me through this, but hopefully it’s worth it. I read this clue. “Where you lay your head to rest and dream, your next clue can be found where you hear the clock’s tick-tock stream.”

I bite my lip.

“I know, that one’s lame.” She laughs, fingers clasped.

“Let’s go to the bedroom. I’m hoping that’s where I’ll get my gift. I’m hoping it’s you in bed, naked.”

“Oh! I should have done that!”

She looks so disappointed. I huff out a laugh and set my hands on her hips, pulling her against me so our hips bump. “So my gift isn’t a night of boarding the beef bus?”

Her jaw drops and she stares up at me. “Boarding the…what?”

I laugh. “Battering the corn dog?”

“Oh my God!” She chokes on a laugh.

“Filling the cream donut?”

“No!”

I grin.

Then she tilts her head. “I’m not saying that’s not going to happen…”

“Well, let’s go then! We can explore the hidden valley.”

She trails behind me, giggling uncontrollably. “You are so bad, Marco.”

“I know.”

I enter the bedroom. Candles burning on the dresser cast the only light in the room. Their scent is warm and sexy. I turn to look at Carrie, lifting an eyebrow. “Bow chick a wow wow.”

She gives another strangled laugh, then runs to the bed and jumps on it. She scoots up to the head of the bed and sits and watches me.

“I’m supposed to find another clue?”

She nods, excitement coloring her cheeks.

What the hell is this? If she wants action, she didn’t need to do all this. I’m easy.

I turn in a circle, looking for my next clue. I don’t see anything right away, so I take a couple of steps closer to the dresser. The candles flicker but there’s no note. I move around to my side of the bed and the nightstand. Nothing there. Then I see a corner of a piece of paper protruding from beneath my pillow. I pounce on it and pluck it up.

I unfold the paper, a bigger one, with a lot more written on it. “This is a long clue.”

“It’s not a clue,” she says softly. “This is the surprise.”

I start reading.

“My dearest love, my heart is full,

With news I cannot wait to tell.

A precious gift has come to us,

A new life growing, no need to fuss.”

I pause. I blink. I look over the paper at Carrie.

She nods, smiling faintly.

My hands holding the paper start shaking.

“I feel a flutter deep inside,

A little one who will soon reside

Within my womb, so warm and safe,

A new chapter in our love’s embrace.”

“Oh, Jesus.” I look up at her again. “Really? You’re pregnant?

She nods again, her lips quivering, eyes bright.

My gaze drops to her flat stomach, then returns to her face. Beautiful. She’s so beautiful.

Seriously? We’re going to have a baby? I start toward her, overcome with emotion swirling in my chest.

“Read the rest,” she says.

“I am pregnant, my love, with a child,

Growing inside, wild and mild.

A gift from heaven above,

A symbol of our endless love.

I know we talked of this before,

And now it’s real, it’s something more.

I feel the joy, the love, the fear,

As our baby grows near.

I can’t wait to see you hold our child,

To see your love, your warmth, your smile.

I know you’ll be the best dad around,

With love and care that knows no bounds.”

My eyes start burning and I read that paragraph again. The best dad around. Christ. I swallow.

“So my love, my dearest one,

Our journey has just begun.

We’ll walk this path, hand in hand,

And welcome our child to this land.”

My throat is closing up. I blink at the sting in my eyes. “Holy fuck,” I say hoarsely.” I drop the note and join her on the bed, pulling her into my arms. I stare into her eyes.  “I can’t believe this.”

“I know.” Her eyelashes flutter. “I did two tests. I can show you.”

“I believe you! I’m just…surprised.” That’s not a strong enough word for how I feel.

“We have talked about it,” she says softly. “Are you happy, though?”

“Oh hell, yeah!” There’s no question about that. We’ve talked about it. I’ve thought about it. I want a family. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. Carrie’s family is big and messy and I feel so lucky to be part of it the last couple of years since we’ve been married. But I want my own family. “I want this so fucking much. I want to make a family with you.” I press my hand to her stomach. “We made a baby. For real.”

She covers my hand with hers. “For real.”

“I feel like shit. I didn’t want to do this, I was tired. And then you give me this. The best goddamn gift ever. I’m sorry. I was an asshole.”

Her eyes glow. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. So much. Jesus.” I close my eyes and lean down to kiss her, pouring it all into the joining of our mouths. “We’ll walk this path, hand in hand, and welcome our child to this land.”

“Yes.”