As Hot as It Gets

Epilogue

Six months later

“Ladies and gentlemen—and Seth—will you please do me the honor of welcoming the miracle before you.” Lieutenant Carson Scott stepped through the waiting-room doorway and held up a tiny infant swaddled in a blue blanket. “Feast your eyes on Jacob Thomas Sullivan Scott.”

“Two middle names?” Seth cracked. “Isn’t that overkill?”

“And did you really just Lion King that baby?” Dylan piped up.

“Seriously, dude, put the kid down,” John Garrett advised. “Holly’ll kill you if you drop her precious bundle.”

Carson rolled his eyes, but he did lower his infant son and cradle him protectively against his chest. “Who wants to hold him?”

Every female in the room jumped out of her chair and hurried over to Carson with outstretched arms.

Jackson rubbed his clean-shaven chin and hid a grin as he watched the women battle over which one of them got to hold baby Jacob first. Shelby Garrett ended up getting the honors, and as Carson carefully transferred the valuable cargo into her arms, the other women gathered around her to take a peek.

“Oh gosh, he’s so beautiful!” Claire gushed.

“He’s perfect,” Annabelle agreed.

“Absolutely perfect,” Savannah echoed.

Jackson’s gaze focused on Mia, who wore an awed expression as she admired the baby. He couldn’t help but imagine the day that his and Carson’s roles would be reversed. He would be the proud father showing off his kid to his friends and teammates. And Mia would be the proud mother catching a much-needed nap in her hospital bed, as Holly Scott was currently doing.

Now, now, don’t put the cart before the horse, a little voice chided.

Yeah, he should probably take things one step at a time. Babies would come eventually. But first he had to make an honest woman out of Mia Weldrick—which he planned on doing.

Tonight.

The ring his mother had given him during his last visit home had been burning a hole in his pocket for weeks now, but tonight was finally the night. Danny had left for football camp yesterday, and the Imperial Beach house the three of them had moved into last month was finally starting to look and feel like home. Danny had insisted on paying a small percentage of the down payment using a portion of his savings, which the bank had returned to him after an outraged Mia had stormed the branch manager’s office and demanded he fix his employee’s irresponsible mistake. There’d been no word from Brenda since she’d stolen her son’s money, and none of them expected to hear from the woman anytime soon.

But Mia and Danny weren’t heartbroken about it. They had each other, and that was enough for them. And now they had Jackson, too.

Only thing left to do was for him to sink down on one knee and slide that diamond ring on Mia’s finger.

He couldn’t frickin’ wait.

But that was later. That was their moment.

Right now, it was Carson’s moment, and Jackson quickly walked over to give his lieutenant a big hug.

“Congratulations, man.” He snuck a peek at the gorgeous, healthy baby who was now being cooed over by his Auntie Jen, then met Carson’s blue eyes. “You’ve got yourself a beautiful boy there, LT.”

“Damn right,” Carson said proudly.

One by one, Carson’s teammates came up to embrace him, thump his back and offer their congratulations. Jacob Two-Middle-Names Scott was passed around from one set of arms to another, his big blue eyes flickering with interest as he peered up at each person. The baby didn’t cry once, but by the time he’d been held by everyone in the waiting room, a big yawn overtook his tiny face and he was promptly spirited away by his father, who, with an overprotective glare, told them all to quit tiring out his son.

After Carson was gone, everyone drifted toward the elevator bank, the men chatting and women raving about how cute little Jacob was. Cash and Jen had stayed behind with Carson and Jen’s parents to spend more time with Carson, Holly and the newborn, but the rest of the group rode the elevator down to the lobby and left the hospital.

They walked out to the visitor lot, and then everyone went their separate ways.

Garrett and Shelby headed home to their daughter Penny.

Seth and Miranda went home to their twins.

Former SEAL Will Charleston and his wife Mackenzie made the long drive back to the small town they resided in, where their son Lucas awaited them.

Jane and Thomas Becker dashed off to get back to their daughter Sadie.

Ryan and Annabelle carpooled with Matt and Savannah to the building where they all lived.

Dylan, Claire and Aidan left hand in hand in hand to the trio’s downtown condo.

And Jackson and Mia drove back to Imperial Beach, smiling the entire time.