Page 62 of Lips of an Angel

“You first,” he told me, choking up. “I’m scared I’ll break her.”

I glanced between Caroline and the nurse, who both gave nods of encouragement. After sanitizing my hands, I picked up the baby in her soft pink blanket. Her eyes cracked open, and they were a deep blue—just like Raleigh’s. I stiffened briefly, worried that she’d start crying, but when she didn’t, I tucked her into my chest. I settled her head in the crook of my arm while my other supported her back. Like it was second nature, I bounced her in my arms. The brand-new baby gurgled happily. When her eyes fell shut again, I looked up at my husband.

Myhusband. Damn, that was a word I never thought I’d use to describe Raleigh Jenkins. If someone had told me we’d one day be married and adopt a child together, I’d have laughed in their face.

Raleigh tucked in behind me, one arm wrapping around my waist and the other brushing the baby’s cheek.

“Hi, Genevieve,” he whispered, and my heart melted. “We’re your daddies.”

Raleigh

As Angel rested against my chest with Evie sleeping on his (because Genevieve was too big a name for such a tiny creature, according to Ryder), I reflected back on the whirlwind that had been my life lately. I went on to testify in Kali’s trial. She was found guilty of felony embezzlement and sentenced to three years in prison, plus restitution.

I hadn’t heard from Billie again, so I assumed they moved on with their life.

Ryder, however, gave us the shock of the century. Not long after we were married, he learned he had a teenage daughter back in Salem, his hometown. Doing what Ryder did best, he dove in headfirst, packing his bags and moving home. Not only was he playing the Dad game, but he even claimed to have met someone and was settling down.

We’d both abandoned our party phases in favor of coming home to the same person every night.

“Raleigh?” For a moment, I closed my eyes and relished his voice. After fifteen years, the sound of Angel’s voice was like soothing ointment to a burn. I answered him with a contented hum. “Are you okay?” he asked with a laugh.

“I’m great.” I looked down at my husband.

Husband. It felt… right. We’d had some last-minute color changes—sorry Lauren—but we couldn’t think of a better opportunity to get married than the wedding already scheduled to take place. It took me a while to get Angel a ring. I wanted to get the perfect one and three months after we tied the knot, I did. The sparkling white gold crossover ring was everything that Angel ever wanted, with princess cut diamonds and deep blue sapphires.

We settled into being husbands with surprising ease. And now, as he dozed in my arms, I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be. Angel had always been my everything, but in a few short months he became so much more than I ever thought I needed. I don’t know what kind of path I would’ve wound up on if it weren’t for him. But maybe, that was the whole point—things played out exactly how they were meant to. I woke my ass up and found him precisely when I needed to. He was my husband, my daughter’s father, my saving grace…

My Angel.