“Why do you think your father and I ended up with three of you?”
“Oh my God.” I cover my face with my hands. Mom’s laughter only adds to the embarrassment.Someone get me the hell out of this house.As if he knew what I needed, Rhy comes over with the car seat braced on his forearm.
“Ready to go?” Rhy asks, holding his other hand out for me to take.
“Yeah, let’s go home.”
Epilogue
Payton
We did it. Months of planning, and the day is finally here. Tears threaten to spill for what feels like the millionth time since waking up this morning.
One year ago today, Gabriella Elliott Mosby was born at 2:13 p.m., weighing seven pounds and nine ounces.
“Incoming,” Rhy shouts from the other room. “Birthday Princess on the loose.” The sweetest giggles and two sets of footsteps follow his voice.
I’m pretty sure Gabby went from crawling to running. That girl keeps me and Rhy on our toes, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
As the footsteps get closer, I step out from the island, planning to intercept Gabby before she makes it to the slider. But just before she reaches me, Rhyland scoops her into his arms.
“Gotcha,” he says before blowing raspberries on her belly. Gabby laughs even harder.
“Da, da, da, da,” she babbles. I swear Rhy’s face lights up every time she says it.
Was I jealous that “ma” wasn’t her first word? Maybe a little. Especially since I was the one who carried her for nine months and all. But coming third in her list of words isn’t too bad. I had a lot of fun teasing Rhy, saying, “Nope, she’s calling for you, not me,” when she would wake up in the middle of the night calling for him. The bond they have reminds me of what I had with my dad, and it warms my heart because he treats her as if it’s his blood running through her.
“Are you ready for your birthday, Princess?” Rhyland moves her to his hip, and she rests her head on his shoulder.
“And what about you? Are you ready?” He turns his attention to me.
I laugh. “It’s here whether or not I’m ready.” I never would have made it through this year if not for him.
No, no, no, I tell the tears again. To keep my mind busy, I move back to the counter and continue putting the cupcakes around the lower tier of the three-tiered birthday cake.
“I thought you had already put the cake together. We need two? Did you end up inviting the entire town?”
A giggle slips from my lips as I shake my head. “Of course we need two. That smaller cake is for Gabby, for her cake smash, and this one is for the rest of the guests. Unless you would rather have a slice of cake covered in icing with baby drool. I can totally arrange that.”
Rhy mocks me as he closes the distance between us. “You think you’re so funny, but just you wait till everyone leaves.”
His lips press to mine, but before either of us can deepen the kiss, he pulls back.
“Looking forward to it.” My smile matches his.
“I was just thinking about the last birthday we celebrated here and how all I wanted to do was kiss you out in the open.”
“You can kiss me anytime you want.”
“Good, I plan on it.” When Rhy leans in to kiss me again, Gabby smacks his cheek.
We both laugh.
“Always my little cockblocker.” Rhy tickles her belly. “To be continued later.” He winks at me, and I nod. “We’ll let you finish in here, and I shall take the princess to her castle.”
“Just be careful not to get her too riled up. Everyone should be here shortly.” But I know my instructions fall on deaf ears because they’re already headed out the back slider toward the princess castle bounce house we rented.
I finish up with the cake and then go outside to double-check everything else is ready.
