“No, baby. How’s your heart doing?”
I let out a breath and look up at him. “It feels lighter. I hate how Daniel chose to go out. You know that.”
“I know. And I’m sorry.” He kisses my forehead.
“But it’s a relief to know that it’s over. It’s time to move on, Brooks. With you. I want our family. Our big, loud, crazy family. And I want babies. I want to watch our kids play in our backyard and go camping at the river. I’m where I’m supposed to be, right by your side.”
“You’re right where you belong, Wildfire. And we’re going to have all of that and more.”
“I can’t wait.”
Epilogue
BROOKS
Five Years Later
“They’ll be here in thirty minutes,” Jules reminds me as she rushes by with Michaela on her hip. The fourteen-month-old is crying because we finally took the binkie away despite the fact that she cries nonstop without it, and we’ve been up for three nights in a row with her.
We’ve vowed to stay strong.
God, I want to give her that binkie.
“Come here, baby girl.” I hold my hands out, and the baby leans into me, then tucks her face in my neck, still whimpering pitifully. “We took her best friend away.”
“She’s just good at manipulating you,” Jules replies with a smirk. “She was fine until you walked in here. Did you buy the ice?”
“Yeah, I got it and dumped it in the coolers.” I kiss my daughter’s head and then lean over to kiss my wife’s lips and smell the white chocolate mocha on her breath. “You got a coffee without me?”
“I’m sorry, I’m dead on my feet.” She lowers her voice. “I’ll make it up to you later.”
“Yeah, Wildfire, you freaking will.”
“When is Uncle Bridger coming?” Caden, our four-year-old, demands as he runs into the kitchen. “He’s bringing a fire truck.”
“Uh, buddy, I don’t think he is.” I frown down at my son as he reaches for a cookie, side-eyeing his mom.
“He said he would,” Caden replies with a shrug. “Bryce and I are gonna play on the climbing wall today.”
“Oh good, someone will leave here with a broken arm,” Jules mutters. “Why don’t you play in the sandbox?”
“Because the neighbor’s cat poops in it.”
Her eyes shoot to mine in horror, and I can’t help but laugh.
“I cleaned it out. It’s fine. We forgot to cover it over the weekend before we went camping.”
“I don’t have time to think about poopy sand. I have to get this salad made.”
“I thought you brought home a crap ton of food from the restaurant?” My woman’s business has grown a ton in the past five years, adding on more staff and another baker, and I couldn’t be prouder of her.
“I did, but Harper’s pregnant again, and she needs this salad. I forgot to get it from the restaurant earlier.”
“You’re a really good sister-in-law,” I murmur in her ear before I kiss her cheek.
Before I can blink, the house and backyard start to fill up with family. We’re hosting a cookout at our big house on the corner, which has been finished for three years now. It took us a while to get it exactly the way we wanted it, but I’d say it’s just about perfect.
“What’s up, buttercup?” Michaela squeals, her little legs pumping as Blake grins at her over my shoulder. “Come here, gorgeous. Come hang out with me.”
