His eyes snap to mine. “This is real?”
“It is very real. I know the plan was to wait and get plans for the farm settled first, but?—”
Aiden interrupts me with a kiss. It’s not urgent, but it’s not chaste either. It’s joy, set on fire.
“We haven’t done anything normal yet, so why start now?” He smiles against my lips. “We’re having a baby.”
“You have to control yourself, Aiden. I’ve got a whole reveal planned.”
He smiles wider. “But you told me first.”
“Because you’re too observant for your own good,” I say, pinching his side. That only makes him tug me closer.
“I’ve never been happier that stupid clause ever existed in the first place. Look what it got us.”
I press a kiss to his lips. “I guess that’s one way of looking at it,” I say, then realize I truly believe it.
“It’s the only way,” he says.
Then he crouches, dragging his hands down my sides until they settle at my waist. Reverently, he gathers my apron in one hand, then pushes up my sweater so he’s eye-level with my belly.
“You are going to have the best life,” he whispers. “You already have the best mom, who will love you so much so can’t hold it all.” His lips skim across the old stretch marks there.
Tears fall freely now, because I never imagined being loved this much. Not in my wildest dreams, or in all my wishes.
Simply for existing and loving him back.
He raises up again, swiping at my face. “This is a dead giveaway, Chloe,” he chuckles. “I’m glad you weren’t planning on keeping this a secret for long.”
“I’m just so happy,” I murmur, sniffling. “This life is more than I ever dreamed of.”
“Me too,” he says, holding my face in his hands. “More than I ever thought I deserved.” He pauses. “Go take a minute so you don’t freak Phoebe out when she comes in from the barn, okay?”
“Good call.”
I move to step out of his arms, but he holds, like he’s not quite ready to let me go yet. “We’re expanding our family.”
“You ready for that?”
“I’m ready for whatever comes our way. If we could have five more of Phoebe, I’d say I’m all in.”
My heart squeezes. “Let’s just focus on this one, for now.”
“For now,” he agrees, then lets me go.
Love looks good on all of us.
Keep reading for a bonus epilogue from Evelyn’s point-of-view, on New Year’s Eve.
And for a second bonus epilogue, from Holly Everheart’s point-of-view.Yes,the one who supposedly disappeared. You never know what you’ll find out…
bonus epilogue
EVELYN
PRESENT DAY,NEW YEAR’S EVE
I always wondered where Chloe came from and what shaped her into someone so sure.
