“Give ‘em hell,” Helen said, giving me the closest approximation of a smile I’d ever seen her give.
Rosie, clearly an extrovert, just kept smiling and being theatric—she kept tossing her cow, and a different person would pick it up each time. When Tom did it, she let out a laugh.
Great. An extrovert, and a flirt to boot.
Then someone else walked in. A tall guy with blonde hair, dressed in a white shirt and a tie and a lab coat. He was holding a brown shopping bag.
“Tyler?” My jaw dropped open as he crossed the room and stood in front of me. “I thought you were in New York.”
He shifted his weight and looked uncomfortable. “I got your voicemails, Ani. I’m sorry I didn’t call you back.”
Wait. Stoic, proper, country-club-raised Tyler, who’d wanted me to bend to his way of life. Who could be so callous and self-serving and unemotional—wassorryabout something?
“A cardiologist friend of mine told me about the baby,” he explained. “When I heard what you did, I just—couldn’t hold on to my anger anymore.”
He sounded…human. Vulnerable. Where was the real Tyler? As I gave him a giant hug, I noticed that he looked a littlethinner, acted a little nicer. I briefly wondered who or what was responsible for the transformation.
“I’m glad you’re here.” Touched by his show of support, I looked him in the eye. “I’m sorry for breaking things off the way I did.” I was finally saying my piece. “I should’ve never let things get to that point.”
“I know you’re sorry.” That sounded more like the Tyler I knew. “But I don’t want you to be. You were right about a lot of things, and that was one of them.” He held out a bag. “I brought the baby some medical books.”
I peered into the bag. “Medical books?” Rosie was clearly a genius baby, but I wasn’t sure she was ready for that.
“Yeah, you know. Board books that teach you anatomy. They’re…fun. And I wrote you a letter.” He gave the slightest, maybe a little sad, smile. “Nice to see you, Ani. What you’re doing is incredible. But then, I always knew you were amazing.” Then he kissed me on the cheek.
I felt relief. Resolution. I even felt charity toward him. Until he spoke. “By the way, I’ll be seeing you around. I just got hired into the cardiology group here.”
Oh dear.
“Do all your exes move to Oak Bluff?” Adam asked, standing at my side before I could even process that. He wrapped an arm around me and grinned, which made Tyler and everything and everyone else fade into the distance.
His broad shoulders that were strong enough to help carry the burden of everything that was happening right now. His calm presence and warm humor made me more certain than ever that together we could make this happen—make anything happen, actually. Not to mention that he was the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen in that suit. And I could barely dare to think it, but he was mine.
He reached down and pulled Rosie out of her stroller and sat her in the crook of his big arms, a flowery pink rosebud—well except for the green and yellow daisies, but hey, at least she had booties on.
He smiled a big, confident smile and held out his other hand to me.
“I love you,” I said a little breathlessly. As I looked into his eyes, I felt that no one could stop us.
“I love you too,” he said as he squeezed my hand.
And together we led the way into Mr. Rothstein’s office.
Epilogue
Eight months later
Ani
“Have you seen my sock?” Adam asked as he trailed a wobbly Rosie who was wide-legged-tightrope-walking her way across the family room while I stood capturing it all on video. Arnold and Jaxson stood right near her too, sentinels to protect her from falling.
“I don’t think Jaxson ate any today,” I said, trying to recall if I’d caught him sneaking one away from the laundry basket. He was very good at sorting through things to find exactly what he needed to support his habit.
“Yet,” Adam added. “I’d really love to find a sock to wear to work, though.”
The sock was quickly forgotten as Rosie’s first few steps turned into her first big walk. She left the couch behind and entered uncharted territory. So exciting.
On hearing his name, Jaxson’s ears drooped. Guilty as charged. He was an in-and-out visitor to our home, often stayingover. Arnold, a genuinely kind spirit, took right to having him as a doggie pal. The Russes genuinely loved Jax, even Mr. Russ did, it turned out, and we made sure to walk him every day. And the Russes enjoyed our little family. Win-win.
