EPILOGUE
FIVE YEARS LATER
jenna
“Jenna,” Cole calls from the hallway. “Baby, there’s something on my leg, and I need you to help me get it off.”
A little giggle follows his call for help, and I smile as Cole enters the nursery with our three-year-old wrapped around the bottom of his leg.
“Oh my goodness,” I say with a soft laugh. “You do have a problem.”
“It won’t come off,” Cole teases. “I’ve tried everything—walking, turning in a circle, even lifting my leg and trying to shake it off.” He demonstrates that last one, which sends Kaylee into a fit of giggles.
“Hmm?” I playintotheir little game and tilt my head as I pretend to think hard. “Have you tried to tickle it off of you?”
“No, I haven’t tried that one, yet,” Cole says and bends down to Kaylee. Her little body scrunches in anticipation, and as soon as his fingers touch her sides, she falls off him from laughing so hard. “All right, little girl. Time for bed.” Cole lifts her from the floor and brushes her blonde curls away from her brown eyes. She’s the perfect combination ofus,but takes more after Cole with her fun-loving, mischievous nature. We’re going to have some interesting times ahead of us for sure with that one. “Saygoodnightto mommy and your baby brother.”
“Goodnight, sweet pea,” I say to Kaylee when Cole brings her over to me, and I give her a kiss on her pink cheeks.
“Night-night, Mommy,” she says, in that little girlvoiceI just can’t get enough of, then leans over in Cole’s arms to kiss the baby. “Night-night, Adam.”
Looking up I meet Cole’s eyes, and he shoots me a wink and a smile as he carries our daughter from the nursery to her bedroom. Both rooms are new additions to the lake house that Cole’s parents graciously gifted us with four and a half years ago as our wedding gift. Things have certainly changed around here since then, and we couldn’t be happier.
Adam squirms in my arms and begins to fuss. “Shh, it’s okay, baby,” I coo as I gently set the rocker in motion. This was another gift, but this one came from my amazingly talented husband who handcrafted the entire piece.
Cole’s dream job, the one he fell in love with while living in Colorado, turned out to be woodworking, and he carried that passion over into making furniture. I’m amazed at the stuff he comes up with, and other people must feel the same way too because “Sullivan’s Fine Furnishings” is always receiving new orders for custom pieces. Cole’s workshop in the side yard is packed with projects he’s working on, and I couldn’t be prouder of the business he’s built and of how far he’s come over the years.
It took him some time, but eventually he was able to control the anger he’d held on to after my brother’s death—redirecting that emotion into his hobby/career. Working with hishandscalms and relaxes him, and I’m happy he found a peaceful outlet. He still claims he’s not perfect, but I have a difference of opinion on that.
His fallout with Mark also found some resolution. They’re still not best friends, but a few months after Cole and I were married, he and Mark actually had a civil conversation and were able put the past behind them so they could move on with their lives. We have Leona, Mark’s new wife, to thank for that. She was able to help him in a way that I never could, and I’m thankful she came into his life when she did.
My thoughts drift, and a smile curves my lips as I think about how fate had intervened all those years ago when Cole broke into this very house and I tried to knock him out with the tea kettle. I call it fate because I truly believe thatthat’swhat it was.Someone,somewhere knew we belonged together and put us exactly where we needed to be so we could be reunited. I like to think it was this little guy’s namesake, and I’m sure Cole would have to agree.
“What’s that smile all about?” Cole asks in a low voice as to not disturb our son, who is now sleeping in my arms.
My smile widens when I look up to see him standing in the doorway with his arms crossed over his bare, broad chest, and his pajama bottoms slung low on his hips. He’s the epitome of sexy male—and I’m shamelessly proud to claim him as all mine.
“I was just thinking about you,” I tell him, and slowly stand up from the rocker to place Adam in his crib.
Cole moves next to me and wraps his arms around me from behind as I lay our son down. “Goodnight, buddy,” Cole whispers, and he reaches down to stroke Adam’s tiny little hand before we leave the nursery. “So that smile was all about me, huh?” Cole says as we walk into our bedroom.
Taking my bottom lip between my teeth, I give him a simple nod as I hold his gaze and move backward toward the bed. I love this man so much, and I could rattle off lists upon lists of why, but this right here, the way he looks at me like I’m the sexiest woman in existence—especially after bringing his children into the world—would definitely be high on the list.
Cole catches up to me, gripping the backs of my thighs and lifting me to him as he carries me the rest of the way to the bed. “Wellthenby all means, Mrs. Sullivan … let’s see how many moresmilesI can put on your face tonight.”
The End
