“I love you and our children so much,” she whispered.
“You’re my whole world, babe.” After kissing her, he smiled at his children. “Mama and Dadda love you guys so much.”
Clark, named after Rebel’s dad, had his mom’s beautiful espresso-brown eyes, and Willow had the brightest blue eyes he’d ever seen. They both had a swatch of thick, dark hair.
When they were born, he loved helping deliver his son, then his daughter. Two tiny babies who’d captured his heart the second he held them in his arms.
Rebel pulled Brit into his lap, kissed her shoulder.
When she made a silly face, Clark started giggling. Nothing but a piecing stare from Willow.
“Willow, what sound does a dog make?” Rebel asked. “Woof, woof, wooooooof.”
Gales of laughter exploded out of his daughter.
His heart overflowed with so much love for his family.
“I’m excited about your upcoming mission,” Brit said.
“Me too,” he replied. “But I don’t want to leave you.”
She kissed him. “You’ll be gone for three days, four at the most. Your mom and my dad are staying here, so I’ll have a tonof help. I can’t have you worrying about us. You have to focus up and get the job done.” She kissed him. “We’ll be here growing and giggling, and eating and pooping.”
With a laugh, she said, “So much pooping, right guys?”
Clark giggled.
Brit combed delicate fingers through Rebel’s long hair. “And we’ll be missing you, my sweet love.”
They shared a tender kiss before she grabbed a book from the pile of baby stories nearby.
As she read to them, pausing to show them the pictures, Rebel relaxed on the floor next to them, his attention floating between Brit and his children.
When the story ended, Rebel played a game of peek-a-boo with them. They giggled so hard, he and Brit started laughing. The immense joy he felt from these two tiny creatures filled him with gratitude. His commitment to keep his family safe had become his top priority.
The past year had been a whirlwind of activity. A month after their engagement, they had a small, elegant wedding at Hotel Dillinger with family and their close circle of friends.
Four months after that, they moved into a beautiful home with a wonderful backyard, one street over from Dakota and Providence. The Luck’s nanny, Miranda Morris, had offered to take care of Clark and Willow four days a week at the Luck estate.
Every Friday, Z spent the day with his grandchildren. Brit and Rebel worked at the office in the morning, then from home in the afternoon, in case two babies became too much for Granddad. To their surprise, Z jumped right in and handled his baby duties like a pro.
“I’m not missing out on one thing with these little ones,” Z had told them. “I made that mistake with my own children, so I won’t be repeating it with yours.”
“Elizabeth Dillinger has arrived,” the security system announced.
The front door opened. “Hello?” Elizabeth called.
Rebel sauntered into the foyer, gave his mom a hug, and took the covered casserole dish. “Whatcha got in here?”
“Quinoa and broccoli casserole,” she replied.
He grimaced. “To eat?”
She laughed. “It’s delicious and very healthy.”
Rebel slid the casserole into the fridge as Elizabeth walked into the family room, sat beside Brit on the baby blanket. After kissing each grandchild on the cheek, she said, “Hello, Willow. Hello, Clark.”
“Can you say hello to Grammy?” Brit asked.
