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I’m exactly where I belong.

Epilogue

Charlotte

10 MONTHS LATER

My hand drifts across the soft sheets, my body stretching as I reach for Alex’s familiar warmth beside me. But his side of the bed is empty, cold as though he’s been gone for a while. I sit up, his T-shirt hanging loose around my body as I extend my arms in the air and let out a yawn.

My gaze lands on the lush green landscape beyond the window, stretching for miles before the coast. For the first time since we arrived, sunlight pours in, casting a golden glow across the fields.

I should find some time to paint before we leave.

The scent of pancakes drifts through the room, and a sleepy smile tugs at my lips as my stomach rumbles in anticipation.

The bedroom door creaks open, followed by the sweetest sound in the world.

“Mama!”

God, I’ll never get tired of hearing that.

Clara runs into the room as fast as her little legs will go, and once she reaches the edge of the bed, she climbs up, pulling on the blankets with all of her strength. She struggles with Squish in her grip, so I sit up and help her the rest of the way.

“Hi, sweet girl.” I bring her right up against my chest. Our arms wrap around one another in a tight hug, which has become our morning ritual. “Where’s your daddy?” I push back her light brown curls as she shifts beside me.

“Making breakfast.” She tugs on the ends of the blanket, hiding beneath it.

“Ah.” I grin as she snuggles against my side. “So that’s what that delicious smell is.”

On cue, Alex enters the room with a tray in his hands. But it’s not the food that has me doing a double take.

My eyes linger appreciatively on his shirtless, inked chest before drifting down to his grey sweatpants that hang low on his hips. Every muscle is chiseled to perfection as if he were carved out of stone for my eyes to feast on. For a moment, I’m so distracted, I almost miss the stack of pancakes piled high in the center of the tray along with a glass of orange juice, a cup of coffee, a bowl of fruit, and some scrambled eggs.

I tilt my head to the side, my messy hair spilling over my shoulder. “What’s all this for?”

He sets the tray on the nightstand and looks down at me with a nervous smile. “Well…” His fingers drag through his hair. “Today, in Ireland, it’s Mother’s Day. And since we’re here, I wanted to make sure we celebrate it properly.”

Warmth blossoms in my chest, my heart beating faster. Every time I think Alex can’t possibly top what he’s already done, he surprises me all over again.

“That was really…” I swallow around the lump in my throat, my vision blurring as tears well in my eyes. “That was really thoughtful.”

He lowers himself to the edge of the bed, curling his hand around my neck as he presses his lips softly to mine.

“Thank you,” I breathe, resting my forehead against his. “For everything.”

He tucks my hair behind my ear, gliding his palm until it rests on my cheek. “I would do anything for you, Fiorellina.” His gaze lingers on me, his stormy-grey eyes holding so much love.

“I made a card,” Clara announces proudly, grabbing a piece of paper off the tray. She scoots between us and holds it out for me to take.

“Oh my goodness.” I open it, admiring the colorful arrangement of scribbles, which I assume are supposed to resemble flowers. “It’s so beautiful.”

“Greenhouse flowers,” she says, pointing at it.

“It looks just like the greenhouse,” I tell her. “I’ll put it on the fridge as soon as we get home so everyone can see.” I smile as I lean forward and place a kiss on her cheek. “Did you know this is my first Mother’s Day?”

She gasps, her eyes going wide. “Why?”

I laugh softly. “Because I had to wait for you to come into my life.” A memory of the very first time I held her in my arms crashes over me, causing my chest to tighten with affection. “And you were definitely worth the wait.”