AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She places her hand on my chest, her fingers resting right over my heart, and we sit in the silence for a long minute.
“She’ll always be with us now.” Juliet’s quiet voice, almost a whisper, blends in with the lapping of the water along the shore.
Nodding, I breathe in all the goodness, the sweetness that is Juliet.
“She will. I know she’d be happy for us.” I move my hand to my chest, covering her hand with mine.
We’re rock solid. She’s mine and I’m hers and nothing will come between us ever again, of that I am sure.
EPILOGUE: KING
FIFTEEN MONTHS LATER…
“You sure you’re not too tired to stop? We can do this another time ...” My voice trails off as I search Juliet’s eyes for the truth. She’s too strong to admit when she’s exhausted, too caring to tell me to wait.
But she locks her eyes with mine, fierce determination etched on her face.
“I’m good, King. Swear.”
The baby starts to cry, and Juliet rocks our little girl in her arms, shushing her. Even after a grueling twelve-hour night of labor, Juliet’s a vision, her hair swept up in a messy ponytail, her skin glowing. This time around, pregnancy agreed with her. I loved watching her body swell with our baby, her curves rounding even more as she grew our child.
Our perfect baby.
Madeline Montgomery, named after my mom.
“Y’all ready to go?” The labor and delivery nurse bustles into the room, pushing a wheelchair. “You passed the car seat check—good job. At least half of new parents don’t.”
Pride blooms in my chest at the praise. I had spent a solid hour checking and rechecking every latch, making sure each of them was tight and secure.
“Yes, we’re ready.” Juliet stands up, wobbling a bit, and I rush over and grip her elbow.
“Here, let me help.” The nurse comes closer with the wheelchair, and Juliet eases down into the plastic seat. Madeline’s sucking on a pacifier, her tiny eyes shut as she works the soft rubber.
“I’ll get your bag, babe.” I do a quick sweep of the room, grabbing her phone charger still plugged into the wall and stuffing it into her duffel. We’d been in the hospital for a week right at the end of the pregnancy, Madeline surprising us by making her grand entrance a few weeks early.
But everything turned out fine, and now we have an absolutely beautiful baby.
“All right, Dad, let’s go.” The nurse ushers us out of the room, and the title starts to sink in.
Dad.
I wasn’t sure that would ever be me, and I was okay with that. I meant what I said, that Juliet was all I needed.
Being able to have a baby, though, really is the icing on the cake.
We’re not young anymore—at least I’m not—but I’m still plenty able to care for a child. She’s going to have the best time growing up on the ranch, running around with the horses and goats and the golden lab puppy I gave Juliet right after we got engaged. Plus her cousin Archer, Roman and Skye’s baby boy.
The elevator slides down to the ground floor, and I hold the button while the nurse wheels Juliet and the baby out. Trailing behind, I hustle to jog ahead and open the truck door for Juliet.
I’m as nervous right now as I was the day I proposed to Juliet. Taking the baby home for the first time, being alone with a newborn.
“You okay?” Juliet frowns at me as I pluck Madeline from her arms.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just excited is all.”
I fasten the baby into the car seat—just like we practiced with Archer—and she settles into the carrier, falling back asleep. The nurse and I help Juliet up into the truck, and I gently fasten the seat belt around her belly.
“Thank you.” Juliet gives the nurse a warm smile and waves.
