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“In fact, you should go and record it before Daddy gets any naughty ideas.”
“Okay, okay,” I laugh. “Will you take her so I can go and get changed?”
“Of course,” he says, reaching over and cradling our daughter to his chest.
He rocks her gently.
I watch him, this giant of a man handling her like she’s made of glass, always aware of his own strength and her delicacy. It’s one of my favorite things to do, watch them together, watch their bond grow and grow.
“What?” Liam says, catching me looking.
When he smiles, the sunlight dances in the silver on his jaw.
“I was just thinking about how much I love you,” I say.
His smile widens.
“That’s funny,” he says. “I was just thinking the exact same thing.”
Extended Epilogue
Ten Years Later
Liam
“Daddy, what do you think?” Jacob says, marching up and down in front of the barbecue in his armor costume.
I chuckle, dispersing some of the steam that rises from the hot dogs into the wintery February air. It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow, a time of year that always fills me with joy and mounting love.
Not that I need any excuse for that these days.
There’s Jacob in his knight’s costume, his five year old face brimming with joy. His cheeks are shiny from the winter cold, but I know that soon he’ll be on the lawn again with Angelica and Tommy, and his twin Annabelle. He’ll join Ryan Junior, Ryan, and Kayley’s son – about the same age as Jacob – and maybe they’ll have a pretend fight with their foam swords.
My whole family is ranged out before me on the lawn of my estate, snow-dappled, laughter dancing in the air with the barbecue smoke. This estate once perpetually empty, but now alive with the sounds of the life we’ve built.
“Daddy,” Jacob says. “You’re doing your Cupid face.”
I chuckle, flipping a dog. “What’s my Cupid face?” I ask.
“Mommy says you always get all lovey-dovey around Cupid Day and that’s why you stare and stare sometimes without saying anything. Because you think you’re Cupid.”
I chuckle, looking over the barbecue to where Lola kneels with Annabelle, helping her to insert the carrot into the snowman’s face. She’s wearing a thick winter jacket and jeans with chunky boots, her hair cascading down to her shoulders, her face fresh and beautiful in the winter cold.
My heart aches just looking at her, after all these years. I know it will never stop. I love her now just as fiercely as I did when I proposed to her in that red, glowing room.
More, even.
I love her more every day.
“You look badass, kid,” I say, grinning at Jacob. “But all that armor’s going to slow you down in a fight.”
“Nah uh,” Jacob laughs. “I’m fast and strong, Daddy, just like you.”
He runs off toward where Ryan is kneeling in the snow, forming a snowball. I watch him go, his sword held high and proud, and then return my gaze to Lola.
I’ll play ‘Stolen by Your Love’ for her later, before laying her down in bed and taking her as savagely and possessively as I’ve taken her for the last ten years. That was her first platinum single, catapulting her to international fame, and ever since then, it’s been a constant stream of hits.
She looks up, sensing me looking like she often does.
My wife is perceptive like that.
She smiles, and my world gets that much brighter.
I smile back, my cheeks aching with all the happiness, Annabelle yelling joyfully.
“Mommy, Mommy,” she sings, my five year old with the angel’s voice. “Look, Mommy.”
Annabelle grins up at her mother, pride gleaming in her eyes. She’s just fixed the snowman’s nose and now she’s jumping up and down on the spot. My heart swells when my wife leans down and gives my daughter a hug.
I look down to Hunter, his hair more snow than coal now, and we share a knowing glance.
“I know, boy,” I mutter. “It’s more than a man like me ever deserved. Want a sausage, eh? Want a sausage?”
That gets the old fella to perk up. I grin, sneakily slipping one to the ground where he munches on it greedily.
