Page 107 of More Than Friends

Char looks at me with tears in her eyes. “Did I just hear that right?”

All I can do is nod as I swallow past the lump of emotion in my throat.

“Did you just call me mama?” Charlotte asks, her voice full of disbelief.

Ava smiles at Charlotte. “Mama,” she repeats, reaching for Charlotte.

Charlotte puts her camera down and pulls Ava from her high chair. I can’t help but fall in love with Char all over again when Ava immediately melts against her.

“Yeah, baby girl, that’s your Mama,” I rasp.

Charlotte cries as she clutches Ava to her chest. It’s another one of the beautiful moments that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

I smile, wondering how I got to be the luckiest man in the world to not only fall in love with Charlotte, but to call her my best friend too. She’s my partner in life for all things, and as incredible as the last six months have been together, I’m excited about what the next six will look like. And then the next six…until the rest of forever.

I fell in love with Charlotte without ever really knowing what love was. I don’t know if there was ever really one thing that made me fall in love with her. It was justher. She’s my everything. She and Ava are my world. Sometimes I lie in bed next to the love of my life and wonder what I ever did to deserve her. She didn’t have to selflessly step up the way she did for Ava and me. She didn’t have to stick around as I learned what it waslike to love someone. She’s been there for me every step of the way, and I look forward to a lifetime of happiness with her.

I can’t wait to have it all with her.

Charlotte looks up at me as she balances Ava on her hip. There’s still tears in her eyes as she smiles at me. “What?” she asks.

I shake my head. “I just really love you, Charlotte Mitchell.”

Her entire face lights up, and I feel like I fall in love with her all over again. “I love you too, Jude Kensington.”

“But not as much as I love you,” I immediately respond.

She rolls her eyes before pressing a kiss to Ava’s head. “Daddy is just really always trying to win on that one, isn’t he?”

All I do is smile and shrug before tucking my hands into my pockets. I keep my mouth shut, even though I know I do win. I win because I get to love her and be loved by her.

She’s my best friend. My love. My world.