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I opened the passenger door for him, waiting until he was buckled in to close the door. I slid into the driver’s seat. “How do you feel about West Africa?”

“In general, or….”

“For about three years?”

Delaney sat quietly for a while, but when he responded, my heart nearly burst with joy. “You’re my home, Eli. Where we are in the world doesn’t matter as long as I’m with you.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Three years later

I whined as we moved through the crowded airport. “Why does coming back home feel like such a chore?” Eli looked at me with a blank expression. He was carrying both of our carry-on bags and pulling a luggage cart. Flashing a sweet smile, I patted his arm. “I said what I said.”

“Please tell me what part of you walking through the airport free of luggage is a chore, my dear husband?”

A nice warmth spread throughout my body, followed by the scent of happiness. I was still not used to being referred to as “husband” despite the quiet and small ceremony we had on Eli’s vineyard, which I was shocked to learn existed. I fingered the dual bands before answering, with a question of my own. “What are we going to tell Jonah, Tris, and Jay?”

Eli struggled to situate all of the luggage into the rental. He slammed the trunk with a loud huff, swiping the hair out of his face. West Africa had been wonderful to him. In the past three years, he let his hair grow, deciding to loc it once it reached armpit length. His complexion was darker now; his skin a beautiful shade of umber that made me pause in awe from time to time. He was absolutely, divinely gorgeous. “We tell them we were spontaneous and didn’t have enough time to try and juggle multiple schedules. They’ll understand.”

I scoffed as I slid into the driver’s seat. “Have you met Tris?”

Tristin stared, unblinking. “So, you two decide to get married on a whim? And didn’t invite your best men and Jason?”

“Hey!” Jason exclaimed as he strolled out of the kitchen. “I would have also been a best man.”

“Would you, though?” Tristin teased.

Jason narrowed his eyes at Tristin. “Would you?”

“Considering I am Delaney’s only and best friend—”

“He has me.” Jason pouted.

“I would have been the only one to stand by his side,” Tristin continued, “But”—he whipped his head around to stare at me and Eli— “back to you two. The wedding I can somewhat understand as Delaney hasn’t ever been one for pomp and circumstance. But”—he gestured to the small, sleeping bundle in Jonah’s arms—“a whole baby? How do you hide an entire child from us?”

I glanced at Jonah, a soft smile on both of our faces. Jonah cooed softly at our sleeping infant, completely unaware of whatever conversation was taking place. “I didn’t want to jinx the adoption process.”

Eli wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me tightly into his side. “We weren’t sure we’d be selected, and honestly, we didn’t mind the wait because we know there were hundreds of couples that have been waiting for years for a newborn, but Delaney—”

“It just so happened that one of Eli’s students fell pregnant. He was scared, he didn’t know who the mother was, and he wasn’t ready to be a parent. I didn’t befriend him with the intent to talk him into adoption,” I assured the trio. “I just wanted to offer him support, but he confided in me that he wanted to give the baby up for adoption and asked Eli and I if we wanted them. I—I was afraid to tell you because I didn’t want him to change his mind. But he didn’t and well…” I finished by gesturing towards our baby.

“She’s perfect,” Jonah breathed.

“We’re actually doing non-gendered parenting,” Eli proudly stated. “We will let them tell us who they are.”

“Makes sense,” Jason interjected. “Since both of you hate being told who you are.”

Eli pointed at Jason, nodding. “You get me.”

“So,” Tristin started, “What’s their name?”

Eli and I had given our child’s name a lot of thought. We waited to get the baby home and settled, not wanting to rush the process. In the end, we both believed it to be fitting to give our child a name that represented what they were to us.

We both answered, “Asher.”

Five years later

“I swear this time difference is too much to keep track of,” Tristin complained.