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EPILOGUE
‘IWANTTO see the person in charge!’
Kat’s eyes lifted from the baby in her arms to see her handsome husband standing at the side of the bed.
‘He is just so perfect...yes, I think Alek suits him?’ Her husband looked as exhausted as she had felt, but it was a good tired that came with a deep feeling of contentment.
‘I think so. You should really get some sleep, you know.’
She nodded. ‘We have a family, Zach.’ There was wonder in her face as she looked down at the baby who had arrived at six that morning.
Zach covered her hand with his own. ‘We are a family,’ he corrected, looking deep into her eyes.
The bellowing voice interrupted the tender moment, making itself heard once more. This time the baby’s eyes opened; they were dark, flecked with amber.
‘Hush, Alek, we will not let Great-Grandpa wake you up. You’ll get used to him.’
‘If he’s anything like his mother he’ll have the old man wrapped around his little finger in no time at all.’
‘What can I say?’ Kat said with a smile. ‘I’m irresistible. You know, you really should go and tell him to come in. You know he’s creating havoc out there.’
Zach gave a resigned sigh and levered himself off the bed, pausing to touch the dark head of his son and press a warm kiss to his wife’s lips. ‘You did good, kid.’
‘A joint effort,’ she protested.
‘Hardly. My contribution required much less effort,’ he said with the wicked grin she loved so much.
‘Oh, I helped a little bit with that too, as I recall.’
His grin deepened. ‘Well, I have to say I’m really relieved he doesn’t look like Alekis. That was my secret fear all along.’
‘Oh, was that what your secret fear was?’ she teased lovingly. ‘I thought it was I might slip, I might get too hot, I might get too cold, I might—’
‘All right, all right, a man is allowed to be protective, isn’t he? And now we have this... He is very beautiful, isn’t he?’
‘Of course he is, he looks just like his papa.’
‘Doctor!’ the voice outside thundered scornfully. ‘I wish to speak to the person in charge, not a child.’
‘Oh, really, Zach, go and give him the news before he starts telling everyone how there would be no baby if he hadn’t thrown us together, and that it was all part of his grand plan...’ She broke off and gave a laugh of delight as the baby’s tiny perfect fingers curled around one of her own. ‘He is so strong, aren’t you, my precious?’ She looked up. ‘You don’t think there was a grand plan, do you?’
‘You know something, agape mou? I really don’t care. I am here with you and our baby. I don’t care if the devil himself arranged it. I am just happy.’
Kat nodded. ‘Me too.’ She lifted a hand to stifle a yawn. ‘Tired and happy.’
The addition made him smile. ‘Right, I will go and tell your grandfather that you are not allowed visitors until tomorrow.’
‘But the midwife said—’
Zach kissed her to silence. ‘Tomorrow.’
‘You are a very good husband.’
‘I am a work in progress, but my heart,’ he promised, pressing his hand first to his own chest and then against Kat’s beating heart, ‘is definitely in it.’
‘Seen the name outside the surgical wing, young man? That is my name. I think you’ll find I have some influence in this place!’ Alekis shouted from the hallway.
‘But he doesn’t in this room,’ Kat promised the sleeping baby in her arms.
Zach nodded his agreement. ‘Oh, everyone at the refuge sent their love when I texted the news. Sue made a flying visit to the new refuge and she said to tell you there were no problems.’
‘Oh, that is good news!’ In the months after they had joined forces there had been five more refuges opened and Zach’s mentoring scheme had started up in two UK cities.
‘She also says everything is under control, so relax and enjoy the baby.’
‘I—’ Kat broke off as a loud bellow outside made the sleeping baby stir. ‘Go and save the poor staff, Zach.’
Laughing, he obeyed, because after all Kat had saved him from a lonely life. She had given him the greatest gift there was—unconditional love.
* * * * *
