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He traps my hand within his and kisses my knuckle above the ring. “It was cute.”
“Cute? I probably looked crazy trying on that ring.”
“No. You looked like mine.”
My stomach dips at the hungry look in his eyes.
“Mommy!” Cami dashes down the dock, clutching her stuffed lamb to her chest. She launches herself at us, and Cal lifts her into his arms before wrapping his other one around me.
I smile up at them. Cal was right. There was no way I would ever say no to marriage because there’s nothing I want more in life than to spend the rest of it with them.
Our forever family.
THREE YEARS LATER
Every single July, Lana and I invite the family out to join us at Lake Wisteria. Besides the holidays, it’s one of the few times we are able to get everyone in the same place together. Now that my brothers have their own families, life is busier.
Slowly, the Kane family has expanded. Rowan married Zahra pretty soon after Iris gave birth to baby Ilona and Declan became CEO. It didn’t take long for Rowan and Zahra to have their first kid, Ailey. The little kid is a riot, taking after her mother in personality and her father in looks.
Lana and I took a little longer to have a kid. We both wanted a baby, but the process wasn’t the easiest. It tore me up inside to see my wife struggle with the loss of one and the continuous letdowns every month after. There was nothing I could do to help, and it tested our relationship, along with my commitment to staying sober.
Without Wyatt, I’m not sure I would have been strong enough to resist the pull toward drinking. He and Lana assured me I would have been, but who knows.
Sobriety truly is a journey, but I wouldn’t want anyone else in the passenger seat but Lana. With her by my side, I know I can make it through anything.
I’m glad I didn’t fall off the wagon, because then we had Esmeralda. Sweet baby Esme with her toothless smile, dark blue eyes, and full head of brown hair. Cami was beyond thrilled to have the baby sister she always dreamed of, and Lana and I were content to be a family of four forever, especially after the hardships we went through to have Esme.
So, imagine our surprise when only two months after Esme came into this world, Lana got pregnant again.
We traced back the conception date to our trip to Ireland when we visited the town where my grandpa was born. The odds of having Irish twins conceived in Ireland almost seemed too good to be true. Like a divine intervention of some sort. Or better yet, a Brady intervention.
I honestly wouldn’t put it past Brady Kane to make a deal with some higher power in the afterlife, making Lana’s dream to have a big family come true.
Lana places my birthday cake in front of me before leaning over my chair to whisper in my ear, “What are you wishing for this year?”
I shoot her a look. “Like I’d tell you.”
She grins. Even after traveling the globe and visiting the most beautiful places, nothing compares to Lana’s smile. It lights up her whole face, making her skin glow and her eyes shine.
Esme might give Lana a run for her money though. Our little girl doesn’t have any teeth yet, but it only makes her smiles that much cuter.
Lana peeks over at me with narrowed eyes. “You’re wishing for a boy this time, aren’t you?”
“Am I that predictable?” I ask.
“Yes,” Declan and Rowan reply at the same time.
I roll my eyes. “I swear, I send a couple of photos of little kids in hockey gear…”
“And boys hitting golf balls.” Rowan places Esme into Lana’s open arms.
“Don’t forget about the boy driving around on a mini dirt bike.” Zahra buckles Ailey into her highchair. The kid claps her hands together at the sight of the cake.
I raise my hands in mock surrender. “It’s not a crime to manifest.”
“Girls can play hockey, hit golf balls, and ride dirt bikes too, you know?” Lana raises Esme’s tiny fist in the air for emphasis.
“Does that mean I can buy Cami a dirt bike for Christmas?” Rowan smirks like the instigator he loves to be.
