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Epilogue
Two Years Later
“I can’t getover it. I am dying!”
“I think we all are, Cammy.”The two women in evening gowns fussed and flitted about on the red carpet, gawking at my husband. I smiled as I heard them speaking behind us. In all fairness, everyone was a little out of sorts at the sight of Ryan Prince wearing a baby pack where one of our sons was strapped to his chest and the other was on his back.
“I have never seen a man in a tuxedo carry babies! I literally can’t with this cuteness!” Camilla, the woman in yellow who was on a popular entertainment show, fanned her face.
Ryan was indeed wearing a tuxedo, his hair styled to perfection and his bronzed skin looking godlike against his aqua eyes. Our sons, Leeland and Hendrix, were dressed similarly in little tuxedo onesies Shay had made special for today. We were walking the red carpet for my husband’s latest HitFlix release. It was for a play he’d written, produced, and starred in; Bella had inspired it, and together the two of them had slowly put it together.
“I heard he first debuted this play for his daughter’s school, which is just crazy cute,” Joan mused, getting closer and closer to our little group. Bella donned a little pink ballgown, her golden curls spun and spilled down her back. Ryan had made sure she had a tiara for the occasion, and Cole was dressed in a slate gray tux with his dark hair swept to the side. He gripped my elbow, escorting me down the carpet while Ryan held Bella’s hand.
When we’d learned we were having twins after that first year of marriage, we were elated. Cole and Bella were so excited they worked for three months to pick out names and even started setting up the spare bedroom with Belle’s baby toys, creating an outline for where the boys would sleep. It made my heart soar.
Logan had started warming up to Ryan once he realized there was no chance left for anything to happen. He finally realized his relationship with his kids was paramount, and while the world did call Bella and Cole Ryan’s kids, Ryan always made sure to point the light back toward Logan. The two of them weren’t friends by any means, but they were teammates when it came to parenting our kids.
Ryan loved Cole and Bella like they were his, but he respected that they needed a healthy and whole relationship with their dad. He knew how amazing our kids would be with both father figures in their lives. Logan’s parents didn’t really budge on their desire to connect with the kids, so they only saw them once or twice a year, whereas Gloria and Gary were with us multiple times a week.
They loved Bella and Cole as if they were biologically theirs. They had even before Ryan had made his move, so the kids felt even more secure in their affection because of it. I’d never felt more chosen, more loved, or more secure in my entire life, so much so that when Ryan was offered the chance to act again, I urged him to do it.
After mulling it over for weeks, he reluctantly took a new role. He drew the line at having any roles involving romance. No longer would he be the sexy playboy on screen. He accepted family roles, or major action projects; otherwise he’d skip it. I encouraged him to be happy, and he always reminded me that he was.
He always reminded me that he’d finally found the place he wanted to exist and thrive in more so than anywhere else. When our boys were born, he looked at me with so much love and devotion I couldn’t bear it. He held my hand while we each held on to our babies, and with tears in his eyes, he said this was it for him, said all the dreams he could ever have were in that room.
“Did you get a look at his wife? I love the little clips we get of their family on social media, but my gawd she’s gorgeous in that floor-length Andrea & Leo dress,” Joan gushed, still attempting to wrangle us into a circle so she could interview us. It was hilarious how the two women continued to talk to each other as though we weren’t there. Ryan would always remind me that it was just Hollywood. Everyone talked like you weren’t right there listening.
Finally, we managed to stand close enough for people to get their photos. Ryan stood to the side so both babies could be seen, and Bella and Cole stood in front of me while I gripped my husband’s hand. Flashes of light blinded us as we smiled at the row of reporters, and Joan and Camilla stepped closer until two microphones were shoved near our group.
“Ryan, everyone is dying from how cute your family is!” Camilla gushed, smiling up at my husband. She wore a loud, yellow dress that formed to her curvy shape perfectly. Joan wore a sequined blue dress that flared at the floor, and both women had diamonds hanging and dangling from various places on their bodies.
“Thank you very much. I’m pretty proud of them.” Ryan smiled down at the kids and rubbed Hendrix’s head.
“Rumors are swirling about your return to the big screen…can you tell us what your plans are?” Joan asked while toying with Bella’s curls.
“You’re looking at it. I’m a family man, so they’ll come first. Everything else will forever be second.”
I smiled, feeling old scar tissue in my soul warm over from how perfect it felt to be whole. To be chosen, to be loved…it was beauty and chaos all blended into the most perfect of beginnings.
