Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 45371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
“Mommy is going to be the destroyer of fun,” I tease. “Daddy’s waiting for you in the car.”
Aila throws herself forward. “You’re the best brother ever.”
“I love you, sis.”
I pick Aila up, walking down the stairs with Ewan. We sold the estate and bought a large house in the suburbs, closer to the city for work and school. It still has large grounds, a fence, gorgeous greenery, and plenty of space for the kids.
“You’re the best mommy,” Aila says in my ear, melting my heart all over again.
Ewan throws his arms around me at the door, hugging my hips. “See you later. Love you.”
He walks down the steps toward where Blake leans against the car, his hands casually in his pockets. He’s wearing a T-shirt, showing off those arms that always tempt me. When he smiles over at me, his light-silver beard catches the light.
“Wave to Daddy and Ewan,” I say, turning to Aila.
“Bye-bye, Daddy. Bye-bye, bro-bro.”
I laugh in delight. This is what she calls him since his name is too difficult. Ewan loves it.
Blake locks eyes with me. After years of marriage, raising kids, being together, the intensity of our eye contact has never lessened. We blaze with love and need. It never stops. It never will. Even when I’m pregnant, or I’ve just given birth, he wants me. He’s never not wanted me once in all these years.
Once they’re gone, I carry Aila inside.
“Do you want to know a secret?” I whisper.
She’s already done her magic trick. Falling asleep at ultra-speed. It’s probably for the best. I shouldn’t tell her before I tell her father.
We’ve got another little bundle of joy on the way.
EPILOGUE
ELEVEN YEARS LATER
Blake
“That’s good, son,” I say, stroking the blades of the kayak through the lake’s water, Ewan doing the same ahead of me.
The Scottish sun is blazing down, a rare day of a clear sky sending warmth down to us, the lake glistening with the shine. On the shore, Bonnie sits with the five-year-old triplets: Skye, Maisie, and Lorna.
Looking over, I can’t help but smile, remembering the moment we learned Bonnie was pregnant with triplets, the love we felt as each one came into the world, and how brave my wife was as she did it.
Ewan smiles at me. He’s turning into a strong young man, his shoulders broad. People say he looks like me when I was his age. Cameron said that before we left, grinning as he leaned down to pat the old boy, Archie. We were in the office of his dog rescue shelter in a city almost entirely legitimate, living a life I never could’ve imagined before Bonnie.
“Race?” Ewan asks as I reach him, and we glide together. We let the soft rocking of the lake steady us, and I laugh, looking across the sun-kissed water at Bonnie.
She sits with one of the girls on her knee, bobbing her up and down. It’s too far to see which of our funny, beautiful children, but I see the affection and the bond from here.
“You sure you’re up for that?” I tease, looking over at Ewan.
He laughs, grinning and nodding and flashing me his biceps. He tenses them in the wetsuit. “I’m going to be like you, Dad. You’ll see.”
“I’ll be proud of you however you turn out, son.”
He smiles wider. “I love you, Dad, but that doesn’t mean I’ll let you win!”
He suddenly slashes his kayak blades through the water, darting ahead. I almost drop mine from laughing so hard, but then I go after him, my arms pumping. I quickly catch up with him, but the closer I get, the more effort he puts in.
He breathes hard, ducking his head, his back muscles working. I get closer, closer… I could overtake him, but then I slow down.
Bonnie stands on the shore when we climb up, a big smile on her face. Her cheeks are flushed with the sun, with life, with family, and with contentment that never wanes.
“I saw what you did,” she whispers, standing on her tiptoes and kissing me softly. “You’re the best dad.”
“And you’re the best mom.”
Aila looks up from her book. She’s lying on a towel, holding her paperback like she never wants to be parted from it. I love seeing her passion for reading.
“We’re the best family,” she says, “because you let me read all day.”
We laugh together.
THE END