Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54886 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54886 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
I checked on Brandon, but he was sleeping, curled up under the blankets of the race car bed AJ had let him have once he decided he was “too old” for it. No kicking off the blankets for our son. He liked being warm too much.
Next door, Carter slumbered in his bed, a thumb in his mouth, a stuffie clutched in his other hand. I stopped for a moment, gazing down at him. Brandon had my dark hair and his mother’s green eyes. Carter was the opposite. Rosie’s hair color was evident in the curls, although it was a darker hue than hers. His eyes were my dark brown, and according to my wife, so was his impatient temperament. Our child liked to overstep on a daily basis. I could only imagine him as a teenager. I had a feeling gray hair was in my future far sooner than I ever expected.
I shut his door, listening. The house was silent, but downstairs, I saw the flicker of the fire reflecting on the walls, and I headed that way, thinking Rosie had come down to add something to the tree or maybe her back was hurting and she was resting on the sofa. She liked to lie there.
I found her in front of the tree, staring up at it. Her long hair hung down her back, the flames highlighting the red curls. She was in a fuzzy robe, a pillow under her butt. How she got down, I had no idea. She mostly waddled and perched places these days. I wondered if she was stuck.
I crouched behind her, wrapping my arms around her, settling my hands on her tummy.
“Rosie, baby, it’s the middle of the night. Why are you down here?”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“Are you okay?” I rubbed her swollen belly. “Is our girl keeping you up?”
We were having a girl this time. I tried not to gloat about it, but it made me incredibly happy thinking about it. After Carter was born, we decided three was enough. Pregnancy was hard on Rosie, and I hated seeing her struggle. But as we discovered, one way or another, no matter what we did, we ended up pregnant—although this time, it took a few months longer than with the boys. When I found out it was a girl, I was ecstatic. I loved my boys, but I had always wanted a little girl who looked like Rosie whom I could spoil.
Rosie leaned back into me. “No, she is quiet tonight.”
“Getting ready for her grand entrance in a couple of weeks.”
“I suppose.”
Her voice was different. Thick.
“Rosie, my love, what is it?”
“It’s snowing outside.”
I glanced out the window. “Yes, it is.” I looked over her shoulder, seeing something clutched in her hands. “What is that?”
She held it up. “The scarf you gave me that first Christmas.”
“You still have that?”
“Yes. You gave it to me because you were worried about me being cold.” Her voice caught. “You were the first person who cared about me in so long.”
I held her a little closer. “Feeling sentimental?” I asked, pressing a kiss to her head. I loved her tender heart.
“I guess. Remembering how alone I always was all the time. How frightened that I would do something and not be a good parent to AJ or lose my job and mess us up. Not be able to provide for him. I was always scared.”
“You never showed it. You always were so brave.”
“I felt it. And then you came into our lives, and suddenly I wasn’t scared anymore. I had you. You and your generous heart and incredible love. You were larger-than-life. I kept thinking you’d disappear, but you kept getting better. Your love was—is—so wonderful.”
“Rosie,” I murmured, overcome by her words.
“For the first time that I could recall, I wasn’t afraid. Because of you. This scarf represented so much to me. I could never get rid of it. Every time I see it, I think of meeting you. How my life changed.” She leaned back and looked up into my eyes. “And the life I have now is so wonderful, so full. All because of you. You’re a wonderful husband and a fabulous father. I love you, Asher Hart. With everything in me. You are my world.”
I shook my head in wonder at her words. “You brought such joy to my life, Rosie. You have given me so much I didn’t know I was missing. Your love and goodness. Your sweetness. I fell in love with you because of how you loved. Completely. Without reservation. I love you right back.” I bent and kissed her.
She nestled back into me, and we sat looking at the lights on the tree. She stiffened then melted back into me with a small sigh and a low laugh.
“I have a last-minute Christmas gift for you.”