Epilogue - Bree
Nine Months Later
I’ve been studying for one semester now.
I’m enjoying it. I’m taking part-time classes because I want to pick the girls up from school. Bast still employs Mrs. Smyth. She takes the girls to school in the morning, which was a wrench at first, but this way I get to spend our afternoons together.
I choose to study for a degree in jewelry design at the University of London. And yes, my father wasn’t happy when he learned I’m studying a creative subject. He begged me to reconsider and offered to pay my way through law school.
But I’m not cut out for corporate life.
My mother is also not happy. She never wanted me to a study at all. She’s still desperate for those grand babies. Even if they are with Bast.
And then there’s Bast. Unless Bast is on call, he’s home every evening to see his girls before they go to sleep and for us to spend quality time together.
Hettie and Havana are perfect in every way. Well, apart from their pestering to give them a sibling.
Havana wants a brother.
Hettie just wants a newborn to fuss.
But we haven’t been a couple for long and we want to do a lot of practising before we finally have a baby.
Bast and I had a conversation. We’re holding off until we’re married. And as we’re enjoying dating, we’re not discussing marriage.
I can’t deny that I love the idea of adding to our family, but if we decide not to have children at all, I know the family we already have is enough.
Today, I’m back at Heathrow Airport. It’s like the start of my time with Bast, but that time was when I decided I had to forget about him.
But instead of forgetting about him, I’m his girlfriend.
I have to pinch myself sometimes.
I’m so damn lucky.
We’re flying to the US; New York and Florida. And this time I’m going with my man and his beautiful daughters. Bast wanted to take me to New York to see the things I missed the first time. My heart swells that he remembered.
I insisted we added Disney World to our trip.
Five days in New York and afterwards we’re flying to Disney World to give Hettie and Havana their dream of meeting all their favorite Disney characters.
Imagine the girls’ excitement when we told them they would soon see all their favorite fairytale characters. I don’t think they came down from the clouds for days.
Havana stands staring at the planes on the runway before she takes Hettie’s hand, and says, “We’ll sit together and let Daddy sit with Bree.”
My heart sings about how beautiful these two are together.
The setting sun paints the sky in hues of orange and pink and the smell of cherry blossom is all around as we walk through Central Park. My hand is in Bast’s and my heart swells with love watching Hettie and Havana skipping up ahead.
Bast squeezes my hand, drawing my attention away from the twins. His eyes are sparkling with an intensity I’ve never seen before.
“Hettie... Havana.” Bast shouts. The girls suddenly stop and run back to where we stand.
“Bree,” he begins, his voice soft but steady. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small velvet box.
My heart skips a beat as he takes a deep breath. Then I gasp when he drops on one knee, and opens the box to reveal a stunning diamond ring that catches the last rays of sunlight.
“You’ve filled our lives with laughter, love, and so much joy, and I never want it to end. I love you, and...”
Havana and Hettie kneel beside him, look at each and say, “One, two, three. We love you, Bree. Will you be our mommy?”
Bast laughs. “You’re stealing my thunder, girls.” He wraps his arms around their shoulders.
With watery eyes, I tilt my head to one side, wondering if what they’ve asked me is okay with him. I don’t want to replace their mother, but being their mom would be an honor. “Is it okay if I answer them first?”
He nods.
I crouch down, so I’m eye to eye with Hettie and Havana, glancing between the two girls. “I’d be the happiest person in the world to call you my daughters and for you to call me mommy, but...” I side glance Bast, worried how he feels about this.
“So would I,” he replies, helping me answer. “I want us to be a family.”
“Really?” I gasp. My heart hammers against my rib cage. “I’d love that.”
The girls jump up and wrap their arms around me and shriek. “Mommy.”
“I love you.” I press kisses on their cheeks as they hold me.
Bast clears his throat. “Okay, my princesses. What do we do now?”
“We remember, Daddy.” Havana holds my left hand, while Hettie holds my right as I smile at him still on his knee as a crowd gathers around us.
He grins and digs out the box he put in his pocket when Hettie and Havana stole his thunder.
Though, I think it was planned.
He opens the ring box. A sparkling emerald-cut diamond stares back at me. “I’ve fallen madly in love with you, Bree, and I want you as my wife. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you do me the honor of calling me your husband?”
“Awe.” I hear beside me.
“Will you marry me?” he finishes.
Even biting into my bottom lip can’t contain the massive smile on my face as I choke out, “There’s only one word I could ever give you. Obviously, it’s a yes.”
I stand on the balcony of our Disney resort room, watching the sun set over the Magic Kingdom. The distant spires of Cinderella’s castle are silhouetted against the orange sky, and I can hear the faint sounds of music and laughter drifting up from the park.
Behind me, in our suite, I hear Bast’s deep chuckle mingling with the giggles of Hettie and Havana. I turn to see them sprawled on the bed, still wearing their Mickey ears, excitedly planning tomorrow’s adventures.
“Mom!” Havana calls out. It’s so weird to hear that’s my new title. Don’t get me wrong, I love it. I’m so thrilled, it makes my heart surge with happiness. “Come look at the map with us!”
I join them on the bed, and Bast wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me close.
“So, what’s the verdict for tomorrow, my princesses?” I ask, looking at the park map spread before us.
“Splash Mountain!” Hettie exclaims.
“No, I want to see Belle at the Magic Kingdom!” Havana counters.
“How about both?” Bast suggests, and the girls cheer in agreement.
They squeal again when fireworks burst over the castle outside our window, painting the sky with a shimmering light.
I’m surrounded by not only the magic of Disney, but more importantly, the love of my family, and I couldn’t be any happier. It feels like I’m the lead in my own fairy tale, where I found my Prince Charming.
I catch Bast’s eye. He smiles at me. The look he gives is so full of love that I have to pinch myself.
I hold out my hand for the girls to take. “Let’s watch the magic of Disney from the balcony.”
“Later, can you tell us a fairytale?” Hettie asks as Bast stands behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, completing our family. He kisses my cheek as we watch the fireworks.
“Of course.” I could tell them the story of the girl who fell in love with the doctor, because the best fairytale is the one standing here. The one full color, the one of four people who love each other, but maybe that’ll be for another day.
For now, we’ll just enjoy our happily ever after.
The End.
The next book in the series is Chasing his Ex. This is Ava and Finn”s story.
You met Ava briefly in this book and you may have met Finn if you read Stalked by the Billionaire. He was Harrison”s lawyer.
This is the blurb:
It’s been overfouryears sinceI lost the love of my life.
Now I’ve found her… and her secret…
After being unsuccessful in finding my ex, I traveled the world hoping to forget about her—which I couldn’t.
She thinks I betrayed her, but how could I ever do that when I love her? But now I’ve got all the money in the world and I make a vow to find her. I need to. I can’t get her out of my head.
But just as I’m about to begin another search for her, Ava lands in my lap… And she’s more beautiful than ever.
This time, I won”t lose her. At least, that was the plan.
Because after all these years, I thought nothing would stop me from keeping her—but maybe the secret she kept from me will be our downfall.