Epilogue
You gotta love a happy ending. -Lyla
Lyla
In rom-coms, there is not spit up, I think to myself. The couple lives happily-ever-after and you never have to picture the heroine covered in spit up while a baby wails loudly from her arms. There are no breasts leaking with milk, no baby toys strewn all over the living room, and no smell emanating from the heroine. All is well in rom-com land.
I grimace as I pull my shirt away from my chest. I then look down at my dear, sweet, baby girl. My face softens and I can’t help but smile, even if she is a little too red-faced to be particularly cute at the moment. Our Mary Beth is treasured by us, even if she is going through a little colic right now.
The front door shutting gives me momentary pause. Good God, is it already time for Asher to be home? I glance down at my watch. It is. Shit. I meant to have all this cleaned up before he got home.
“Where are my girls at?” he yells out, and I finally reply with a meek “Here”.
I juggle Mary Beth on my hip as he comes into the room. “Ah, there’s my girls. I’m so glad to see you two.”
I sigh in relief as he takes baby girl. Of course, she immediately shuts up and looks up at him with a goofy, toothless grin. If I didn’t love her so much, I would have to give that girl a stern talking to. But as it is, I melt. My handsome man looks good with our baby in his arms.
He glances over at me and takes stock of my appearance. He leans over to give me a kiss on the cheek. “You look beautiful as usual, honey.”
I roll my eyes. “You need glasses, doc.”
He beams. “No, I don’t. I’ve got the two most beautiful girls in all of Savannah. In all of Georgia. Hell, in all the world,” he boasts.
I can’t help but smile back. My Asher has changed in the last few years. He truly is a proud papa, and our little girl is securely wrapped around his little finger. I am too, to be honest. I sit down on the couch with a huff and just watch him. That man can still fill out a pair of jeans and the silver at his temples only adds to his sexiness.
“So, I’ve got a surprise for you.” He gives me a wink as he lays Mary Beth down on her tummy time rug.
I clap. “Ooh, what is it? A nap? Can I get a nap for 500, Alex?” I’m joking, of course, but I really would kill for a long nap.
He chuckles. “Almost that good. Nurse Vicky is coming to babysit and we’re going out to dinner.” He leans over to give me a kiss, but I’m too shocked to reciprocate.
“Nurse…Nurse Vicky? Is coming here? To babysit?” I can’t help but stutter because I never thought she would want to do that.
“Yep, she wants to see her godchild and she wants you to get a break.”
“Are you sure she can handle Mary Beth? I mean, Mary Beth’s a lot and she’s so little…” I trail off and look over at my sweet baby who is currently playing with her toes. I can’t leave her. I just can’t.
“Hey, look at me,” Asher grabs my chin and turns me to him, “Nurse Vicky is perfectly capable as you well know, and you need a break. And…” his facial expression turns tender, “I need my wife for a few hours.”
I stroke his cheek. “Okay then, you got it.”
That night, I witness the amazing sight of Nurse Vicky cooing to my baby, I get to go out to dinner with my sexy husband, and the baby sleeps long enough for us to finally make love for the first time since Mary Beth was born.
Asher holds me in his arms afterwards. “I love you so much, Lyla. So damn much.”
I smile and say the words back. Yes, life isn’t a rom-com, but it’s pretty damn good.
Don't forget to read Sophie and Reina's stories also!!!
Coming Soon: A new series by Harper Michaels about forbidden love at Crestwood: Teach Me