Chapter 40
Matteo reclined on his side, baby Nico babbling on the bed next to him. He touched the baby’s feet, with his super-soft skin, pudgy rounded tops, and tiny perfect toenails.
His eyes went to the TV on the dresser. Grace looked beautiful in a bright blue suit, the flag waving behind her in the sunshine as she announced her candidacy for president.
“That’s your mama,” he said to the baby. “She’s going to be in charge of the whole country. You should be very proud of her.”
Nico babbled his agreement.
“I’m proud of her, too.” He truly was. These last three months he’d seen her go from a woman who was unsure of herself and looking for approval to someone who could stand up and lead as she clearly was meant to all along.
As his father-in-law predicted, the people loved her even more than her predecessor, and Lutsia’s future looked promising and great.
He turned back to the baby, rubbing his belly, making him laugh.
Grace entered the room, a wide smile on her face as she began unbuttoning her jacket. “How’d I do?”
Matteo stood up and wrapped his arms around her waist. “You were amazing.”
The baby grabbed his feet, his noises now higher and happier still. He showed no ill effects from his ordeal, quickly slipping back into his routine with his mother and Matteo.
A knock at the door and Vasile walked in, smiling and scooping up his grandson. “There’s my little man.” Before the door could close behind him, Cowboy and Hawk walked in.
“You about ready to go?” asked Cowboy.
“Yeah. I am. Just let me get my things.”
He stood up, his stare set on Grace. “Guess I’ll be seeing you around.”
“I guess so.”
He walked out of the room with the men of HERO Force by his side. It could be no other way.
“I still think I should have been your best man,” said Cowboy.
“You are. You both are.”
“Hawk doesn’t love you the way I do, Red.”
Matteo put his arm around Cowboy. “I’m going to miss you guys.”
An hour later, he was standing beneath a white arbor in the sand, staring at Grace as they renewed their vows.
“When you first came to this country,” she said, “I thought you were only interested in the money. That I was just another job to you. But then I got to know you, and spend time with you, and then I got to like you. And I realized you didn’t take this job for the money at all, that you did it to help the people of Lutsia, because that’s just the kind of man you are.
” She took a breath, her bottom lip trembling. “And then I realized I loved you.”
“I promise to take care of you, Grace. As much as any world leader needs taking care of. I promise to be a good father to Nico and to any more children we have along the way. You’re the only person I ever wanted to spend my life with.”
The priest leaned heavily on a cane, but his smile was wide and true. “Aren’t you glad we didn’t skip the vows that time?” he asked. “By the power invested in me by the holy Church and the People’s Republic of Lutsia, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”