Epilogue
One year later
IT WAS A family barbecue, Brooklyn style, in the yard of the Brownstone in Park Slope that they’d bought after they’d been married two months ago.
Ashley stood at the window of the kitchen as she watched Nico’s two nieces run around the yard.
Her gaze moved from that happy sight to the even happier one of his mother sitting in a folding chair, looking nervous and uncertain, but there.
Over the last year, she and Nico had worked hard at reconciling with his mother.
It had involved a lot of painful conversations, and many tears on both sides, but finally Nico’s mother was speaking to him.
She’d admitted that she’d blamed him because she couldn’t bear to blame herself, which was what she really had done.
Healing, Ashley reflected, was such a gift.
An even greater joy than that was her own mother’s presence in their home. Nico had insisted he hire a full-time carer so her mother could live with them, and Ashely had been so very glad and grateful. It wasn’t all easy, but it was wonderful, and maybe that was how all of life was.
‘I think we need more burgers,’ Nico announced as he came into the kitchen.
He was master of the barbecue and clearly enjoying the role.
Ashley loved seeing him like this—so much lighter and happier, as if a heavy weight had rolled from his shoulders.
And one had rolled from hers as well. Together, they’d both been able to escape the regrets of the past and face a future.
A future that now involved more than just the two of them…
‘How are you feeling?’ Nico murmured as he came up behind her to wrap his arms around her waist, his fingers splaying protectively across her abdomen. ‘Still nauseous?’
‘It’s getting better.’ Ashley leaned her head back against his chest as she revelled in the simple moment. In seven months’ time, they’d welcome a son or daughter into their lives. Nico was already fiercely proud, Ashley incredibly grateful.
She had so much to be thankful for, not least that she was still working for Infinite Innovations and would be until she took maternity leave. With new investors, the company was going from strength to strength…and had escaped the long shadow of her father’s reputation.
After having been denied parole, her father was still in prison, which was both a sorrow and a relief.
‘You’d better get those burgers,’ Ashley murmured. ‘People look hungry.’
‘I’m hungry,’ Nico replied, and nuzzled her neck.
She laughed, tilting her head to give him greater access. Even nine weeks into her pregnancy, and feeling tired and hormonal, she always welcomed his touch. She could always be sure of his love…as could he of hers.
Ashley twisted in her husband’s arms and wrapped her own around his neck to give him a proper kiss. ‘Later,’ she murmured against his mouth, and reluctantly he detached from her.
‘That’s a promise I’m going to take you up on,’ he warned as he got the burgers out of the fridge.
‘It’s a promise I’m going to keep,’ Ashley replied with a smile and, laughing, she strolled out with her husband into the sunshine of a new and wonderful day.