Epilogue
Beau
About 20 weeks later…
I stare at Daisy. Sweaty, messy bun toppling over to the side of her head, dark circles under her eyes, but the sweetest smile on her lips. She’s never looked more beautiful.
She tilts her head up for a kiss. I press my lips to hers, then lean down and press a kiss to the baby’s downy soft head. She’s suckling at her mother’s breast, and I’m hit all over again with a wave of such intense love, I don’t know what to do with myself.
“I think if I cry any more today, they’re going to take my man card away,” I say.
Daisy laughs. “Not on my watch.”
I rub a finger across the baby’s soft cheek. “She’s so perfect.”
“She really is.”
“I wish she was mine.” The words fall out of my mouth before I can stop them. I’ve thought them so many times over the last few months. Through every hard step of Daisy’s pregnancy.
“Beau, love, she is yours. You were the one there every night for my cravings. You were the one there at every doctor’s appointment. You were the one by my side in the birthing classes. It’s why I named her Bella. Your names mean the same thing.”
I suck in a breath. “I hadn’t realized.”
“Yeah. She is as much yours as she is mine. We’ll make it legal as soon as we can.”
“You mean—” I can’t even finish the question.
Daisy nods. “You can legally adopt her. Your name is already on her birth certificate because you’re my husband. But we’ll go through the whole process. You are her dad in every way that truly counts.”
“I love you so damn much, Little Mama.” I kiss her forehead. “You and Bella were worth the wait.”
“The wait for what?” she asks.
“My family. My real family. If it’s only ever the three of us,”
“And Mouse,” she interrupts.
“And Mouse,” I add with a smile. “Then I’ll be the happiest man in the world.”
“I know you’ve already made me the happiest woman in the world.”
“Ugh, y’all are sickening,” comes a man’s voice from the door.
“Romeo,” I say. “What the hell, man, my wife’s tit is out.”
“She’s breastfeeding,” Romeo says with a shrug.
“I don’t mind,” Daisy says. “Baby girl’s head covers all your favorite parts,” she whispers to me.
Then all the guys are piling into the room, and the wives too. Those who have them. We’ve made quite the home here in Saddle Creek. My Ranger unit only had one soldier claiming this town as their own when we all met. But now we all live here, all claim this little piece of Texas heaven as our home.
“I think she’s done,” Daisy says.
“Everyone turn around and face the other direction, “I say.
Daisy laughs as they all follow my instructions.
She tucks herself back into her gown and hands my daughter to me. My daughter.
“She needs to be burped, then y’all can meet her and take all your pictures,” I tell our friends. “You’re going to want pictures because she’s the most beautiful little girl in the entire world.” After getting a little burp, I hand Bella off to her Aunt Temple.
I kiss my wife’s head. “Only fitting since you’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”
***
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