Epilogue
Wade gripped the deck railing, staring at the shimmering Amalfi Coast. The swaying yacht mirrored the calm he felt in this rare, perfect moment.
He glanced over his shoulder at Claire lounging in a cushioned chair, with her straw hat and sunglasses shielding her from the sun.
One hand rested on the curve of her belly. The other held her tablet.
He grinned. He was already a father with Bella babbling “Dada” and “Mama” at every opportunity.
Now, with their second child on the way, the excitement was almost too much to bear.
He brought Claire and Bella along during his filming engagements if he was staying longer than two days.
Their presence reminded him of what mattered most.
Claire caught his gaze, and her smile made his stomach flutter. “What’s that look for?”
“Nothing.” He crossed the deck to kneel beside her. “Just thinking about how blessed I am.”
She lifted the sunglasses to her forehead. “Blessed, which is why you shouldn’t have been fussing and worried sick about this trip.”
He laughed. “Sailing with you while you’re pregnant doesn’t exactly scream ‘safe’ to me.”
“The doctor said it was fine as long as the water stayed calm.” She reached out, took his hand, and placed it on her belly.
A flutter against his palm made him freeze. Tenderness and love surged through him.
“See?” she said. “We’re both perfectly happy.”
He swallowed the emotion tightening his throat. “Can you blame me for being cautious? I don’t want to take risks.”
“For someone avoiding risks, here we are across the globe.” She trailed her fingers along his jaw in the way that always made him shiver.
He leaned into her touch. “I wanted you to go sailing somewhere special but also somewhere that would remind us how far we’ve come.”
Love for him shone through her eyes. “I don’t want you to worry. Have fun.”
“I’m not worrying.” He huffed, feigning indignation. “I’m trusting God has it all under control.”
Her laughter bubbled up. “Well, Mr. Trusting God, you’ve made the headlines again.”
He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. “Let me guess, another critique of my Venice Film Festival speech?”
“Not quite. Let’s first revisit the Oscars in March.” She swiped the tablet and tilted it to show him the headline: Wade Stone Expecting Another Baby?
Below was a picture of them at the Oscars, him clutching his award for Vaulting Hearts with Claire on his side.
He shook his head. “Can’t a guy share good news without it turning into a tabloid circus?”
“You brought it on yourself.” She grinned. “Blurting out our baby news during your speech wasn’t subtle.”
“I guess subtle isn’t my style anymore.” He reversed his sentence to his studio manager. “You told me to add more emotion to my speech.”
She then swiped a recent page.
Below it was a picture of them at the Venice Film Festival, him clutching his award with her by his side, glowing and unmistakably pregnant. Wade Stone Expecting Twins?
“And now you see what happens when you write your speech.” She shook a finger at him. “Next time, I’m writing your speech.”
“Deal.” He brushed a kiss on her cheek. “But only if I get to add a line about how amazing you are.” He kissed her temple, her ear.
“Are you flirting with me, Mr. Stone?”
“It’s not taboo to flirt with my wife.”
The trip had been blissfully calm. Over the past few days, they’d kept their activities simple, hiking to hidden waterfalls, sailing to secluded coves, and even taking a cooking class at one of the coastal towns.
Tonight, they dined on the yacht, though Claire’s bizarre pregnancy cravings made her meal an odd combination: olives dipped in honey and pickled onions alongside a bowl of chocolate ice cream.
Wade chuckled as she asked the chef if they had more pickled onions for her ice cream.
“Don’t knock it till you try it.” She pointed a smothered ice cream spoon at him.
“Trust me.” He held up his hands in surrender. “I’m not knocking anything. Just… observing.”
His phone buzzed. Being far from home, he needed to answer any calls from his siblings, and yeah, his stomach tightened. “It’s Owen.”
“Owen?” Claire slid her bowl aside, leaning in closer. “He knows we’re on our postponed honeymoon.”
Right. He wouldn’t call if it wasn’t urgent.
“Owen?” Wade answered. “What’s going on?”
“It’s Rohan.” Owen’s voice was tense. “He’s missing.”
Wade shot to his feet. “What do you mean, missing? Where are you?”
“I was supposed to go with him to his dad’s funeral, but he asked me to attend a meeting instead. No one’s heard from him. His phone’s off, and he hasn’t shown up anywhere on the axis.”
Wade’s heart sank. “His dad died? When?”
“Quickly,” Owen said. “The burial happened fast—it’s custom. Not sure where he is.”
Claire was by Wade’s side in an instant, her hand resting on his arm.
“We’ve called everyone we can think of,” Owen continued. “Logan and Eric are working their contacts in Dubai and India, but so far, nothing.”
Wade’s jaw clenched. “I’ll make some calls. Let me know if you hear anything.”
When he hung up, her hand moved to his back, her touch steadying him. “What is it?”
“Rohan’s gone missing.” The words sounded so final.
Her face paled, and he pulled her close. He didn’t want any stress carrying onto the baby.
“Let’s pray,” she whispered against his shirt.
He nodded, his forehead resting against hers.
Then she prayed for Rohan’s safety. Her calm, unwavering faith anchored Wade, even as fear gnawed at his chest. When she finished, she met his gaze. “He’ll be okay. Let’s go home to the family.”
He squeezed her hand, gratitude filling him. She knew they wouldn’t enjoy this trip with his brother in danger. Life was full of demands—his career, his dreams, his responsibilities. But priorities weren’t just tasks to complete—they were the people and the relationships that shaped his soul.
No matter how much the world clamored for his time, his family would always come first. Claire, Bella, the child they were expecting, and his parents and siblings were his greatest joy. Who knew such life-changing, chaotic delight could come from what he’d once considered a convenient marriage?
THE END