Epilogue
Noah
Eight Years Later
"Where are you, baby girl?" I come to a dead stop in the doorway when I see our seven-year-old lurking in the shadows beside the living room window. Every so often, she peeks out, her blonde head swiveling like she's looking for something, and then she squeaks and dives back into the shadows.
I glance out through the window, trying to figure out what she's doing, when my eyes land on Felix, the little boy who lives across the street.
"Fuck my life," I whisper, my whole life flashing before my eyes.
I've been here before.
I've seen this before.
Hell, I've done this before.
There's no way my sweet, innocent baby girl is stalking the neighbor boy.
Boys cannot be trusted. I know because I was one.
"Nina!"
She jumps to attention like I'm a drill sergeant, spinning to face me. "Hi, Daddy." She blinks wide, innocent green eyes at me. Eyes that are a little too innocent. She was definitely spying on Felix. "I wasn't doing nothing."
If ever I needed proof that she was, in fact, doing something, that right there is it. Nina always tells on herself. She can't help it. She's just like her mom.
"Uh-huh." I cross the living room, scowling through the window at Felix. He just waves at me, shooting me a toothy grin. I don't like him. We need to move. I yank the curtains closed. "No looking out the window, baby girl."
"What? Why?"
"Because…" I grasp for a reasonable explanation that doesn't involve birds, bees, and giving her father a heart attack. "Because too much sunlight is bad for your health."
"But Mama said—"
"Mama is an angel who can do no wrong, but trust me on this one, baby girl," I mutter, rubbing her head. "We need to keep these closed from now on. Go get ready for school." I pause. "Bring sunglasses."
She looks at me like I've lost it. Maybe I have. Maybe.
Why did we have a perfect little girl?
Eventually, she huffs and then runs off to her room, mumbling under her breath about the sun. I peel the curtains back, peeking out again.
Felix is still out there, kicking a rock down the sidewalk.
Fuck my life.
"Elsie!" I shout, stomping down the hall toward Lincoln's room.
"What's wrong?" she asks, peeking around the corner, our two-year-old on her hip, running a toy car up her arm like it's a racetrack.
She isn't even fazed. She never is. My wife is the best mom.
She's also as beautiful as ever. And, unfortunately, she gave all that sweetness and all that beauty to our daughter.
I'm in a hell of my own making.
"We have to move." I stalk toward her, my eyes narrowed. "And it's your fault."
Her lips curve into a sweet smile, her dimples popping out. "Oh, yeah? What'd your daughter do this time?"
"She's stalking Felix through the window."
My wife throws her head back, a loud peal of laughter burbling from her lips. And even though I'm stressed the fuck out, that sound softens me just like always.
Goddamn. I could die happy just listening to her laugh.
After eight years, that hasn't changed. Actually, not much has changed.
We've added onto the house and had babies, but I'm even more madly in love with her than ever.
She's still the best part of my life, just like always.
And every damn day, I thank God that she's mine, just like always.
"I'm serious," I grumble, pulling her into my arms. My lips brush her forehead before Lincoln bashes me in the chest with his car like he's telling me to back the fuck up off his mama. "We have to move."
"We aren't moving, Noah. They're seven."
"Exactly. She's too young to be following in your footsteps."
"My footsteps?" My wife gasps in outrage. "You're the one who s-t-a-l-k-e-d me through the window!"
"You did it too."
"Mama, you stalked Daddy through the window?"
"Fuck," I growl, peering over my shoulder.
Nina's standing right behind me, her book bag in her hands and a pair of star-shaped sunglasses over her eyes.
We keep forgetting she's sneaky, and she knows how to spell now.
Nothing prepares you for this stage. It's impossible to keep secrets with a tiny ninja who knows how to spell.
"I did," Elsie says happily. "But he started it." She peers around me, blinking at our daughter. "Um, baby girl, you should probably leave your sunglasses at home."
"Daddy said I had to wear them." Our daughter points at me like she's pointing out the problem here. It's a setup. "He also said that sunlight is bad for me and we have to keep the curtains closed from now on."
"Noah!" Elsie cries, laughter in her voice.
"She misunderstood," I lie. I'm definitely going to hell.
"No, I did not!" Nina cries. "You said sunlight is bad for my health, and we have to keep the curtains closed all the time now."
"Okay, maybe I did say that," I admit begrudgingly. "But it's a good idea to keep them closed. UV rays and all of that."
"What's UB Rays?"
"UV Rays," Elsie corrects our daughter. "They're ultraviolet radiation, sweet girl. They're little particles the sun gives off that help us grow big and strong."
"And make us old and wrinkly," I mutter, earning a glower from my wife. I'm not wrong, though.
"I don't wanna get old and wrinkly!"
"Winky!" Lincoln agrees, bashing me in the chest with his car again. I take him from Elsie's arms, brushing my lips across his head before I set him on his feet.
"They do not make us old and wrinkly," she tells our daughter as Lincoln immediately runs off with his little car. "Your dad is just dramatic, baby girl. He thinks you like Felix."
My wife is a traitor.
"Eww!" Nina recoils, her nose scrunched up. "I do not like Felix. Gross."
"You were watching him through the window."
"No, I wasn't." She plants her hands on her hips, glaring at me like I just kicked a puppy. "I don't like Felix."
Elsie just smiles while our daughter glares at me…and I quickly realize that she set me up. Our daughter definitely likes Felix. History is repeating itself.
Fuck my fucking perfect fucking life.
"Maybe I can convince his parents to move," I mumble.
"Don't you even think about it." Elsie jabs me in the arm. "Nina, go brush your teeth."
"Fine." She huffs, glares at me one more time, and then scurries off to the bathroom.
"Has anyone ever told you that your left eye twitches when you're stressed out?" Elsie asks, grinning as she wiggles back into my arms. "She's seven. It's a harmless crush. She'll forget about it by next week."
"Has anyone ever told you that you're a little minx when you want me to spank your gorgeous ass? It doesn't matter how old she is. Our daughter isn't allowed to have a crush on the neighbor boy."
Hell no. I know how that story goes. It starts with cookies, locked doors, and light stalking. Before you know it, he's moving in, has his ring on her finger, and she's pregnant.
Again, why did we have to have a perfect little girl? She's too much like her mama.
"I think I have heard that a time or two. Can't remember." Elsie leans up on her toes, nipping my throat. "Guess you'll just have to say it again."
I sink my hand into her hair, dragging her mouth to mine for a deep kiss. I cop a feel while I've got her in my arms, running my hands all over her perfect ass. And then I break away before the kids catch us. I'm stressed enough this morning, thank you very much.
"You're going to pay tonight, Dimples. I plan on getting you pregnant again while Trent and Dani have the kids. Another boy this time, just to make sure I have enough help keeping you and Nina safe."
"Promise?" she breathes, her eyes heated as they run over my face.
"Promise," I whisper, resting my forehead against hers.
Fuck, I love her. I love our kids. I love this house.
I love every single minute of our life together.
It isn't a fairytale. I've learned that there is no such thing as perfect—not when you've got a gorgeous wife and two little angels to worry about endlessly—but this is so goddamn close it hurts sometimes.
"I love you, Noah."
"I love you," I murmur. "Every fucking minute of the day."
She smiles at me, bright enough to light up my whole life, and I forget about Felix. I forget about everything but how goddamn lucky I am.