Epilogue.
Duke
Six months later…
“Are you ready to go, babe?” I holler, bouncing Olivia in my arms as we wait to load up and head to my parents for Christmas Eve.
Olivia turned six months old a few weeks ago, and she’s thriving. She’s still tiny for her age, but the girl is smart as a whip. With Maci’s eyes, auburn hair, and beauty—she’s the spitting image of her momma.
And I couldn’t be prouder.
Maci and I tied the knot roughly three months ago. As soon as she was ready, we went to the courthouse. It wasn’t the wedding I expected her to want, but she told me repeatedly, all she wanted was to be married to me. So, we are. And Maci Baker is now Mrs. Duke Montgomery.
My wife.
Butch and Cassidy did the same thing after Gage was born—at the same time as us, I might add. Cassidy’s convinced Maci to have a double formal wedding this upcoming summer. And I’m glad because Maci deserves the wedding of her dreams.
Not to mention, Butch is more than happy to split the bill with me.
Olivia yawns, snuggling into my neck, and my heart swells. She’s wearing her plaid green Christmas dress with a matching bow and shoes I’m sure she’ll kick off in the car on the short ride over.
“Coming,” Maci calls, scurrying down the stairs. “I couldn’t find her sweater for the life of me,” she adds, Olivia’s white button-up sweater in hand, and looking gorgeous as always.
Her hair cascades in waves, makeup done to the nines, wearing a tight, black sweater dress that hugs her curves in all the right ways. Black stockings—I plan to tear off later—and knee-high boots that make my cock twitch. “You look fuckin’ amazing.” I grin.
“Language,” she snaps at me with a beautiful smile, her cheeks flushed. “I’m not having our sweet girl’s first word be the f-bomb.”
I chuckle deeply, shifting Olivia in my arms so her mother can put her sweater on. “I told you; it’s going to be Dada. Bean and I already discussed it, she said she’s gearing up for it soon.”
Maci rolls her eyes. “I birthed her, it should be Mama first. Right, baby girl?” she coos, tickling Olivia and earning a heart-warming giggle from her.
“We’ll see,” I counter, buckling Olivia in her car seat.
“Did you talk to that new subletter for the cabin?” she asks, grabbing Olivia’s diaper bag and favorite blanket. “She texted me a little bit ago and said she’s willing to pay for the whole month of December if she can get in by tomorrow. She sounded kind of…desperate? I mean, she’s willing to pay a whole month for only six days.”
“Is this that Ryan-something you showed the cabin to?”
“Yes, Callie Ryan. She has the service dog.”
“Beau said no pets,” I grunt, lifting Olivia’s car seat as Maci tucks her blanket around her.
“He’s a service dog, honey.” She frowns. “Beau could get sued if we deny her because of the dog. Besides, I met the dog. He’s a giant teddy bear. Olivia was obsessed with him.”
My ears perk up. “Does that mean Olivia can get a puppy?”
Maci narrows her eyes at me. “No.”
I scoff. “You just said, she was obsessed. Why can’t she have a puppy? She loves animals, especially dogs.” Whenever she sees Cassidy’s dog, Frankie, she loses her mind—squealing and giggling.
She’s telling us she wants one, and my little girl gets whatever she wants.
“First off, stop saying it would be her puppy. She can’t even say she wants a puppy,” Maci says, tugging on her coat. “You’re the one who wants a dog.”
“And so does Olivia.” I grin, carrying the car seat to my truck.
“We’ll see,” Maci repeats, mocking my tone from earlier.
I chuckle, strapping Olivia in and helping Maci in the front seat. We’re off to my folks’ place a moment later. “Does she at least have papers saying the dog is a service dog?” I ask. “Do we even know what kind of service dog he is?”
“She has papers. I think she called it a certification or licensing. She forwarded the paperwork with her rental application, but I don’t remember what service he does. He wears this cute little vest and everything, though.”
I nod. “All right, well, Rick moved out already so if she wants to get in there, she can. Ma cleaned out the place last weekend. We’ll swing by on our way home and turn the heat up for her.”
“I’ll let her know now.” Maci grabs her phone. “Have you talked to Beau about signing off on the lease so it can be between him and the renter instead of us?”
“Not yet. No one’s been able to get ahold of him. I think Ma’s hoping she’ll hear from him today, but I doubt it.”
“I can’t believe he hasn’t been home in almost three years. Don’t they get leave or something?”
I turn into my parents’ long drive, mindful of the bumps jostling the car seat in the back. “They do, but he doesn’t use it. He’d rather see his brothers-in-arms get the chance to come home than go himself.” Beau’s always been the loner out of the five Montgomery brothers—something that I hope changes whenever he does decide to return home.
I park next to Butch’s truck, and Maci slides out with the diaper bag in hand. I grab Olivia still in her car seat and the two bags of presents for Gage and Parker. The second we cross the threshold into the house, it’s a commotion to see our girl for her first Christmas Eve.
There are pictures, dinner, pictures, dessert—more pictures.
I finally plop down on the couch beside Maci breastfeeding Olivia and throw my arm around her—living for every moment with my two favorite girls.
Butch walks in with his mini-him perched on his forearm. Gage is six weeks younger than Olivia, and easily twice the size of her. He’s a real bruiser in his own right. It’s no wonder Cassidy needed a C-section just to get the kid out.
“Did you want to feed him, babe?” Cassidy asks him, shaking a bottle with Frankie waddling behind her in his Christmas onesie from last year.
Butch tosses Gage in the air. “Yeah, I’ll feed the little tank.”
I snort. “Little tank is putting it mildly. Seriously, how much does he weigh now?”
“Twenty-two pounds,” Butch announces proudly.
“He’s already wearing twelve-month clothes,” Cass adds. “I can only imagine how big he’s going to get once he starts baby food in a few months. He eats like his damn father.”
Butch grins wide, sitting next to Maci on the couch and popping the bottle in Gage’s mouth. Cassidy perches on the arm of the couch beside him.
My mother comes into the living room, beaming as she snaps even more pictures. “We’re going to do presents in a few minutes. Parker’s just finishing up his gingerbread house,” she tells us.
“Well, what’s the verdict?” my father asks. “You kids having more grandbabies for us or what?” He chuckles.
“Hell yeah,” Butch says, looking at his wife. “We’re starting a football team.”
Cassidy laughs. “Probably after the wedding. We’ll wait a little bit, then start trying for another.”
My mother nods eagerly before turning her attention to Maci and me. I look at my wife with a raised brow. We haven’t talked about it, truthfully. She knows I’ll give her anything she wants. And if that means Olivia is an only child, then so be it.
Maci smiles coyly, her eyes on me as she says, “Dr. Sanderson recommends waiting a full year. So, I’m thinking…after Olivia’s first birthday, we’ll start trying.”
I didn’t think my heart could be fuller, but hearing that… Well, I was wrong.
I kiss my wife. “I love you.”
My mother’s phone rings, and she quickly excuses herself. Rhett, Levi, Lily, Parker, and Uncle Jim gather in the living room to watch the babies and Parker open presents.
“Well, get to it.” Uncle Jim coughs. “Let’s see the little tank and angel tear open their first presents.”
“We’re just waiting on Mom,” Lily says, glancing to the kitchen where Ma disappeared several minutes ago. “I don’t know what’s taking her so long.”
“I got twenty that says Olivia gets her gift open first,” Levi exclaims, slapping a twenty-dollar bill on the coffee table.
Rhett scoffs, pulling out his wallet. “You’re on, bro. Have you seen Gage? The kid is going to rip his open in one fuckin’ tear.”
“Language!” Maci and Cassidy balk, earning a hearty laugh around the room.
My father grunts, tossing a twenty down as well. “I’ve got money on my little Livy.”
Levi claps. “That’s what I’m talkin’ about. Anyone else?”
Uncle Jim thumbs through a wad of cash. “Gage.”
Cassidy shakes her head. “I don’t know… Gage has the strength, but Olivia is fast. She booty scoots quicker than Gage can throw toys.”
Levi rubs his hands together. “Then this’ll be a damn good wager.”
Maci props Olivia up on her knee to burp her. “You guys can’t bet on the babies like that.”
“Shhh,” I whisper. “Bean’s got this. I’ve been training her on the sidelines.”
Maci laughs.
I’ve never been happier than this moment. Who am I kidding? I’ve been saying that every day since I met her.
My mother slowly steps into the living room, her phone clutched to her chest with tears in her eyes. My father sits up straighter. “What is it, Julie?”
“It’s…Beau,” she says. “He’s coming home.”
“About damn time,” Uncle Jim says with a raise of his beer.
Mom starts to cry, and I share a concerned look with my siblings scattered around the room as my father stands to go to her. “H-He’s been shot,” my mother cries. “My baby’s been shot.”
The End.
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