Epilogue
Jolene-Three Years Later
" Y ou really are fucking adorable, you know that? It's totally going to work in your favor when Beau gets home," I coo at the precious baby girl in my arms.
I still can't believe this sweet girl is ours.
Well, as long as we can get everything cleared up with the courts, but I don't see that being too big of an issue with Beau being the police chief and my shining reputation in Aspen Hollow.
Thank the Lord above only a handful know about my hobby reserved for the dark and depraved.
I was working in the barn when my app alerted me there was someone at the house. I didn't recognize the car or the person, but you bet your sweet ass I made it home as if my life depended on it when I saw what looked like a baby carrier and several bags left on the porch as the car drove away.
To my utter surprise, I found this sweet girl, cozy as could be in her carrier. It's October and chilly, so I rushed her inside then went back and grabbed the bags. I dug through them until I found an envelope with my name on it.
It was from one of the women I helped out of a bad situation about seven or eight months ago.
Apparently, her abuser impregnated her one of the times he’d assaulted her.
As much as she wanted to love her baby, staring at a reminder of what he’d done to her was too much.
In an attempt to comfort her, I did a lot of rambling that night.
Beau and I had recently suffered another miscarriage and were considering adoption.
Why I spilled my guts to that poor girl, I'll never know, other than I wanted her to see that everyone has trauma, but if they fight, they can come out on the other side.
For us, adoption is a way we can fight back against my body that keeps betraying me.
I couldn't begin to imagine the sacrifices that sweet girl had made by growing this precious baby for nine months as she struggled with whether or not she would be able to love her. She left us all of her important documents, along with a date to appear in court. She’d thought of everything, and as long as Beau and I are willing, we will be able to legally adopt the five-day-old baby in just a week.
I don't know how Beau's going to react, but I know I want her.
I want to give her mother some peace of mind and our baby a fighting chance at the best life possible.
I also want her mama to know that if she wants to be a part of our girl's life, I'm okay with that.
We will need to talk, but I hope Beau will be on the same page as I am.
I stash all the baby's stuff in the spare bedroom and am snuggling on my bed with her when Beau comes home. I smile as I hear him muse about where Cooper and I are. Coop loved our little nugget from the moment he smelled her and has been glued to her ever since.
"Jolene, where the hell ya hidin'?"
"In the bedroom." I keep my voice soft to not startle the baby.
"Why are you in— Jolene, whose baby is that?" Beau's eyebrows furrow as he takes in the snugglefest happening on our bed.
"Ours," I croak out. "Well, if you want her."
"What the— How?" He's running a hand through his hair as he hesitantly steps into the room to come closer to us.
I lift the letter and hold it out to him.
"You remember that sweet girl I helped out a while back? Super skittish and needed a place to crash for a bit?"
He nods but doesn't pull his eyes from what he's reading.
I let him finish the letter and give him a few minutes to process.
He's still hovering by the bed, so I tug him until he tumbles down beside us.
Tears fill his eyes as he leans over and kisses her little head.
When he looks up at my face and our eyes lock, my own tears spill over.
"Is this for real? She's really ours?"
"If you want her."
"Fuck yes, I want her."
I can't help the excited laugh that spills from my lips.
Beau slams his mouth on mine, and I sink into the kiss. Our sweet girl lets out a cry on the bed between us, startling us apart. Beau instantly goes into papa bear mode, scooping our little peanut up, and it's the sexiest thing I've ever seen.
"Ssh, you're okay, princess."
"Oh, don't even start that bullshit."
"Well then, what am I supposed to call her? The hospital put Jane on her certificate since her birth mom refused to name her, knowing she wanted us to do that."
"How do you feel about Aspen Ray DuVall Calhoun?"
"I love it."
"Me too. I love you, Beau."
"Love you, too, Joey girl.” Beau kisses me sweetly, then cuddles his baby girl into his arms and stares at her as if she is the sun and the moon. “And I love you, Aspen Ray."