(one year later)

“Are you seriously wearing your getting laid jeans?” I stood there shaking my head as my soon to be husband stepped into our living room.

“Of course. It’s my birthday. I’m hoping to get lucky.” He sauntered over, kissing my cheek before wrapping his arms around me.

“I have a secret for you.” I leaned in close, allowing my lips to graze his ear lobe. “It’s my birthday too, so getting lucky is definitely in the cards.”

My fingers hooked in the loops of his jeans, bringing him flush with me just as Henry began crying.

“Looks like little man knows it is time for his special celebration.” Ren chuckled as he went to get our sweet baby boy. Although, technically, he might have crossed over into the toddler category, already taking four or five steps at a time and very much toddling.

I gathered the diaper bag. It still blew my mind how many stupid things such a small human being needed with them at all times between the diapers, the changes of clothing, and the just in case items. By the time Ren made it back with Henry, I was ready to go.

Birthdays had always been meh for me before I met Ren. And really, the birthday when I met Ren was no picnic. But without that awful evening, I never would have found Ren or become part of this amazing family that was now mine. Ever since last year, birthdays had become magical.

I knew no birthday was going to live up the wonder that an engagement followed by the birth of the most perfect and intelligent and handsome baby ever was. But they didn’t have to. That birthday was the beginning of our life as a family of three—and also one hell of a birth story. But that single day wasn’t what made it, it had been the culmination of so many events that formed the union that was us.

And there was no way I was being all sentimental and teary-eyed because of hormones. None.

“Mini-you is here with bells on.” Ren came in, Henry holding out his little arms to me.

Ren had it wrong though. Our son had my red hair, and in that way, everyone always said he was my spitting image, but if you looked past that, he had the same shaped face as Ren, especially his chin. Henry was the perfect blend of the two of us.

“Whoa, love. Have you been crying?” Ren let me grab Henry before he wiped away an errant tear I didn’t know was there.

“Just a little. All happy, I promise.”

“It’s not the baby.” Ren dropped to his knees and began to talk to my barely rounded belly. “You are not kicking your daddy’s kidneys, are you?” he asked her.

I swore the man took any chance he could to chat with my belly.

Unlike with Henry, we let the tech tell us what sex our baby was going to be, and ever since Ren heard the word girl, the spoiling began. It was true what they said about little girls having their daddies wrapped around their fingers. I’d known this, seeing it with my friends and their children, but I never expected it to happen before they even met.

It was a-freaking-dorable.

“Ren, you so very much knew it wasn’t her.” I pat him on the head and he shrugged in reply as he stood up.

“Sue me.” He reached out, tickling Henry. “Ready for your birthday slash your daddies’ wedding?”

Henry let out a burp suited for the record books.

“Do you think that’s a yes?” Ren asked, picking up the diaper bag and settling it on his shoulder. There was something so freaking sexy about an alpha being all domestic.

“I think he’s ready. How about you, Ren? Are you ready to promise forever in front of all our friends before we stuff ourselves with cake?”

“We do have three to conquer.” He reached out for Henry who all but jumped into his father’s arms. “Have I mentioned how incredibly s.e.x.y. you look this afternoon?”

There was no way someone walking down the street would have thought as much, but the sincerity in Ren’s voice told me that he thought I, wearing jeans with an elastic waistband and an untucked button shirt that was a size too small for my growing middle, was the sexiest man alive. I could live with that.

“Says the man in his getting l.a.i.d. jeans,” I sassed, grabbing the car keys.

“You know he’s going to be able to spell before we know it. Then we’re going to need a code. A secret code.” I had a feeling Ren was only half kidding.

“We could definitely do that. Shall we go make this all official and stuff?” I winked as I held open the door for my guys.

“I’m only in it for the cake.” Ren stopped as he reached me. “I’m already fully and completely yours.” He leaned in for a kiss, Henry grabbing my hair in that adorable but not for long way, and then slapped my ass. “Now, come on. We’re getting hitched in an hour and then Henry is spending the night with Brent and Joaquim and I get you all to myself. Time’s a wastin’.”

We got married at The Diner, the least romantic place to most people, yet oddly perfect for us. Our friends gathered around as we said our vows, ate amazing burgers, and gorged on cake. We also spent a good chunk of time spoiling Henry rotten with more toys than a dozen children needed.

Growing up, I’d been that kid who liked birthdays for the gifts. As a young adult, I liked them as an excuse to go out and party. As time passed, they became a reminder that I was getting older and the only thing I’d accomplished in life was a great career.

But that year, when Ren walked into my life, my birthday became so much more. It became a celebration of love and family.

What more could a man ask for?