Epilogue
Eighteen months later
Tess Harrison Carter laughed as she watched her husband crawl around on the living room floor beside their daughter. At eleven months old, Annabel was crawling like a pro.
“C’mon, cutie!” Logan cooed to the baby. He crawled backwards, encouraging her to chase him. The sight of her gentle giant on all fours with the baby made Tess’s heart swell. “C’mon, peanut! You’re fast as lightning, you got this. C’mon, sweetie, come and get me!”
Annabel screeched joyfully and headed for him. He stopped moving when she reached him, scooped her into his arms, and dropped little kisses all over her face. She squealed and giggled, loving it.
“I think your beard must tickle her face,” Tess said from the couch.
“I’m trying not to give her beard-burn,” Logan said, “but oh my God, I want to eat her up.” He gazed lovingly into his daughter’s eyes, the same brilliant blue as her mother’s.
Tess enjoyed watching him play with Annabel, watching him respond with such light and joy. This child had saved him from drowning in grief. Tess knew it was sheer will and her love that had kept Logan from going under after his mom passed away. Looking forward to the baby’s arrival and basking in Tess’s love had kept him afloat through the late summer. But when Annabel was born a week before Thanksgiving, Logan was reminded of how much he had to live for, how blessed he was, and he turned a corner in his healing.
His family was everything. He told Tess that all the time.
“We have to leave in an hour,” Tess said, “if we’re going to make it on time to Charles and Lisette’s for his birthday dinner.”
“Okay.” Logan looked up at her. She was stretched out on the couch, wearing a plain red top and black yoga pants, her hair everywhere . . . She felt a bit worn. But he smiled a wolfish smile and said, “Hot damn, lady. You’re gorgeous, you know that?”
“Well, thanks.” Tess smiled, delighted. “So are you.”
“That nap before must have helped. You look brighter now.”
“I was tired,” she admitted. She lowered her eyes to the baby squirming in his huge lap. “That little one does wear me out sometimes. And I love every moment.”
“Me too,” he said. He looked down to Annabel and started cooing at her.
Tess thought back on the past year and a half. She and Logan had split their time between Aspen and Long Island, and married in a small, private ceremony in Aspen in June, with only his mother and brother, her immediate family, and a few close friends in attendance. It had been a lovely, intimate wedding. Knowing a baby was on the way had made Annmarie happy beyond words; but sadly, she had passed away in late July.
After Annabel came, Logan had sold both his mother’s condo and his place in Aspen. He’d insisted that he and Tess buy a new house together, his money matching hers, and they’d found a fabulous house on the water in Sandy Point, just a few blocks away from where Charles, Lisette, and their kids lived. Pierce, Abby, and their son lived nearby in Edgewater; baby Michael had been born only three months before Annabel. And Charlotte was only a year older than them. So all the baby cousins were growing up together, and there were Charles’s three older children too. It all included Dane and Julia, of course, who lived their fast-paced life in the city at the hotel and took it slow during their downtime in the cottage they owned in Blue Harbor, which was in between Edgewater and Sandy Point. They were a doting aunt and uncle to all the kids.
Somehow, the Harrisons had finally gotten it together and had become a huge, happy extended family.
As for the patriarch, Charles Harrison II had the mammoth land of the Harrison estate all to himself now. Tess had given him back the guest cottage when she moved out, but he wasn’t happy about it. He traveled a lot, worked a lot, and kept his distance from most of the family except for holidays. It made Tess sad that it was what he wanted, that he’d ultimately shut himself out of the family instead of finding a way to be more involved . . . but she wasn’t going to fight with him about it.
Because at long last, she was completely content and happy. She had everything she’d ever longed for: She’d met an amazing, loving man to share her life with, her career was fulfilling and interesting, and she had the most wonderful, delightful child on the planet. She was so blessed.
She watched now as Logan set Annabel on her belly on the carpet. He gave her diapered tush a tiny pat and said, “Go to your mama. Go get her!”
Tess gazed at her handsome, sexy Viking. He’d adjusted well to life on Long Island. He liked New York, and once he’d let his walls down, he’d been embraced by the entire family. Most importantly, he’d found new purpose. He was finally putting his degrees in social work to use, working at the Harrison Foundation as a consultant in several capacities. He was damn good at it, too. Tess was proud of him, and knew he felt good about being in a position to help others.
They were deeply in love, and the best of friends. All was right with the world.
Annabel scooted forward, squealing and babbling as she crawled toward Tess.
Tess shifted, swinging her legs off the couch to hold her arms out to her daughter. “Come here, baby. Come on!”
When the baby reached her, Tess lifted her up and showered her with praise.
“Guess I better hit the shower,” Logan said. “I’ll be quick. And I’ll be sure to take Bubbles out to go potty too.”
“Okay. I’ll get Annabel’s things together, the baby bag, all of that.”
“Teamwork!” He got to his feet and smiled down at his wife and daughter. “Love you.”
“Love you too.” Tess smiled back up at him. “By the way, I need to tell you something . . .”
“Sure, what is it?” Logan asked.
Still holding the baby, Tess patted the couch cushion beside her, and he sat. She let her eyes roam over his handsome face then leaned in, unable to keep herself from giving his beard a quick little affectionate scratch.
He grabbed her fingertips and kissed them. “What’s up?”
“Um . . . I want to make an announcement tonight at dinner,” Tess said. “Since all of the Harrisons will be there.”
“Okaaaay . . . What are we announcing?” His pale green eyes studied her.
Tess smiled, took a deep breath, and said, “Remember when I said I had an errand to run this morning?”
“Yeah. So?” He reached out a finger to Annabel, who grasped it with a squeak.
“It wasn’t an errand,” Tess said. “I had a doctor’s appointment. I wanted to confirm the test I took two days ago.” Her smile deepened, the happiness bubbling inside her as she watched Logan’s face light up with shock and delight.
“Get outta here!” he cried with a laugh. “Are you . . . ?”
“Yup. I’m pregnant,” Tess affirmed. “Baby number two will be here in May.”
“Oh my God!” Logan shifted to hug both Tess and Annabel at the same time. “That’s amazing! I don’t believe it. I mean, we just started trying. It’s so soon!”
“I know. They won’t even be two years apart,” Tess said, looking down at Annabel, then back up to her husband. “Think we can handle it?”
Logan kissed her long and hard. Then, with a radiant smile, he said happily, “Together, we can handle anything. We’re the Dream Team, remember? We got this.”