“Delilah! Eric! Ready or not! Here I come!”

I strolled easily through the halls of the ranch house. Since my grandfather passed and the money appeared in our bank account, we put on an addition that included two big bedrooms, one for each of the twins.

Of course, there were also the expanded stables, a long house for the goats, and a studio for Dahlia to do art lessons with the little ones and the twins. It was an estate, not a simple ranch anymore. And I wasn’t a broke-ass wannabe cowboy. I was a very, very rich man.

In more ways than one.

I peeked into the bathroom, my eyes scanning over the surface of the lovely amber stone and tile and the varnished claw-foot bathtub that the twins loved. I didn’t hear anything in there. I took a few more quiet steps, and I heard the Delilah’s breathy giggle, muffled by the sound of a blanket or possibly a door.

“Hmmm,” I wondered aloud. “I wonder where those twins could be. Are they in the same place, or in two different places? You know, they’re usually in the same place. But it would be really tricky for Daddy if they were in different places.”

Inside of Delilah’s room, I heard shuffling around, punctuated by riotous laughter.

I dramatically opened the door to Eric’s room. “They’re not in here! I don’t know where they could be!”

I made stomping noises like I was going back down the hallway, and then I tiptoed and gently opened the door to Delilah’s room. There’s a movement inside the teepee that Delilah got last Christmas.

“Shhhhh,” she said. “Daddy’s here. Or I think he is.” There’s another flutter of movement, and I see her head pop out of the tent. Her brown curls fall over her face, just like her mother’s. She gasps and falls back inside.

“I see you!” I exclaimed. “And I’m coming to get you!”

I launched myself forward and fall into the tent — just dramatically enough to cause a stir, but not enough to actually fall on her. She squealed in laughter as I pull her out of the tent and into my arms. Just as we both landed on the soft sherpa rug, Eric came tumbling out from the bottom bunk and landed on my back.

“Be a tall horse, Daddy! Carry me around!”

“Me too,” Delilah exclaimed.

Just then, Adele appeared at the door, her belly swelling with the new life inside of her. She turned, her body outlined in the light pouring in from the windows at the end of the hall. Eighteen weeks along — with another little girl. I was secretly hoping for a second set of twins, but she might have killed me if I’d actually told her that. The birth was a difficult one, with two hours of pushing and an emergency c-section. She tried nursing both of them and got off to a rocky start.

There were tears and late nights, and lots of doubts in that first year. But some how — masochistically — I knew I’d do it all over again if it meant another chance to raise two babies at the same time.

Yes, Adele might have killed me if I’d spilled that secret at our first ultrasound.

She might have reminded me that a third baby would be hard enough, without having to deal with a fourth. But we had all this money — and this huge ranch — and all the love we ever needed in the world. Why wouldn’t we add a third?

That was our feeling. And it came from both of us.

We were a team these days. There were no secrets between us.

“I’m afraid Daddy can’t be a tall horse right now,” Adele said. It’s just about time for dinner, and Auntie Dahlia is on her way over with the kiddos.

Delilah’s face lit up with wonder. “Ellie!” she exclaimed. She loved her older cousin with the absolute adoration that comes with being three and a half years old. We were so lucky to have Dahlia in town — especially when we needed a simple break from the kids. Somehow, Dahlia was able to manage all four kids at once without breaking a sweat. I had no idea how she did it. It was either something deep in her bones, or it came with ten years of teaching experience. Maybe both. Either way, it was truly a magical feat. One that I wasn’t able to replicate. When we watched Robert and Elise, it always took every ounce of our energy away.

“Yep,” I said. “And Uncle Eddie is coming this way too.”

Adele sighed. “You didn’t. You are the worst at playing matchmaker.”

“He’s been away. He always had a thing for your sister. And now that she’s dating again…” I let my voice trail off.

“Yeah, that hasn’t gone so well for her. And Eddie’s kind of a playboy.”

I laughed. “Kinda. But I think he’d settle down for the right girl.”

“I guess so,” Adele said. “I’m not sure my sister needs to be subjected to that. Though he is pretty … handsome.” I know Adele was about to say something a little raunchier. But instead, she winked at me and giggled.

“What’s a playboy?” Eric asked in his most earnest voice.

“A guy who likes to play sports,” I said without missing a beat. That is one thing I had learned to do — cover up adult conversations in front of three year olds. It’s a skill that comes quick once your toddler becomes a threenager.

Adele chuckled. “Yep. Something like that. Come on, you guys. I have a roast that’s just about ready. And a dessert that the chef prepped last night. We just need to make some whipped cream.”

The chef. I smiled at that. Adele liked to do most of the cooking herself — and I definitely had stepped up my game with my excellent breakfast skills. But once she got pregnant a second time, I hired a part-time chef to help her. That was something we could do with our lives now — lighten each burden. I was doing my best to think ahead and be the man she’d always needed me to be.

I wasn’t that guy back in high school. And I wasn’t that guy when she first got pregnant. But I am now. And I’m proud of it.

I watched as she lead the kids to the beautiful, remodeled kitchen. They each stood on their own cooking stool and helped her whip the cream for our chocolate ganache. I set the table and put out the appetizers. As the sun set over the mountains in the background, I welcomed Eddie and Delilah and her kids into our home.

That’s what it was for — my estate — it was for entertaining. For welcoming. For creating a space for the family I never had. My mother and father had always been too concerned with money to give me the time of day. And when they passed, my grandfather had taken their place. He was only hard on me. He made up for that before he passed on, but I never had what Adele and I created here.

This place was special. Our home was special. And it was overflowing with the love we’d always had for each other.

And it grew stronger with every passing year.