Stephanie
Four years later…
“No,” I argue. “It’s ugly.”
“Ugly?” Quinn rolls his eyes. “Elaborate.”
“Pink? First of all, that’s your first problem. Second of all…” I huff and put my hands on my hips. “There is no second of all. The pink needs to go.”
He smirks and scribbles some notes down on his pad. “Noted. Pink is gone. Anything else, partner?”
I can’t help but smile. When Quinn asked me to partner up with him so that we could expand his advertising agency, I’d been shocked but mostly thrilled. We’ll send a salesperson out to do most of the traveling, but it’s going to require a little more attention than he could do on his own since he still has small children in his house. With both of us working on growing the company, it doesn’t take a ton out of either one of us. He knows he can trust me to treat this company as though it’s my own. Family looks out for one another.
“Nope. You’re good,” I tell him with a grin. “How’s the new sales guy working out?”
He laughs and shakes his head. “Sean? He’s a big dumb idiot that Anthony trained. How do you think it’s working out?”
Sean is Anthony’s best friend. When Sean got laid off at the marketing firm he started at after college, Anthony got him a job here. What the guy lacks in knowledge, he makes up for in effort.
“Don’t be mean to Sean,” I chide. “He’s a good kid.”
Quinn smirks at me. “Speaking of kids…”
I turn as Anthony strides into the room, sexy as ever in a three-piece suit. He wears them better than his father. Much better. But what makes him so damn hot is the precious cargo he has hanging off his hip.
“Momma!”
“Zoe,” I coo as I hold my hands out.
Anthony leans in to kiss me as he hands our hyperactive two-year-old daughter off to me. She wiggles and moves, tugging at my earrings and jewelry until Anthony has enough. He plucks her from my grip and sets her on the floor so she can go terrorize someone else. When she sees her grandpa, she lets out a squeal of excitement. He pats his lap and she runs over to him. It’s funny to see Quinn go from grumpy and serious to playing patty cake with his granddaughter.
“And how’s my boy?” Anthony asks as he hugs me from behind. His palms splay over my huge stomach.
“Big. Active. Hungry.”
Anthony chuckles against my hair. “Hungry? Are you sure that isn’t momma bear talking?”
“Well, maybe that part’s mostly me,” I admit with a laugh.
He nuzzles his nose against my hair. “How are you feeling?”
Getting pregnant in my forties was something I’d been worried about. My pregnancy with Zoe was pretty much the same as with Lacy, but this pregnancy has left me a lot more tired and worn out. Thankfully, the doctor assures me that everything is fine with both myself and the baby. I’m glad Anthony pressed on about getting pregnant early on in our marriage even though he was still in college. I always knew I wanted more kids, but my time felt limited. Not wasting a moment on giving me what I wanted, Anthony has gone above and beyond to be not only an amazing husband but a great father as well.
“I’m fine. Just tired,” I admit.
He releases me and saunters over to our daughter, who’s abandoned her grandpa to pull stuff out of his bottom drawer. Anthony scoops up the busy bee and puts her back on his hip where he can keep her out of trouble. With her blond hair and steel-gray eyes, she’s perfect in every way. Her bright red Christmas dress is adorable on her, but the green bow I put on her this morning is missing.
“We’re out, Dad. You’re working my wife too hard,” he grumbles.
Quinn shakes his head. “She’s barely earning her keep.” He winks at me.
“Tell Ava and the kids we’ll see them tomorrow,” I tell Quinn. “We’ll bring dessert. Lacy said they’re bringing mashed potatoes.”
“Bye-bye, Papa,” Zoe chirps as she waves to her grandpa.
“Bye-bye, Zozo.” He waves back with a goofy grin he reserves just for her.
I’m still chuckling long after we’re buckled in Anthony’s jeep. Zoe babbles on from the backseat. My husband grabs my hand and kisses my knuckles.
“You seem happy, teacup,” he says with a grin.
“I am happy,” I correct.
“Good. You ready to go home, cougar?” His gray eyes dance with wickedness.
“Asshole,” I say with a laugh.
“Asshole!” Zoe cheers from the back.
“That is so on you this time,” he teases.
“Still not as bad as when she chanted—” I mouth the word ‘fuck’—“in the middle of church.”
Anthony snorts. “I thought McAvoy was going to condemn all three of us to hell right then.”
“Asshole! Asshole!” our naughty daughter chants.
“There’s still time,” I grumble.
Anthony reaches in the backseat and tickles Zoe until she screams. “Knock it off, little bit. Santa knows if you’re naughty.”
“Santa!” she screeches.
“We don’t have to go,” he says, side-eyeing me. “If you don’t feel well.”
Of course we’ll go. Anything to make these two happy.
“I’m feeling much better,” I say with a grin.
He plucks Zoe’s missing green hair bow from his breast pocket and hands it to me. “Well, girls, it looks like we’re off to go see Santa.”
Zoe squeals with excitement as Anthony starts the car. He squeezes my hand in his and flashes me a sexy wink.
Over twenty years ago, I was living a similar sort of life. Back then, though, I lost the one I was hopelessly in love with. Never did I dream I’d find love again and that I’d grow my small family. Yet, here I am, living again.
When Anthony and Zoe start singing Jingle Bells, I think my heart might explode from joy. Our son bounces in my belly, no doubt going to be just as hyper as his father and sister. From the moment I let Anthony Blakely wrap me in his arms and steal my heart, I’ve been riding shotgun with him, my hair loose and my soul happy.
I relax in my seat and enjoy the ride.
The End