Page 134 of One Reckless Night

EPILOGUE

AMELIA

Ipushed open the doors to my new lab with Ethan balanced on my hip, his tiny hands gripping my shirt as he babbled excitedly. The building was stunning—state-of-the-art, sleek, and everything I’d ever dreamed of. It was hard to believe this was mine. Ours. Jared and I had named it after my parents. The research I planned to do here was a tribute to them, too. It felt like a full-circle moment, one that made my chest ache with gratitude and pride.

Clair was right behind me, her hand resting on her still-flat stomach. She and Shawn had gotten married six months ago, and life was moving fast for all of us. She was in the first trimester of her pregnancy, and though she wasn’t showing yet, there was a glow about her that made me smile.

“This place is incredible,” Clair said, her eyes wide as she took in the high ceilings and gleaming equipment. “I can’t believe it’s finally finished.”

“Me neither,” I said, shifting Ethan to my other hip. “It’s surreal. I keep expecting to wake up and realize it’s all a dream.”

Clair laughed, shaking her head. “Trust me, it’s real. And it’s all yours. Well, yours and Jared’s.”

I smiled, my heart swelling at the mention of Jared. He’d been my biggest supporter through all of this, even when I doubted myself. He’d pushed for this lab, for the funding, for everything. And now, here we were.

Ethan squirmed with a burst of energy, his giggles echoing off the pristine walls. I adjusted him to my other side and took in the sight before me. I still couldn’t wrap my head around it.

“Oh my God,” Clair said, peering into a room lined with microscopes and workstations. “Is this a fusion reactor, or is NASA just getting really generous?”

I laughed, feeling a surge of pride. “Jared pulled out all the stops. He wanted every advantage for this research.”

“Shawn would lose it if he saw this.” She placed her hand on her stomach and grinned. “He’s going to lose his sh—stuff,” she quickly corrected.

I smiled back at her. It was hard to believe how things had changed so quickly. Two years ago, I was on a plane to Florida with my ailing mother. I had thought my life was meaningless. I had hope, but I couldn’t have dreamed this would be where life led me.

Clair wandered over to a sleek computer setup and raised an eyebrow at me. “You know, it’s not too late to name one of these after me. Like maybe, ‘The Clair’—only the most important piece of equipment.”

“Only if we can call the coffee machine ‘The Jared.’”

“Deal!”

We both cracked up, and Ethan joined in with a little squeal of his own.

I set him down on the floor, watching carefully as he stumbled a few feet. He was walking, but it wasn’t exactly graceful.

“No, no, buddy,” I said when he tried to pull at a cord. “You can’t touch that.”

Claire grinned. “He’s got your curiosity, that’s for sure. You guys have created a little mad scientist. He’s got your brains.”

“And Jared’s stubbornness,” I added, rolling my eyes. “He’s already a handful.”

We spent the next hour exploring the lab, making plans for the research we’d start here. It was exciting, but by the time we left, I was ready to get home. Ethan was getting fussy, and I knew he needed a nap.

When we got back to the house, Jared was waiting for us in the kitchen, his tie loosened, and his sleeves rolled up. He looked up as we walked in, his face lighting up when he saw Ethan. “There’s my little man,” he said, crossing the room to take him from me.

Ethan squealed with delight, reaching for Jared’s face with his chubby hands. “Dada!”

Jared laughed, kissing Ethan’s cheek before turning to me. “How was the lab?”

“Amazing,” I said, leaning in to kiss him. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

He smiled, his eyes soft. “You deserve it. And I can’t wait to see what you do there.”

I nodded, my heart swelling with love for this man. He’d given me so much—not just the lab, but a family, a home, a life I’d never dared to dream of.

I watched Jared and Ethan together, my heart a puddle at my feet. I never imagined I’d get to see something like this, to feel so full and content. It was almost terrifying how deeply I loved them—how much I had to lose. But with every day that passed, those fears faded a little more.

I’d been going through some emotions I never realized were suppressed. I thought about my mom and dad. The father that never got to see me grow up. He never got to see me take my first steps. And my mom didn’t get to share the love of watching their child accomplish all those little things with him. I never realized how much she missed out on. It gave me a new understanding of her. And her sadness. She was coherent enough to know she was missing something big.