Page 106 of Hating the Boss

I never thought she would stand again, and here she was, walking and taking care of herself in ways I used to. Her newfound independence still scared me sometimes as her older sister, but I was mostly proud. She had blossomed into a new person. She had even started to date, which was an entirely other fear for me, but she seemed happy.

I couldn’t wait for her to meet Sterling.

In the living room, Brad helped me ease onto the couch as I was careful not to wake Sterling, who was still asleep in my arms. She had slept the entire car ride and through the entrance to her new home. I felt slightly paranoid that it would mean no sleep for anyone that evening, but she was so cute, it didn’t even matter.

Brad settled in beside me on the couch, lifting his arm and draping it around me. I nuzzled in close to him, breathing in that comforting smell of sandalwood. He leaned in and kissed the top of my head, leaving his lips planted against my hair.

“I’m so proud of you,” he whispered. “You were incredible. Are incredible.”

“So are you,” I whispered back.

“I mean it,” he said, pulling back to look at me, his eyes intent. “I would have done anything for you before…but now…that you’re the mother of my child…” He shook his head.

I could see the emotion in his eyes, the way they glazed over with tears. I’m overwhelmed by it. I thought I had seen almost every side of Brad, but this…

Fatherhood was a whole new thing, and I felt that much more in love with him.

I tilted my chin up and closed my eyes, inviting him to press his lips to mine, which he quickly did. Our kiss was tender and soft, and it told me everything I needed to know. That we were going to have a beautiful life together. I felt like the luckiest woman in the world to get to share my life with this man and our beautiful daughter.

“Thank you,” I whispered against his lips.

“For what?” he asked, raising a curious brow.

“For making me a mother.”

He leaned in and kissed me again, lingering longer than before. I gladly went along with it, thinking there was nowhere else I would rather be than kissing the man I loved with our daughter cradled between us. This was a dream so great, I never could have even imagined it.