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Epilogue
JASE
Ifinished signing the last document and laid down my pen before carefully pushing away from the desk. The precious bundle in my arms snuffled, and I leaned down to kiss my four-week-old son on the forehead. “It’s okay, buddy.” I tucked the cotton blanket more tightly around him. “Daddy’s got you.”
Our second child, Evan Oliver Bennett, was fast asleep. I could have just lain him down in his crib, but I’d been holding him for the last half hour. Fatherhood had been a journey I’d never even considered until I’d married Emilia, and after we’d talked about it for hours, we decided to take the leap.
It was a very big leap for both of us. We were determined our children would grow up knowing they were loved and wanted from the moment they arrived in the world, and we’d made good on that promise to them—and each other.
As soon as we’d discovered Emilia was pregnant with our first child, we’d relocated to a house we’d purchased a good half hour drive from the city. Our penthouse, while spacious, was not where we’d wanted to raise a child. Children needed space to run around in and fresh air not available in the city, so it hadn’t been a difficult decision.
We still owned the penthouse. As we’d prepared for the birth of our daughter, we’d started handing over the day-to-day operations of our businesses to trusted staff. We were still joint CEOs, of course, but had agreed to delegate a lot more work so we could do the most important job of all: raise our child.
Children, now Evan had joined us. He would be our last. Two children were enough for us.
I moved into the living room and sank onto the sofa. Evan was still fast asleep in my arms, and I stroked his warm, soft cheek gently. My precious son was such a gift, one I would cherish for the rest of my life.
I heard movement behind me, and seconds later my gorgeous two-year-old daughter, Madison Lucy, appeared. She’d just woken up from a nap and her long, dark hair was all mussed up. She still looked sleepy as she crawled up onto the sofa and onto my lap.
I tucked her into my side and put my free arm around her. “Did you have a nice sleep, pumpkin?”
She nodded, gazing up at me. “I sure did, Daddy.” I leaned down to give her a kiss, and then she peered over at Evan. “How’s my baby brother?”
“He’s just fine. He’s been sleeping like you.” I kissed her head and held her close. Warmth spread throughout me; my arms were full with the two lights of my life.
The love of it walked into the room, and not for the first time I realized how fucking lucky I was to have my family.
“Here you all are.”
“Mommy!” Madison’s arms reached for Emilia, and my wife picked her up and cuddled her close. I watched my two girls affectionately until movement had me looking down.
My son was waking, likely because he was hungry. His eyes opened and he stared up at me. “Hi, buddy. Time for some milk, is it?”
He started to wriggle in my arms, his lips smacking together. Emilia put Madison down and our daughter toddled over to kiss Evan’s head softly. “Hi, baby boy,” she cooed. We’d been worried about Madison being jealous over Evan’s arrival, but she’d been nothing but thrilled and eager to help us do everything with him.
We allowed her to help as much as possible. She’d given him bottles and changed his diapers with our assistance, and liked to help bathe him.
Emilia made herself comfortable in the large chair perpendicular to the sofa and placed a pillow on her lap to support Evan. Once she was ready, I went over and placed the baby in her arms. He latched on to her nipple without hesitation.
I stroked his cheek and then leaned over to kiss my wife. Parenthood had changed us both for the better, and Emilia was a natural mother. Protective and loving, there wasn’t another woman on the planet I would have chosen to be the mother of my children over my best friend.
When I pulled back, she looked at me. “Did the contract for the sale come through?”
I grinned and nodded, and she mirrored my expression. We’d decided to accept an offer to sell Hidden Pleasures. It’d been something we’d been considering for years, and when a company we’d worked with before had made a generous offer, we’d felt it was time.
Having children meant we were spreading ourselves even thinner than we already were, so selling off part of our portfolio had made sense.
It wasn’t as though we needed the money, so the proceeds of the sale would be sunk into the foundation. Of all the businesses we owned, that was the most important one and it was on track to meet our long-term targets.
We’d helped hundreds and hundreds of foster children over the years to have a better life than the one they’d started from, and there was no putting into words the satisfaction that brought us.
Knowing they wouldn’t have to go through everything we had meant the world to us.
“It’s ready for your signature, sweetheart.”
“I’ll sign it after dinner and we can get it picked up tomorrow.”
Madison climbed onto my lap when I sat back down and I picked her up, holding her above my head and then bringing her down for kisses. I repeated the motion, and the sound of her laughter made my heart swell in my chest.
