Epilogue

Andrastian Islands, Nineteen months later …

Darla watched the man and baby shriek with laughter as they tussled on the lawn bordered by a field of wild hydrangea bushes, the sea and sky a clear azure backdrop to the vivid blooms. The beauty of the islands almost eclipsed the sheer wonder of watching her husband and son play. Almost. Nothing enthralled her more than watching the deep love between the boys in her life.

The past year-and-a-half had been eventful.

They were married early February, and Bobby’s family flew out to attend. She wore a long-sleeved A-line lace dress that concealed her expanding midriff. Her mother had not officiated, although they said their vows in her church.

In May they moved into the house they purchased close to her work. They had gone back and forth about where to live, debating about extending the cabin on the ranch. But when the older four-bedroomed home two blocks from the clinic came onto the market, they snatched it up. And yes, Taffy moved with them, adjusting to town living with typical feline nonchalance.

Erik Edmund Bellerose was born on the nineteenth of July after an uncomplicated pregnancy and an intense, but short seven-hour labor. Watching Bobby cradle their son with an expression of absolute awe and unconditional love was the most thrilling moment of her life.

It was what she always wanted — a baby and a husband who loved with his whole heart. A partner to help raise their children. A soulmate to grow old with.

She took four months off before going back on a part-time basis. Bobby changed his working days, handing over responsibility of the stables on weekends. During the times they were both working, Erik stayed with one of her sisters-in-law. It worked for them.

Bobby’s notes hadn’t stopped. While not daily, they were frequent and meaningful. From a simple “ I’m crazy about you ” stuffed inside a lunch box he had packed, to the extravagant “ You hold the key to my heart ” attached to the key fob of the gleaming blue Volvo SUV.

Another energetic laugh ripped through the air, breaking into her musings, and she walked across the lawn.

“Ma, Ma, Ma,” her son cried, toddling over as fast as his chubby legs allowed. Erik started walking two weeks ago, and the almost one-year-old enjoyed his newfound freedom every moment he was awake. Darla crouched and opened her arms. Erik flung himself at her, toppling them both. She closed her arms around the small body and blew kisses in his neck. He laughed and laughed, babbling a stream of nonsensical words as he wriggled from her hold and clambered to his feet. Bobby scooped up Erik, anchored the boy to his hip, and stretched out his arm to her. She clasped his hand, and he tugged her to her feet.

Bobby drew her closer, his hand dropping to her butt, anchoring her to him. Arm in arm, they walked up onto the veranda. Bobby secured Erik in the highchair and set a sippy mug with apple juice in front of their boy. He poured them both a tall glass of ice water while she heaped fresh garden salad onto their plates.

“Chicken?” Bobby asked over Erik’s loud chatter.

“Hmm,” she hummed, popping a piece of carrot into her mouth.

Bobby lifted a sliced chicken breast and placed it on top of her salad.

Erik stretched out a chubby arm. “Me, me.”

Chuckling, Bobby caught the flailing hand and bent to kiss it. “Patience, kiddo,” he said, “Momma first.”

“Ma, Ma,” her son called out, clapping his hands together, a big grin on his face.

Darla blew a kiss at him, laughing when her son slapped a hand over his mouth.

Bobby nudged the salad dressing closer. “Did you enjoy shopping with Mum?”

“We had a great time.” Bobby’s mother was a blast, delighted beyond words they chose to celebrate Erik’s first birthday with them. “But we need another suitcase to take all of Erik’s gifts home.”

Bobby chuckled. “No surprise there.” He removed the lid from the colorful plate containing Erik’s food, leaned over the top of their boy’s head, and pressed the plate down, anchoring the suction pads. The kid wasted no time digging into his food, and her husband (the thrill of calling Robert Bjorn Bellerose her husband never diminished) claimed his seat beside hers.

The meal seemed to take forever, and when Bobby finally wiped Erik’s face, she could no longer contain her excitement. “I also bought something for Erik,” she said, handing the wrapped gift she had hidden earlier to Bobby. “I couldn’t resist.”

Eyeing the colorful wrapping with a mix of indulgence and exasperation, Bobby took it from her. “Momma’s spoiling you as much as Gamma and Grandma.” Bobby helped the boy wriggle his hand under the loosely taped paper. They tugged together, and the paper tore.

Erik shrieked with glee, waving about a small triangle of paper. He opened his fist, and it fluttered to the ground. He peered at it for a moment before turning his attention to the package his daddy still held for him, attacking the wrapper with fresh gusto. The paper ripped apart. Erik gave a triumphant whoop.

“Momma got you a T-shirt, kiddo,” Bobby said, holding the small item up. His eyes scanned the wording before his gaze shot to hers, a smile ghosting over his lips. “Look, Erik, your shirt says, ‘I’m A Big Brother’. You’re going to have a baby brother or sister. Isn’t that awesome?” The boy laughed, grabbed the shirt from his daddy’s grasp, brought it to his face, and gave it a smacking kiss. Then tossed it.

Bobby caught the T-shirt before it landed on the ground. With infinite care, he refolded it and placed it on the table.

She’d been waiting for the perfect moment to tell him that she was pregnant again, and while out today, she happened upon the shirt. It had taken some sleight of hand to keep her purchase from her eagle-eyed mother-in-law.

But Bobby’s unruffled response ruffled her feathers.

Unless …

“You knew,” she hissed, folding her arms. But how? Since Eric’s birth, her cycle had been irregular, so it certainly wasn’t from her husband keeping tabs on her cycle that way.

Bobby turned in his seat and pulled her chair closer. He leaned his forehead against hers. “I suspected.”

“How?”

“I know your body better than my own. Your boobs are fuller. And hypersensitive. And” — he brushed his lips over hers — “you’ve been particularly amorous lately.”

All the above were true. “Why didn’t you say something?” she groused, smacking his shoulder.

Bobby grinned. “And spoil your fun? Nuh-uh.” His next kiss was deeper, longer. Full of love and a promise of more, later. He groaned, lifting his head. Taking hold of her face, he peered intently at her. “How are you holding up? Any nausea? Dizzy spells?” Both those symptoms had presented around her two-month mark with Erik.

“I’m feeling good.” Her age was always a concern, but after her uncomplicated first pregnancy, neither Lee nor the OB-GYN foresaw any problems with a second, and she and Bobby hadn’t bothered with birth control once given the all-clear. Grabbing hold of his wrists, she returned his serious look. “Are you happy?”

“When I settled in Texas, it was to fulfil a promise to my dying friend. And I was content to spend my life honoring my promise. I never imagined having a family of my own. But things changed, freeing me to pursue a new dream. You and Erik are my everything, Darla. I have never been happier, never been more content with life than I am at this very moment. Any baby we add to our family is a bonus.”

This man … her knight.

Eyes shimmering, Darla whispered, “I love you, Robert Bjorn Bellerose.”

“And I love you, Darla Joyce Bellerose.”

*

Before sunrise the following morning, Bobby stood in front of a rectangular slab of white Andrastian marble in the shadow of the majestic St. Peter’s Cathedral in the capitol city of Andraste.

He scanned the name.

Edmund Gustav Lennox.

His best friend until that fateful day an assassin’s bullet found its mark.

“Hey, Ed,” Bobby murmured. “Today is my son’s birthday. His first. Erik Edmund.” He cleared his throat, overwhelmed with emotion. “Darla insisted we honor you. My wife—”

He stopped, wiping at the tears dripping down his face. “She’s the best, Ed. The absolute best. Fiery. Witty. Passionate. Loyal. You would’ve enjoyed sparring with her. And there’s the kicker. If you hadn’t stepped up to protect the woman you loved, I’d never have ended up in Texas and met the woman I love.”

The first light of the sun peeked over the eastern mountains, casting a soft golden hue over the city. Before him, the white marble caught the sunlight, creating an otherworldly shimmer that danced across the stone, enhancing the natural veins and textures, almost bringing them to life.

Goose bumps broke across Bobby skin, making his hair stand on end, and he briskly rubbed his arms. “Bollocks, Ed, warn a guy, huh,” he muttered.

A breeze kicked up, soughing through the nearby trees. And Bobby, drawn into the etherealness of the moment, imagined the quiet chuckle of a friend long gone. He scraped his hand across his mouth and hooked it behind his neck. Not one to believe in ghosts, he eyed the glowing marble with amused skepticism. “Yeah, okay, move on, will you? You’ve had your moment of fun.”

The breeze continued, but the sun shifted, rising higher, and the shimmering ceased, the marble restored to its original white shine.

Bobby huffed, his heartbeat slowly returning to a normal rhythm. “I’ve one more thing to say to you, Ed. Just because I have a family of my own to protect, I will never stop watching over the ones you sacrificed your life for.”

With a final salute, Bobby turned and walked away.

He had a family waiting.

I hope you enjoyed Bobby and Darla’s story.

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Curious about Bobby’s secret mission?

Find out in Murmur of Love .

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Faced with a renewed custody suit and a struggling cattle ranch, single father Aidan Lawson worries about the future for his family.

Until the day Cecelia walks back into his life and proposes a solution to their problems. Before Aidan can blink, he finds himself lassoed by her honey-colored eyes and mile-long legs ... and he agrees to her wild scheme — marriage!

Against all odds, they create a stable and happy family for the children in their care, and their own feelings toward each other deepen.

But what will Aidan do when Cecelia confesses her ultimate deception?

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About the Author

Nicole Ann Nielsen believes in romance, in love, and everyone deserves a happy ever after.

And that is what she writes — Contemporary Romance.

Nicole lives in scenic Cape Town, South Africa, and shares her space with her husband and hound, her daughter and son having long flown the parental coop.

She is an avid reader, enjoys Pilates, inhales coffee, and loves dreaming about her next novel.