Extra Epilogue

EXTRA EPILOGUE

LORELEI

W alking into my home, I was surprised by how quiet it was. Although all three of my sons were out with my parents being spoiled rotten, my daughter had opted to stay home since they were going to a baseball game. She was only four, and sitting still for that long wasn’t something she was interested in.

Her inside voice was loud enough to wake the dead, and she normally made a ton of noise with anything she did. Unless she knew she would get in trouble—like when she hadn’t made a peep while emptying an entire container of baby powder in her bathroom. She’d squeezed it so hard, there was a layer of white residue all the way on the ceiling and she’d looked like a ghost. We’d had to drain and refill the tub three times before she was completely clean.

So I was understandably concerned as I went in search of Lennon. But also hopeful that she was down for a nap, which would give me some alone time with her daddy.

Unfortunately, that possibility was quickly thrown out the window when I heard her ask,

“Pink or purple?”

“Definitely purple,” Benji’s deep voice rumbled.

Curious about what he and our youngest were doing, I tiptoed down the hallway. Our daughter’s room was already painted baby pink, so that couldn’t be what they were talking about. Plus, she was only four, so it was much too soon to think about redecorating. Not that she would listen to reason if she got it in her head that purple would look better on her walls than pink. Something that her daddy knew, so I doubted that was the topic of their conversation either.

Her next question confirmed it. “With sparkles?”

Even though I didn’t make any noise, I had the feeling that Benji sensed I was near since he paused before answering Lennon. “Not sure how your mom does the sparkles.”

My lips curved into a smile as I realized what they were doing. My big biker was painting his daughter’s toenails.

I thought Benji was the hottest guy I’d ever seen when we met, and he had only gotten more attractive as he aged. Benji was a great dad to our boys, but Lennon had him wrapped around her little finger. There was something about seeing him with Lennon that made him even sexier. To the point where I wouldn’t be surprised if my panties spontaneously burst into flames as I listened to them chat about which polish color she should choose if the clear layer of sparkles I added wasn’t an option.

“Hold on a sec. Maybe I can figure this out since your mom isn’t here to help.” For a man who had been against her using anything similar to makeup until she was old enough to leave for college—until she’d blinked teary eyes at him—he sounded as though he was very invested in the pedicure he was giving her. And he definitely knew I was eavesdropping.

I barely stifled a giggle as I listened to the sound of him rummaging through Lennon’s stash of nail polish bottles, grumbling beneath his breath the entire time.

“Pink is da best wittout sparkles,” she announced.

Odds were good that she’d run out of patience and wanted her toes done right now—with or without the sparkly top layer. That was my cue to come in and save the day before she had a meltdown. We were close to nap time, which put us in the danger zone.

“Did I hear someone mention sparkles?” I asked as I walked into her room.

“Mommy,” Lennon shrieked, jumping to her feet to race toward me. Wrapping her arms around my knees, she smiled up at me. “You do sparkly toes?”

I sifted my fingers through her hair, gently undoing a tangle before it got too bad. “Sure, sweetie.”

“Yay!” She danced her way back to Benji. Then she grabbed the bottle of purple polish and thrust it in his hand and demanded, “Dis one, Daddy.”

He shot me a smirk before agreeing, “You got it.”

“I’ll go get the sparkles,” I explained before heading to our bedroom to grab the bottles of clear coat with silver and gold glitter.

“Shoulda known you kept them somewhere else,” he muttered when I returned.

Nodding, I dropped down onto the floor next to him as Lennon shoved her bare foot onto his lap. “Yup, way too much temptation for you know who.”

“Who?” Lennon echoed with wide eyes. “Me?”

“Of course you, silly,” I confirmed, lifting the bottles to distract her from asking why I hid the glitter polish from her. “Which do you think will look better with purple today, silver or gold?”

“Hmm.” She tapped her fingers against her chin, pressing her lips together while she thought about her answer. Then her eyes widened and she grinned at me. “Do both!”

Tugging on the big toe of the foot Benji wasn’t holding, I murmured, “It’s a good thing you have ten toes because I can’t do both layers on each one, but I can alternate so this one will be gold. Then silver, and gold again.”

Luckily, she loved the idea. “Ooooh, yes!”

Sitting side by side, Benji and I painted our baby girl’s nails. By the time we were done, she was sprawled on the floor, half asleep. When her toes were dry, he lifted her up and gently placed her on the mattress of her princess castle bed. Once we were sure that she wasn’t going to wake up, we quickly left her room. Then we made good use of her nap time…in our bed.