Epilogue I

Dakota

" Y eah, we're in trouble," Reed declares upon seeing our baby girl.

The months flew by in a rush filled with nothing but happiness and excitement, day in and day out. It made the entire pregnancy infinitely easier to handle—along with the fact that I've had three amazing men catering to all of my whims and insane cravings.

I doubt I would've dealt with things as smoothly as I did if it weren't for Reed, Archer, and Maddox.

"Trouble?" I ask, still hazy from the epidural.

He holds our daughter in his arms, the sun shining on his face as he lovingly looks down at her. Maddox and Archer sit beside me, patiently waiting for their turn. Reed gives me a soft, loving smile.

"Yeah, we're in trouble because she is perfect, and she is a sparkling piece of you. I think my heart may explode. I don't think it can contain this much love," he says.

"Tell me about it," Archer mutters, unable to take his eyes off her. "She's got your cheeks and your nose, Dakota."

Maddox leans in and plants a sweet kiss on my lips. "You were incredible," he says. "A true warrior, through and through."

"Damn straight," Chelsea quips as she casually waltzes into the hospital room with a large paper box from our favorite diner. "Came in here like it was just a regular business day, then — bam— two hours later, out pops this little munchkin. Oh, and look, here come the other munchkins," she adds as she sets the box on the table by the window.

At the same time, Trevor and Maisie come in, both of them smiling as they hold hands. They've already met their baby sister, but Chelsea had them with her for the past half hour so I could get a few minutes with the guys. It's an important moment, a deeply emotional moment for all of us.

"How are you feeling?" Chelsea asks.

"I'm okay. Just exhausted," I reply, smiling softly. "I think it'll be a while before the epidural fully wears off."

"Yeah, they didn't expect you'd be done so quickly," she chuckles.

The guys laugh, beaming with pride as they each hold our baby. It's Archer's turn, and I can see him melting as the little angel settles in his big, strong arms. "God damn, she is perfect," he whispers. "I wonder what color her eyes will be."

"I hope they're green, like yours," I say. "You three have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen."

"Flattery won't get you far," Maddox jokingly warns.

"Have you decided on a name yet?" Chelsea asks.

Maisie and Trevor inch closer, their eyes wide as they admire their little sister. They keep talking to one another in a low voice, and I can't hear a thing they're saying, but I'm just too happy to see them getting along to even care if they're plotting to take over the world or something.

Trevor has been such a good older brother to Maisie, and Maisie has learned to be more patient with him, especially in the past few months. They're still a work in progress, but we do our part as parents to make sure that our children have all the room they need to feel loved and free to express themselves.

It will take some time for us to fully adjust to this new formula, yet I am anything but scared. Ever since our wedding day, the universe has been settling around us, one layer at a time. The chaos and confusion I came from are gone as is Keith. I don't know what Maddox said to the man, but when I filed to remove his parental rights altogether so that Archer could adopt Maisie along with Trevor, Keith didn't object. He simply signed the papers and sent them back to me without a single word.

"A name? Not yet."

"Don't you have some ideas?" Chelsea's eyebrows pop up. "You've been googling name meanings incessantly over the past couple of months."

"Yeah, and we're stuck on four possibilities," Archer groans as he relinquishes his hold over our baby so that Maddox can enjoy her, too. "Because nothing will ever come smooth and easy in this family. Clearly."

Maisie raises a hand, grabbing our attention. "How about Sally?"

"Wow, she went straight for the feels with that one," Archer mumbles, genuinely impressed.

"Well, you loved Grandma Sally," Maisie says with a soft shrug.

I hear a knock on the door, and I look to see Callie standing in the doorway.

"Hi. Sorry to interrupt," she says in a low voice. Regret drips from her tone. Her brown eyes are bigger than ever as she takes in the whole room. Every single one of us eyes her suspiciously, measuring her from head to toe. "I wanted to come by and congratulate you."

Her red hair is combed in a tight, conservative bun. She's wearing camel-brown slacks and a white blouse, clean and loose-fitting, complete with a pair of cream moccasins and an ivory tote bag. She wears no jewelry and barely any makeup. Something is noticeably different about Callie, and I am trying to quickly figure out what it is. I don't trust her; therefore, I have to size her up in record time.

"How did you know we were here?" I ask, my brow furrowed as I reach over to Maddox, quietly asking for my baby back.

"I made some calls," Callie sighs, her shoulders dropping. "Can we talk?"

"Now?"

"It would be ideal while I still have the courage."

I look over to the guys and notice how relaxed they are. Technically speaking, Callie isn't a threat anymore. She didn't object to the inheritance once Rawlings notified her of the impromptu wedding. She hasn't been in touch since, though I did notice her among the viewers of my social media stories and posts over the past few months. She hasn't caused any issues in a long time, so I can't help but wonder what this is about.

Chelsea sighs deeply. "What do you want us to do, Dakota?" Her tone is flat and unwelcoming, but Callie isn't deterred. She keeps her chin up and quietly waits for my decision.

"Give us a minute," I say.

Smoothly, Archer, Reed, and Maddox are the first to get up. They take Trevor and Maisie with them while Chelsea opens the paper box and points out some of the items inside. "There's food here. Your favorite Cajun fries and crispy chicken, Nola sauce, plus a couple of butter biscuits. You should eat."

"Thanks. I could smell all of it from the minute you walked in," I giggle.

"I'll be right outside," Chelsea feels the need to underline this particular detail while giving Callie the glare from hell. "Right. Outside."

She walks past Callie and carefully shuts the door behind her. My baby girl is sound asleep. A minute passes in heavy silence as my sister takes a good look at me and the little bundle of joy in my arms.

"You gave birth what, just a few hours ago?" she asks.

"Yes."

"And yet she's the tired one," Callie replies with a wry smile.

I chuckle softly. "Right? It's like she did all the hard work."

"She's beautiful."

"What are you doing here, Callie? We're not friends. We're only half-sisters because we share similar DNA. And after what you did—"

"That's why I'm here," she cuts me off, taking a deep breath. "Honestly, I don't expect you to ever forgive me. What I did was unforgivable. I'm not going to say that I wasn't thinking straight or that I was under the influence of something or someone. I'm owning up to it. That was all me, plain and simple. Me, through and through. And for what it's worth. I am sorry. I do regret it. I went too far because I couldn't face my own pain regarding that messed-up family of ours."

"Oh," I mumble, slightly surprised. It's not what I was expecting but I do welcome the twist. "You didn't know the whole truth about our dad. Reed told me."

"Yeah, Reed smacked me over the head with that truth," Callie exhales sharply. "It took me a while to recover, to process, to start digging into my mom's old stuff and grandma's. I read every letter I could find. They lied to me. For years, they lied to me."

"They were hurt and angry."

Callie shakes her head. "That's not an excuse. I was a kid. It wasn't my battle to fight. Not my bitterness to swallow. So, yeah, I am sorry, Dakota. I'm sorry for despising you, for being jealous of you, for everything."

"I can't say it's okay, but maybe it will be someday, right? I ask, my heart softening as I see Callie in a slightly different light. I can see the change in her.

"Right," she says, nodding slowly. "Can I come closer?"

"Sure."

Careful in her approach, Callie reaches my bedside and takes a long, warm-hearted look at my baby daughter. A smile blooms on her face. "She looks a lot like you. Pretty sure she'll have grandma's nose, though; see that bridge?"

I glance down and spot some familiar features. They're subtle details that will likely become more obvious as she grows up. "Oh, I think I do."

"Yeah. She's going to be gorgeous; just wait."

"The Monroe genes," I laugh lightly.

Callie shoots me a cool grin. "Eh, the Faulkner genes had their say in her, too. I wonder what kind of green her eyes are going to be. The triplets seem to have different shades. Did you get a DNA test?"

"No, we decided not to. Unless it's needed for medical reasons, but they're triplets, so we're talking about identical genes here," I say.

"Hey, whatever works and you're happy with. As you might've noticed, I kept quiet about it."

"I do appreciate that."

"Nah. Nothing to appreciate. It's the least I can do. Listen, Dakota, I brought something. For the baby," she says and takes a small box out of her tote bag. It's a pretty velvet box. "It's a family heirloom."

"Oh."

She opens it and shows it to me. It's a small but beautiful charm bracelet. Sterling silver with a collection of highly-priced and unique charms made with precious pearls and diamonds, rubies, and mother-of-pearl inlays.

"Oh, wow."

"Katherine gave it to Mom when I was born. Mom gave it to me when I turned sixteen. It's been passed down through the Monroe generations. I felt like you'd be better suited to have it next. You and this little angel."

"Callie, Katherine gave it to you. It was meant for you. I can't possibly—"

"You can, and you will," she cuts me off, her brow furrowed. "It'll be a long time before I'll be able to forgive her and Mom for the lies they told me and the secrets they kept. I'm glad I didn't get the money in the end. I would've squandered it just to piss them off. I can't sell the mansion, unfortunately. All I can do is live there while I figure out what I'm going to do with the rest of my life. I don't have any clarity yet."

"I'm sorry, Callie, I really am."

She shrugs lightly. "Nothing to do with you. But this charm bracelet, it needs to go to her," she says, nodding at my baby girl. "She's pure and innocent. She has no idea where the bracelet comes from. It's like a fresh start for the Monroes, in a way. It would be an honor for me to see her wear it when she gets a little older. You can even add a charm of your own to it if you want."

"Thank you," I say as Callie sets the box on the bedside table. "Really, thank you."

"It's the least I can do."

We smile at each other for what feels like a very long but peaceful minute. The relationship we have is fractured. In some respects, it may be broken beyond repair. But time might be able to mend a few things. I obviously have some trust issues where Callie is concerned, yet I am willing to forgive. I won't forget, but I can't judge and despise her for the rest of our lives, either. We do the stupidest, most hurtful things when we're in pain. She's been in a lot of pain for many years. Only now is she rediscovering herself and the truth.

It's a process, and she deserves patience.

I can give her that. Besides, with Chelsea and the Faulkner brothers loving me as fiercely as they do, Callie wouldn't stand a chance if this were just another attempt to hurt me. They'd see right through her.

"I've got an idea, and it's going to sound weird," I say.

Callie raises an eyebrow. "Weirder than having three husbands?"

"Guys, you can come in!" I call out, laughing.

A split second later, the door opens. Archer, Reed, and Maddox come in, but I don't see Chelsea and the kids anywhere.

"She took them downstairs. Our mom's on her way, but we figured they should hang out at the cafeteria for another minute or two together," Reed says as if reading my mind.

"What's going on?" Maddox asks, giving Callie a hard glare.

I quickly bring them up to speed on the conversation that my sister and I just had, ending with a most unexpected conclusion—unexpected even for me. "I know what her name is going to be," I say, kissing my daughter's warm forehead.

"Go on," Archer replies.

"Katherine."

Reed scoffs. "You've got to be shitting me."

"Hey," I shoot back, trying not to laugh. "Come on, it's a beautiful name. And Katherine Monroe did leave me eighty million dollars after a lifetime of ill-placed resentment. Despite her abrasive nature, she tried to mend things toward the end. Besides, I'm sure that this little Katherine here will be a much better version than her predecessor."

"Oh, Dakota," Callie tears up. "How can you be so decent toward people who have done you so much harm?"

"For real?" Maddox mutters, still glaring at her.

I laugh. "Come on, babe, give it a rest. We're cool. We're trying to mend fences over here. I want our daughter to bear the name."

"We trust you, and we will respect your decision," Maddox sighs deeply. "You're the mother of our child; you're the one who carried her and gave birth to her. Therefore, you get the deciding vote."

"That was smooth, brother," Reed says, giving Maddox a joking nudge before looking at Callie. "Are we cool?"

"Yes, sirs," Callie replies. "I've even come with a peace offering."

Archer spots the box and quickly grabs it from the side table, turning the bracelet over and over before whipping up a bright, proud smile. "This is a beautiful piece of jewelry. Thank you, Callie."

"It's for Katherine," Callie says. "For when she's older."

It's for Katherine.

The name settled quickly and beautifully. I've spent most of my life overthinking every decision, no matter how big or small. But ever since I married the Faulkner triplets, things have gotten lighter and simpler, and I see no point in wasting energy thinking about anything too long. Overthinking is going to be the death of me if I don't limit it to small doses.

I'm happy. I just gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. I kept my grandmother's house, and I'll be able to enroll Maisie in Prescott Academy next semester. I can open my own cocktail lounge and build the kind of life I've always wanted, but I won't have to do it alone because I've stumbled upon these three incredible men, and I know they'll never let me struggle again. Ever. They will give me that smidge of space I need, and it only makes me love them more.