Epilogue Hannah

Ten Years Later

T his is the third restaurant Carter and I have opened in just as many years. Once I graduated from culinary school, Carter had me design my dream restaurant and dream menu, complete with real French cuisine.

Going to school and raising a family wasn't easy, but Carter was there with me every step, from midnight feeding to massive diaper blowouts rivaling Pete's acorn squash concoction to sick days and first days of school.

Having him by my side while raising three rambunctious boys made each day a blessing to be alive.

"Hey, Spitfire, how do you want the designer to design the playroom?" I turn to my husband, seeing the man I fell in love with all those years ago standing in front of me, only a little bit older, with a few more wrinkles around his eyes and some grey at the sides of his head.

"I want it to be something colorful for the kids—with games and toys. Everything to keep them occupied while their parents are busy spending gobs of money at our restaurant."

My dream restaurant might not be as conventional as most, but one of the biggest complaints we've heard over the years is the lack of daycare for parents who want to go out to eat. The children will be served from a different menu while the employees of the on-site daycare center watch over them. It's a win-win situation.

"Speaking of kids, the boys are spending the night with Grace and Garrett. How about you and I go home and work on making a girl baby this time?" He wraps his arms around my waist, pulls my back to his front, and kisses the top of my head.

"I believe that's the same line you used on me to get me pregnant the last two times." I turn in his arms and raise an eyebrow as I look into his eyes.

"What can I say? Anything to get my Spicy Little Spitfire naked."

"Oh, so now I'm your Spicy Little Spitfire, am I?" He finishes turning me in his arms so we are chest to chest.

"You're the woman that I love, Hannah. The woman who turned me from a grump into a man with a beautiful wife and an amazing family."

I melt into his arms, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss. But before our lips meet, I say, "I love you too, but I think we need to do something about that banana in your pants."