Epilogue

EPILOGUE

Lila

One Year Later

" I know it's cliché to say it," I mused aloud, "but this really is the life."

The sun was beginning its descent, casting a golden glow over the white sand of the private beach we had all to ourselves. The soft sounds of waves gently lapping at the shore filled my ears, and the breeze off the water was just cool enough to turn this hot summer's day into a perfect oasis. I looked around, taking in the idyllic scene, grateful to be here with my men by my side.

"You don't have to worry about being cliché, mi amor . You're not writing anything—no need to edit." Felipe's reminder was as gentle as the kiss he leaned over to press to my forehead.

This vacation, this beautiful shoreline in Chile, was a much-needed escape from the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives. The sand was warm underfoot, the air fragrant with the scents of tropical flowers and the salty sea.

Felipe stretched out beside me, his tan skin glistening in the sunlight. He turned to me, a soft smile playing on his lips. "This is exactly what we needed," he said.

I nodded, sipping my cocktail. "It really is." I glanced over at Olivia, who was busy building an elaborate sandcastle with her father a few yards down the beach. There were turrets, and what looked like the start of a moat. To my other side, serious as ever, Aaron was reclined with his hands folded over his taut stomach, his gaze fixed on the horizon behind his expensive sunglasses.

"Thinking about work again?" I teased him, nudging him playfully with my foot. "You know that's not allowed on vacation."

He snapped out of his reverie, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Caught me," he admitted. "But I'm trying to relax, I promise."

Felipe chuckled. "You need to take some lessons from Lila. She knows how to make the most out of a vacation. I'm not sure I've ever seen a woman so relaxed."

"Yes, you have," I reminded him. "Every night in our bed."

As if sensing the saucy comment from across the way, I met Miles' gaze, crystal blue as the water behind him. He shot me a wink, and I blushed in the way that he still liked, even over a year after he'd first told me it was cute.

Aaron's smile widened. "I think I'm getting there. Slowly but surely."

After a moment, Miles joined us, sitting down on the large beach towel with a sigh. "Olivia's got quite the imagination. That sandcastle is turning into a fortress."

"She's got her dad's genius brain," I said, smiling at him. Miles had come a long way in the past year, too. Therapy had helped him work through his grief in a healthier way than he'd been doing alone, and he was closer to Olivia than ever. Watching him with her now, seeing the bond they shared, made my heart swell with pride and love. My own relationship with Olivia had even inspired a fair bit of my writing, since I had no need to nanny anymore, and all I wanted was to write stories she'd love hearing when I tucked her in for bed at night. Of course, being her unofficial stepmother had its own set of challenges, but I was happier than I could even express that she'd accepted me so easily.

It was like all of the things holding us back, all of the difficulties we'd faced at the start, were no match for the united front we were together. Felipe, Miles, and Aaron's business ventures were thriving, and I had even finally finished my first full manuscript, which the guys had all read and loved. I knew they would be there to support me as I started to query it, too, but I was saving that for after our vacation. Now that I had the men of my dreams, I couldn't wait for the day when my career dreams came true, too, and I could bring all of them with me to my first book signing. It was almost unfair how perfectly everything had fallen into place.

I was no longer just the nanny next door, the innocent girl who needed a job. Now, I was their girlfriend, their partner in life. Hopefully, one day, I would be their wife, the mother of their children. The future was as bright as the sun over our stretch of sand, and I couldn't wait to see what it held for us.

Later that evening, Olivia snuggled up between Miles and me, her eyes drooping with fatigue. "Mama, can we come back here again?" she asked sleepily.

"Of course, sweetheart," I said, kissing her forehead. "We'll come back sometime."

Aaron wrapped his arm around me from the other side, and Felipe smiled, his green eyes twinkling as he mouthed, Te amo .

My family, unconventional but perfect in our own way. With the cool breeze kissing our skin and the ocean playing its eternal song in the background, I closed my eyes, basking in the warmth of love surrounding me.

This is our happily ever after, and it's everything I had ever dreamed of and more.