Series Starter Firsts in Series Collection - Kaylee Ryan Page 0,219

is a blinding smile as he leans in and kisses me. “I do,” he whispers. Pulling away, he reaches behind him on the table and grabs a pen. I scrawl my name, McKinley Chamberlin, by the various ‘sign here’ stickers and place the document back in the envelope.

“I love you, too,” I tell him.

To finally say the words to him is…freeing.

He crashes his lips to mine. “Say it again.”

I smile through my tears. “I love you, both of you.”

“I’m so fucking sorry, McKinley. Never, I’m never letting you go.”

“I couldn’t ask for more,” I tell him honestly. Evan and Lexi are all that I want. I want our little family.

Evan stands up and grabs Lex from her seat. He brings her over and sets her on my lap. She grins up at me. “Who’s got you, baby girl?” he asks her. “Does momma got you?” he asks, his voice now thick with emotion.

Lexi studies him, then looks at me. “ Mommom.” She smiles and pulls at my chin.

A strangled laugh escapes my throat as I hold her tight. I’m her momma.

Epilogue

Two years later

Evan

“Daddy,” Lexi yells when I walk through the door. I lean down and catch her as she slams into me.

“Hey, pretty girl, where’s Mommy?” She points into the living room.

I kick off my boots, so my wife doesn’t yell at me for bringing dirt into the house, and head in the direction Lexi’s little finger points. “Hey, baby,” I say when I see her stretched out on the couch. Her legs are propped up on the table. I set Lex down and she runs off to play in the corner. I take a seat next to my wife and rub her very pregnant belly. “How’s my boy?”

“He’s ready to come out.”

I grin. I’ve gotten that same answer every day for the last week. McKinley is exactly seven days overdue to deliver our son. Leaning down, I kiss her swollen belly. “Hey, little man, take it easy on your momma. We’re ready to meet you,” I tell him.

McKinley just smiles and rolls her eyes. This time around, I’ve gotten to experience it all. The cravings, the mood swings, her belly growing. I get to feel her belly against my back and my son kicking from inside her. It’s all overwhelming and amazing, and I can’t wait to do it all over again. McKinley just smiles when I say that. I know she does all the work, but I spoil her. Nightly foot rubs, I hired a housekeeper, and she even hired an assistant at the studio. Her mom keeps Lexi for us and also spoils her rotten.

“Your parents are coming in tomorrow. I’m telling you, he’s waiting for them. They need to be here this time.”

My dad is doing well. He is responding to the new treatments and, although he’s not in full remission, his doctors are hopeful. He’s doing well enough that he and Mom are flying in tomorrow to spend a week with us. They were hoping the little man would be here by now, which is why they scheduled this week. It also happens to be the right timing for Dad’s treatments.

“You might be right.”

Lexi comes running over and stops short of barreling into McKinley. “Easy, baby, your brother’s in there,” I tell her.

She gets a serious look on her face and nods. Her little lips pucker up and she kisses McKinley’s belly. “Awon Alker,” she says proudly.

McKinley and I both laugh. “That’s right, sweet girl. Your little brother Aaron Walker.”

“You sure Aaron’s not going to be pissed we’re calling him Walker?” I ask her.

She shrugs. “Don’t care. He got us back together, so he gets the name sake, but this little man,” she rubs her belly, “is Walker Chamberlin.”

Lexi climbs up in my lap. “Wove you, Daddy.” She kisses my cheek.

My heart melts.

She leans over and I hold tight, so she doesn’t fall, and kisses McKinley on the cheek too. “Wove you, Mommy.”

Just like they have every time before when Lexi says those words to her, McKinley’s eyes fill with tears.

We settle on the couch and finish watching Cinderella, me and my girls. I cannot wait to meet our son, to welcome him to our family, and if I have any luck, in a few years, make him an older brother.

It doesn’t take long before Lexi is asleep in my arms. McKinley is leaning into me and my hand is on her belly. “I love you, McKinley Chamberlin.”

“I love you, too,” she replies with a