Page 88 of Room for Us

One of his eyebrows twitches. “That’s all you’ve got? Okay?”

I grin. “You’re the writer. I’m just a small-town innkeeper.”

“My innkeeper.”

“Yep. And, you know, maybe your, uh, wife or something. In a few years. Down the road. Or whenever. If that’s something you—”

As usual, he saves me from myself with a kiss.

Epilogue

The mountain cabin I whisked Zoey away to eight years ago looks different now. Alana and Henry Weiler—now my father-in-law—gave it to us as a wedding gift four years ago. It was Zoey’s idea to expand it to a size more suitable for our family, adding bedrooms and an actual kitchen and living room.

The cabin is still small—Zoey wouldn’t hear of cutting down any trees—but what it lacks in size it makes up for in charm. And an indefinable artistic magic that helped produce my last two bestsellers.

Normally, the cabin means family—the air filled with adult chatter and squealing kids, as well as the mouthwatering scent of whatever pie Zoey’s put in the oven. This time, though, it’s just us.

To convince her to come up here, I told her I wanted to celebrate my latest book release. I lied. What I really wanted was a weekend alone with my wife, which these days is an event as rare as a full night’s sleep.

“Can I come in yet?” she asks from behind the closed bathroom door.

“Patience, my love.”

Her immediate grumbling makes me smile. I toss the last few rose petals into the bathwater, inhaling the fragrant steam. Candlelight flickers around the claw-foot tub. Perfect.

Standing, I open the bathroom door. Zoey’s eyes widen as she takes in the scene behind me.

“Ethan,” she whispers.

I smile smugly. “I know. You love me. I’m the best husband ever.”

She strips off her clothes in short order, ignoring me completely as she lowers herself into the bath with a groan of pleasure. Long curls trail in the water as she leans back and closes her eyes.

“This…” she murmurs. “This is worth leaving the kids with my mom and Henry.”

I settle onto a small, paddled stool beside the bath. My heart lifts at the serenity on her face. God knows she doesn’t have much at home with three children under the age of eight.

After years of careful thought and research, we made the decision to adopt. First was Adele, who came to us at five years old. She’s seven going on seventeen now. Then, just over a year ago, we were given the opportunity to meet Jack and Samantha—siblings who at the time were four and two. To say our lives are busy is an understatement.

Neither of us expected this journey, this life, but we also couldn’t have known how fulfilling it would be.

“Do you think they’re okay?” Zoey mumbles.

“Of course,” I reassure her. “Daphne’s there to help. The littles love her.”

She hums in agreement. “She’s the best big sister.”

My fears of being away from my daughter after the move to Idaho were unfounded. Sure, there have been stretches of time that I’ve missed her like a toothache, but Janice has remained an amazing and flexible coparent.

Daphne comes to Idaho every few months for a weekend, and she spends summers and alternate big holidays with us. She’s sixteen now and too smart for her own good. I try not to think about her graduating high school, heading to college, and generally becoming an adult who won’t want to spend as much time with us. But that’s life, and I wouldn’t trade mine for anything.

“This is wonderful,” sighs my beautiful wife. “Unexpected but wonderful.”

She’s always been bad at remembering important dates. Then again, I’m not the best, either. It was Daphne who reminded me, asking me a few weeks ago if I was planning anything for our four-year wedding anniversary. Far be it from me to not take advantage of alone time with Zoey.

I trail my fingers through the water and along the line of her exposed arm. Goose bumps lift in their wake, dragging my attention to her nearest nipple. I trace the soft, pebbled skin with my index finger. The same fierce desire I felt when I first met her flares inside me. I want her. Always.

Her eyes flutter open, wide and warm on my face, and a flush darkens her cheeks.

---