Page 130 of A Bossy Roommate

“She’s so little,” he comments, looking at me with those big brown eyes of his. “I’ve never seen something so tiny before.”

“That’s because you have massive arms,” I say, affectionately squeezing his muscles.

He gives me a kiss, then looks back at our daughter. “I never realized how much love you can have for someone you just met.”

“I know exactly what you mean.” My smile is permanent by this point, and I lean back against my pillows. I love that little girl more than I’ve loved anything. The moment my eyes landed on her it was like something clicked.

“It’s like all the puzzle pieces of my life have fallen into place,” he says, “and I know I’ll do anything to keep her happy, safe, and loved.”

That.

The door to my room opens and my sister comes in first, followed quickly by Hattie and Eleanor.

“Hey, sis,” Diane says, coming over to my side and smoothing my hair back. She leans closer so she can look down at her niece. “She’ssosobeautiful. She reminds me so much of you, Eden,” she says, with tears in her eyes. “Wow, the resemblance is uncanny.”

“Really? I think she looks exactly like her father,” I say. “You should have seen her scrunched up face when the doctor held her up.”

“Let me guess,” Aunt Eleanor pipes up. “She looked pissed at the world. That runs inourfamily,” she says proudly. “I remember the doctor holding you up, Cartie, and I asked if babies always looked that mad.”

Everyone laughs and the low rumbling of our closest loved ones makes me unbelievably happy. My sister holds our baby close to her chest, humming a lullaby she used to sing to me when I was little. Eleanor stands by her side, her arm around her shoulders as they gaze at the baby together. I have the mental image of Carter and me, gray-haired and smiling, doing the same thing one day.

When the baby is nestled in Eleanor’s arms, she asks, “What’s her name?”

“Her name is Ellie,” Carter says.

“You named my great-niece after me?” Aunt Eleanor looks at us with tears in her eyes.

“That, my dears, is the most impeccable choice, in my humble opinion,” Hattie says.

“Oh, so I see you and Carter have realized that greatness should be passed down through generations,” Eleanor says, beaming. “I must have left quite an impression on you,mes chéris. Let the legacy of greatness continue!”

After everybody has shared their love and congratulations and told us how much they want to stay with us to help with the baby—to coo over and spoil her—the four file out to give us time to bond. I’m exhausted. I can feel my eyelids drooping as Carter takes Ellie in his arms again.

“Rest, babe,” he urges, leaning back in his seat. “I’ve got her. You don’t need to worry about anything.”

Reaching over, I squeeze his hand. “I know I don’t. Not with you around.”

Settling into my bed, I let the urge to sleep overtake me, and when I close my eyes, the last thing I see is Carter pressing a soft kiss to our daughter’s head.

EPILOGUE: CARTER

I used to think people were full of shit when they talked about being on their feet twenty-four-seven after having a newborn. I really want to give past me a swift kick in the balls, because that level of alertness is no damn joke.

Ellie’s quiet most of the time. But when she’s hungry, oh, boy, does that little girl have some pipes on her. We have a sassy queen on our hands, that much is sure—and I couldn’t love her more.

Even though my business has taken off in the last couple of months, I’ve put everything on hold for paternity leave. There’s no way I’m going to juggle phone calls in between feedings and diaper changes. And, truth be told, I have no inclination for juggling ofanykind. Unless it’s for my little one’s entertainment. All I want to do is be there with my girls.

Aunt Eleanor had stayed with us for a few days after Ellie was born, and by the time she next surprises us with her presence, our daughter is three months old, and we’ve gotten into a routine.

Bancroft Consulting is growing faster than I’d anticipated. Once word got around that I was on my own, it seemed like everyclient I’d ever had had come out of the woodwork, wanting my expertise on their projects. I find myself glad to represent them.

Harbor View Developments were my first major clients. Once they heard that Huxley had “retired” and I’d left, they were concerned about their account. During a phone call, Bradley had organically let it slip that I was starting my own business, and they’d called me that same day, wanting to hire me. So had other clients.

Bradley had a challenging time keeping a straight face when he delivered the news. He was amused by the entire thing. So was Bernie.

The rest of the board? Not so much.

Harbor View had opened many doors. In fact, things have been going so well that I have a couple of realtors on standby for when I’m ready to look for office space. Of course, Eden and I enjoy working from home, and we’re more than happy to take our daughter with us wherever we go. At least until she’s old enough to attend preschool.

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