Page 132 of The Hotel Room

James’s jaw tightened, his lips pressed together as he fought back tears.

When the officiant pronounced them husband and wife, James didn’t hesitate. He cupped Kate’s face in his hands, pressing his forehead against hers for a moment before capturing her lips in a kiss.

As they turned to face their family, Lily threw petals into the air with unrestrained glee, her laughter ringing out like music. Noah gave his dad a thumbs-up, which James returned with a wink.

Kate rested her hand on her belly as they walked back down the aisle together. Her heart was full—anchored, held, embraced.

Her husband squeezed her hand, and she smiled up at him, knowing this was the beginning of a new chapter. One built on a love that he had shattered, and then painstakingly rebuilt.

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The late summer sun filtered through the curtains of the nursery, casting soft golden light across the room. The pastel walls were adorned with whimsical paintings of clouds and stars, and the faint scent of baby powder lingered in the air. Kate sat in the rocking chair, the baby cradled against her chest. Her tiny breaths were steady and warm, and the rise and fall of her small body against hers felt like the most natural thing in the world.

She looked up as James stepped quietly into the room. His tie was loosened, his sleeves rolled up—his usual post-work appearance—but his expression was anything but tired. He carried a mug of tea in one hand and a warm, familiar smile that reached all the way to his eyes.

“Thought you might need this,” he whispered, setting the mug on the small table beside her.

Kate smiled, her heart swelling as she looked at him. “Thanks.”

He crouched down next to the chair, resting his forearms on his knees as he gazed at their baby. The soft expression on his face made her chest ache in the best way. “She’s perfect,” he murmured, brushing a finger lightly against the baby’s cheek.

“She really is,” Kate agreed softly.

For a while, they stayed like that—James crouched at her side, Kate gently rocking in the chair, the baby nestled between them. It felt peaceful. Whole.

“You’ve given me so much—this family, this life,” he said, his voice steady. “I didn’t always appreciate it the way I should have, but I do now. You’re my whole world, Kate. You always have been. And I want you to know that.”

Kate felt a lump rise in her throat, her emotions swirling in a way that left her both vulnerable and grounded. She reached out, her free hand cupping his face. “I love you,” she told him. He turned his face into her hand. He kissed her there, soft lips against her cupped palm.

Kate exhaled. She no longer felt trapped as his co-parent for the next 18 years.

Now, with him kneeling at her feet and their child warm in her arms, she felt anchored. She felt held instead of confined.

She felt embraced, not just by James’s words or his touch, but by the life they were rebuilding together. The love they shared didn’t bind her in chains—it wrapped her in stability and reassurance. She felt sheltered, safe in the arms of a man who had made mistakes but was working tirelessly to be the husband and father she deserved.

Kate looked at him again, her gaze softening as he slid the mug closer and gently kissed the baby’s head. Her chest swelled with warmth, the realization settling over her like a gentle tide. She wasn’t trapped. She was cradled—protected, nurtured, and cherished in a way that made her feel whole.

And later that night, when the house was quiet and the kids were all asleep, she would tell James exactly that. For now, though, she leaned into the moment, savoring the warmth of her husband.

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