Page 111 of Accidental Doctor Daddy

I blinked rapidly, surprise rocking me. “Leo, it’s okay. We both?—”

He shook his head. “No, let me say this. I spent ninety days in rehab, had a lot of therapy. Realized I scapegoated Dad for Mom’s death, and blamed you for stuff that was my own doing. It was messed up, and when I said that thing about…about your body, about settling…God, I was an asshole to you.”

“You could have been nicer,” I said with a shrug, trying to let him off the hook.

But he leveled a look at me that reminded me of Dom. “Don’t brush this under the rug. I was an asshole. If you want to yell at me, or?—”

I laughed. “No. That was ages ago, and I’m pretty sure we’re different people now. Water under the bridge.”

He let it rest there and looked at Dom, swallowing. “I’m glad you two found each other, weird as it might’ve been initially.”

A strange laugh escaped my throat, tears threatening. “Weird, yeah,” I agreed softly, “but apparently what the universe had in mind.”

Leo grinned, picking up Summer carefully. She grabbed his nose, giggling. “The universe has weird aim, huh?”

Dom let out a relieved chuckle, stepping closer to rest a hand on my back. “It got us here, so I think it’s okay.” He nodded atme, and I swallowed my fear down as I pulled the engagement ring out of my pocket, sliding it on. “Leonardo, we’re?—”

“You’re engaged?”

“What?” Gina squealed.

Nervously, I nodded, and before I could finish, Leo hauled me to him for a hug. “That’s amazing!”

“Really?”

He held me at arm’s length. “Dad’s getting old. He’ll need someone to take care of him, and I didn’t want to do it.”

I laughed, and Dom slugged him in the shoulder. “Hey!”

Leo grinned, and then Gina swooped in for her hugs and congratulations.

I didn’t realize my whole body had been tense this entire time until then. But the tension melted away as they went back to playing with the babies. Leo made silly faces at Summer, who squealed in delight. Gina bounced Marissa on her knee, and the two older siblings launched into a playful argument about who got to hold which twin. Dom and I locked eyes, tears in both our gazes. I’d never expected this to be so…natural.

Soon, we moved into the dining room, where a brunch spread was laid out: fresh pastries, fruit, scrambled eggs, and coffee. Martha reappeared, exclaiming over the grandness of the table setup. Gina teased her father about going overboard, and he shot back that Gina could pay for the next feast with her design money. Leo chimed in with a joke about how he’d sponsor dessert if it meant sugary chaos. The twins gurgled happily, as though used to all the banter.

I sat there, heart so full I thought it might burst. Was this what a family was supposed to be? I’d always wanted one, but had never really known what I was asking for.

When the meal wound down, Dom glanced around, clearing his throat. “We should show Ella the orchard, right?” he suggested, eyes lingering on me. “It’s sort of a tradition.”

Gina snorted. “Dad and his orchard. Just watch out for the donkey.”

“The donkey?”

Leo raised an eyebrow, finishing the last sip of his coffee. “Still no official donkey sighting, though. It’s basically cryptid territory.”

I blinked, confused. “There’s a donkey cryptid?”

Dom chuckled. “Apparently, two donkey farms used to be around here somewhere, and now, people say there are donkeys that got loose and roam around. We’ll figure that out eventually.”

The goodbyes were surprisingly emotional, with Gina hugging me and the babies, and Leo making me promise we’d FaceTime so he could read the girls some bedtime stories in his silly voices. My chest ached with gratitude as I watched them drive off. The quiet that followed felt warm, not empty.

Dom and I carried Marissa and Summer outside, into the golden afternoon light. The orchard sprawled behind the south end of the mansion, scatterings of apple trees in all directions. Martha excused herself to unpack more, so it was just the four of us again.

I inhaled the crisp air, glancing sidelong at Dom, who balanced Marissa in his arms while I toted Summer. “You sure about all this?” I asked softly, though my tone was playful. “Rural living? Orchard donkey hunts?”

He grinned, brushing his shoulder against mine. “Positive. As long as you and the girls are here.”

Summer let out a squeal at a flutter of leaves overhead. Dom paused beneath a tree, shifting Marissa so he could tuck me under his arm. The babies watched each other, babbling. I looked up at Dom’s face, finding the gentle warmth I’d come to rely on.

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