Page 189 of Mended Hearts

“Hey, Daddy. Is Leigh okay?”

“She’s doing great. So is your brother. You alright?”

“I’m okay,” she insisted.

I opened one arm, and Beau wriggled free from Alice’s hold, sprinting to me and wrapping his little arms around my leg.

“Hey, big guy. You okay?”

“Yeah. I jus’ miss you.”

“I missed you too, bud. You wanna meet your brother?”

They both nodded emphatically. I glanced up at Grey, who smiled softly and pulled Alice closer as the room suddenly felt even smaller.

“Quiet now—he’s pretty sleepy.”

Another round of nods.

Beau scrambled onto the bed, clambering over Leighton’s legs and giggling when she snagged him under the arms and hauled him up with a kiss to the cheek.

“Easy, Leigh. You just had a baby,” Pax scolded gently.

“And I needed to smooch my other one,” she chirped, completely unfazed as she tucked Beau against her side.

Pax shot me a look, all smirk and silent warning—goodluck—and he wasn’t wrong.

Matilda stepped carefully to Leighton’s side, peering over the swaddle like she was afraid she’d detonate a bomb if she moved too quickly.

“What’s his name?” she asked softly, peeling the blanket back just enough to see. Her nail polish—Leighton’s handiwork from earlier this week—was already chipping.

The room held its breath.

Every gaze shifted to me.

I looked at Leigh, who gave me an encouraging nod.

“Guys,” I said, voice tight with emotion, “meet Beckham Rhodey Hart.”

Epilogue

Leighton

Ten months later…

“Daddy’s gonna shit his pants.”

“Tillie!” I barked, clasping my hand over her mouth—just for her to lick it, as everyone burst out laughing.

“What? You lookamazing.”

“Lead withthat, you punk.”

Giggling, she grabbed my slimed hand and wiped it across her shirt. “He’s pacing in his room, just so you’re aware.”

“Aww,” I swooned, one hand fluttering to my heart. “Like I could ever walk away.”

“Nobody said love was logical.”

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