We all laugh and raise our glasses in a toast.
“To family,” I say.
“To family,” we all say.
And now we are truly one big happy family…and soon to be bigger.
EPILOGUE
Summer
Three years later
“Honeys, I’m home,” I say as I place the grocery bag on the table.
I can’t wait to make lunch for my two favorite people in the world…my husband and our two-year-old daughter Nerida.
We chose the name Nerida because it means sea nymph or mermaid in Greek and since she was conceived at sea, at least we’re pretty sure, we thought it was more than appropriate.
And our second daughter will be named Julia as it’s close to her conception month of July. There’s just something about summer that brings out the romance with us.
But then again Sebastian is romantic every day of every month of the year, even when he’s not trying to be like right now.
There are two Hershey’s kisses on the kitchen table and underneath them is a note.
Two kisses for mommy…
- Love Nerida and Daddy
They’re so adorable and there’s even a little handprint from Nerida there. Sebastian must have had the finger paint out again. I’m not sure who enjoys it more, Nerida or him…or me for that matter when we have adult finger painting time.
I pick up the note and carefully carry it to the box I’m keeping of all the moments that make me say “aww” or “oh my” or “that’s too cute” or any of the other things that I say when my husband and my daughter take my breath away…which is pretty much on a daily basis, if not multiple times each day.
After I place the note in the box I walk out onto the deck which is now completed. I’m careful to stay back against the blue wood siding so they don’t see me. I just want to observe.
I almost laugh out loud when I see big ol’ Sebastian with a blue and white life preserver around his waist as he helps Nerida shape her sand castle. Sebastian is all man, but he’s always happy to play along when her imaginations run wild. I can only imagine why Nerida wanted him to wear that life preserver, but whatever the reason it’s so cute.
And of course he did it. He always does anything and everything for his family.
He says in another couple years he’s going to get Nerida out on that big white surfboard of his and get her used to the ocean while she’s still young. He wants her to learn to enjoy it and respect it, not to fear it at all. And Nerida is a fearless little girl, probably thanks to her daddy. When you’re of his size and strength there aren’t many things, if anything, you have to fear in life.
And the only thing I fear is that I love him too much, but that’s no fear. He means so much to me and I know I mean so much to him.
My Sebastian and “My Summer” as he calls me.
And “Our Nerida.”
And soon to be “Our Julia.”
And this is our life…together. Perfect in every way in our summer beach house where we live year round now. All three of us under one roof forever as we enjoy the summery feel of the California beach lifestyle three hundred and sixty five days a year…and for eternity as a family.
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
Sebastian
Seven more years later
Some…of my most most memorable moments in life are with my children.
Some…of my deepest, belly hurting laughs are because of things my kids do.
Some…of my proudest accomplishments are actually the accomplishments of my little ones.
Summer…is the reason for all of it.
“But dad. How will you get out if we bury you?”
“Don’t worry buddy,” I say to Leo the “lion” of our family. “Dad always finds a way. He’s a rock.”
“But dad. Sand is made from rocks and if you’re a rock then you’ll just become part of the sand,” August says. He’s a couple years older than Leo and was conceived, unsurprisingly, in August.
“You know what I like most about you guys?”
“Everything?” they say simultaneously.
“That’s right!” I say scooping each one up under each of my arms and dragging them kicking toward the water. They’re laughing and having a great time even as I hang them upside down and pretend that I’m going to dip their heads in the shallow water. Of course I don’t though. I’d never endanger my children, or any women or children for that matter. Without women and children there is no life, and without my woman and my children I have no life.
I set them back down on the sand where we’re playing.
“But you know what else I like about you two rascals?”
“What?” they say simultaneously. They’ve really got this unintentionally comedy skit down…this thing where they’re always answering together. They really need to take their show on the road one of these days.
“That you ask a lot of good questions. You’re always questioning everything. Always learning. And that makes me a proud papa.”
I rub them both on the head then feel some tiny hands on my shins as some little arms wrap around my legs followed by a whole lotta laughter.
“Well what do we have here?” I say scooping up Nerida and Julia.
Nerida might be ten and Julia seven but they’ll always be small to me, and I’ll always be able to scoop them up in my arms and give them hugs whenever I want.
My children. My rules. And dad loves his girls just as much as he loves his boys.
“Dinner’s ready,” Summer says from the deck.
“Okay everybody. Let’s show mom the respect she deserves. Last one to wash their hands and make it to the table is a rotten egg!”
All five of us take off running towards the deck and Summer just stands there smiling, not sure who’s she’s going to hug first.
Lucky for her she doesn’t have to decide as we all wrap our arms around her and cover her in kisses.
“I didn’t know you all liked mac and cheese that much.”
“Mac and cheese!” August says.
“Yeah!” Leo says.
The kids take off inside forgetting to brush the sand off their feet, but we don’t care. It’s part of living this romantic summer lifestyle year round.
“They like mac and cheese, but they love their mom,” I say still hugging Summer.
“And momma loves them. And momma especially loves daddy.” She playfully thrusts her hips toward me as if we’re dry humping. “Oh! And it seems like daddy loves momma too.”
“Always,” I say. “ I told the kids I was a rock, but you’re the rock of our family. And I love you for everything you do for all of us.”
“I should really make mac and cheese more often,” she jokes and I can’t help but laugh…we do that a lot around her. Smiling and joking around too.
That’s what happen when life is just a day at the beach, all the time.
There’s nothing to worry about when you’ve got your own little world with the people you love and care about more than any other in the world.
Your family.
“We still on for that luau tomorrow?” Summer asks.
“Yep. All set.”
“I’ll take the kids down the beach and we’ll collect shells while you set it up. By the time we mosey on back I’m guessing you’ll have it ready just in time to surprise them.”
“Sounds like the perfect plan to me,” I say.
“Me too,” she says.
She melts back into my arms and we watch as the sun sets over the horizon just like we did our first night here together.
“We wanna eat! We wanna eat! We wanna eat!” comes from the dining room and I know the kids are joking around banging their silverware on the table in our “tribal tummy” dance that we made up.
We make up a lot of things around here, but one thing’s as true as it always was.
My love for them…my wife and my children.
Mine and only mine. For all seasons and forever.
E
specially Summer. ;)
A MAN WHO KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS
Book 1: Baby Lust
Book 2: Veteran
Book 3: Built
Book 4: Bambino
Book 5: Rescued
Book 6: Leader
Book 7: Professor
Book 8: Burned
Book 9: Worldly
Book 10: Pistol
Book 11: Policed
Book 12: Driven
Book 13: Lucky 13
Book 14: Lumberjacked
Book 15: Protector
Book 16: Carpenter
Book 17: Italian Stallion
Book 18: Gardener
Book 19: Budapest Billionaire’s Virgin
Book 20: Billionaire’s Babysitter
Book 21: Cocky CFO
Book 22: Fireman’s Filthy 4th
Book 23: Mechanic
Book 24: SEAL’s Secret
Book 25: Police, Pooch, and Smooch
Book 26: Fireman’s Fake Fiancée
Book 27: Billionaire’s Virgin Ballerina
Book 28: Bitcoin Billionaire’s Babysitter
Book 29: Veterans Day Daddy
Book 30: Cowboy’s Christmas Carol
Book 31: Police Officer’s Princess
Book 32: Statham
Book 33: Bodyguard
Book 34: Greek God
Book 35: Billionaire Single Dad's Babysitter
Book 36: Mountain Man
Book 37: SEAL’s Justice
Book 38: Royal Romance
Book 40: Crocodile Dan D
Book 41: Mountain Man’s Secret Baby
Book 42: Doctor Bad Boy’s Secret Baby
Book 43: Cop’s Babysitter
Book 44: Nanny for the Cop Next Door
Book 45: Small Town SEAL’s Saving Grace
Book 46: Cop’s Fake Fiancée
Book 47: Billionaire’s Nanny
Book 48: Cowboy’s Babysitter
Book 49: Steamy
Book 50: Brother’s Best Friend
Book 51: Possessive Professor
Book 52: Firefighter’s Babysitter
Book 53: Soldier’s Secret Baby
Book 54: Ward’s Independence Day
Book 55: Doctor Next Door
Book 56: Possessive Policeman
Book 57: Coached by the MMA Fighter
Book 58: Boss’s Babysitter
Book 59: Virgin in New York
Book 60: Rock Star’s Baby
Book 61: Possessive Protector
Book 62: Possessive Australian
Book 63: Best Friend’s Brother
Book 64: Possessive Cowboy
Book 65: Summer Romanced
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