The twins were learning more words every day.
“Yep. I founded it.” He took off his parka and hung it in the coat closet, then stepped out of his boots.
Ellie walked over to him, wrapped her arms around him. “The past half hour here has been nothing but wailing over that blanket.”
“Maybe we should search for a duplicate somewhere to keep on hand in case of emergencies.”
Ellie looked up at him. “What a great idea.”
“What smells good?”
“It’s a recipe for chicken parmesan I found online. It should be ready in about ten minutes.” Ellie walked toward the kitchen. “How was your day?”
He told her about the calls he’d taken on the slopes, some part of him marveling at how much he loved his new life. It didn’t matter what happened out there in the world because, at the end of the day, he came home to Ellie and the kids.
They ate dinner together, then Jesse did dishes while Ellie got the kids cleaned up and dressed in their birthday doodads—a pink party dress for Daisy and a little shirt, vest, and bowtie for Daniel.
When the dishes were done, Jesse hiked up the hill, took a hot shower and shaved. He dressed in an actual shirt—not a T-shirt—and a pair of jeans without holes. It was a special night after all.
By the time he got back to Ellie’s place almost an hour later, Claire and Cedar were hanging puffy decorations and streamers from the ceiling and tying helium balloons in every color to the chairs.
“Hey, Jesse.” Claire gave him a hug. “What do you think?”
He glanced around. “It looks like a party.”
Ellie had set the table with photos of the twins as newborns in the center.
Jesse picked them up one at a time. “I can’t believe they were ever this small.”
But Ellie was busy. “Can you reach the crystal cake dish? It’s too high for me. Watch out. It’s heavy.”
“Sure.” He reached over her head and lifted it down with one hand.
“Show-off,” she said.
But it earned him a kiss.
He checked his watch, starting to feel impatient.
What was keeping them?
The doorbell rang, and Ellie’s parents stepped inside, arms full of brightly wrapped gifts. Daisy and Daniel ran to greet them.
“It’s my birfday,” Daisy told them.
“It my birfday, too,” Daniel said.
The doorbell rang again.
Finally.
Claire answered the door, then walked back to the kitchen carrying the bouquet. “Oh, Ellie. Look at this. These are for you.”
It looked as beautiful as he’d hoped it would—three dozen perfect, long-stemmed roses in a crystal vase.
“Oh, my God. They’re beautiful.” Ellie looked up at Jesse through wide green eyes. “Are these from you?”
“You’d better read the card and find out.”