I stare at him.“Wait… how do you know that?”
He looks entirely too pleased with himself.“Because every night when you thought no one was listening, you’d sit with him and call him Percy.”
My mouth falls open.“You knew?”
“Pearl,” he says, like I’m ridiculous.“I know everything about you.”
I honestly might combust.
“So,” he says, reaching for his office phone, “I’ll tell Claire to start the paperwork.”
“Wait—you mean?—”
“He’s ours.”
Tears instantly spring to my eyes.“Wells…”
“You love him,” he says softly.“So, we keep him.”
That’s it, that’s the moment.
I launch myself at him, and Wells catches me easily as I kiss him with everything I have.
When I finally pull back, he’s grinning, actually grinning.
“Careful,” he murmurs.“Keep kissing me like that, and we’re not getting any more work done today.”
I smile.“Maybe I’m okay with that.”
“God,” he groans, kissing me again.“I’m definitely marrying you.”
“Good, because I love you, you impossible, perfect man.”
ELEVEN
Wells
Five Years Later…
The house is too quiet.
I wake up before the sun like I always do, reaching out automatically for Pearl, but she’s not there.
My eyes snap open, my body going on alert before my brain even catches up.The sheets are cool on her side, and I sit up, running a hand through my hair as I listen.
Nothing.No footsteps.No soft humming.No dog barking.No cabinets opening.Just silence.
I’m out of bed in seconds.
“Pearl?”I call, my voice rough from sleep as I pull on a pair of sweats and head down the hall.
I check the kids’ rooms first because priorities.Our daughter, Lila, is sprawled across her bed as if a tornado hit her in the middle of the night.Stuffed animals everywhere, blankets kicked halfway to the floor.She’s out cold, her curls a mess around her face.
Our son, Ethan, is exactly the opposite.Still, quiet, with blankets neatly tucked up to his chin as he put himself to bed with military precision.He blinks when I open the door, already awake.Of course he is.
“You’re looking for Mom,” he says quietly.
I pause, leaning against the doorframe.“Yeah.”