That suited me just fine. I didn’t need anything more than my man and our family and friends. A sliver of sadness slid through me that my dad wasn’t here to walk me down the aisle, that my mom wouldn’t be dress shopping with me. Neither of them would ever meet their grandchildren. But I knew if they were here now, they’d be over the moon for me. They’d have loved Maddox and his family.
“We’ll figure out a way to bring them into our children’s lives,” Maddox murmured, reading my mind as he always did.
I bit back tears, not of sadness but of utter joy that I was marrying a man with such a huge heart.
My life hadn’t been without its challenges, without despair and loss. But now, looking at the beautiful land where I’d build a home with the man I loved, I knew that if that’s what it had taken to get me here, it was well worth it.
Our adventures were far from over, in fact they were just beginning, and one thing was for sure: it would be a hell of a ride.
Epilogue
“Isabelle Viola Black, don’t you dare,” I warned our three-year-old daughter, trying to sound stern instead of wanting to laugh. She stood poised to throw a handful of flour, the dimple she’d inherited from her father flashing with mischief. She had so much of Maddox in her, everything from her gorgeous eyes to her huge heart. But there was me, too. Being named after my mother and grandmother wasn’t the only thing she’d inherited from my side. From the moment she understood the concept, she’d been wanting to bake, and frequently accompanied me to the bakery.
“In the bowl, love,” I coaxed with a smile, relishing these mornings with her.
“Daddy? Chase?” she asked after Mad and her twin as she sifted the flour, managing to keep most of it in the bowl.
“Soon.” I smiled at her. Though the twins already had different interests—Chase wasn’t as into baking and preferred anything to do with tools and bikes—they didn’t like to be parted for long.
Unlike Isabelle, we hadn’t had a name picked out for Chase before he was born. But when he came barreling out after his sister not thirty seconds after her first howl, the name had seemed fitting.
I’d just put the cupcakes into the oven when the bell over the door jangled, Maddox walking through with Chase on his hip.
“Mama!” my boy yelled, wiggling to get out of Mad’s arms so he could get to me. I knelt down as best I could, embracing his warm little body.
“Careful, baby,” Maddox murmured, wrapping a hand around my elbow and helping me up, Chase wrapped around me like a vine.
“I’m fine,” I assured him with a gentle smile, managing to work Chase’s legs around my huge belly.
Even after being so sick with the twins and a difficult labor, I’d been ready to have another baby as soon as the twins could walk. Maddox had been another story. It had been hard on him watching me struggle and not being able to do much about it. And after an emergency C-section, at first he hadn’t wanted to have any more kids at all. It had taken a few years but I’d talked him around.
Thankfully the little girl in my belly had been a lot easier on me.
He pressed a protective hand to my belly. “How are my girls?” Maddox murmured, giving me a kiss before scooping Isabelle up in his arms.
She squealed in delight. One thing was for sure, our girl was a daddy’s girl through and through.
“Good,” I assured him with a smile.
“You ready, baby?” he asked gently, knowing today was tough for me. As much as I couldn’t wait for my daughter to arrive, this was my last day in the bakery and it was never easy for me to leave it for a long period of time.
“I think so.” I nodded. “Your mom should be here soon,” I added.
The bakery had thrived since we’d opened. Our family and friends had provided unfailing support, especially when the twins were born and I couldn’t work for months. Now they prepared to provide the same support, as the doctor had encouraged me to rest for my final weeks of pregnancy. In particular, Sophie had been a nearly constant presence. We’d grown ever closer over the years and I couldn’t imagine our lives without her. It had taken me years and more patience than I realized I possessed, but I’d turned her into an excellent baker and cook.
I still couldn’t say which one of us was more pleased.
When Sophie walked in, followed by Axel, the twins nearly lost their minds. You’d think they hadn’t seen their grandparents in a decade instead of the twenty-four hours it had actually been.
“How’s my girl?” Axel’s low rumble greeted our daughter as he picked her up and held her close. Olivia swore Axel was even more protective of Isabelle than he had been of her when she was young. Between Mad, her grandfather, and the rest of the men in the club, my little girl would be lucky to date before thirty.
Sophie wrapped an arm around me, Chase in her arms. “I’ve got this,” she assured me with a squeeze. “And the rest of the girls will be here, too. You just focus on resting and getting my granddaughter here safely.”
I squeezed her back. “I will.”
“Why don’t you two head to the house?” Axel suggested. “I can bring the twins up in a little while.”
“You sure?” I asked, trying not to laugh when Maddox was already towing me toward the door.