by Lena Little
Extended Epilogue
Giulia
Twenty-one years later
“Take it easy on the poor boy, Julian. You knew this day was bound to come,” I remind my husband.
“That doesn’t mean I can’t delay the inevitable.”
“Our kids need time with their friends, not just us. And that includes, dare I say it…their girlfriends and boyfriends,” I jokingly gasp.
“It’s not funny.”
The doorbell rings and Sophia, our oldest girl at sixteen years old rushes to answer it. Unfortunately for her, or maybe, fortunately, her dad’s not far behind.
Not one minute later they’re all sitting down in the living room while Julian grills her date. Sophia buries her head in her hands while our younger children watch with me from the kitchen.
I warned Sophia in advance not to flirt, laugh at anything her date says, or act too excited. Basically don’t do anything that might make her dad think a sixteen-year-old would rather go out with a boy her own age than sit at home on a Friday night with her father. Granted, all our kids love their dad, but there’s a time when they all have to start spreading their wings and flying the coop a bit. After all, it was Julian’s plan to have grandkids running around a Tuscan vineyard…and we’re most likely only a few years away from realizing that dream.
We live on a sprawling vineyard already, taking in some of the most beautiful sunsets the world has to offer. All three of our oldest boys are already married. We’re just waiting to get that call that says one of their wives is pregnant. Luckily for us, we have seven children, so eventually one of them is going to make us a grandmother and grandfather.
Wow…how time flies.
“Remember. Home by eleven and be a gentleman. Hands to yourself.”
“Yes, sir,” Sophia’s date says. The respect angle is a good choice. It softens Julian a little bit although he’s anything but a big ol’ softy despite all the years that have gone by. If anything he might be more jealous. He’s spent all his time with the kids during their youth, even more than me as I traveled with the professional motorcycle team as a mechanic. So the idea of any of the kids leaving the nest always breaks his heart, although he tries to put on a strong face and would never admit it.
But that’s our Julian, possessive of us because it’s how he keeps us safe. And that’s just one of the ways he loves us.
“Don’t turn off your location sharing while you’re gone,” Julian reminds Sophia.
“Daaaaad!”
But he doesn’t back down, just pulls out his WhatsApp and makes sure her phone is sending him constant updates of her location.
“Good girl,” he compliments, and we all laugh. Julian looks toward the kitchen but we duck behind the door jamb like a bunch of gophers tucking their heads back into their holes. And that just makes us laugh even more. A not a second later Sophia and her date are walking out the door and Julian’s in the kitchen.
“You want something to laugh about? I’ll make you laugh,” he teases, grabbing us up one by one and starting a tickle war.
And that’s how our Friday night begins and ends. A house full of laughter, love, and maybe even a bit of popcorn. Because when we do things, we do them right.
And the only right way to do things is together. As a family.
“I’ll be right back,” Julian announces mid-movie.
“Where in the world are you going at this hour?”
“Gonna take a ride to clear my head a bit,” he says as he slyly checks his phone.
“Uh huh,” I tease. And before I can make a joke he’s out the door, on his motorcycle, and headed to her date location. “Just to take a look,” as he likes to say. But we all know the truth. That’s just good ol’ jealous dad, showing how much he loves us.
Just like we love him. Forever.
Also by Lena Little
Yes Daddy Series
Book 1: Daddy Next Door
Book 2: Bossy Daddy
Book 3: Paying Daddy’s Debt
Book 4: Daddy’s Halloween
Book 5: Daddy’s Italian Friend
Book 6: Russian Teacher
Book 7: Daddy’s Housekeeper
Book 8: Possessive Daddy
Book 9: Protective Daddy
Book 10: Daddy’s Destiny
Book 11: Dear Daddy
Book 12: Russian Doctor Daddy
Book 13: Daddy’s Christmas
Book 14: Italian Mafia Stalker
Book 15: Daddy’s Friend
Book 16: Possessive Policeman
Book 17: The Debt Collector
Book 18: Her Hitman
Book 19: The Goalie’s Girl
Book 20: Hitman’s Target
Book 21: Daddy’s Secret
A Possessive Man Series
Book 1: Jealous (this book)
