by Hadley Quinn
“Matt,” Clare whispered, shaking her head. She swallowed but didn’t say anything for almost a minute as we stood there observing nature. Finally she said, “Are you giving me the chance to state my differences right now? To voice my objection to any of your plans?”
I knew we were on the same page since I’d confessed to her the mistake I’d made with Aubrey. I was glad all of this was in the open—it was the point—so I nodded my head.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m doing. I don’t want to make any assumptions here, and normally I’m willing to compromise on anything or discuss it, but if I’ve learned anything in the past year it’s that I have certain goals in my life and this is one of them. A major one.”
She nodded and said, “I know this about you. And what is another goal?”
I couldn’t help but smile, and damn it, she even made me blush. “Makin’ babies,” I answered with a chuckle.
She laughed with me, and thank God she said, “Good, we’re in the same book.”
I glanced at her and asked flat out, “What are your career goals?”
She actually scoffed and said, “Out in the world? I don’t have them and don’t want them. Me as a person? To be the best mom I can be and spend as much time with my kids as I can.”
I was actually not expecting that. I still figured she wanted to teach, and I was fine with that, but I was planning on having a discussion about work and kids and how we would balance it all. After selling my rights to a few songs and the royalties I’d gain from the ones I’d laid tracks down for, I didn’t have to work full time for Vinnie anymore. He’d agreed to hire me for occasional jobs, but I really want to write more music, record some new talent, and raise a family.
“Well this is good, then,” I nodded resolutely, trying to bite back the huge fucking grin that wanted to escape.
“Oh?” Clare asked with a teasing smile. “Do I pass? Are we compatible?”
I laughed at her teasing, but pinned her up against the Jeep. “Don’t you dare mock my interview process,” I said, pressing my lips up against her cheek.
She giggled but wrapped her arms around my waist.
“And FYI, I think you’ll do,” I added, kissing her softly on the lips.
She kissed me back, and I’m telling you, dudes get butterflies too, and not just in our dicks. This woman had the power to drop me to my knees with the way she kissed me, and I will never in my life deny that.
A loud squawk came from the Jeep, followed by a yell. I pulled away from Clare and said, “I think we forgot about the kids and they’re letting us know.”
She shook her head and answered, “No, they’re just cheering us on.”
I nodded my head with approval. “Yeah, they’re brilliant kids and know what’s good for them.”
Clare’s smile was huge as she kissed me one more time and said, “Yes. You are. Not only good for them, but perfect for them. I love you for that. I do, Matt. I love you so much, I finally understand why people say it sometimes hurts.”
I leaned my forehead against hers, letting those words sink in, and I could appreciate the value in them. I, too, felt it that strongly; that it was a physical difference than anything I’d ever felt before. Maybe we do love people in levels, and when we finally hit that highest one, it’s supposed to hurt so we realize it without a doubt.
“I love you too, Clare. And I totally understand what you mean.”
She smiled and gave me another kiss as she turned for the Jeep.
As Clare retrieved Mia and Sadie, I tried to give my heart a moment to slow down. But those two little girls, and the smiles plastered on their faces, could not calm the happiness in my chest for a single second. It may seem strange, but I thought of Aubrey right then, and I actually did believe she’d always been the one for me.
The one that destroyed me, that is. The one that crushed my heart and soul, and kicked my hopes and dreams. I was a better man now and I had moved on, but she would always be the one who gave me a chance to realize…
God had a greater plan for me.
Epilogue
one year later…
“Uncle Trent!” Mia squealed just as my brother pulled up the drive to our new house. Sadie was right on her heels as soon as Clare released them both to greet him.
“Noooo!” Trent joked, hiding behind his Jeep to avoid an assault. “Why must beautiful girls always chase me?”
I rolled my eyes, but the twins were smart and split in two directions to block him in.
“Mmhmm, geniuses,” I nodded my approval.
Trent scooped them both up as he laughed, bringing them to the deck to join us. “To whom do these weirdos belong?” he asked in a serious voice. “I offer one million dollars to keep them.”
Clare gave him a funny smile. “Meh, take ‘em for free. You’ll have them both back by sunset.”
He laughed as he set Mia and Sadie down. “I didn’t think your parents really loved you,” he playfully scoffed. “But happy birthday anyway, munchkins!”
It was August, and definitely the twins’ third birthday. Neither of them had let us forget it the entire week, either. Today they were standing watch on the deck, waiting for different family members to arrive. My brother had been the first, which I knew would be the case, and as soon as he promised the girls he’d push them on the swings, he took the baby out of Clare’s arms.
“Let’s bring this little stud with us,” he grinned, taking our four-month-old to the playset with two excited big sisters leading the way.
“He’s a goner,” Clare said as we watched them. She nestled up to me on the loveseat and added, “You cannot tell me he is still set on being a bachelor his entire life.
I shrugged. “According to him, it’s the best way to go.”
“According to him, Wendy’s hamburgers aren’t really hamburgers because the meat patties are square.”
I had to laugh out loud. Yep, that was my brother. He had an opinion on everything and liked to stick to it.
But Clare had a point. I would be truly disappointed if Trent didn’t have kids of his own someday. He was the best uncle to our kids; I could see him being the most amazing dad to his own.
“I have faith in him,” I answered.
Clare nodded against me. “Yeah, me too.”
She reached across me and playfully tapped the potted pink orchid that we’d had since we moved in together. She’d given it to me as a joke, but the funniest part was we didn’t do a damn thing for that plant and it grew to be the biggest fucking orchid I’d ever seen. It was beautiful, definitely had a mind of it’s own, and it was metaphoric in so many silly ways that only Clare and I understood.
“Some things are just meant to be,” she said lightheartedly. “You just never know.”
I couldn’t disagree, and to be honest, I’d grown pretty fond of our pink orchid. Even the wildlife enjoyed it, attracting butterflies that the girls absolutely flipped over any time they saw one. I’d actually expected the stupid thing to die because I had refused to take care of it. I appreciated Clare’s humor, and we both laughed about it, but I couldn’t believe that the thing flourished all on its own like it had.
It had become quite an enjoyable part of our deck, though. Go figure. Truthfully, I liked it better than the white one because Mia and Sadie picked it out. And…it was just ours. The girls even named it “Mateo.” I have no freaking clue where that came from, either.
We’d lived in our new house just after our son was born. Before that, I’d moved in with Clare and the girls while we built it, and after finally moving up here, I knew I would never live in the city again. The fresh air was essential, and before you get on me about my cigarettes, I quit those the day I moved in with my girls. It was a little tough at first, but if I didn’t do it for myself, then I was going to do it for them. Their happiness and wellbeing meant more to me than anything.
Clare was a full time mom, and since my songwriting had taken off tremendously, and Johnny had signed the grou
p of guys that I’d had him come up to meet, things had progressed quite well for me financially. I was even able to afford a recording studio in my home and a guest apartment above the garage—which brought several musicians up to our place to have a quiet, peaceful place to write and record.
It was paradise to people like me.
Clare and I weren’t married yet, but it was in the works. She had the rock on her finger and we’d been getting our place ready for an outdoor wedding. We had wanted to do it as soon as we moved in together but, ahem, someone got knocked up right away and she had such bad morning sickness all the time. Then it was the whole belly-too-big-and-awkward situation and she just wanted to wait until after Liam was born.
I had no preference in any of this, it was her call. I knew Clare loved me and our family was going to grow no matter what. We liked going with the flow so life was less stressful, and to be honest, the past year had been the best of my life. I was a very lucky guy—no, I was extremely blessed—and I wasn’t going to take a single day for granted.
The sound of tires crunching gravel caught my attention, and it did the same for Mia and Sadie.
“Gamma and Gampa!” Sadie cheered.
Both girls immediately wanted out of their swings, so Trent let them escape and turned them over to Clare’s parents. Bringing Liam to the deck, he said, “I’ve been replaced.” He sat down with the baby and turned him around so they were facing each other. “You’ll never do that to me, will you, buddy? Us men need to stick together.” He formed a little fist on Liam and bumped his to it.
Liam was funny. He was a total space case sometimes, always looking around at everything in silence, but my brother always made him smile his lopsided grin that looked just like Trent.
“You females are so flighty,” he told Clare. “I’ll stick with this guy.”
She shrugged. “You’ll have another year plus of training him to sing your praises, then. You sure you want to stop brainwashing Mia and Sadie?”
He laughed out loud but shook his head. “No, you’ve got a point. I can’t give up the girls telling everyone I’m the best uncle ever.”
“Yeah, and about using our kids to pick up chicks…” Clare began.
This was the life, I’m not even kidding. I loved my family to no end and I couldn’t wait to see what the future would bring.
~The End~
Other books by Hadley Quinn:
The McCallan series
Kiss This
Tame This
Only This
Maybe This
The Fighter’s Block series:
Donovan, Book I
Cole, Book II
Level Up
To connect with this author:
www.hadleyquinnauthor.com
www.facebook.com/AuthorHadleyQuinn
www.twitter.com/theHadleyQuinn
www.instagram.com/theHadleyQuinn
