Page 120 of Under Ground

With those words, he has really made today perfect.

I know times won’t always be as amazing as they are today. We’ll have hard times ahead—every couple does.

But we’ll always have this love, this deep, unwavering love, and that will get us through. And with this man of mine and his sweet, thoughtful gestures, I know I’ll want for nothing.

Epilogue

Alex

One year later

“Where we going, Daddy?” Casey tugs on my hand as we walk toward the plane.

“Uncle Reece’s house.”

She frowns. “But we don’t have to catch a plane to his place.”

Lana lets out a soft laugh. “He’s got another house, sweetheart. That’s where we’re going.”

Casey comes to a stop, her lower lip trembling. I exchange a worried glance with Lana.

“Casey? What’s wrong?” I ask.

She sniffs. “Will Santa know where to find us?”

Lana claps her hand over her mouth and stifles a giggle.

I squat beside Casey, placing the baby seat I’m carrying on the ground, and pull her into my arms for a hug. “He knows exactly where we’re going. I made sure to tell him.”

Sobs rack her tiny body as she buries her face in my neck. “Are you sure?”

“Did he find you last Christmas when we were staying at Josh and Delaney’s?” I ask.

She pulls back and nods, her pigtails flying. “Yes,” she whispers.

“Then you have to trust he’ll find you. Santa always knows where you are.”

“That’s kinda creepy,” Lana mutters.

“Come on, munchkin. Let’s not keep Uncle Reece and Auntie Pania waiting. I know they have a ton of surprises for you.”

Casey’s eyes widen. “They do?”

“This is Uncle Reece’s first Christmas as your uncle. I happen to know he told Santa to go overboard.”

I scoop her up and onto my hip, and then pick up the baby seat.

There’s not much farther to walk on the tarmac, and Pania appears at the top of the stairs leading to the jet. She waves as we draw closer.

“It’s Auntie Pania!” Casey squeals.

Casey makes me laugh. She adores Pania and Reece, and even though we spend a lot of time with them, she’s always excited to see them.

“Told you. You can even sit with her while we fly.” I drop her to the ground when we reach the base of the stairs. Our luggage is already on board; it got picked up this morning. Reece has taken care of everything.

Casey goes first, with Lana following and me bringing up the rear carrying our baby daughter, Harper, strapped into her car seat. Her birth only deepened our love for one another and brought us closer. All of us.

Reece has turned out to be pretty clucky after the birth of his niece—I think he and Pania are in negotiations of their own.

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