Page 139 of Fierce-Dane

“You’re right. It’s about each other,” he said, kissing her on the forehead. “Can we go get Shiloh now? Together? I don’t want her upset either.”

“And that is what I mean about each other,” she said. “You put others first all the time, but it’s not a bad thing.”

“Our children need us to be strong,” he said. “They need us to learn lessons just as much as we need to teach them. Maybe we should sit down together with her and let her know that it’s okay to fight and then make up. My kids never saw that. Mel and I didn’t fight in front of them. When we split it was a huge shock. Life isn’t pretty. It’s messy and dirty and stinky. Our kids need to know those things.”

“Shiloh knows all of that,” she said. “It’s time for me to show her the pretty things in life.”

“Together all our kids can get a well-rounded upbringing,” he said.

“They can,” she said. “Are we good?”

“More than good,” he said. “Let’s go get Shiloh so she knows I’m not going anywhere.”

“You better not,” she said, smiling.

The kind of smile he’d been missing and he knew right away she spoke the truth from her heart.

EPILOGUE

Six Weeks Later

“Are you ready for your massage?”Sloane asked when she walked up front to see Dane standing there for his appointment.

He had both Tyler and Tiffani with him and Shiloh was in her office. She knew Tiffani was coming for a pedicure and Shiloh was going to get one too. The two girls would get it side by side and then hang out in her office while Dane got his monthly hour massage.

“I am,” he said. “Thanks for doing this with the kids. I guess I must have messed up my schedule.”

“Not a problem,” she said. He’d never done that before, but she didn’t think anything of it. It seemed they were always running wild and stuff happened.

The kids all got along great.

If Thanksgiving was exciting for Shiloh, Christmas has been an eye-opener.

Dane didn’t have his kids on Christmas Eve and didn’t get them until eleven on Christmas morning. In a way she was happy about that because she knew that she wanted to spend Shiloh’s first Christmas at home.

Dane stayed with her and she had to admit it was a Christmas of her dreams.

Putting all of Santa’s gifts under the tree right before bed. Then letting Shiloh wake her up and rush down the stairs to see what was left for her.

She and Dane watched while Shiloh acted like a normal five-year-old opening up clothes and toys and so thankful for it all that she cried and hugged them both.

Dane left to get his kids and she let him have his time with them to open gifts while Shiloh played with her stuff. Then they all went to Chloe’s house for dinner.

New Year’s Eve, she’d stayed at Dane’s and they had all the kids as Mel had plans with Ethan and asked to have the night with no kids. Dane and his ex didn’t have the same relationship they always did. They weren’t as close, but they were making it work for the kids.

Sloane wasn’t jealous over any of it. She knew Dane loved her and no one else.

It was the family she always wanted in her life and never even knew.

“Are you going to stay as I get undressed?” Dane asked when they were in her room.

“You know I like to,” she said, winking. “Or I can go check on the kids quickly. Poor Tyler.”

“He’ll be happy playing his video games,” he said as he unbuttoned his shirt and hung it up. He’d come from work.

When Dane was naked and on the bed, she started his massage like she always did.

They talked through it all. About their days. The kids. Anything and everything.

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