Page 98 of Snowed In With The Second Chance Daddy

We both laugh.

I pull her into my chest, glowing with the knowledge I get to do this every night for the rest of my life.

“Trev?”

“Yes, dear.”

“Would you get me a glass of water?”

I laugh, kiss her forehead, then roll out of bed. “It would be my pleasure.”

I hurry, not wanting to leave her alone for too long nor wanting to be apart from her too long. When I return, Iris is laying out with her hands over her belly.

I hand her the water and sit on the edge of the bed beside her, replacing her hand with mine on her stomach. “Everything all right?”

Iris gulps down a lot of the water, then nods. “I think the baby’s starting to move.”

My brows shoot up. “What?”

Iris places the glass on the bedside table, nonplussed. “Yeah, just a little. Could be indigestion, but could be the next Hawthorn.”

We are both quiet, staring down at the place where our child is growing.

“You probably won’t be able to feel it for a while.”

“No, but they can feel me, can’t they?” I lean in close to her stomach, giving it a kiss. “I’m right here, baby.”

Iris smiles, placing her hand over mine and twisting her fingers through my curls. “You ready for forever with me?”

I fold her hands in mine and bring my face close to hers. “I’ve been ready for forever with you since the day I met you.”

We had a few bumps along the way, including her growing one, but we made it to where we were supposed to be. Here, in our bed, in our home, man and wife. The Hawthorns. Who we were always meant to be.

EPILOGUE

IRIS

“Thankyou so much for doing this last minute. We wanted to make sure we had your segment ready for all the after-Christmas shopping,” Gala Martin, host of a national-level morning talk show, says to me through the computer screen.

I smile, unclipping the mic from the front of my blouse. “Whatever gets the word out. I’m more than honored to be featured.”

“Yes, well, we’re thrilled to have you! My boys love video games, and there’s so much less available that represents my daughter, so I know she’s going to be thrilled to get her copy ofCode Red,” Gala continues.

I resist a cheesy grin.

My first game came together faster than anyone could have anticipated.

With Trevor’s backing, I was able to hire the studio of my dreams, and we released our first game a week before Christmas.Code Redis poised as a mainstream action game with a female protagonist that isn’t all sexed up and high heels. She’s a heroine for girl gamers, and guy gamers are gonna have to catch the hell up.

I was contacted by Gala’s show last night during the Hawthorn LTD. Christmas Eve party. They had a last minute spot open for their after Christmas special and they wanted to know if I wanted a spot discussingCode Redwith them.

Obviously, I said yes, even if that meant recording the segment first thing on Christmas morning.

The things we do for our passion projects.

Thankfully, the interview’s over after only half an hour which means Christmas is back on.

“Congratulations on your release and merry Christmas, Ms. Hawthorn,” Gala says.

---