Page 128 of Tamed By You

“Brayden keeps making poop sounds, and he took the red car, but I said I wanted the red car because he had the blue one, but now he has a blue car and red car and I have no cars.”

“Okay, let’s go sort it.” Harry takes his little hand in his and heads upstairs. I follow behind, watching them and smiling. Brayden and Blake are the image of Harry, looks wise and personality wise. The only thing they got from me was my icy blue eye color. They have a thick mane of blond hair that I am convinced will go dark as they get older, just like Harry’s did.

Everly Iris Walker was another unexpected, but much-wanted surprise. I was sure I was done after having the twins, but seeing those two lines, feeling her grow, and holding her when she was placed on my chest, I knew she had been sent to me to complete our family. She is still tiny, but she too has blue eyes, blonde hair and looks just like me as a baby.

Her newborn cries echo down the hall of our lake house. We moved when we found out we were expecting Everly, deciding the New York penthouse apartment wasn’t where we wanted to raise our children. We decided to take the plunge and move to the same lake as Jack and Ria. Raising our kids together has been everything I could have dreamed of. I really am living the life I never thought I’d be blessed with, and I don’t take a second of it for granted.

The clubs are multiplying; the guys have now opened two more and there are plans to open another. Harry’s parents moved to be near us and help with their grandchildren. Torimakes as many visits as she can, and we do the same. We want the kids to know their British roots. I decided to leave my job, knowing that the years with my kids as babies are fleeting, and after everything I have been through, I didn’t want to miss a second of raising them. My days are long and hard, I barely have time to shower or apply moisturizer. I’m usually covered in baby vomit, boogers, or mud, but I have never been happier. I am living a life that is a far cry from my wild party days, but this, this is where I want to be, and I feel so lucky I get to live this life every day.

I reach our room, leaning over the bassinet, picking up Everly, who’s dressed in an adorable lavender onesie with little iris flowers on. My favorite outfit.

I get into bed, holding her to my chest, her little mouth suckling on her fist, a sign she’s hungry. I latch her, sink back against the pillows, and close my eyes.

“Mommy, story time.” Brayden squeals, jumping on the bed.

“Okay, baby, get in.” Blake comes running after, joining us in our large bed. Harry appears in the doorway holding my favorite book in hand, still only dressed in his suit pants and nothing else.

He walks over to me, first placing a kiss on Everly’s head and then to mine. “Okay, move up boys, make room for Daddy.”

I look out the window at the lake, the afternoon sun reflecting in the ripples of the water. I love the view from our bedroom. Day or night it’s one of my favorite spots in my home. I find it so calming and peaceful.

As our daughter lies on my chest, our twins nestled between us, all tucked under one blanket, a feeling of contentment washes over me.

We settle in to listen to our favorite story. Harry begins the story and I kiss the top of my baby’s head, inhaling her newborn scent, and close my eyes. This is it. This is everything I need.I look over smiling at my boys, as they drift off to sleep. Harry catches my eye and gives a cheeky wink, and my heart still flutters just like it did the first time he did it.

My own eyes grow heavy as Harry’s soothing words send me into a state of bliss. I finally got everything I ever wanted, everything I thought I wasn’t worthy of. I somehow got all of it and I feel like the luckiest woman alive. We both overcame our pasts and tamed one another. He saw something in me no one else did and delivered on his promise to always catch me.

After years of believing I would never get the storybook ending, just like Alice, after my fall, I finally made it to Wonderland.

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