Page 140 of Healed Hearts

Julian holds me close to him and brushes his nose along my temple. “I love you too.”

And I can’t help but feel like for the first time in my entire life, I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. Thateverythingis exactly the way it’s supposed to be.

Epilogue

Holden-6 months later

The call comes in the middle of the night.

I sit up and grab my phone, listening intently to the person on the other end of the line, trying very hard to keep myself calm and not cry. When I hang up, I stare blankly at the wall for a second, before nudging Julian. “Jules?”

He hums, patting around the bed, looking for me, and then grabs me and yanks me closer to him when he finds me. I smile, but my heart is pounding, and we really need to get up. Like, right now. “Julian, you’ve got to wake up.”

He grumbles a bit, but finally does, rubbing at his face sleepily. “Whatsamatter?”

Not a damn thing. Not one single thing. “We have a placement. We need to go get him.”

That does it. Julian sits straight up and locks eyes with me. “Really?”

I grin, but it’s a little shaky. “Yes, really. A little boy. He’s two weeks old. His mom dropped him in a safe haven box. He had a note on him. His name is Warren.”

Julian laughs. It’s so fucking happy and perfect that it almost makes my heart explode. “Wren and Warren.” He chuckles again. “That’s perfect, darlin’. Let’s go get our baby boy, then.”

My stomach flips in excitement. “Holy shit. We’re about to have a baby, Julian.”

He wraps an arm around me and tugs me into his lap. “We’re about to have a baby, darlin’. Our family is growing.”

I can’t resist. I close the distance between us and kiss him. I’m so fucking happy and relieved and all the things. When I pull back, he’s smiling. I take a shaky breath. “Wren is a big sister,” I murmur.

Julian smiles right back. “Well, how about we go wake her up and go meet her baby brother?”

I’m so excited that I practically jump out of the bed to go get Wren.

When our social worker, Tara, comes out of the room with a tiny bundle in her arms, it’s all I can do to keep from breaking down into hysterics.

By the time she gets to us, I’m practically vibrating with nerves. I adjust Wren on my hip and lean into Julian’s side asshe gets to us, half-convinced I’m going to fall out on the floor if he can’t help me keep my legs under me.

“Hey, guys. I have a special delivery for you,” she says with a smile.

Julian carefully takes the baby from her and cradles him to his chest. It’s almost comical how tiny he looks in Julian’s arms, but if I know anything, it’s that he won’t find a safer place than where he is.

“Baby,” Wren says, leaning forward to try to get a look.

“Yeah, pretty girl. That’s your baby brother. Do you want to meet him?”

She nods, her grin growing.

Tara gestures to the couch on the opposite side of the room. “You guys are more than welcome to sit and get to know each other while I get the documents I need together.”

“Sounds good,” Julian says, already striding toward the couch. Damn, watching him in In Control Dad Mode will never not be hot as hell to me.

Wren and I follow along and sit down beside him. He turns the baby in his arms until Wren and I can see his tiny face.

He’s asleep, but I already know I would die and kill for him. Just like his big sister.

He’s adorable. All pudgy cheeks and a tiny button nose. He’s got a head full of blonde hair, and the tiniest fingers I’ve ever seen in my life. I inhale a shaky breath, trying to keep my emotions under control.

“I wanna hold him, Daddy,” Wren says, turning to me with pleading eyes.

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