Page 30 of With You

“You’re right.” My voice cracks as I catch his gaze. “Thank you for telling him.”

“And I’m going to be the flower girl,” Reese announces. “And Rowan is going to be your best man.”

Looking over my shoulder, I smile at Julian. “You really thought of everything.”

He tips his head toward the kids as he moves around the table and takes his seat. “It was all their idea.”

Sliding the invitation back into the envelope, I move it off to the side and encourage everyone to start eating before the food gets any colder. And just like I predicted, it’s no time before Reese is holding her belly at one and a half pancakes and Rowan is on to his sixth.

“Dad,” Reese whines. “Can we give Daddy his present now?”

Julian’s head snaps up. “I thought we said no presents?”

“Hi, pot. Meet kettle.”

He rolls his eyes at me, and I turn to face the kids. “Reese, you know where it is. You want to go get it?”

She hops down off the dining table chair. “There’s an extra two boxes, be sure to bring them too.”

Excited, Reese skips down the hallway and into our home office. She comes back into view only moments later, walking carefully as she holds the presents in her small hands.

Passing them to me, I return one to her, give one to Rowan, then rise up off my chair and hand the last one to Julian.

Before I can turn to leave, he grabs my hand and keeps me standing next to him. Realizing I have the perfect view, I slowly scan my gaze over the three of them as they each open their present.

Rowan whips his head up in confusion, just as I hear Julian’s breath hitch.

“You bought us gloves.” Julian’s correct observation steals my attention. Pushing his chair out, he leaps into my arms, giving me only a fraction of a second to catch him. I hold him against me as he whispers over and over, “You bought us gloves.”

“The weather is getting colder, and you’re due for some new ones,” I explain, pretending I don’t know after all these years just how significant the simple gesture is. In the moment, he was cold, and I wanted to make sure he kept warm. In the grand scheme of things, Julian knows there isn’t anything I wouldn’t give him.

It doesn’t matter if it’s small or big, hard or easy.

“You bought us gloves,” he repeats. “For Reese and Rowan and Me.”

Looking around the room, I see how Rowan and Reese watch us with intense concentration, always curious about the life we lived before them.

“You’re my family,” I tell him. “And I buy my family gloves.”

JULIAN

The party is in full swing, our backyard decorated with a marquee, tables and chairs, and gas heaters to warm up the guests. It’s a lot, over the top even, especially for Deacon and me, but Rowan and Reese are eating it up.

We decided against the formality of a ceremony or an aisle, splurged on the food and drinks, and made sure there would be dancing.

A few months ago, we were going through photos and video footage of our wedding and Reese offhandedly said, “I wish we were there, Daddy.”

And an idea was born.

Looking like a princess, Reese is absolutely breathtaking in a beautiful ivory satin dress that has a gorgeous puffy skirt. While Rowan’s suit matches mine and Deacon’s.

I know tonight will be a night they will both remember fondly. In a way that I could not explain, both our kids are in love with our love. And I don’t know if it’s because we love loud and proud or because we make them feel safe enough to love loud and proud too.

While Reese is outgoing, Rowan is reserved, they complement one another beautifully. Reese is affectionate andtactile in her love, and Rowan is the young man who notices how many balls you’re juggling everyday and takes it upon himself to do everyone’s laundry just to make it easier.

And they’re both what the other needs, always coaxing the other out of their shell. Like siblings often do, they alternate between being a figurative punching bag and a support pillow for one another.

“What are you doing?” Victoria moves in beside me, handing me a glass of champagne.

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