Page 16 of Love Like This

She pulled back and met Autumn’s glistening eyes. “They reallyare, aren’t they? I have afamily,Had.”

Hadley nodded. “And don’t think I’m not borrowing these kids. Youhave built in babysitting, and don’t you forget it.”

“Holding you to it.”

Hadley met William next, named after Kate’s dad, whom she’d lost afew years back. They planned to call him Will, which seemed so fitting once shehad him in her arms. “You look like a Will, don’t you?” she whispered. Heblinked in response. Will was the more curious of the two, taking in hissurroundings with wide-eyed wonder. Hadley walked him to the window while theothers doted on Carrie. “That’s the great big world out there, little guy. Justlook. You’re going to take it by storm one day soon. And if you ever needanything, you or your little sister, you just give me a call. I’ll be there.”She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.

“Want to hold him?” she asked Isabel, who immediately shoved herhands into her back pockets.

“I better not. He’s breakable, and I’m a bulldozer. You’ve met me.A total klutz.”

Hadley scoffed and approached Isabel with the baby. “Don’t beafraid. Here, open your arms.”

Isabel shook her head eight times. “No, bad idea. I’m serious,Hadley.”

“Don’t argue with me,” Hadley said, employing her stern voice.

Isabel swallowed and allowed Hadley to place Will gently into herarms. In that moment, Isabel’s entire face relaxed as she stared down at him.“Oh, wow,” she whispered. She looked up at Hadley as if to sayare you seeing this?

Hadley nodded.

“He’s so small,” she breathed.

“He says, ‘nice to meet you, Aunt Isabel.’”

“He can talk, too,” Isabel said reverently, with a smile on herface. Kate came up behind Isabel and wrapped an arm around her.

“Alert little guy.”

“Right?” Hadley said. “He’s a little investigator.”

“Hey, who won the bet?” Gia asked, as she stood next to Vicki, whoheld Carrie.

“Oh, right!” Kate said, and pulled out her phone. “Will, the firstbaby, arrived at 4:55, so that means…Hadley was right on the nose.”

Everyone turned to her in mystification.

“How’d you manage that?”

“I just had a feeling,” she said, with a victorious shrug.

“Had’s always had a close connection with these two,” Autumn said,with a knowing look in her eye. “I’m not surprised.”

“And I’m out five bucks,” Gia said. “Dinner this weekend is onHadley.”

“Oh, we’ll see about that,” she said, with a scoff.

With a final kiss and wave, Hadley, Isabel, and Gia headed home toallow the new family some alone time. Plus, after everything she’d gonethrough, Autumn surely needed the rest. As they walked outside into the briskmorning air, the sun was peeking out over the horizon in a glorious glow ofpinks, oranges, and yellows.

“Isn’t that just the perfect ending to this whole thing?” Giasaid, pausing a moment to take it in. “Damn.”

Hadley linked her arm through Gia’s and pulled Isabel to her. “Tonew beginnings,” she said quietly. “This is a pretty monumental one.”

“I can get behind that,” Isabel said, giving Hadley a squeeze.“Even if those terrify me.” Hadley picked up once again on Isabel’s recentunease and made a mental note to check in on her more. She seemed to need it.

“You’re gonna be just fine, Izzy,” she said, kissing the side ofher forehead. “I think there’s a lot in store. For all of us.”

Gia nodded. “There is. But can we go home and crash first? Thefuture wants us rested.”

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