Page 121 of Rebel Heart
I’d been so focused on Wilder in her arms, I hadn’t realized Jules noticed I was standing there. Shifting my attention to her beautiful face, I asked, “What’s a new one?”
She jerked her chin in my direction. “That look on your face. I’m not sure it’s one I’ve ever seen.”
I pushed off the doorjamb and crossed the room, climbing into the bed beside her. Leaning in, I gave Jules a soft peck before I rested my hand on our son’s head. He was still so small. “I think you’ve been too preoccupied lately to notice it. Trust me, it’s not the first time it’s been present.”
“What does it mean, though?”
“It’s a mix of a lot of things. Love and pride. And maybe a touch of disbelief.”
Her lips curved into a smile as she glanced briefly at Wilder. “He really has changed our lives, hasn’t he?”
I nodded. “Yes, but that’s not it.”
“I don’t understand.”
My eyes roamed over her face, wondering if I’d be able to put it all into words. “How did I do it?”
A crease formed between her brows. “Do what?”
“How did I get it right on my first try?” I asked. “Do you know how lucky I feel that I decided to stroll over to that bakery and buy cookies from you? That one decision turned out to be the best of my life. Because I got you. And now we have him.”
Jules shrugged, her lips twitching. “I think you were just hungry for a taste of something sweet.”
I chuckled. I certainly couldn’t argue that. She justhappened to be so much sweeter than I bargained for. “I didn’t think it was possible to get this lucky. To be this happy. I thought I’d reached the pinnacle just being loved by you. By loving you back and marrying you. But watching you become a mom has been life-changing. It’s everything I never knew I needed. Maybe because I know you’ll never make this boy feel like he needs to do anything to earn your love.”
Her features softened. “Maybe I could’ve looked in the mirror and understood.”
“What?”
“The expression you were wearing when you were standing by the door,” she clarified. “Because I feel the same, Beau. Of all the things I’ve known that I wanted and went after in my life, I never imagined anything as beautiful as this. As you and him. Nothing has been more rewarding than getting this life we’re building together. You are an amazing husband, a tremendous father, and Wilder and I are so, so lucky to have you.”
I couldn’t stop myself from smiling proudly. “There isn’t anything I won’t do for either one of you.”
“Do you really mean that?”
My chin jerked down swiftly. “Absolutely.”
Jules grinned. “That’s great news, because your son needs to be burped and have his diaper changed, and I used the last of the diapers we had in here earlier.”
Laughter spilled out of me as I took him from her arms to burp him. I’d perfected that art quickly. It was the dirty diaper changing that had caught me by surpriseon this fatherhood journey. I hadn’t realized that such a tiny human could produce such a big mess. And the first time I’d experienced it had been eye-opening. I could still recall the way Jules laughed at my response to what had come out of him.
“I’m beginning to think you two are secretly plotting against me,” I teased her.
“We would never.”
I rolled my eyes before I gave her a kiss. “Yeah, I don’t believe that.”
With my son held firmly in my arms, I got out of the bed and went to change his diaper on the changing table in his nursery. Once he was all cleaned up and burped, we returned to the bedroom, where I found Jules was fast asleep.
A smile formed on my face at the sight of her.
Glancing down at Wilder, I said, “Looks like we’re having a guys’ night. Mommy’s down for the count.”
I climbed back into bed with him, turned the television on with the volume low, and settled in. Minutes later, Wilder was asleep.
Sitting there with the two most precious people in the world sleeping close to me, I had no doubts. I’d gotten the greatest reward when I’d opened my heart to love.
WYATT - FOUR MONTHS LATER
