Just as I knew she would, Zoey drops absolutely everything she was doing with my girls and gets them to the hospital in record time. I hear her from down the hall and laugh as I look up at Bull. The sound of Zoey dragging Ryan behind her, hurrying her along overtakes the sounds of the women down the hall, screaming in agony.
Bull makes his way to the door, knowing that in less than three seconds, Zoey is going to come flying through it and throw Coby at him so she can get her hands on Reece and me. Just as expected, Zoey barges her way through the heavy door, dragging Ryan behind her and practically carrying Coby upside down.
Zoey stops at the door as she takes in me with my babies, in turn, making Ryan crash into the back of her legs. Zoey’s eyes soften and fill with adoration before being replaced with fat tears that threaten to roll down her face.
“Oh, my … shit, Mills. Look at them.”
I smile proudly as Bull rescues Coby from slipping out from under Zoey’s arm. Ryan peers around Zoey’s leg and grins at me before her gaze drops to her two new siblings. “Come to Mommy, baby,” I tell her. “Do you want to meet your new sister?”
Ryan goes shy and nods rapidly before shuffling across the room. She keeps behind Zoey’s leg, though the moment she gets close, the shyness strips away, and her eyes widen like saucers. “What’s her name, Mommy?”
I take Ryan’s hand and pull her in close so that she has the best view in the house. I glance up at Coby to make sure she’s watching too. “This is your new sister, Reece. Do you love her?”
Coby looks away—not even slightly interested— while Ryan climbs up on the side of the bed, desperate to get closer. “Can I hold her?”
“You sure can, baby girl. Here, climb in beside me.”
She does just that, and I lay Reece down in her arms while Zoey starts bawling like a baby. “Oh, shit. I told myself I wasn’t going to cry,” she says, fanning her face to help keep the tears at bay, but let’s face it, she has no chance. “I’ll give you guys some time to be a family,” she tells me, leaning in and giving me a quick hug before gazing down at the two babies once again. “I love you so much, Mills. You make such beautiful babies.”
I take her hand and give it a squeeze. “Thanks, Zo. Just give us a few minutes, and then Zeke and Reece are all yours.”
“Oh, thank God,” she says. “I was worried you’d make me wait hours, and I don’t think I have that much self-control.”
Zoey makes her way to the door and gives me a cheesy grin before slipping out and closing it behind us, leaving us as a complete family for the first time.
Bull comes in on my other side with Coby on his lap while I curl my arm around Ryan and make sure she has a good grip on Reece. Zeke squirms on my lap, looking up at his family in a world of content, and in this very moment, I have it all. There’s nothing else that I could want for in this world because I already have it. It honestly doesn’t get better than this.
Having all four of my children together for the first time—together as a family with two loving parents—is a moment that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Nothing could make me forget how full of love, pride, and joy that I am at this moment. I see the same thoughts reflected in Bull’s eyes as he looks down at me over Ryan’s beautiful head. ‘I love you,’ he mouths.
My heart swells as I say it back, knowing with every piece of my heart that when I say those words, they’ll be true for all of time. This man walked into my life and surprised the hell out of me. He took me on an adventure that I wasn’t sure I was ready for, but he knew in his heart this was right, and I’ll always be grateful that he was so patient with me.
Bull brought my smile back. He’s shown me what it truly means to love, he’s given my children someone they can look up to and adore, but most of all, Bull has given me a future that I can’t possibly live without.
He’s given me him.EPILOGUEAMELIA
THREE YEARS LATERI get home after the longest day known to man and step through the door of my home before looking around in confusion.
Why are all the lights out?
Bull’s truck is here, and he’s been juggling all four kids by himself today. It’s only six in the evening. Surely he hasn’t got them all in bed already, but if so, that’s just another reason why he outranks me in this whole parenting thing. The second Reece and Zeke arrived, Bull proved once and for all that he’s the baby whisperer. It took a few mistakes and a few incidents with Reece’s diaper, but after that, he nailed it.