IT’S EVERYTHING I THOUGHT IT would be.
Her arm lies across my chest, her hair spilling across the pillows. She’s pressed as close as possible to my side, probably more my doing than hers, but I’m not complaining. Her chest rises and falls against me, and it’s the most peaceful, beautiful moment of my life.
I place a kiss against her forehead and say a quiet prayer of thanks. I’m so grateful for all the things that have happened over the last few weeks, even the bad because even with them, I still got here. And I wouldn’t risk redoing anything if that meant putting this moment in jeopardy. I wouldn’t do that for all the money in the world.
Alison stirs beside me, her long lashes fluttering before her lids rise. It takes her a second to realize where she is and watching that realizati
on spatter across her features is priceless.
A slow smile stretches across her lips that beg to be kissed. “Morning,” she says sleepily.
“Morning, beautiful.”
She stretches and starts to pull away and I just sink her in even closer, if that’s possible. She understands my sentiment because she shakes her head, but relaxes, her head on my chest this time. “I could get used to this.”
“You better get used to this,” I reply, my tone sharper than I intended.
She gazes up at me, cocking a brow, and I shrug.
“What? You think you’ll be out of bed before me in the morning?” I ask, a tease in my tone.
Before she can reply, the door flies open and Huxley leaps from the doorway, through the air, and lands on the foot of the bed. “Morning!” he almost shouts before jumping on top of his mother and I.
“Hux!” she says. “Easy, kiddo. It’s early.”
As he shimmies himself on top of the blankets between us, I catch her eye over the top of his head.
“And you’re going to have to start knocking,” she laughs.
“I can’t help it,” he says, giggling. “I have so much energy.”
“What have you been into this morning? What time is it?” she asks.
“I don’t know, but Uncle Linc made waffles with chocolate syrup this morning. Have you ever had that, Mom?”
Laughing, I roll onto my side so I can see them both. This would’ve seemed like the oddest picture a year ago but now, it’s perfect.
“It’s because he’s really a little kid smashed into that big body,” I say.
“I can see that,” Hux replies, considering my words, making us laugh.
“You know, Huxley,” I say, tapping him on the stomach. “We have a few things to discuss today.”
“We do?”
“We do. We were going to have a conversation about what we were going to do with this mom of yours. Remember?” I glance at Alison and watch her blush.
“Oh, yeah,” he says, looking at me. “What are we gonna do with her?”
“Hey, now!” Alison shoves at Huxley. “Be nice to your mother.”
Hux doesn’t glance her way, just watches me, his little eyes filled with anticipation.
“I’m going to have to move to Atlanta in a couple of months,” I tell him, watching a wave of worry storm through his irises. “I have a lot of work to do there.”
He looks at the ceiling, then the wall, then out the window. Anywhere but at me.
“I can’t be in Atlanta if you guys are here,” I whisper.