CHAPTER SEVEN

My parents and Jack's parents showed up the next morning after the kids went to school. Jack let them in as I was still curled up in bed. My mom was the first to come back and see me. As soon as she stepped into the room, I began crying once more. I really had no idea how the human body could produce so many tears. I was sure I would have run out of them by now.

"How are you, sweetie."

"Fine." I wasn't fine. But how do you answer that question when it's your mom? How do you think I feel? I feel like shit.

"I know it hurts, sweetie. I know."

She combed her fingers through my hair like she used to do when I was a child and not feeling well. I moved closer to her and laid my head on her lap. What I wanted to do, was curl up in her arms and lay my head on her shoulder like I was six again. But I didn't. I saw someone in the doorway and looked up. It was Jack. Checking on me again. He leaned against the frame with his hands shoved into his pockets. His eyes were red. He'd been crying with his own mother, most likely. I closed my eyes for a minute while I breathed in the familiar scent of my mom's perfume. When I opened my eyes again, Jack was gone.

The parents rotated through my room. My dad was next, then Charlotte, then Thomas. Each one brought on a new onslaught of tears. By the time they'd left, I was spent. I know they meant well, and they love me. But their presence just made me want to weep. They lost, too. They lost a grandchild. We've all lost.

When our parents had left, I finally pulled myself out of bed and into the bathroom. I stood in front of the mirror and looked at my stomach. It would not be growing from this baby. I laid my hands over my belly, and once again began to cry. Jack came in and saw this. He wrapped his arms around me again, giving me what support he could. I turned to face him and laid my hand on his cheek, wiping away his tear with my thumb.

"You need someone to be here for you like you're here for me."

"I have someone. I have you."

"But I can't give you comfort as you have for me. It's not the same. You're being so strong and supportive. What am I doing besides crying all the time?"

"Beth," I still loved how my name sounded on his lips. "You are here for me. Just the same. We hold each other; we support each other; we love each other. Trust me. You're giving me everything that I need."

"Except a baby."

"Elizabeth. We have the rest of our lives to have a child. We'll try again if you want to. Whenever you're ready. This wasn't your fault. It just happened."

My eyes dropped to the floor, and Jack's finger under my chin lifted them back up.

"I love you with all my heart, Beth. I love Max. I love our family." Jack stepped closer, pushed his hands into the sides of my hair, and stared directly into my eyes. "I would love to have a child with you. One with both parents to love it, want it, and need it. Max and Alex will feel that, too. But if this wasn't the right time, I'll accept that and wait for when it is."

I put my arms around his neck and hugged him. He wrapped his arm around my waist and hugged me. The security that his embrace gave me was nothing like I'd ever felt before. He made me feel as if everything really would be alright. And that was exactly what I needed. I prayed that I did the same for him.

…..

After the first week had passed, I returned to work. As Jack and I discussed, the kids were never the wiser, and we decided they didn't need to know. If they had been a few years older, possibly. My friends at work were full of questions. I answered the best I could and tried not to cry. Rosie had checked on me daily, and even her husband Rhett had inquired about me.

Jack and I put the house sales on hold. We both agreed it would be too hard at the time and decided to hold off until spring. We've been through so much in the few months we've been back together. Combined, we hadn't even been a couple for a year, but it had felt like a lifetime. Jack felt familiar. Whenever I was with him, I would forget that our relationship would be considered new. It didn't feel new. We already had routines with the kids, knew what each other was thinking – most of the time, and worked together like a well-oiled machine.

Most days, I was able to function normally. Make it through my workday, prepare dinner for the kids, or try to relax in front of a good movie. But two weeks after the miscarriage, I was in bed crying when Jack came home from work after an evening shift. He had checked on the kids, then quietly got ready for bed, thinking I was asleep. But as he stepped out of the bathroom, he could hear me sobbing.

He rushed to the bed, moved under the covers, and wrapped me in his embrace. I turned toward him, and he tenderly kissed me. My hands began to wander, as did his, and I pulled his shirt over his head.

"Beth, what are you doing?"

"I need you." I was still crying, but I needed to feel Jack – all of him.

"We can't, can we?"

"Yes. The doctor said two weeks. It's been two weeks. Please, Jack. I need you."

I was crying even harder now, and Jack pulled me up into a seated position. He very slowly removed my shirt, then eased me back onto the bed. His motions were measured and gentle as he finished undressing himself and me. And once we were both naked, he made love to me. There were no hurried motions and no urgency to reach the glorious ending. Only two people, madly in love, needing the ever-encompassing support of one another. It was magnificent, and we reached a new level of our relationship. Tragedy tears some couples apart, as they are unable to come together and mourn as one. But Jack and I carried each other out of our sadness. I had worried about not being able to be there for Jack, not having the strength to comfort him. But I could now see that I did. We were a team and worked together to keep the relationship solid and unwavering.

It was Max's ninth birthday, and I put on a brave face and a smile and made certain he had the perfect day. He constantly rubbed the fact that he was a year older in Alex's face, but she took it in stride. They got along just as any brother and sister would, possibly a bit better.

Jack and I were in the kitchen preparing dinner for the kids one evening another two weeks later, and as he passed by me, his hand grazed along mine. My kitchen was small, and I was not too fond of it, except at times like this. Our bodies brushed against each other, our hands touched, and Jack would kiss my cheek as he passed by, most of which was caused by the small, crowded area.

"Kids, dinner's ready," Jack called out as he set the last bowl on the table.

We felt like a real family. We were a real family. It was wonderful. The kids took their seats at the table, and Jack pulled my chair out, then sat in his. Everyone had their place. Max and Alex chattered on and on about something that had happened at school that afternoon while Jack asked me about the current project I was working on at work. This was most evenings. It may seem mundane to some, but I thought it was wonderful. Mundane was perfect for time with the kids. Max had longed for a father, and Alex longed for a mother. They wanted the typical family life like most of their friends had, and we did what we could for them.

After hours, though, was my time with Jack. That's when the mundane went out the window, and a bit of excitement would begin. Jack and I had discussed it one evening, and we both agreed that I would get on the pill until we were ready to try again. In the meantime, we still depended on the old method we hadn't had with us in that truck stop shower.

One night, I was in his arms as his fingers traced back and forth across my collarbone. My back was against his chest, and his lips were on my neck.

"Have I told you how much I love this little mole," he asked as he touched the small spot at the base of my neck,

"I think you might have, a time or two."

"Well, I still do."

I rolled over so I could face him and laid my hand on his cheek. "I want to be sure you know that one day, I will be ready to try again."

"I know you will." Jack smiled and brushed his knuckles along my cheek. "Whenever you're ready. I'd wait forever for you."

And I knew he would. He'd waited after the whole JoAnn fiasco nearly three years. I'd informed him I'd gone on a couple of blind dates that my sister and Rosie had set up, but they had never gone beyond dinner. And both had been a double date. And both had been nightmares. But Jack, he had waited. Holding onto a glimmer of hope that I would be available and willing to listen to him. And most of all, ready to forgive him. He told me not long ago that I was worth the wait and worth the chance of being shot down again. Time might not have been right for us three years ago, but it was now.

I moved my arms around his neck and kissed him hard. We'd already made love once that night, but some nights, we just had to again. This was one of those nights.

…..

I was sitting in my office on the third floor of the old brick building. I had been working on an ad for a local Italian restaurant and hit a wall. I stared at the mostly blank page and started adding elements, only to delete them. Remembering my sketchbook, I retrieved it from my lower desk drawer and spread it open on my desk. The MIT ad I'd drawn the day I met Jack was still on the first page. I smiled as I thought back to that time and how hard I'd tried to stay away from him. I was very thankful that he hadn't given up.

I turned toward the back of the book to a blank page, picked up my pencil, and began sketching out a few things. The ideas started flowing with my pencil to the rough white paper, and I hadn't noticed Rylee standing in my doorway.

"Elizabeth?"

"Yes?"

"There's someone here to see you."

"Who is it? I really need to get this done."

"I've been asked not to tell you."

I smiled, knowing that it must be Jack. "Tell him to come in."

"Yes, ma'am." Rylee was grinning when she left my office.

"Good afternoon, gorgeous." Jack was carrying a bouquet of mixed flowers and was dressed in his snug jeans and what must have been a new plaid shirt. It was one that I'd never seen anyway.

"What's the occasion?"

"Do I need one?" Jack sat on the corner of my desk and handed me the flowers.

"Thank you, Jack. They're beautiful."

"And, so are you." He leaned forward and kissed me. "How much longer until you get off?"

I looked at the clock on the wall and saw it was already after 4:00. "I had no idea how late it was. I can leave now."

"Perfect, because we have reservations in twenty minutes."

I stood and pulled my coat off the back of the chair. "What about the kids?"

"My mom wanted them to come over for dinner and to play games, so they are already with them and spending the night."

"Oh, okay. Where are our reservations?" I had slipped on my coat and was reaching for my purse.

"There's a new Italian restaurant I've wanted to try."

Grinning, I asked, "What's the name of it?"

"Mirabito's, I think."

I chuckled, causing Jack to ask why I was laughing. I picked up my sketchbook and showed him what I'd just been working on.

"Perfect, you can do some research."

And that's what I did. As Jack and I talked and enjoyed the delicious pasta dishes, I scanned the restaurant, checked out other people's plates as they passed by, and studied the menu. This dinner had been perfect, and between this and what I'd sketched earlier, I had a clear plan for what I'd do with the ad on Monday.

"Thank you for this." Jack held my lightweight coat for me as I slipped my arms into the sleeves. "This really helped."

"Good." He kissed my cheek, then took my hand, and we started toward the door.

It was cold out, and I hadn't grabbed the proper coat for this weather. Jack noticed and draped his over my shoulders. I must remember to thank Charlotte one of these days for raising Jack as a man should be raised. I struck gold with this one. He walked me to my car and waited until I was inside, and the car started before he went to his Jeep. Also, being raised right, I waited to leave until his headlights were on, indicating his vehicle had started with no problems.

We had decided to stay at his house tonight, and he followed me there. He parked in his drive and let me pull into the garage, as he always did. With our coats off and hanging in the coat closet, and the doggie bag in the fridge, Jack and I settled in on his couch. He was sitting with his back against the arm and his legs across the cushions, so I lay between them and rested my head on his stomach. He handed me the remote, and after flipping through the guide for a couple of minutes, I turned the TV off and sat up.

"Something wrong?"

"No. But I've been thinking about something."

"What?" he asked as he reached up to tuck my hair back.

"I know we said we'd wait, but it's silly to keep both houses."

"I agree. What do you want to do?"

I thought for a moment and let out a breath. "I think we should sell mine and move in here for now. Then we'll have some money available for a down payment when we do decide to start looking."

"Are you sure? You love your house."

"Yes. I've been thinking about this for a while, and this makes more sense. Your house is bigger, and you have an extra bedroom for Max."

"But this is where..."

"Where you and JoAnn lived together."

"Well, yeah. I didn't think you'd want to live here."

"That part doesn't matter to me. She's been gone for so long. To me, this house is you and Alex. And it's closer to the school."

"I'm fine with this, but only if you are."

"I am." I smiled and moved onto Jack's lap. "As I said, I've been thinking about this for a while. We're always at one or the other, and it doesn't make sense to keep mine and sell yours."

"It does for one thing. Mine's paid for, so we'd have a larger down payment."

"Oh." I was shocked by this news. Our finances hadn't been something we'd really discussed much, and I had assumed he still had a mortgage.

"When Tom was killed by that drunk driver, my parents sued the man and won. They put part of the money in a trust fund for me, and I was able to access it once I turned twenty. So, I used some of it to buy this house and mortgaged the rest. I was able to pay off the loan in ten years."

This bit of information changed things. Now I had no idea what to do, but I didn't feel right asking him to sell his house.

"I don't mind selling this if that's what you're worried about.

His cop intuition really drove me crazy at times. Seriously, how does he do that?

"I'm not sure what we should do now."

"Well, I've been thinking about this, too, and I have an idea."

"Go ahead."

"What if we put both houses on the market and see which one sells first? Then we'll stay in the other one and keep looking for a bigger house like we'd originally planned. Would you be ready to do that?"

I thought for a moment and what he said seemed like a good idea, except for one thing. "What if both houses sell right away, and we don't have another we want to buy?"

"I hadn't really thought about that."

We sat in silence as we thought things through, trying to figure out the best option that would suit our needs. Jack sat up and swung his legs off the couch.

He turned slightly and took my hands in his. "Okay, this is definitely something you want to do, right?"

"What, sell the houses?"

"Live together."

"Of course. You don't?" My heart will stop if he says no.

"Yes, Beth. I want us to be together. I want a family with you."

"Good." I smiled big, and I'm sure it looked ridiculous. "So, we've settled that. We both want to live together."

"Then I say we just do it. We put both houses up for sale, start packing what we don't need right away, and start shopping. Whatever happens, happens. If we have to move into one of our parent's houses, then we do that. But I want to start my life with you and Max."

I stood and moved in front of Jack, pushed him back into the couch, and straddled his legs. "And I want to begin my life with you and Alex. So, we're really doing this?"

Jack placed his hands on my hips and smiled, showing me his dimples. "We're doing this."

"Let's start looking." I was too excited to wait.

I jumped off his lap, grabbed my phone, then returned but faced forward. He wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on my shoulder. I pulled up the local listings, added the filters to fit what we were looking for, and we began shopping for what would be our first home together. I was surprised by how many there actually were and was no longer worried about whether our houses sold quickly. I began hoping they would.

We picked a few we both liked and would take the kids to look at them soon. I was more than ready to begin this next chapter. And I couldn't wait to start it with Jack. This is the part of my story that I'm most excited about. I felt that I was getting my life back, we would have our family, and I would have my true love for my happily ever after.

It was time for us to turn the pages from our past and leave the book open to be written by our futures. My pages were blank, and I could see them filling in as Jack and I scrolled through the listings on my phone.

...

Jack and I had walked through four different homes with Max and Alex. None were right. Even the kids had agreed. So, we went back to the drawing board and began searching through the listings again. In the meantime, both of our homes had been put on the market, and each one already had appointments for viewings. My original fear was beginning to show itself. I don't know what we'll do if we get offers on our houses but can't find what we're looking for in the new one.

"Why don't we build one?" Jack asked one day as we carried boxes into the garage.

"Build one? Won't that be too expensive?"

"Not any more than the ones we're looking at. Then you can have it exactly how you want it."

"We want it," I corrected him.

"Okay, we want it. But what do you think?"

"I think that it will take a long time to build a house, and if these sell, we're in trouble."

"How about we at least look into it and get the information we need in order to make the decision."

Jack seemed genuinely excited about this, and it was rubbing off on me.

"Okay. We'll...inquire about it."

"Great," he said and picked me up.

He had grabbed me around my hips, so he held me high above him. Then he did that thing that's so sexy in the movies, where the man slowly lets the woman slip through his arms as they stare at each other until their lips meet. Yes, he did THAT. Our eyes were locked as I slid along his firm body. And when our mouths came into contact, he moved one hand behind my head and pressed me to him. When he does that, our kisses grow in intensity and things get pretty damn hot.

But the kids were in the next room, and we had a showing in an hour. Things to do. Damn it! So, he released me, and we returned to our tasks. We hurried through the front room, decluttering, cleaning, and moving boxes into the garage. We gathered the kids, loaded them into the Jeep, and just as we were pulling out, our realtor was driving in.

We went to Jack's parent's house for the afternoon. The kids were excited about this as they had two dogs, and Max and Alex both begged for a dog constantly. We said that we'd think about it once we found another house. I wanted to wait until the kids were a little older, but Jack was almost as excited as they were, so I caved.

Jack's parents were wonderful. Charlotte was down to earth, strong, intelligent, and kind. She and I could sit and talk for hours, even when we first met as if we'd been friends for years. She had made me feel welcome from day one. And Thomas. I immediately saw where Jack got his big heart, strong beliefs, and magnetic sexuality. The way Thomas looked at Charlotte was the way Jack looked at me. Even after thirty-eight years of marriage, Thomas and Charlotte couldn't keep their hands off each other. That was how I imagined Jack and I would be thirty years from now. I hoped, anyway.

It was a nice change, visiting with Charlotte and Thomas. I needed a break from packing and moving things from one house to the other. Jack and I had been sorting through stuff, seeing what we had two of, and began a large donation pile.

My phone rang as we sat around the table, listening to Max tell Thomas about his favorite baseball team.

"It's the realtor." I looked at Jack with nervous eyes and answered the phone.

I stood and left the room, and Jack followed. I put the phone on speaker so he could hear what was happening.

"Elizabeth, the couple that just looked at your house has made an offer."

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"How much?"

"Two-thousand above asking."

"What? Why would they do that?"

"Homes like yours are a hot commodity right now, and everyone wants them. They didn't want to take a chance for someone else to come and buy it out from underneath them. That's already happened to them twice."

I looked at Jack and shrugged my shoulders.

"Are there any contingencies?" Jack asked her.

"None. They want the house, and they want it right away. They are letting you choose the closing date."

"Really?"

"Yes. Elizabeth, they are preapproved, have the down payment in hand, and are ready to go whenever you are."

Jack nodded, letting me know he was good with it if I was. "Okay," I said as my insides did flip-flops.

"I'll draw up the paperwork. When would you like to close?"

I turned to Jack for help, and we both shrugged our shoulders. I ran through my head everything we would have to do, then mouthed two weeks to Jack. He agreed, and we informed the realtor.

"Sounds perfect, Elizabeth. I'll let them know. I'll have the papers sent to your office on Monday. Just sign where they're labeled and send them back."

"Okay. Thank you, Marilyn."

I hung up the phone and looked at Jack. I must have appeared scared to death due to Jack's reaction.

"It will be just fine. If we must, we'll get everything moved out and into a storage unit."

"Why did I say two weeks?" What was I thinking? Good grief, Beth.

"Elizabeth," Jack said and held my face in his hands. "Everything will be fine. I'll help you. Our parents and friends can help."

I sucked in a deep breath and slowly blew it out. "Okay." Jack could find a way to make me relax in any situation.

We joined Jack's parents and the kids in the dining room and gave them the good news. Charlotte and Thomas immediately offered to help, and I accepted.

The next two weeks were a blurred frenzy of packing. We moved the necessary items into Jack's house, and the rest went into my parent's garage. Jack's house had been getting a lot of activity as well, so we continued packing his things and moved what we could into Charlotte and Thomas's garage. It was getting very aggravating that we couldn't find exactly what we'd been looking for. We talked to a builder, and the time frame just wouldn't work for us. So, we continued our search for our perfect home.

As I packed the final items in my house, I pulled open a drawer in the built-in desk near the front door, which I rarely used, and found a small box inside. I recognized it immediately, and my heart sank. Jack walked in as I picked up the box and rushed to my side.

"I'll take that. Sorry, I forgot it was in there."

But I wanted to see it. I lifted the lid and moved it beneath the box. I laid my hand on the fabric, then carefully removed it. The little white onesie was so tiny, and I had difficulty remembering Max being that small. I could feel one of those nasty lumps forming in my throat, and I swallowed hard, hoping to stop it. Jack put his arm around me, tipped his head toward mine, and ran his fingers across the word Daddy. Our hearts ached as we held that symbol of a crushed dream in our hands. It's crazy what a small piece of fabric can do to you. Something as simple as this, as tiny as this, can stop you dead in your tracks and change your attitude for the rest of the day.

And that's exactly what it had done. Jack and I both remained in our gloomy atmosphere of sadness while we finished packing the final box. Just before he closed and sealed it, I placed the small package that housed the only thing we would ever own that belonged to the child we would never hold.

I watched as Jack stretched the clear tape across the cardboard box filled with random items, but only one of them meant anything to me. He carried it out to the Jeep and added it to the collection that would sit in my parent's garage until we had our next home.

After another hug, another kiss, and another 'I'm sorry' from Jack, we closed the front door for the final time to my little house. I stared at the front porch as he backed out of the drive and silently said goodbye to another chapter in my life.

...

It wasn't long before we started getting offers on Jack's house. It had turned into a bidding war, and two weeks after we closed on mine, we sat at the table with his realtor and sifted through the offers to pick the best one. The closing date was set for thirty days from then, and once again, we were scrambling to get things done.

I was at my desk at work the day Jack called. He'd found a house that he wanted me to look at right away. It had just been put on the market that morning, and he was afraid we'd miss out on it if we waited. I took the rest of the day off and met him at the address he'd texted me.

As soon as I pulled up, I knew it was the one. The outside was the ideal picture of my dream house and exactly how I'd described it to Jack. He knew me so well because he listened.

The house was on the outskirts of town and sat on three acres. It was a perfect shade of yellow with white trim and a porch wrapped around two sides. I had always wanted a house with a full front porch, and Jack was trying to make certain that I had that wish. It was two stories and had that farmhouse feel. A two-car garage sat at the end, finishing it with everything I had asked for on the outside. I pulled up to the garage where Jack was waiting for me, and he opened my door as soon as I stopped. The excitement gleamed in his eyes as he helped me out of my car. It was contagious, and if I weren't already excited, I would be now.

The realtor was waiting inside and gave us a tour of the home. Four bedrooms, three baths, a large living room, and a gorgeous sunroom had been more than I expected. The kitchen was huge, with updated appliances and brand-new tile backsplash. It was beautiful.

"We could dance in this one," I whispered in Jack's ear.

He grabbed my hand, pulled me to him, and began moving around the kitchen.

"What was that?" I asked him when he stopped and let go.

"What?"

"I didn't know you could dance. Not like that anyway."

Jack stepped to me, put his mouth to my ear, and whispered, "There's a lot you don't know about me, but I intend to show you everything."

His breath warmed my ear and sent chills through my spine. I eyed him as he took my hand, and we hurried to catch up with Marilyn to see the rest of the house.

I walked around the porch as Jack talked numbers with the realtor. This place was perfect. It needed some work, like new paint on the walls, new window treatments, and some wallpaper torn down, but I was already picking out the new colors in my head.

Our offer was accepted, and the closing date was set for the same day as Jack's. The owners had already moved out and had given us permission to put our things into their garage. And so, we began. Once the loan was approved, the inspection and appraisal were done, and everything looked like it would go through, we started moving our things.

The kids loved the new place. They were more excited than I had ever expected because of the extra room to run and play, both inside and out. This place was to be my forever home, as I had no intentions of ever leaving. It was everything I wanted, and so was Jack.

...

It was closing day, and as soon as Jack signed the papers on his house, we moved to another room and signed the documents for the new one. My hands shook as I tried to sign my name, and I hoped they didn't need to read it because it wasn't even legible to me.

The kids were in school and didn't know we were getting the house that day, as we were planning to surprise them after school by simply driving there instead of Jack's. In the meantime, Jack had the U-Haul connected to the Jeep, and we went to our new home with our final load of furniture.

"Here's the key," Jack said as he handed it to me. "I'm grabbing a box, and I'll be right behind you. Why don't you go unlock the front door to our new home for me." He was grinning from ear to ear and leaned across the Jeep to kiss me.

As I walked along the porch to the front door, I ran my hand along the top of the white railing. It was beautiful. Everything about this place was beautiful. The front door was teal with a gorgeous oval lead glass window and was flanked on either side by two side lights. I inserted the key, turned the lock, and pushed the door open just as I heard Jack.

"Beth."

I turned around, and Jack was on one knee with a tiny box in his hand. I had to remind myself to breathe as I looked down at the man that had stolen my heart.

"Beth, you, Alex, and Max are my everything. Since you've come into my life, nothing has been the same, and I mean that in the best way. You have rejuvenated me, excited me, and shown me what it's like to really be loved. You have stepped in to become the mother that Alex has always deserved, and I want to be the father that Max has never had. I love you with my entire being, and you complete my soul. Beth, I don't want to just live with you. I don't want to be just your boyfriend. I want you in every way. I want you as my wife, and I want you to call me your husband. Elizabeth Anne with an 'E' Cooper, will you do me the absolute honor of becoming my wife?"

By the time Jack reached the actual question, I was fully into my ugly cry. The tears rolling, nose stuffed, choking, ugly cry. I was so shocked by this. I hadn't any inkling that he had this planned. And I forgot to answer him.

"Beth, will you marry me?"

"Oh, my gosh. Yes! Yes, I will marry you."

Jack was on his feet, sliding the ring on my finger, then I jumped on him and wrapped my arms and legs around him. He carried me into the house like that, closed the door and locked it, and we christened the home – twice – before the kids got out of school.

As I lay on the floor on a blanket beside Jack, I held my hand out and admired my new stone. I'll say one thing, Jack Thornton knew how to pick out a ring. The one and a half carat princess cut cathedral-style ring was breathtaking. Another carat worth of diamonds cascaded down each side of the white gold band, adding just the right amount of elegance for my taste. I don't know how he did it, but if I walked into a jewelry store, this is the ring I would have picked out for myself.

"Do you like it?"

I rolled on top of him and kissed his chest. "It's perfect."

"Good. It took me three hours to pick it out."

"I couldn't have picked a better one."

"Ready to get the kids?"

"I've never been more ready."

And I hadn't. I couldn't wait to begin my life with Jack as his wife, to merge our families as one, and raise our children together. When Maxwell died, I thought my life had ended. Then when little Max was born, I convinced myself he was the only man I would ever need. Until Jack came along. I had never wanted to be someone's wife as much as I did with Jack. And I wanted him as my husband. Forever couldn't begin soon enough.