“Your mom is very sweet,” she says softly. “You look like her.”

“It’s weird that you two met the way you did.” I shake my head, marveling at the chance. “Small world, right?”

“Yes. I can’t wait to meet her formally.” She lifts her head to stare at me. “I want her to be a part of our baby’s life. She’s going to be a grandma, after all.”

“She’ll want to be a part of the baby’s life. I know she will,” I say. “She’ll be excited. Probably turn into the overbearing, spoil-the-child-rotten grandma.”

“That sounds nice.” Rose snuggles closer. “How about Cash?”

Oh yeah. She asked how I know him. “He’s part of my … old life. He’s sort of a con man.”

“Really?” She doesn’t sound fazed in the least, thank God. “Hmm.”

“You’re not going to hold it against him, are you? He’s the one who helped me find my job. He’s wanted me to go straight for years, but I kept blowing him off. Until I met you. Then I knew …”

She lifts her head to look at me again. “You knew what?”

“That I would do anything to keep you safe and keep you with me. And in order to do that, I needed to find a legitimate job.”

“So you gave it up for me.” Her voice is so soft I almost can’t hear her. “Though I hope you also did it for yourself.”

“I did, baby. I did it for us.” I press my hand against her belly as I press a kiss to her lips. “All three of us,” I murmur against her lips.

She smiles and I feel her tears slide down her face. I lick one, the salty taste dissolving on my tongue. “Now you’re killing me with all those romantic words, Caden.”

“I mean every one of them. I love you.” I kiss her again, this time deeper, with plenty of tongue. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.” She tilts her head back, so I kiss her neck. “You’re going to make an honest woman out of me, right?”

I chuckle against her throat, then nip her skin. “Absolutely. I want everyone to know you belong to me. Because you do, you know.”

“I know.” She breathes deep and holds me close as I rain kisses along the tops of her breasts. “I definitely know.”

Epilogue

Rose

“Push, baby.”

I’m panting, trying to focus and breathe.

“Baby. Push.”

He makes it sound so easy. Just push and whoops, out comes a baby. Well, it’s not that easy. It’s hard. Fucking hard.

Oh, dear. Did I just say that out loud?

Cracking open my eyes, I find three faces looming above me. My doctor’s, the nurse’s, and my husband’s. They’re all watching me expectantly, the nurse looking bored, the doctor efficient, and my husband …

Well, he looks anxious. Excited. And nervous.

“You ready, Ro?” Caden asks me carefully as he tugs on my leg, his hand beneath my knee so that I bend both of my legs, ready to push this stubborn baby out of my body once and for all. I’ve been in labor all day, but hard, getting-ready-to-push labor only in the last twenty minutes. My doctor says I’m doing well, that we’re close, and I’m so ready to meet this child who’s about to change my life.

“I’m ready,” I say with a nod, my voice weak, my entire body tired. I can’t wait for it to be over so I can get some rest. Though my mother-in-law warned me there will be no such thing as rest, as I’ll be doing nothing but taking care of my baby around the clock these first few months.

Then she promptly promised to babysit anytime I need her to.

I adore Caden’s mother and I love Cash, too, even though he’s a little cheesy sometimes. He has a kind heart and he loves Caden’s mom so much. He cares for Caden too; he’s like a father figure to him.

My father has come around somewhat and is excited for the baby to come, though I don’t think he’s necessarily thrilled that I’m already married and having a child at such a young age. I’m the youngest and I even beat Violet to the altar. We didn’t have a big wedding, though. Just a quick little jaunt to the courthouse with our family and a few friends accompanying us. We’ll have a party later, a few months after the baby is born.

The contraction comes out of nowhere and with a groan I bend forward, pushing with all my might, the doctor encouraging me, Caden holding my hand. I can feel the baby; I’m not surprised when I hear the doctor tell me he can see the head, and I fall back against the pillows, my chest heaving, sweat dripping down my face as I try to catch my breath.

“One more push, maybe two, and you’ll have a baby,” the doctor says.

“So much pressure,” I murmur, making Caden laugh.

“You’re doing so good, Ro,” he tells me as he places a damp washcloth on my forehead. The cool fabric feels good on my heated skin and I close my eyes, concentrating on evening my breaths when another contraction comes, this one even stronger.

I press forward, pushing hard, and then it feels as if the baby just spills right out of my body and into the doctor’s hands. She begins to cry, the little gasping sound the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard. “It’s a girl,” he says with a smile.

We already knew. We have a name picked out and everything. Caden kisses my lips, whispering that he loves me as the doctor asks him to cut the umbilical cord, and he does so, tears actually streaming down his face as he cradles his baby girl close, holding her in his arms.