Hoots filled the room from Wren, Holt, Nash, and Maddie, who had come in behind the boys.
Drew smiled widely as he glanced at my ring. “You don’t mess around, bruh. Respect.”
Lawson just shook his head.
Charlie looked at me wide-eyed. “Does this mean you can be my real mom? Not just in my heart?”
My eyes filled as I swallowed down the emotion and glanced at Lawson.
He took my hand and squeezed.
“Nothing would make me happier than to be your mom, Charlie,” I whispered.
“I wished it from the first day you came,” he said with a wide smile. “And when Drew blew out his candles, I wished it then, too.” He glanced at Drew. “Sorry, I stole your wish.”
Everyone laughed, and Drew just grinned. “No worries, little man. I can’t think of a better one.” He shuffled his feet. “Maybe I could call you Mom, too? If it’s not weird.”
The tears started to fall then. “If it’s weird, then I’m the biggest weirdo of all because I’d love it.”
Luke moved closer, eyes holding so much emotion. “You’ve been more of a mom than we’ve ever had.”
Lawson leaned in closer, kissing my temple.
“You guys have given me everything I thought I’d never have. More than I ever could’ve dreamed,” I whispered.
Charlie grinned at me. “We’re like the best present ever.”
He had no idea.
EPILOGUE
HALLIE
ONE YEAR LATER
I cuddledbaby Clara to my chest as she cooed. Lawson lowered himself to the spot on the couch next to me. “You look good holding a baby.”
My stomach did a series of somersaults that would’ve been fitting for Cirque du Soleil. “I think Clara here is doing all the work.”
I glanced at Grae on my other side, who held Clara’s twin, Micah. “You and Caden do good work in this department.”
She laughed. “It’s crazy how they’re a complete mixture of the two of us. Genes are weird.”
Lawson’s hand ghosted up and down my arm. “Are they sleeping any better?”
“No,” Caden answered from his spot next to Grae. “And they rile each other up. I feel like we might be in for it during the teenage years.”
Grae’s lips twitched. “Caden gets cranky with lack of sleep, but they’ve got him wrapped around their little fingers.”
He leaned over Micah and tickled his belly. Micah let out a bubbly giggle.
“The lack of sleep isrough,” Adrian said as he bounced his and Emerson’s baby boy on his lap. “We should’ve bought stock in coffee.”
Emerson leaned over and pressed a kiss to Adrian’s temple. “But you love those silent moments in the middle of the night with our guy.”
Adrian’s expression turned soft. “I do. But I miss sleep.”
My world felt complete when Emerson and Adrian moved from Chicago to Cedar Ridge six months ago. Adopting a baby boy had changed their minds about city life. They wanted a place for Dawson to run and play as he grew up. And Cedar Ridge had a built-in community. They’d quickly become a part of the Hartley family, and I was able to give Emerson the family we’d never had growing up.
