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Eric had planned to let her sleep. They'd both been dog tired after the events of the day. He'd figured he'd endure the sweet torture one more night, just hold her and let her rest. But Kelsey had had other plans. She'd slipped into his bed...their bed...and reached for him.
After nearly a decade, they still fit together perfectly.
Kelsey had slipped off to sleep, and he'd watched her, mesmerized.
He'd awoken to the sight of the magical snow-covered world outside his bedroom window. The clouds had moved on, leaving the sky the brightest blue.
Daniel would be coming home soon.
That had been hours before. Now, it was nearly ten a.m. Kelsey hadn't stirred, and he hated to do it, but he needed to wake her. He carried a cup of Irish Breakfast tea to his bedroom. Their bedroom. He set the tea on her nightstand and sat beside her. She was curled up, her long hair covering her beautiful face. He brushed it away, gently kissed her on the temple. "Kelsey, my love. Time to wake up."
She opened her eyes, blinked, and smiled. "Hey."
"I brought you some tea."
She glanced at the cup, then back at him. "Is everything OK?"
"It's perfect. Your son...our son..." He swallowed the emotion, smiled. "He'll be here soon."
Her eyes widened. "How soon?"
"'Bout thirty minutes."
"Oh, oh, oh!" She glanced at the clock. "Oh, my word. How did I sleep this late?"
He chuckled. "I guess I wore you out last night."
She blushed, laughed, and smacked him playfully. "I guess you did." She nudged his thigh resting on the bed. "I have to get up. I must look a mess! I don't want him to see me like this."
He didn't move, just leaned back and gave her a long look. Her hair was tousled. She wore nothing but a smile. "You look perfect."
She smacked him again. "For you, maybe. Probably not for Daniel."
"Good point." He stood, took her hand, and helped her out of the bed. Then he got a look at her and wanted to toss her right back in it.
"Don't even think about it," she said.
"Too late." He should have woken her an hour earlier. He nodded toward the master bath. "Go ahead. You'll find everything you need. I'll be downstairs."
And he should have left her then, but he couldn't resist watching her. She passed him on the way to the bathroom, and his gut tightening with longing. He forced breath into his lungs. It was going to be a long day.
Brady and Rae showed up a few minutes later with Magic, who ran around the house like she'd been gone for a month, sniffing everything and kangaroo-hopping in her joy at being home.
Rae and Brady laughed at the sight. "How is it we've never been here?" Rae asked.
Eric shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I'm not very hospitable."
"Thought southern country boys were big into hospitality," Brady said.
Eric just rolled his eyes.
Brady handed over Kelsey's backpack, and Eric ran upstairs and left it on his bed for her. At least she'd have something to change into.
He returned downstairs. "Y'all want some coffee?"
"If you don't mind," Brady said. "Thought I'd give you an update."
Eric poured the coffee. "What happened?"
"We found Mateo. Bus driver recognized him when he got on in Manchester. Cops were there to meet the bus in Boston."
Eric handed Rae a cup of coffee and poured one for Brady. They sat at the barstools, and he leaned against the counter.
His phone dinged. He read the text from Marisa. Running late. Roads are worse than we thought. Another thirty minutes at least.
Thirty minutes until he'd see his son again. His son. He still couldn't process it. What would Daniel think about all of this? He had no idea. But how ever Daniel took it at first, he knew it would work out, because they were meant to be a family. And the God who'd been with them the night before—been with them through all of this—would work that out, too.
"Everything OK?" Rae asked.
Eric looked up from his phone. "Yeah. They're running late." He focused on Brady. "How about the girl?"
"No sign of her yet."
"Interesting. I wonder how Mateo got to Manchester."
"Good question," Brady said. "We'll ask him when he gets here, which should be sometime later today, though with the snow, it might be tomorrow. Maybe he can shed some light on where she went."
Kelsey came downstairs. "Y'all talking about the girl?"
Eric stared while she walked through his living room and stopped at the end of his counter. Her hair was wet and combed out. She had on no makeup and wore jeans and a sweatshirt and was utterly gorgeous.
Brady reached a napkin toward him. "Dude, you're drooling."
Kelsey blushed.
Eric smacked Brady's hand away and tried not to blush himself. Sheesh, he was like a lovesick teenager.
"What's going on?" Kelsey asked.
They caught her up on what had happened. Rae and Kelsey talked about the night before, which made his stomach hurt to hear. She'd run out of the cabin—and into the hands of her enemies—to protect his friends.
Could he love this woman more? He pulled Kelsey into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "You were very brave."
She wrapped her arms around his middle but didn't say a word.
The doorbell rang.
She stepped back, eyes wide. "Is that him?"
"Probably not. Marisa just texted, and they're running late."
Her shoulders drooped. "Oh."
"He'll be here soon. It's the snow."
Brady opened Eric's door like he owned the place. Not that Eric minded. He sure didn't mind having a house full of friends—and his wife to boot.
"Come on in," Brady said. "They're in the kitchen."
A minute later, Sam and Garrison came around the corner. Sam immediately pulled Kelsey into a hug, then turned to him. "I just had to see you two." She looked between them, tears in her eyes. "Make sure you were okay."
"We're good." Eric wanted to say more, but emotion clogged his throat.
"We're perfect," Kelsey said.
Brady peered at the white box Garrison set on the countertop. "What'd you bring?"
"We stopped at McNeal's," Garrison said. "Figured you guys might want some breakfast."
Plates came out of the cabinets. More coffee was poured, and the six of them crowded around Eric's small counter and enjoyed the most delicious breakfast Eric had ever eaten.
And then, the doorbell rang again.
Kelsey looked at Eric, eyes wide. He took her hand, and together they walked to the front door. He turned the knob, pulled it open, and stepped back.
"Mama!"
The boy barreled through the door and into his mother's arms. Kelsey fell to her knees and held him tight, tears streaming down her cheeks. Eric couldn't see Daniel's face, but the boy's shoulders shook with sobs.
Eric wiped his own eyes as emotions he barely had names for overflowed.
Nate, Marisa, and Ana stood on the front stoop. Marisa was crying, too. Everybody was crying. Eric had never seen so many tears in all his years. But he wasn't complaining. He'd take tears of joy any day.
Finally, Kelsey stood and urged Daniel away from the door.
Eric beckoned Nate and his family inside. He'd appreciated them for taking care of the stranger he'd found in his woods. Now, he knew they'd been taking care of his own son.
He hadn't told them that yet. Hadn't even told Brady. Until Daniel knew, the rest of the world could wait.
Daniel hadn't even noticed Eric. But he saw Magic and hugged the dog's neck. Kelsey came back to the doorway. She looked at Marisa, seemed unable to speak. Marisa just held out her arms, and the women held each other. Kelsey turned to Nate, hugged him, too. "Thank you."
"You're very welcome," Nate said.
Eric turned to see the rest of his friends in their coats and gloves. Brady said, "We'll leave you guys alone. I'll call you with updates, but I don't expect to see you at work this week."
Eric nodded. All the things he should say to this group of people who'd welcomed him, made him feel at home, and protected his wife. But he couldn't seem to put any of that into words right now.
Brady clasped him on the shoulder. "We'll talk soon."
He and Kelsey said good-bye to their friends. When the door closed behind them, he turned to find Kelsey right beside him. She took his hand, and together they walked into the living room, where Daniel was watching the scene, Magic curled up beside him
It was time to introduce Daniel to his father.