“Really? Can I call him Bertie?”
“Yes.” Holding the baby in one arm, Jude maneuvered Maya so she could sit in his lap too. The sight of him holding both our children, made tears spring to my eyes.
“Aren’t they beautiful,” I said to August.
He nodded. “Yes.” He turned to me, taking my hand. “How are you? Do you need anything?”
“My life is perfect, August.” I squeezed his hand. I knew he still struggled some socially and at times was lonely. I wished for him to find my same happiness.
“Then my job is done,” he smiled.
He waited for a few more minutes, and then August took Maya back to his place, while Jude and I swooned over our new baby.
“I missed this with Maya,” Jude said quietly as he gave the baby back to me. I wasn’t surprised that he did. I knew he’d been taking in every aspect of my pregnancy with eagerness and at the same time some sadness that he’d missed it all with Maya.
I took his hand and kissed it. “I’m sorry for that.”
He nodded. “I am too. I would have been here, April, if I’d known.”
“I know. I hate that you didn’t know. I should have—”
“No more of the should haves and regrets, remember?” He squeezed my hand. “We’re together now. We’re a family now. Our dream came true.”
My heart filled to overflowing. “Our dream came true even better than we planned.” Sure, we had years apart filled with pain and misunderstanding, but now, our lives were better than I’d ever thought they’d be. It was a touch price to pay to get her, but it was hard not to say it was worth it when the most perfect man was standing by my side having given me another perfect child.
Jude smiled at me. “You know, the house has five bedrooms.”
I arched a brow. My parents had used the extra two rooms in the house as an office for my dad and craft room for my mom. I got the distinct feeling that Jude had other ideas.
“Oh?”
“We could fill them,” he said.
“Four kids?”
“Yes or more. Some can share a room.”
I laughed. “Can you give me a little time to recuperate before working on the next one?”
“I’m being a dope, aren’t I?” His cheeks blushed.
I pressed my palm to one. “No. You’re being a loving husband and father. I’m not adverse to filling the bedrooms, but I’d like a couple of years before we do this again.”
He nodded. “Right. We can practice though, right?”
“Six weeks.”
He arched a brow.
“In six weeks, I can have sex again.”
He swallowed and looked horrified. “Six weeks? My balls will fall off if I have to wait that long.”
“Poor baby. Well, if you’re nice to me, and helpful with Bertie, maybe I’ll have the energy to help out.”
He grinned. “You’re the perfect wife, you know that?”
“It’s only fitting since you’re the perfect husband. And we have a perfect family.”