Drake Forever (Unrestrained 7)

I hung up after establishing a start date for my position, and then I left my office to find Kate with Sophie. They were on the sofa and were reading a book, with Sophie pointing at each page and saying words.

"Well, it's confirmed. I start January 14th. We'll spend the rest of the month getting everything set up and then start rotations once everything's in place."

I walked over to them and leaned over to kiss Sophie and then gave Kate a warm kiss. I stroked her cheek and held her eyes.

"Thank you so much," I said, emotion filling me. "January can't come soon enough. We should find a house as soon as possible. I've been looking at some online and found one I like."

I sat beside her and pulled my iPad off the coffee table. I opened a browser to a tab with a beautiful old home. Two story, red brick with black and white trim, it was an eight-bedroom mansion that was more than just a house. It was a real home.

"That's amazing," she said as we scrolled through the pictures of the rooms. "Fit for a prince and princess rather than plain old us."

"Plain old us deserves it, after all we've both been through. It has a pasture, a stable for horses and a huge garden. It's only a block away from the ocean on top of it."

"How far from the hospital would it be? I don't want you driving too far."

"It's no big deal. I want this house, if you think it would do."

"Would it do? My God, Drake. It's a mansion."

"It is, kind of. But it would be big enough for Liam and we could have dad and Elaine come and stay, plus there would be rooms for Heath and Christie and the kids if they did as well."

Kate smiled at me and stroked my cheek. "You have it all figured out."

"I do," I said and kissed her and then kissed Sophie's head. "I keep imagining Sophie and Liam riding horses in the pasture and spending time outdoors instead of on the streets of Manhattan.

Sophie was busy swiping the screen between pictures, stabbing the photos with her pinkie.

"You like the house, Sophie? That's going to be your new home, if I can swing it." I glanced at Kate. "Gotta find something of value to spend all that money from the sale of the corporation. That home is worth it."

"It's beautiful."

We spent the rest of the morning examining the house and then we spoke with a real estate agent and agreed to move forward with the offer. We'd know by the end of the week if the owners accepted it.

"I can't thank you enough for agreeing to this," I said, pulling Kate closer after Sophie climbed down and went over to her toy box to play with her toys. "I feel almost giddy with happiness at starting from ground zero with the robotic surgery unit. I get to plan everything, get all the equipment and staff and then set up the schedule. It's a dream come true."

Kate turned to me, her eyes warm. "You deserve it."

We kissed.

"I love you," I said, emotion filling me. "More than anything."

"I love you more than anything."

"You're not going to be upset leaving Manhattan behind?"

Kate sighed. "At first I was, but since Dad and Elaine are coming for a couple of months to get away from the winter, I know I won't be lonely while we get settled in. So no. I'm not at all upset to be leaving Manhattan behind. I'm actually excited. I can't wait to shop for furniture in Southampton. And I want to use one of the reception rooms as my studio." She rubbed her hands together. "With all that natural light, it'll be fantastic."

"Good," I said and squeezed her.

Together, we turned and watched Sophie play.

For the next two months, we'd have to pack and ship our things to Southampton, and get ready for the move to England. Plus, we had a trip to Nassau in the works at Christmas and had to plan for that.

It would be more than enough to keep us both busy. I knew that in no time at all, the three of us would be in our house in Southampton, starting our new life together there.

I was the luckiest man in the world and I knew it.

In two months, all this would be behind us -- the trial, the threats, the publicity -- all of it in the rearview mirror. I'd be starting my new position and starting the robotic surgery unit from the ground up.