My Dad's Rival

“Daisy, that’s a perfect name,” Lucy says, kissing Warren on top of his head. He grins, pleased with himself. And it really is the perfect name. Our baby Daisy…perhaps her sister can be Rose or Blossom. Whatever we choose, I know it’ll be perfect.

Because life with Lucy has been nothing but perfect so far.

EXTENDED EPILOGUE

Fifteen years later…

Lucy

I’m not used to the quiet anymore. When you have five children, it can be hard to remember what the sound of silence is like. But now, as I lounge by the infinity pool in Barbados, I truly remember how serene it can be.

Wyatt and I have been here on vacation for the past two weeks. I haven’t been on a vacation without the kids since Warren was born, but it feels nice to have some alone time with my husband. I know they’re in good hands with my dad. I miss them, of course, but this time away will only make me appreciate them more when I return.

I reach for Wyatt’s hand. He’s on the sun bed next to me, snoozing in the sun, but his thumb strokes over my knuckles when my hand slides into his. We needed this time to ourselves. It’s been too long. And with it being our fifteen year anniversary, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to have some TLC.

The years have been so kind to us. We’re both older and wiser now, but he’s still just as sexy to me as the day we met. He looks so damn good in his swimming trunks, his skin golden from the sun. He’s relaxed and at ease, in a way, he hasn’t been in a long time. I don’t think I’ve been this chilled out in a long time either.

Having five kids takes work. We put everything into being parents, giving them all the time and love that they deserve. We spend our days at work and our evenings tending to the kids, making sure they never want for anything. We attend every school event we can, partake in the various hobbies our kids have, and if there’s time to spare, we give them even more time and attention.

But no matter what, Wyatt and I always make time for one another too. Almost every single night, we make love and it feels just as good as it did the first time. He’s learned my body by heart over the years, tracking the ways it has changed, learning everything there is to know. He’s changeless, unmarred by pregnancies, but he’s older now, and I know he has insecurities about that. But I don’t care one bit. The twenty years between us feel like nothing when we’re together. I love him no matter what. Our love has stayed strong for fifteen years, and it’ll last until the day we die.

And the perfect thing is, lying here together, we don’t even need to talk much. We’ve had every conversation under the sun over the years. Being in one another’s company is enough sometimes. We don’t need to talk to communicate.

He continues to rub my hand so gently, so kindly, I can feel the love flowing from him. I feel so safe with him, so cared for. He’s my knight in shining armor, always by my side, helping me fight battles I’m certain I’d lose otherwise. He’s my partner in crime. My superhero and I’m his sidekick. We need one another, and that’s never going to change.

“You’re so beautiful,” he says, and I realize he’s been staring at me. I blush. Sometimes, I find that hard to believe. I was always so confident in myself, but having five babies has taken a toll on my body. I’m still all curves, but my skin is loose and saggy now as well, and sometimes, I feel like I’m not good enough anymore.

“You have to say that,” I murmur, but he grips my hand tight.

“I mean it. You’re beautiful. You always have been, always will be. I’m so lucky to call you mine.” But it’s not him who is lucky. It’s me. I’m lucky to have a man who still wants me, even if I change as often as the weather. I’m blessed that he thinks I’m beautiful even though my body is getting older. Because Wyatt Callaghan could have anyone in the world. He’s too damn hard to resist. I’ve seen the way other women stare him down, wishing he was theirs. But I’m lucky because he’ll always be mine. He’s loyal to me, and only to me. That’s something that’s so rare to find now, and yes I found it in him.

“I can’t believe it’s been fifteen years,” I whisper. “Where do you think we’ll be fifteen years from now?”

“Right here,” he says confidently. “Still loving one another hard. Still taking care of one another. That’s where we’ll be.”