Fall by Winter

He sighed with relief and hugged me to him. “Good job back there, Nana.”

“Eeep!” I did a little shimmy, exploding with energy. “You too, Pop. Let’s go grab some real coffee across the street. It’s still gonna be a while.”

He peered down at me, amused. “Do you really need caffeine at this stage?”

“No, but it’s delicious.” I grabbed his hand and dragged him toward the elevator. “Come on. We have so much to talk about. Do the kids have everything they need for the baby? When do you think Tristan’s going to propose? They said they weren’t in a rush, but sir, there’s a baby coming out of Katie right now.”

He chuckled and threaded our fingers together. Then the humor faded, and he frowned at my hand. “I think Katie left her nails embedded in here. Are you okay?”

I laughed softly and entered the elevator. “I’m feeling wonderful, and I’m in the mood for cookies and a future with you.”

He grinned, pulling me to his body again, and kissed my forehead. “I can give you both of those things.”

I puckered my lips, and he kissed me gently.

“I guess I win, Mason.” I smiled up at him. “You said you were coming for my heart, and now you’ve got it.”

He mirrored my expression with a bit of surprise in his eyes. “I do, huh? Doesn’t that make me the winner?”

I shook my head. “Feels like I won.”

“I’m willing to share first place with the love of my life.” He kissed me again.

Those words caused a rush of emotions to surge forward, and my eyes welled up. “Me too.”Olivia Linh Calvert was born two minutes past ten that evening.

She was the most precious little girl, and it hit me in all the right places to see her in Mason’s arms.

“You did good, kids.” He smiled and pressed a featherlight kiss to the baby girl’s forehead before returning her to her very proud daddy.

“May I please hold her again before we go?” I begged.

Tristan chuckled tiredly and walked over to me. “Of course.”

“Sweet, beautiful little girl. You’re gonna get so spoiled in our family.” I held her carefully and breathed in her baby scent. “And you’re much better than a puppy.”

“Uh, thanks. We think so too.” Tristan smirked strangely.

I chuckled softly and shook my head. “I contemplated getting a dog so I’d feel less lonely.”

“Ah.” Tristan’s smirk didn’t fade one bit. “I mean, you kinda did.” He nodded at Mason.

I stood stock-still, and my lips parted in surprise. “Wait. You know about…?” Us.

For some reason, Mason smiled wryly.

Tristan laughed under his breath. “I’ve known longer than you have, Aunt Lis. Dad called me in Vancouver one night, drunk off his ass—”

“That’s a bit of an exaggeration, son,” Mason insisted, eyes narrowed. “I was not drunk off my ass.”

“Fine,” Tristan conceded. “But you were lit, and you said you’d waited long enough.”

This was certainly news to me. “When was this?”

“About a year ago,” Tristan replied.

“I think I can tell the rest of the story,” Mason said pointedly. Then he suggested we let the new momma and baby rest, so he squeezed Katie’s hand and said we’d be back tomorrow.

He was right. I could interrogate Mason when I wasn’t holding this gorgeous little miracle.

“I will see you tomorrow, angel.” I brushed a kiss to Olivia’s forehead and returned her to Tristan. “Congratulations again, hon. Welcome to the world of sleepless nights. You’re gonna love it.”

“Heh.” Tristan chuckled uncomfortably, but the happiness that shone from his eyes triumphed.

After saying goodbye to the kids, Mason and I left their room and walked toward the elevator.

I slipped my hand into his.

“So…” I hinted.

He grinned to himself and pressed the button. “You don’t want me to tell you this over a nice dinner and a bottle of red?”

“While I am starving, to use Brady’s term,” I said smoothly, “I think you can tell me the story right now on our way to the nearest drive-thru.”

He laughed. “I love you, darlin’.”

“I love you too, more than the Chinese food I didn’t get to finish.” I entered the elevator and hugged his arm. “When did you know?”

He knew what I meant.

“Two years ago,” he replied. “Will called to tell me about your divorce, and like a flip of a switch, I mentally checked out of my own deteriorating marriage. I stopped trying. I stopped caring. Then I saw you shortly after.”

I nodded, remembering our dinner when I’d been in Phoenix.

“You weren’t ready at the time,” he went on. “Frankly, neither was I. My partners and I were in the middle of selling our firm—while I was being headhunted by another agency—Tristan needed me around as he tried to decide where to go after college, and Meghan’s mother had just died. It wasn’t how I wanted our forever to start.”

I pressed a kiss to his bicep, and we exited the elevator on the ground floor.