EPILOGUE
JOSH saw his wife as she came out of the house and crossed the grass. Her hair was loose, caught behind her ear on one side with a clip, and he thought how amazing it was he never grew tired of watching her. He couldn’t believe how much his life had changed in the past two years. How fortunate he was.
He crossed the lawn and went to meet her. Georgie smiled at him as she saw him approaching and his heart swelled with love and satisfaction. ‘Is she asleep?’
She nodded and her hair swung in a thick, glossy curtain around her shoulders.
He slid his arm under the heavy sheath of her hair and pulled her close to him, breathing in her scent of cinnamon and honey.
‘I can’t believe our daughter is one year old already,’ he said as he hugged her.
‘I know. Soon she’ll be running after her cousins and getting into all sorts of mischief.’
Josh looked over to the pool where most of Georgie’s nieces and nephews were mucking about. Her parents were keeping a watchful eye on their grandchildren and her brothers and sisters-in-law were scattered around the garden, having all travelled up from Melbourne to celebrate the baby’s birthday. Despite Georgie living in Brisbane, her family kept in touch and they all made a special effort to get together for big celebrations. But Josh knew that, for his daughter, seeing her cousins on an irregular basis was no match for growing up surrounded by family.
‘Do you miss Melbourne or are you happy here?’ he asked.
Georgie took his hand from her shoulders and held it. ‘Come with me.’ She smiled at him. ‘I want to show you something.’ She led him into the house. ‘I don’t miss Melbourne. Sometimes I miss my family,’ she admitted, ‘especially after we’ve had weekends like this, but I have you and I have our family.’
She opened the door to their daughter’s room and led him to Alexandra’s cot. Alexandra was lying on her back, arms thrown wide, spread-eagled in her favourite position, clutching one of her soft toys in her chubby fingers. Georgie stood in front of him and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting them on her stomach. ‘I have everything I want right here.’
Josh rested his chin on the top of his wife’s head as he watched his sleeping daughter. This was another vision he’d never grow tired of. ‘What about Alexandra? Do you think we’re depriving her of her cousins and grandparents?’
‘She’ll be okay. Don’t forget, she won’t know anything different,’ Georgie assured him. ‘We’ll just have to have a big family ourselves so the kids can keep each other company.’
‘More kids?’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘Should we start today?’ he asked with a grin.
Georgie laughed. ‘We’ve already started,’ she said as she squeezed his fingers and turned her head to smile at him. ‘I’m nine weeks pregnant.’
‘What? You are?’
Georgie nodded. She’d planned to tell him the news when her family had all returned to Melbourne as she’d wanted it to be just between them for a while, but once she’d had a positive pregnancy test she’d found it very difficult to keep the news from Josh. She knew that if she didn’t tell him soon, he’d guess. His ability to read her thoughts hadn’t diminished since they’d married but, for once, if the stunned look on his face was anything to go by, she’d managed to surprise him this time. ‘Is that okay? Not too much to deal with?’
‘Are you kidding?’ His eyes were shining silver and he was grinning like the Cheshire cat. ‘Being married to you, being a father, has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Adding to our family can only make things better,’ he said as he smoothed his fingers over her stomach. ‘It’s fantastic news.’
The gentle pressure of his fingers sent a shiver of desire through Georgie. She’d never imagined she could love someone so completely. She turned to face him, careful to stay within his embrace. ‘I love you. Thank you for sharing your life with me.’
‘Our life together is still only just beginning,’ he said as he bent his head and kissed her softly on the lips. ‘I am going to love you for ever.’
And as he claimed her lips a second time there was not a trace of doubt in her mind that he would do just that. She had everything she’d ever wished for.
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