Epilogue
Daisy tiptoed upstairs, where her sister’s baby was sleeping in the old nursery. She found Rose awake. Not wide awake, but awake enough that she was surely justified in picking her up.
She crooned softly as she carried her niece over to the window overlooking the backyard. “I finally got you alone, didn’t I, little one? How are you ever going to know that I’m your favorite aunt if everyone else always grabs you? But I’ve got you now, you darling…”
Below, the family party was in full swing. Daisy gave herself full credit for the reunion-it was her birthday today, August 31-but the day was just an excuse. As close as their family was emotionally, it had been years since they’d had a chance to really spend time together-much less at the Campbell family homestead.
Below, Cameron and Pete, her brothers-in-law, were both holding spatulas in front of a flaming barbecue and looking bewildered. Pete’s two teenage boys had gotten ahold of a hose, and were racing around, soaked to the bone. God knew how many dogs were chasing them. Hussy II fit right in with Camille’s pack, but Daisy only recognized the shepherd and the bloodhound-the rest looked like the derelict rescue dogs they all were. Violet’s cats were supervising the party from the cool, safe height of the shade trees.
Her gaze softened as she spotted her parents. Margaux was carrying another bowl outside-two picnic tables were set up and already sagging with food, a good thing since nothing coming off the grill had a prayer of being edible. Colin stepped up behind Margaux and swung her in a hug. The two looked at each other the same way they always had when they thought their three daughters didn’t notice. Even after all these years, the love between them glowed like sunshine, silent, warm, healing.
“You know Grandma and Grandpa, don’t you, Rose,” Daisy murmured. “Grandma always smells like lavender. And when you get a little older, she’ll let you make cookies and all kinds of messes in the kitchen. And then Grandpa…oh, you’re going to love Grandpa. You get just a little bigger, and he’ll swing you up in the air and tickle you and make you laugh…”
She heard a footstep behind her and half turned.
“I wondered where you’d disappeared to-but it wasn’t too hard to guess,” Teague said wryly.
Not that she was prejudiced, but her husband was the handsomest of all the men there, so tall and lean, so full of hell with those dark eyes and sexy smile. She smiled when he bent down to kiss her. “You surviving my family okay?”
“They’re terrific.”
“You were worried?”
“How could I not be worried? I had visions of three more women just like you and the kind of father who thinks no man is ever good enough for his daughter.”
“Ha. My dad took one look at you and said I’d finally developed some judgment in men.” She added wryly, “Which was true. I’m keeping you, Mr. Larson, and that’s that.”
“Yeah, well, I’m keeping you, Mrs. Larson, and that’s that.”
She grinned, until the baby suddenly let out a small squall, as if offended to be ignored for so long. “You want to hold your niece?” she asked Teague.
“Not exactly. They’re pretty scary when they’re that little. Um…”
She didn’t give him a choice, simply lifted the baby into Teague’s arms. He looked alarmed for several seconds, but then Teague was complete mush in the heart area-which she knew. His arms instinctively snuggled the baby. Rose opened her eyes and blew a bubble for her uncle.
“I’m in love,” Teague admitted gruffly. “She’s scary, mind you. But if ours is even half this beautiful, I’ll be okay. I think. Possibly. Maybe.”
“Ours?” Daisy repeated.
His gaze shot to hers. “Did you think I wouldn’t guess?”
“I’m not sure yet,” she whispered. “I haven’t had the test. Haven’t been to a doctor.”
“I’m sure. And I couldn’t be happier, lover. A little scared, I admit it. But I can’t think of anything I want in this life more than a baby with you.” Again he leaned down to kiss her, this time a kiss of lingering tenderness that made her heart sing.
A clatter of footsteps running up the stairs interrupted them. “Hey, you two. Enough of the mush. My God, every time you turn around, someone’s kissing in this family,” Camille complained. She was out of breath, just from climbing the stairs, but then she was already big as a tugboat and the baby wasn’t due for two more months. She waggled her fingers. “Hand over my niece.”
“She doesn’t want you,” Daisy told her. “She wants her favorite aunt. The one who’s going to give her drums and cymbals and lots of noisy toys, right, pumpkin?”
“If you don’t let me have a turn, Mom’ll be up here, and you all know no one can get a baby out of her hands.”
“You’ve all had more time with Rose than I have,” Daisy argued.
“But I’m going to have the next one, so I need the baby-holding experience. Besides. I’m the youngest. And you two always let me have my own way, so I don’t think you should start making exceptions now.”
“Of all the sissy, weak-kneed arguments,” Daisy began, but Violet interrupted.
“You two are going to make me cry. How many years has it been since we had a chance to bicker like this?”
They started laughing, even if their laughter turned just a little misty-eyed in the process…but then the baby let out a single soft wail. All three of them naturally quietened down as Violet took Rose to the rocker and started nursing her.
“She’s so beautiful, Vi,” Daisy said softly.
“I know, I know. I feel so lucky.”
“We’re all lucky. Five years ago we all seemed in so much trouble that I wasn’t sure if any of us could find our way.”
Camille put a hand on her stomach. “Through thick and thin, I always knew you two would be there for me. And now I think back and realize how much we learned about love-real love, tough love, the kind of love that really lasts-from Mom and Dad.”
“Yeah, so did I,” Violet agreed. “I didn’t see it at the time. Not until I met Cameron. But knowing the kind of love that really makes a difference-it started with all of us.”
Daisy found herself sitting on the windowsill, a smile on her face that refused to go away. It was so wonderful, to have her sisters and family together again. To see how Camille and Violet had moved on from such devastating blows to create stronger, better lives for themselves. To see them both so fiercely in love.
Her, too, she mused. She wasn’t sure when Teague had disappeared, but knowing him, she could have guessed he’d give her some alone time with her sisters. Her gaze drifted to the yard below, where Teague was walking with her parents in the original lavender garden that Margaux had started as a young bride.
As if sensing her love, Teague looked up. He didn’t interrupt his conversation with her parents…just looked at her.
And she just looked back. Her heart welled up with so much love she could hardly stand it. She loved that man-and she loved seeing him with her family.
They were all home. It didn’t get better than this.
JENNIFER GREENE
lives near Lake Michigan with her husband and has two children. She has written more than fifty category romances, for which she has won numerous awards, including three RITA® Awards from the Romance Writers of America in the Best Short Contemporary Books category, and a Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times magazine.
