Page 236 of Between Secrets and Obsession

“Mrs. Evans?”

“Yes, Callie?” Maddie responds gently.

“Can you tie my shoe for me?” Callie flutters her eyelashes.

“Oh, uh…sure.” Maddie attempts to kneel and struggles the whole way down. The little girl puts her foot on Maddie’s knee, and once she’s done tying, the little girl says thanks and runs off.

I’m positioned where she can’t see me and softly chuckle as my wife tries to stand. After a moment, she gives up.

“There’s a special place in hell for a man who laughs at their pregnant wife instead of helping her!”

Shit. She heard me.

“Would you like some help, baby?” I walk over and hold out my hand.

Maddie narrows her eyes and scowls. “No, I thought I’d stay down here for a while and enjoy the view.”

Fuck, she’s feisty when she’s hormonal.

“C’mon, let’s get you some tacos.” I take her hand and help her up.

“Tacos? You act like I’m a hangry baby-oven crazy person.”

I cup her cheeks and press a kiss to her lips. “I’d never think that.”

Maddie walks toward her office, and I follow. At seven months pregnant with our second child, I’d wish she’d take it easy so she doesn’t end up in preterm labor like she did with our first son, Tyler. Luckily, they were able to stop her contractions, but she spent the final six weeks of her pregnancy in a hospital bed. She’s already considered high risk, but until her doctor demands it or she’s forced, she won’t slow down.

She grabs her purse, then shuts off her computer. “Okay, fine. Feed me tacos.”

I smirk, knowing I was right.

“Wipe that shit-eating grin off your face right now, Mr. Evans.”

Almost five years after we saidI Do,and I still love hearing her call me that because I love being her husband. We got married on New Year's Eve the year I proposed, and it’s been the best five years of my fucking life. We found out she was expecting two years later, and instead of getting back on birth control after Tyler was born, we decided not to take precautions. Just a little over a year later, we found out baby number two was on his way.

“We’ll eat on the road,” I tell her.

Once we found out Maddie was pregnant again, we started house hunting and bought something bigger that was closer to Maddie’s dance studio. She opened it right before we found out she was pregnant again and has been going nonstop to keep it running. Considering she’s been chasing after a toddler at the same time, I’m proud as hell with everything she’s accomplished in such a short amount of time.

Every class of hers has a waiting list. She’s hired three other dance instructors to keep up with demand.

The most important thing is she’s happy as hell doing what she loves. She gets to dance, teach choreography, and be around kids. I didn’t even groan when she told me she hired Joel to fill in for when she goes on maternity leave.

I’m still a bounty hunter, but I stick to the local area, so I’m home every evening. Only once in a while will I take jobs out of state, but I’d rather spend time with my perfect little family.

I drive us home, and once we’re inside the house, Tyler comes running into my arms. Catching him, I throw him up in the air before hugging him to my chest. He’ll be two next month, which I can hardly believe.

“Hey, buddy. Were you good for Auntie Sophie?”

“He sure was!” Sophie singsongs, waddling over from the kitchen as she holds her daughter’s hand. Layla turned four a few months ago and is the spitting image of her mom with dark brown hair and eyes. I like to give Mason shit and ask how he contributed, which usually ends in a punch to my ribs.

“I got him all dressed and ready to go. Then he decided the dog’s slobbery water dish was a bath, so after I found he dumped it all over himself, he had arealbath and got re-dressed.”

Maddie chuckles, taking him from me. “You’re a little stinker, aren’t you? Just like your father.”

I press a hand to my chest. “I was an angel. Just ask my dad.”

Maddie snorts. “I did. He didn’t tell me the same story.”