Page 10 of Ever After Between the Lines (Montgomery Ink Legacy)

TABBY

After nearly four years of marriage, I was more in love with Alexander Montgomery than I had been the first time I had seen him.

Oh, that love at first sight, hadn’t been reciprocated, not even close.

He had been married after all. I had promptly slapped myself in the forehead for even allowing those thoughts to enter that realm.

I had loved him in my own way from afar.

And I had done my best to bury that feeling deep down so it wouldn’t matter when nothing came from it.

Somehow, through the grace of fate, and whoever else was watching out for us, Alexander Montgomery was now my husband. And some days I felt like drawing hearts around his name in my planner and making plans. Only now I was living those plans.

Alexander wrapped his arm around my waist and squeezed.

“Why do you look like you just saw your favorite boy band member?” he teased, and I nearly tripped over my feet. He held me steady on the slightly icy sidewalk.

I smiled up at him. “You know what’s funny? I was just thinking about you. I guess you could be in a boy band. There’s enough of you in your family.”

“Dear God, never mention that to Maya, or we’re going to end up having to dress up for Halloween one year as her favorite boy band from the early two thousands.”

My eyes brightened. “I need to take out my phone to make notes. It has nothing to do with what you just said.”

He held my hand, brought it to his lips. When he placed a kiss there, I nearly swooned.

Alexander Montgomery was my husband. And I was going to sing it for all the world, and eventually, I was going to stop acting like the ninny that I was and live in a moment. But I couldn’t help but squee internally.

“Did you just make a tiny little scream sound?” he asked, a brow raised.

I blushed. “I thought I was doing the squeeing internally. Apparently, I was doing it out loud too.”

Alexander shook his head and leaned down to kiss me.

“Oops, sorry,” a man said as he walked around us, coffee in hand. Had his cell phone to his ear and kept going, looking like he had business, very important business .

“It’s the day before New Year’s, and we’re in Vail, Colorado. Why does he seem like he’s on a mission?”

“Not everybody’s on vacation like we are.”

I threw out my other arm, careful not to hit anybody.

“ Vacation . What a wonderful word to use.” I cringed and looked up at Alexander.

“Is it weird that I’m saying this even though we don’t have our babies here?

They should be here and there as we’re walking around, and they could see the mountains like this. ”

“They see the mountains every time we take them outside or if they look through a window. And they’ve been to Vail with us.”

“You’re right, but you were working. That wasn’t a vacation.”

“I was working on a photoshoot, and you were working with having to deal with two infants, in the cutest little snowsuits ever.”

“Aren’t they adorable? I can’t believe they’re already nearing three. Doesn’t it seem like just yesterday we were finding out we were having them?”

“It does. I’m so glad you don’t have to deal with that morning sickness anymore.”

I smiled, but my stomach turned a bit. Hopefully, it was just at the memory finding its way to the present.

“What’s wrong?” Alexander asked, and I shook my head. “Just remembering morning sickness.”

“I’m just glad being sick all the time didn’t last the full forty weeks like Maya’s did the second time.” He gave a full-body shudder. “I love my sister, and though she can be demanding in her amazing way, I hate seeing her be sick.”

“I love your sister too. And yeah, you’re right. Her being sick was horrible. But she’s okay now.”

“You think she and Jake and Border are thinking about having another?” he asked as we walked past a family with a bassinet.

My heart warmed, seeing the little family, and I looked up at Alexander. “I’m not sure. Maya was talking about it, and I’m pretty sure most everybody is open to more children, as Sierra and Austin are already working on the next adoption.”

“Griffin and Autumn keep joking that they’re going to have to end up with more playtime funds for each kid to the point that they’re going to go bankrupt.”

I laughed. “Griffin is a New York Times bestselling author who has two movies out at this point. He’ll be fine. The fact that they even have a fund for each kid that they jokingly made so they can spoil our children is amazing.”

“I do have the best brothers.”

I elbowed him in the gut, and he laughed. “Excuse me. My three brothers are pretty amazing too.”

“Dare, Lock, and Fox are pretty decent, but they’re no Montgomerys.”

I rolled my eyes at the age-old competition. Not that they were fighting over who was best, but they wouldn’t be guys if they weren’t finding a way to playfully growl at one another. Not that I would put it that way to them.

“I’m sorry that we’re not with them this weekend.”

“We weren’t going to see them anyway. You surprising me like this didn’t hurt those plans. We were going to stay home or maybe go to one of your countless siblings.”

“I love how you say countless as if I don’t just have seven.”

“ Seven , Alexander.”

“Eight kids aren’t that bad. And there’s a set of twins. Like ours.”

My eyes widened. “Do you think that we’re going to have eight children?”

“Of course not. I was thinking about a rounded out ten.”

I choked, and he pulled me out of the way of another family. “I hope you’re joking.”

“I am. I wouldn’t mind ten, or just the two that we have, not that there’s anything just about them.”

I smiled again. “I like our family, Alexander. How it is or how it may be. We did good.”

His eyes warmed as we stood in front of a little coffee shop. “We did pretty well. And it’s all because of you, my Tabitha.”

“Aw, you’re so sweet. This whole trip, us without the kids, and you laying it on kind of thick. I know what you want tonight,” I laughed.

His eyes darkened and leaned down and brushed his lips on mine. “Oh, I have a feeling I’m going to get exactly what I want.”

“You are lucky there are children around, or I would tell you exactly what I think about that.”

“Okay, I concede. However, I do believe I smell hot chocolate.”

I whirled and clapped my hands together. “And chocolate shavings. And caramel sauce. Oh my word, I’m excited.” I bounced, and Alexander laughed behind me.

“You already sound like you’ve had the sugar.”

“Perhaps. But you cannot deny me this.”

He tugged on my arm slightly, and I turned to him. “I can’t deny you anything, wife of mine.”

And I melted right there. Sometimes Alexander was quiet, a little gruff, in his own world. He had been through his own personal hell and had fought his way back. It only made sense he was like that.

However, other times he was so open and caring and puddle-inducing, that I couldn’t help but fall in love all over again.

We waited in line, and I got a caramel drizzle hot cocoa, and Alexander ended up with a peppermint white chocolate hot chocolate. Or was that a peppermint hot white chocolate? I wasn’t quite sure what they named it, but it tasted amazing.

As we walked back towards the home we were staying in, Alexander stopped me at the edge of the road and rubbed his thumb along my nose. “What?” I asked, a smile on my face.

“I love you.”

He looked down at me. “I love you too. Even with the cream on your nose.” He kissed me soundly, and someone cheered. I waved at the stranger. “Thank you!” I called out.

Alexander chuckled beside me, tangled his fingers in mine, and we crossed the street towards the house. He let me in, and I sighed as the warmth seeped into me. I hadn’t realized how cold I had been getting until we were inside.

“You know someone that owns this place?” I asked as we took off our coats and got comfortable.

“A buddy of mine. He won a Pulitzer and wants to work with me. Offered me the place when we were talking about me wanting to surprise you with something.”

My eyes widened. “Oh my. Look at you staying with the fancy people.”

My husband blushed adorably. “I try. Are you almost done with your hot cocoa?”

I chugged the rest of it and handed him the recyclable cup. “Perhaps.”

He shook his head, took care of her cups, and went to turn on the fire.

“Now cuddle with me, woman,” he growled, and I sank into him.

I pulled out my phone, and he smiled. “Calling the kids?” he asked.

“I’m calling Maya, who can show me our babies. It’s been three hours since we spoke to them.”

“I’m shocked you didn’t call them out there.”

I blush. “I tried on one corner, but there wasn’t great service, and I wanted to see their little faces on FaceTime.”

Alexander took the phone from me, kissed the top of my head, and dialed. He had longer arms so I could lean into him as we waited to see our babies’ faces.

Instead, Jake, one of my Maya’s husbands answered. His nose ring was in, and he was smiling wide.

“Well, hello there, you two. Thank you for not calling naked.”

“Jake,” Alexander growled behind me, and I laughed. “We want to see our babies. Of course, we’re not going to call your naked.”

“Shame,” Jake said, and then ducked his husband’s fist jokingly.

“We’ve got them right here,” Border said, and Jake turned the camera so we could see them.

Maya had her youngest, Skylar, on her lap. Sky was near the same age as Sebastian and Aria. Sebastian and Aria were both on Border’s lap, while the trio’s four-year-old, Noah, sat between them, reading a book to them.

“Noah, are you reading?” I asked.

“I’m trying,” he said, smiling big.

Jake chuckled into the phone. “I’m pretty sure he has the thing memorized, but he’s reading full sentences now. He’s the smartest baby out there.”

“Jake,” Maya snapped, and I just grinned at the family.

“Babies,” I said, as Aria held out her little chubby fist. Sebastian waved, and we kissed into the camera, and I fell in love with my babies all over again.

“Did you have a good day?” I asked, and both of my babies told me all about their day with blocks and reading and all the sugar they were currently ingesting.

I raised a brow to Maya, who just shrugged.

“We’re their aunt and uncles. We’re allowed to do that.”

“Okay, but next time we watch Skylar and Noah, be prepared.”

“As always,” Border grumbled as he held both of my babies.

The man was gruff, a little rough, but the sweetest when it came to our children.

I had a wonderful family. Had grown up with the best sort of people. Oh, I had been blessed by adding even more impossible, caring, and loving people to my brood.

I hung up with the babies, and I wiped tears.

“What’s wrong?” Alexander asked as he set the phone down and turned me in his arms.

“Nothing’s wrong. I’m just really happy.”

He gave me a dubious stare. “I am,” I whispered.

“You say that, and then you’re crying.”

“You’ve known me for how long? You know I cry when I’m happy and overwhelmed.”

He held my face and kissed me softly. “Thank you for letting me take you out like this. For surprising you. I know we’re not the usual people that go off schedule, but when this opportunity came up, I wanted to see if I can give you another holiday present.”

I reached out and brushed my fingertips along his lips. He kissed them gently, and I nearly swooned again.

“I’m so blessed that I have you,” I whispered.

“I thought that was my line,” he whispered.

“You say that, and yet sometimes I can barely breathe even just thinking of you. I’m so glad that you picked me.” He frowned.

“I didn’t pick you, Tabitha. You were mine, always. Just took me a while to figure that out.”

And I fell in love with my husband, Alexander Montgomery, all over again.

We had been nearly beaten, robbed of our own fates, and yet we had come together.

And tomorrow, we have one more day in this year before we headed into the new year and our new plans.

And before we did that, though, I needed to tell him one more thing.

But I would wait till tomorrow.

For now, I just wanted to hold my husband and remember the present.

Something I usually forgot to do in the heat of family and plans.

So tonight, I would remember.