Page 88 of Her Big Bad Wolf

Begrudgingly, I obeyed.

A few people stopped to speak with me along the way, but eventually I made my way to my seat in the front row right at middle stage.

The lights dimmed and I looked around the room before turning my full focus on the stage.

Mary opened this year with a few announcements. That was normally my job.

Commotion beside me caught my attention as Isaac slid into the seat next to me.

He leaned over and kissed my cheek.

“Sorry we’re late.”

“Did we make it, Mom?” Mason asked.

“Yes, it’s starting now. Shh!”

The boys took their seats just as the curtain started to rise.

All the kids looked so cute standing up there.

Cam looked around and then finally spotted us. There were no tears or permanent trauma that I had once feared. Instead, there stood a proud little man waving excitedly at his family.

Isaac beamed with pride as he waved back.

“Dad, stop. You’re embarrassing us,” Noah complained.

It had been a month since the adoption had finalized. Noah, Mason, and Cameron were officially our sons now.

A month before that, Kelsey and Kyle had kept the boys for a weekend, and Isaac and I had sealed our bond properly. I felt a little guilty knowing it was the greatest weekend of my life.

We’d gotten a bit more than we bargained for, too. I was now two months pregnant with our fourth child.

Life had a funny way of changing in an instant.

In a matter of months I’d gone from accepting my place as a spinster destined to care for other people’s children, to having three of my own and another on the way.

And Isaac was no longer alone in this world. He was still gruff and sometimes a stubborn pain in my ass, but he was my ass. His big gesture had pulled him back into the world he’d once abandoned. He was seen now, no longer a ghost. I still worked at my school while he continued working from home. For the most part we kept a low profile life, working our farm and raising our family. But when the big moments that matter arose, here he was right by my side.

My life was pretty perfect, well, maybe not perfect, just perfect for me, and unless he was feeling particularly ornery, my mate would say the same.

As Cam stepped up to say his lines, Isaac muttered them with him. They’d worked so hard to memorize them. And when he nailed it, Isaac let out a loud, “Yes! That’s my boy.”

Those around us chuckled.

I didn’t think my nerves subsided until all the kids lined up across the stage, held hands, and took a bow.

As Mary gave the closing remarks, she recognized Emma and I too. I didn’t need any credit for this, but I stood and humbly bowed when she called my name.

“I may be biased, but I think that was the best preschool showcase we’ve ever had,” Shelby gushed.

A short rather round man with thick glasses walked up to us. I was certain I’d never seen him before.

“Isaac?”

My mate whipped around and then grinned.

“Archie? What are you doing here?”