Page 141 of Julian

“Hello!” he called out as he stepped into the house. “Anyone home?”

He set his luggage down, then closed the door behind him.

“Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!”

Three-year-old TJ came flying from the direction of the nursery, already in his pajamas. Dark curls bouncing and arms stretched wide, he ran straight to Julian, who scooped him up and held him tight.

“How are you doing, buddy?” Julian asked as he lifted his hand for a high five.

TJ’s little hand smacked Julian’s, and he grinned. “Good.”

“Where’s Mama?”

“She’s feedin’ Soph.”

Julian carried TJ to the nursery, where Kiara was seated with ten-month-old Sophia Grace standing on her lap, waving her hands with excitement when she spotted him. Julian set TJ down, then went over to where Kiara sat.

Smiling, he bent down to give Kiara a kiss before taking the baby from her. He nuzzled Sophia’s neck and blew a raspberry on her skin, making her laugh with her whole body.

Kiara got to her feet and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m so glad you’re home.”

Julian gave her a one-armed hug, holding her close to his side. “And I’m so glad to be home. I missed you.”

“Can we sit?” she asked.

“Of course.” Julian needed the reconnection as much as she apparently did.

He handed Sophia back to her, then sank down into the chair Kiara had just vacated. Once he was situated, he drew Kiara down into his lap, wrapping his arm around her waist and Sophia. TJ scrambled up onto the wide arm of the chair, a book in his hand.

“We’re reading, Daddy,” TJ announced. “Do you want to read with us?”

“You bet, buddy.” Contentment flooded Julian as TJ focused on opening the book to the first page.

He’d been in New York with Duncan for the past four days for meetings, and as with every trip he took away from the estate, he’d missed his family tremendously.

Once TJ had the book open to the right page, he held it so Julian could read it. The story was one that TJ frequently asked for, so he knew parts of it and recited them along with Julian.

Like Kiara, the boy loved books, but he also loved building things and playing with his cars. His personality was reserved with people he didn’t know well, but on the estate, he was well acquainted with everyone, whether they were family or employees.

Sophia Grace had arrived a couple of months after TJ turned two. She was a smiley baby, who happily interacted with everyone. And like TJ, she had Kiara’s coloring and dark curls.

Once the story was finished, Julian took over getting TJ into bed, while Kiara changed Sophia’s diaper and snapped her intoa sleeper. Together, they said prayers with each of the kids, then tucked them in. Not every bedtime went so smoothly, but it was as if the kids knew that their parents needed them to settle quickly that night.

As the house quieted, Kiara went to the kitchen while Julian put his bags in the bedroom and changed out of his traveling clothes.

Over the years, they’d developed a schedule where they usually waited to eat supper until after the kids went to bed. It was time for them to unwind from the day and spend time together.

Julian still traveled quite a bit, but when he wasn’t traveling, he was at the estate. After some discussions, Duncan had decided to have an office building built near the security building, and he and Julian used that for work when they were home. The staff they’d had in New York had been given the opportunity to move, and most had agreed to transfer, and now they lived in Serenity and commuted to the estate each day.

It was the best of both worlds for him and Duncan. These days, his dad was loath to leave the estate and his grandchildren—five so far. Angie and Jude had a girl and a boy, each close in age to their kids. Annie and Cole had just one, a boy, but Annie was pregnant with child number two. They’d just recently let the family know that the baby was a boy. Julian hoped the kids would grow up to be great friends since they all lived so close together.

Once he’d changed, Julian left the bedroom and went to find Kiara. She stood with her back to him, and he didn’t hesitate to step up behind her and wrap his arms around her.

Immediately, she turned to face him, lifting her face for his kiss. With over three years of married life behind them, Juliancould only marvel at how their intimacy had deepened. Not just physically, but also emotionally and spiritually. He’d never had a relationship like it before, and he never wanted to have it with anyone but Kiara.

“Missed you, love,” Julian murmured as he held her close.

“I missed you too,” she told him. “Always.”