Page 243 of Modern Romance October 2025 5-8

Charlotte’s smile was like the sun, shining out of her. Jamie had adopted a little boy—Nathan—who was now four years old and in nursery school.

‘Broderick is his teacher,’ Dante explained.

‘Yes, I knew they’d been dating. It’s wonderful news.’

‘It is,’ Dante agreed, latching his hands behind Charlotte’s back and pulling her close, kissing her until stars filled her eyes.

‘And it’s perfect timing.’

‘It is?’

‘Oh, yes.’

‘Why, exactly?’

‘Because I have some news of my own and I know you’ll be able to enjoy it all the more, given how happy Jamie is.’

His brow furrowed.

‘Dante, guess what?’ she said, when he remained silent.

He waited, so she laughed, then took his hand and guided it to her still flat stomach.

His eyes widened. His jaw dropped. He stared at her like he didn’t know which way was up. ‘Are you saying...are you...?’

‘Yep. We’re having a baby.’ And she pushed up onto the tips of her toes and kissed him. Kissed him like the moon was flooding her veins and the world was spinning just for them. ‘We’re having a baby,’ she repeated, and she felt his whole body shift with what could have been a laugh, or a sob, or a sigh.

‘We’re having a baby,’ he said, this time, and then he laughed. Tilting his head back and filling the room with the sound of sheer, unadulterated pleasure.

A feeling Charlotte echoed deep inside her heart.

Allegra was at the hospital for the birth. So too were a heavily pregnant Jane and Zeus. Aristotle and Mariah arrived within a couple of hours of the baby’s delivery. Charlotte couldn’t help looking around the spacious, yet crowded, room and thinking how blessed she was. How full of love and laughter, support and encouragement her life now was.

These were her people. Her team. They would always be there for her. For Dante. And now, for their daughter Carina, named after Dante’s mother.

They stayed for hours, doting on the little baby, until Charlotte could hardly keep her eyes open any longer and Jane suggested they give her a rest.

She was asleep within minutes, even before Dante had returned from walking them out.

The next morning, she woke and looked at their baby with such a swelling of love in her chest she thought it actually might form a bubble and carry her away. But then, Dante was there, and she was grounded again, in the best possible way. Anchored to her life, her love and to the dreams of happiness that had somehow become a reality.

‘I have something for you,’ he said, kissing her forehead gently.

‘You’ve already given me everything I ever wanted—and then some.’

‘Nonetheless, I bought this for you some time ago.’ He reached into his pocket and pulled out a rectangular velvet box.

She took it frowning and cracked open the lid.

And stared at the necklace inside. It was a perfect match to her engagement ring, but it was also somehow so muchmore. The emeralds were each surrounded by diamonds, and there were more diamonds along the chain, making it bling in a way she suspected would be visible from the moon.

‘Dante...’ she looked from it to him, frowning.

‘Do you have any idea how many rings I looked at that day?’

She shook her head, bemused. ‘What do you mean?’

‘You told me it couldn’t be a diamond rock, but I knew I wanted it to be special. Unique. Chosen just for you. This, my darling, reminded me so much of your eyes and your strength. I knew you had to have it,’ he said, tapping her engagement ring.