Page 31

Tristan

“ Are you sure you don’t want to join me?” Lorenz asked, leaning back against his desk across from Tristan’s.

Tristan shook his head. “Four marathons in four days? Only you would be crazy enough to call that a holiday.”

Lorenz lowered his voice so only Tristan could hear. “I hate to tell you, but what you all are doing, that’s way crazier.” Tristan knew what he was referring to, of course. Just a few short months ago, he’d been where Lorenz was now—he’d thought his friends were all losing their minds. Now he knew the truth. That they hadn’t lost anything. Instead, they’d gained something precious.

“Maybe we are crazy,” he agreed easily. He knew from experience there was no way to explain it to Lorenz. Love. Commitment. The sense that there was one person who meant everything . Lorenz would either find out himself, or he wouldn’t. No one could—or should—talk him into it. “You might want to give it a try someday yourself.”

Lorenz’s sharp green gaze narrowed. “I think my ex-wife would counsel against that course of action.”

“Say that again?” Tristan asked, like he didn’t trust his own hearing.

“You heard me. I’m not going to say it again. But I will say this. It’s good to see you like this, Tristan.” He smiled, showing very white teeth. “You’re glowing.”

Tristan snorted. The truth was, he was happy. Happier than he’d ever imagined he could be.

So much had happened in the last couple of weeks. Rogier had ended up in an institution. The evaluation was still ongoing, but there was a high chance he wouldn’t be considered fit to stand trial. Tristan didn’t care, as long as he got the help he needed, and didn’t get to go free. He didn’t want that man anywhere near Lena ever again.

Lena’s show at the art gallery was still ongoing, but most of the photographs now had little red dots next to them, since they’d all been sold. She was going to have to work hard in the next months to make the Tokyo show a reality.

Tristan’s parents had invited both him and Lena, but also the colonel, to go spend Christmas with them in Geneva. The colonel had said yes, and was apparently going to take time off this year to make it happen. The world was full of surprises.

“So. Where are we meeting everyone?” Lorenz asked. “I start training next week, so I might as well enjoy a drink or two tonight.”

Tristan gathered his jacket. “Everybody’s meeting here. Beau made a reservation at a new place just a few minutes away.”

Several loud, familiar voices broke the silence. Val and Yvette walked in first, followed closely by Isla. Hugo and Jo were the next ones through the door. It seemed to Tristan that Jo’s belly made it through the door long before the rest of her, but he knew better than to mention this to the pregnant woman.

“They’d better have mocktails, is all I can say,” Jo said loudly.

“If they don’t, we’ll go somewhere else,” Yvette promised.

Finally, Alex and Beau joined them.

“Okay, we’re ready,” Tristan said. “Lena sent a message to say she’ll meet us at the bar.”

Eager to get going, Lorenz was the first one out the door. He went through and held it open for the group.

“Thank you,” Jo said. Just past the doorway, though, she froze.

Not dramatically. Not with fanfare. She just stopped walking, right in the middle of the doorway, one hand pressed to her belly.

“Okay,” she said. “That’s … new.”

Everyone on both sides of the doorway turned to her.

Beside her, Hugo frowned. “New?”

Jo looked around, blinking hard. “Like … contraction new.”

“No,” Hugo said firmly. “We have three days left.”

“That’s not really how it works, Hugo,” Val huffed impatiently, pushing past him. “Jo, breathe through it. Everything’s going to be just fine.”

“Are you serious? The baby’s coming today ?” Hugo’s normally tan face had gone chalky.

“Come with me, Hugo, before you fall down,” Ry said, taking the father-to-be by the arm.

“It’s okay,” Jo said calmly. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Val nodded. “Right. That’s how it works, Jo. We still need to get you to the hospital.” A second passed. Then another one. “Beau?” Val said sweetly. “If we stand here much longer, Jo may end up having the baby in the hallway of the gendarmerie .”

Her words spurred the commandant into action. “Lorenz, Alex, go get the cars. And tell … tell whoever’s on duty that we need an escort to the hospital.”

Alex and Lorenz bolted into action, looking relieved to have something to do.

“Tristan, find two chairs,” Beau barked.

“I’m fine. I don’t need a chair.” Jo sounded bewildered. “And why would we need two chairs?”

“One’s for Hugo,” Ry said helpfully, as Tristan ran to do as he’d been told.

Moments after she sat down, Jo’s expression lost all color. Hugo kneeled next to her, looking bewildered.

“You remember all those things you learned about in the prenatal classes?” Val asked, her hand curling around Hugo’s arm. “It’s time to put them to good use.”

Hugo gaped, looking like a fish out of water. Then managed a soft, “You’re doing great, Jo. Really great.”

“Not yet!” Jo argued. “That’s what you’re meant to tell me when I’m ready to push. I’m not ready to push. I will not have this baby in the middle of your office.”

“Everything’s going to be okay, Jo,” Val assured her in a calm, professional voice.

Ry crouched beside them, already pulling his phone out. “I’ll let the hospital know we’re coming.”

The door opened and Lena walked through. Her mouth opened comically as she took in the chaotic scene. “Wow. Okay. So this is where you all are.”

Tristan made his way to Lena and gave her a quick kiss.

“I guess this explains why there’s nobody in the bar …” she whispered in his ear.

“I’m not ready for this,” Jo said, her expression going pale again.

This time, Hugo knew what to say. “Of course you’re ready, Jo. You’re the strongest woman I know, and I’m here for you. It’s time to meet our girl.”

Lena

In the end, little Rébé wasn’t born in the gendarmerie , but it was close.

Really close .

Jo, Hugo, and Val had piled into the first car. The way Lorenz peeled out of the lot made Lena think Formula 1 had missed out on a contender. The rest of them followed in a loose convoy, one of the vehicles driven by Lena’s father, who’d come down to investigate the commotion and stayed once he realized what was happening.

Jo and Hugo’s little girl waited until the whole team had gathered in the hospital waiting room before making her grand entrance into the world. And then, less than an hour later, they all had the privilege of meeting her when Hugo came out for a few seconds with her in his arms.

“She’s beautiful, Hugo,” somebody said.

Lena smiled. The baby was beautiful. A wrinkled, red-faced, squirming little bundle of fierce new life . Lena had never seen a newborn up close before. People didn’t tend to share that kind of intimacy, except with family.

Which, somehow, was exactly what this group had become. Family .

“ Très belle .”

“A princess.”

“You should hear her cry,” Hugo bragged, beaming. With his baby girl in his arms, he was back to his usual confident self.

“Congratulations, Lieutenant.” Her father turned towards Lena with a soft look. “She’s as beautiful as you were when you were born.”

Was that moisture in the corner of his eye? She couldn’t be sure, but she wouldn’t call him out on it.

“How’s Jo feeling?”

“She’s doing great. Resting, now. She was …” Hugo shook his head, overcome. “She was incredible.”

Tristan’s arms slipped around her from behind. Lena leaned back into him instinctively, grounding himself in his warmth.

“How are you feeling, sweetheart?” he murmured.

“Tired,” she admitted, “even though I have no reason to be.”

Tristan laughed. “I think that’s just the secondhand adrenaline. I’m wiped, too. Like I just flew all night.”

He fell quiet, watching the baby with something close to reverence. “She’s a very little thing.”

“She is.”

Lena let her gaze drift back to the tiny newborn. She wondered if she and Tristan would ever have children. He’d never said he wanted them, but he hadn’t said he didn’t, either. And she … she’d always imagined possibly having kids someday . But the thought had always been an abstract concept. Now, for the first time, she could imagine a little girl with Tristan’s bright eyes, a little boy with his reckless smile.

She blinked. That was a thought for another time.

“Come on, everyone,” Hugo said, his voice hoarse. “You’ve met her. Now get out of here. I need to get back to my wife.”

“We’re going, we’re going,” Tristan said, taking the lead and grabbing Lena’s hand. “Congratulations again, Hugo.”

He didn’t release her hand as the group slowly made their way to the exit.

“So, are we still grabbing that drink?” Lorenz asked.

“There are other things I’d rather be doing tonight,” Tristan said against Lena’s ear, his voice low so only she could hear.

“I have some ideas, too. For later ,” she whispered pointedly, laughing at Tristan’s downcast expression. Then, in a louder voice, she said, “Sounds good. We’ve got a lot to celebrate now.”

“One drink,” Beau said, putting his arm around Val. “Ren’s waiting for us at home.”

“Come on. The first round’s on me,” her father said.

They spilled out into the quiet night. It had started snowing again, while they were in the hospital, and the world looked white and soft and smelled of pine.

Lena squeezed Tristan’s hand as they walked, her fingers cold against his warm, steady grip.

“I love you, Lena,” he whispered, pulling at their joined hands to press a kiss to her knuckles. She felt the soft touch all the way down to her belly, and recognized it for what it was. A promise .

“I love you too, Tristan,” she finally managed, her heart full.

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Thank you for reading Tristan and Lena’s story! If you enjoyed it, please take a minute to leave a quick review, I read each and every review and appreciate them all greatly!