Page 145 of The Hardest Fall

Zoe unwrapped her legs from my back and I took a step back from her. The little monster aiming for me was the only thing that could distract me from my wife.

I crouched down and caught my little baby, Sophia, in my arms. “Oooff,” I groaned when she crashed into me and wrapped her arms around my neck.

“Daddy,” she whispered as she laid her face on my shoulder, and my heart just melted. I straightened and saw Zoe watching us with a smile on her face. I couldn’t get enough of them, never would, not till the day I died. Leaning toward her, I gave Zoe a small kiss on her lips as she closed her legs and focused on our daughter.

“I missed you like crazy,” she whispered when she was done hugging me and looked at my face.

“I know, I missed you like crazy, too.”

“It’s only been a few hours you two,” Zoe said, cutting into our usual lovefest as she jumped down from the counter. I’d have to wait until everyone went to bed before I gave her all my attention.

Small hands turned my head, and I looked into my daughter’s happy little face, her clear blue eyes just like mine.

“Mommy is jealous,” she whispered loudly, and Zoe snorted.

“I know, she is always jealous of us.”

Sophia nodded eagerly then a grin touched her face. “Your face looks happy, Daddy. Is it because it’s my birthday?”

“It’s my birthday, too, you know,” I replied. While my baby was a little mini version of Zoe with all her quirks and looks, she had been born on my birthday—the best present Zoe could ever give me.

“Happy birthday, Daddy. But your face is happy because it’s my birthday, right?”

I laughed. “Yeah, I think that’s why my face is happy.”

“See, told ya. Did you buy my Riri’s?”

“Yes, I got your Reese’s.”

“My Nutella?”

“Got that, too.”

“Show me.”

She was the bossiest little thing in the house, and I loved her for it.

“Let’s check them out.” I winked at Zoe as she stood barefoot next to the stove and stirred the meat sauce for the lasagna she was preparing. She shook her head, but I knew how much she enjoyed seeing me with Sophia. Marriage hadn’t killed our love or sex life—not at all. We still couldn’t keep our hands off of each other, and I hoped it’d stay that way till we were wrinkly and old.

I took Sophia to the counter and showed her everything I’d gotten one by one. To say both my daughter and wife had a sweet tooth would have been an understatement.

“Good, good. You did good, Daddy. Now put them all in my closet so I can see them every day.”

I threw my head back and laughed. She was the funniest little thing, repeating everything she heard from the adults around her, and just like her mommy, she loved gazing at her prized possessions.

“Where is your grandpa, Soph?” Zoe asked, and she turned her attention to her mom.

“Outside.”

“Yeah? What’s he doing outside?”

She lifted her little shoulder in a shrug until it touched her ear. “I dunno.”

“Sophia?”

“My favorite ball went missing and he is helping me look for it.”

My chest shook with silent laughter. “Did you hide it, Soph?”

She turned her big, innocent eyes to me and gave another shrug. “I dunno.”

Gently, I put her down and righted her frilly white birthday dress. “Come on, go get Grandpa Ron—everyone will be here soon.”

“For my birthday, right?”

“Yes, everyone is coming to see you. Now go get him.”

Happy with everything she was hearing, she dashed out of the kitchen after giving Zoe’s leg a quick hug and a quick “Love you, Mommy,” all the while yelling for her grandpa.

“Granpa, everyone is coming! We’re gonna have cakes and I’m gonna get pressies!”

I went back to Zoe and she shrieked when my hands went up toward her boobs. She slapped my arms and forced my hands out of her shirt.

“My dad is coming inside, what are you doing?”

“You weren’t worried about your dad a minute ago.”

“Yeah, because I knew they were outside. Now Sophia will get him in faster than you can give me a kiss.”

Ignoring her protests, I hugged her and rested my chin on top of her head. “We could’ve gotten pizza—why are you cooking so much food?”

“Don’t say pizza. I want one so bad. Everyone will stay for the weekend, so we’ll order some tomorrow, and your dad loves my lasagna.”

“And you love him.”

“Well…yeah…”

I pressed a kiss against her cheek. She loved my family, and they loved her in return. My mom had taken her side on more than a few occasions, and I couldn’t have been prouder of my parents with the way they had welcomed her into the fold.

“Did they land? Did they call you? Amelia texted me before they boarded, but I haven’t checked my phone since then.”