Six Months Later

~Aiden

I strolled into Mrs. Marcel's diner and my eyes instantly found Breanna sitting at her favorite table. My face split into a giant smile at her open laptop, her papers and books spread out all over, and a diaper bag, purse, and stroller parked beside her. Plus, two slices of pie sitting off to the side.

Some things never change.

I glanced around for my daughter, but Breanna was wearing a breastfeeding cover over the top of her clothing, so the odds were that, Eden was feasting. I made my way to the table, and Breanna’s eyes lifted at my approach.

“Hello, wife.”

I lowered my head and dropped a kiss on her lips. We’d been married a solid three months, and I still loved calling her that whenever possible.

Originally, we were going to wait and do another big, traditional wedding next summer, but one kids-free night and a few too many tiki bar beverages at Aubree and Riccardo's second wedding ended up with Breanna and me on a plane to Vegas. The wedding was impulsive, and the twenty-four-hour trip was full of nonstop sex because Breanna had just been cleared by Dr. Wittmer.

You’d have thought we’d never had sex before the way we were going at it all night.

God, it was a good night.

It was our first night away from the kids since everything, and we stayed up the entire time fucking and talking about our future together.

When we came home, I thought our elopement would send our family into a tailspin, but Iris was bubbling over with happiness. Breanna’s parents were over the moon when we agreed to baptize Eden at their church. It all worked out pretty perfectly.

“Hello, husband,” Breanna volleyed with a dopey smile that I never wanted to disappear.

I peeked under the cover where Eden was eating.

“Hello, princess.”

Her head instantly pulled away from Breanna’s breast, and milk shot into her face as she looked toward my voice. She cried out at the onslaught of liquid, and Breanna quickly reconnected her to the breast.

“Don’t distract a girl when she’s eating,” Breanna exclaimed, nudging me so I moved away.

Laughing, I sat in the open chair beside her, unable to hide my amusement.

“I still can't get the taste of breast milk out of my mouth and she gets drunk on it all day.”

Breanna playfully rolled her eyes.

“You big baby.”

I pulled a piece of pie in front of me and tucked into it.

“How was your mommy and me class?” I asked around a mouthful of French silk.

“Again, not necessary but very informative,” she replied and then opened her mouth when I offered to feed her a bite.

She licks the remnants off her lips.

“Today, we discussed Kegel exercises to get our vaginas back to their former glories.”

My brows furrowed.

“I told you sex is just as good as it was before Eden. You’re being nuts about this.”

Breanna’s nose wrinkled.

“Still, I want to keep my situation high and tight for my hot husband.”

“You can’t improve perfection, my love” I leaned across the table and kissed her temple.

I glanced down at her mess all over the table.

“What do you have for me?”

“Okay, so there are a couple of buildings the realtor said we can go look at tonight,” Breanna said, turning her laptop in my direction. “One used to be an apartment building, so I think that’s our best option.”

“This looks like it has some potential,” I replied while clicking through the photos.

Breanna nodded her agreement.

“We’ll have some major construction, I’m sure, but check out the square footage. There’s plenty of room for everyone and get this, the view from your office is spectacular.”

I sat back and marveled at my superwoman of a wife. She’d been focusing on the idea of opening up another branch of Jewel Interactive basically her entire maternity leave. She was a mom boss through and through, and I had to admit, she was getting me excited with her vision.

Since Eden was born, I’d really taken the whole Dad job more seriously. I loved wearing her across my chest and going for walks with Roman in the neighborhood. She was such a pink, perfect little bundle that even when she cried, I wanted to love on her. Breanna said I was obsessed with our daughter, but considering I was also obsessed with my wife and son, it was all a good thing.

Yes, I became a stressed-out mess every time Roman got sick and Eden got a sniffle. And I knew the bigger Eden got, the more accident-prone she’d be, so boo-boos were bound to happen.

But Breanna reminded me we couldn't protect our children from everything and that the rewards were worth the risks. And the memories I was making with my kids were a testament to that.

Eden finished eating, and Breanna deftly pulled her out from under her cover and handed her to me with a burp rag.

“Hi there, mama, how has your day been?”

She smiled a big, four-toothed smile, and my heart ached more wonderfully than I ever thought possible. Breanna shuffled her chair over beside me, and the two of us cooed over this beautiful baby who had completed our family.

“When are we going to have another one?” I asked, pressing my lips to Eden’s soft cheek.

Breanna laughed.

“You’ve asked me that question every day since we could start having sex again.”

“I want more,” I grumbled, holding my daughter to my chest and gazing at Breanna who’s so beautiful it hurts to look at her sometimes. “You grow freakishly smart and good babies.”

“Which is why I’m checking the expiration dates on all our condoms,” Breanna said with a laugh. “New branch first... then more siblings for Manny to teach quantum physics.”

I dramatically exhaled heavily.

“Alright fine.”

Her chest shook with silent laughter before she smiled and pressed her lips to mine for a long, lingering kiss. She groaned as she pulled away, her hands outstretched.

“You have to get back to work, so we’d better get going.”

“One moment please,” I replied, wrapping my arm around Breanna as I held our daughter to my heart. “I’m enjoying my girls right now.”

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Six years later

He gripped my hand and tugged.

“Here, Daddy?”

“Okay, little man.”

I settled on the sand next to my three-year-old son. Teddy’s brand-new eyes took in the beach, wide with amazement, as he scooped up sand with his plastic shovel.

Scanning the horizon, I run white sand through my fingers. The crash of waves sounded on the shore as the late afternoon sun beat down.

Damn breathtaking.

I peered over my shoulder at my now sixteen-year-old Roman who was glued to his laptop, a physics book at his side. College was two years away but preparing ahead to get into UAA seemed more important than enjoying our family vacation.

I smiled and looked away from him at the beach house, on watch for my wife. But Teddy’s bubbly laugh stole my attention.

With dark brown hair and blue eyes, Thaddeus Waylan Corleone was another best combination of Breanna and me. He had his mother’s fierce mind and her fight and was my little sous chef in the kitchen.

“Shells, Daddy, shells. For the castle.”

“You got it, bud.”

With a grunt, I shoved up and got to work alongside my son. My big fingers collected creamy scotch bonnets, tusk shells, and banded tulips. Then I and Teddy built Soon, the sandcastle moat turned into one tower and then four.

“Can’t... go on... anymore” Teddy dropped the shovel and collapsed dramatically onto his bottom.

His sister was rubbing off on him.

The sand was stacked too high for him to scoop. His lower lip stuck out in a well-practiced pout. No doubt learned from Breanna. My wife still had me wrapped around her little finger.

“Can’t.”

“You can, Thad” Roman chipped in, “You’re very strong,” he told his brother, walking over to hand him the red plastic shovel and helping him try again. “Yeah, that's it. Just like Mom. You can do anything.”

Teddy smiled at Roman and he proudly smiled back.

“I'm getting voted best sibling again this year, Dad” he whispered to me.

“Oh you deserve it, Rocket” I gave him a pat on his back.

“Mommy!” Teddy squealed, tossing down the shovel to point a chubby finger over our shoulders.

Turning, I followed my son’s joyous gaze.

Joy.

That’d been my life for the last few years. Breanna was emerging from the beach house. The sight of my wife, still gorgeous, glowing, tan-lined, and toned in a skimpy bikini, with what looked like a sleeping Eden in her arms, had me grinning. Then, my eyes moved, lingering on the tiny bump on her belly.

We’d been busy. Making more surprises. Building our family. Baby number four was on the way and we were all excited. Our life was what we’d made it and I could never ask for anything better. Everything I’d ever wanted was right in front of me.

Shoving up, I met Breanna on the beach and framed her face in my hands.

“You got your nap?”

“Mm-hmm,” she hummed sleepily, pressing up on tiptoes to kiss my cheek.

Her watchful gaze flicked to Roman.

“Ro? Why do you have a Physics book out on a family vacation?”

“I was tutoring Lulu for her make-up course. She says hi by the way” he replied, twirling a plastic shovel around.

I chuckled and tried to pry my daughter off her but Eden clutched onto her mother's neck. Her daddy's girl phase was no match for her cuddles with her mother. Breanna took a seat and flicked her gaze to Teddy, then back to me as I sat beside her.

“How goes castle making?”

Eden let out a funny noise in her sleep as Breanna adjusted her in her arms.

“Serious business. No one’s getting through that moat.”

Breanna’s belly shook with quiet laughter, causing Eden to nuzzle deeper into her bump. I surveyed her belly.

“You feel okay?”

Chocolate-brown eyes sparkling, she nuzzled against me.

“I’m fine. Just sleepy. Don’t you remember? I’m in my house cat era. Sleeping more, lounging in the sun, hissing at interruptions.”

“So that's where our daughter's been getting it lately huh?”

The corner of Breanna’s mouth tipped up into a half-smile as she moved a strand of blonde hair off our daughter's face.

“But hey, you sure you feel okay?”

She gave me a flat look.

“Elias, I will drown you in the Pacific if you keep asking me.”

I grunted.

No chances.

None at all with Breanna. My wife was four months pregnant, and after what happened with Eden in the delivery room, and even after us having a smooth delivery with Teddy, I was still a mess. I’d always be an overprotective mess when it came to her and our kids. And I’d never forget how close I came to losing her.

“I had a dream about names,” Breanna sighed happily.

I reached out and caressed our daughter's head.

“Did you now?”

“Mm hm. What about Vienna?”

I frowned just as Roman looked over his shoulder.

“Like the sausage?” we chorused.

Breanna simply shook her head and laughed.

“I can’t with you two.”

“And it could be a boy, you know Mom” Roman said, “For Deni's sake at least. Because I'm not sure she's going to be thrilled to share her spotlight with a baby sister.”

Breanna just laughed and smiled up at me.

“I checked in back home. Bear’s alive, no thanks to Leslie. Zach and Dove are finally taking their kids on that vacation they've been wanting and Aubree's finally accepting being a boy mom since the twins arrived. Riccardo's still over the moon though.”

“Thanksgiving is going to be even bigger and wilder this year” I smiled.

“Oh yeah. Mom's going to go impossibly over the top more than always.”

I laughed.

“You look... hotter,” Breanna suddenly said, tracing her finger over my muscular chest before dropping it to caress my tan forearm and then moving on to my hard bicep. I pulled her into my arms, kissing the tip of her nose.

“Feeling me up, preggo?”

“It’s only fair” Breanna laughed, the sweet melody lifting over the crash of the waves. “After all, this is all your fault” She rubbed the part of her swollen belly Eden wasn't occupying. “Look what you did to me.”

“I'd do it again if your body lets me,” I growled, fiddling with the thin string of her bikini bottoms.

Breanna gasped.

“Don’t you dare, Mr.”

I kissed the top of her head, keeping one eye on Teddy playing in the sand as Roman's attention shifted back to his laptop. It didn't take long for Eden to wake up from her nap. And after thanking her mother for the cuddles and kissing me on the cheek, she ran off, energized to go bug Roman.

Slowly, my wife and I turned toward the horizon. A soft 'oh' popped out of her mouth when she saw the sunset. A kaleidoscope of pinks and oranges. And then my hand found hers and our fingers interlaced.

As I held my wife in my arms, my heart crashed around my chest like the highest wave. We stood in the sun, the screaming blue sky above, looking at our kids. I dropped my mouth to her ear.

“I love you, Breanna Lucille Nolan,” I said, my voice ragged with emotion.

Breanna twisted in my arms, curling into me. Her brown eyes softened.

“I love you more, Aiden Elias Corleone.”

Sweet and warm was the kiss. Soft and perfect. I drank her in like a promise, this woman who’d changed my life. Through everything, good or bad, she'd got me, and I’d got her. Until the end of our days.

“Mommy up!” Breanna was launched forward by a squealing Teddy, who wrapped his arms around her knees. “Up! Up! Up!”

I chuckled, gently holding Breanna’s elbow to keep her steady.

“Whatever happened to lying low, little man?”

Laughing, Breanna swept Teddy up in her arms.

“You done building your castle, baby?”

“Oh, yes, Mommy” Teddy held her face between his hands like Roman used to do.

His expression was serious.

“It will never fall.”

“I know it won’t, my Teddy bear.”

Smiling, Breanna pressed a smacking kiss to his cheek. Teddy cooed and burrowed his head in her neck. The way her love radiated, the happiness in our kid’s eyes every time she cracked a joke, made a meal, or agreed to cuddle all three of them to sleep, had my heart cracking open.

The best mother.

We were so damn lucky. The kids and I. Clearing my throat of emotion I reached for her camera and the tripod stand.

“We need another picture. Get over here you two!” I called for Roman and Eden, setting the timer on the thing.

Breanna arranged Teddy in her arms so he was locked tight between us. His small arms looped around both our necks and I heaved Eden into my arms with Roman pressed to his mother's side.

I pressed the small remote in my hand responsible for setting the timer off and soaked up the smile on my wife’s face before facing the camera.

Our kids and Breanna were right there in my arms, where they were supposed to be. Then, on the count of three, the flash went off.

After setting Teddy on the sand, Breanna appraised the photo.

“If you ask me, the beach looks very good on you, Corleone” she smirked.

I tossed my phone onto a beach towel and turned to her.

“It looks marvelous on you too, preggo.”

She smiled and I glanced at our kids.

“What do you think, guys? Should we take your mom for a swim?”

“Don’t you dare!” Breanna shrieks, already backing away.

I grinned and grabbed her. With a roar from Roman that sent Eden and Teddy into a frenzy of giggles, I swept Breanna up in my arms and rushed her down to the shoreline.

The kids ran after us, waving their arms. With Breanna’s laughter ringing in my ears, our kids beside us, and love as warm as the sun above, I rushed all five of us into the ocean, our laughter breaking up in the waves as we held tight to each other.

✄-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Readers,

I first started writing this story on Monday, February 11th, 2019. I wasn't sure what the plot was so I just decided to wing it. Then my impulsive nature to get new ideas and write more stories than I could handle at a go got in the way and this book was put on hold.

The title of this book was changed from The Beeline to Fireplace to Roman. And then I finally settled on Eventually Yours which, if you've noticed, perfectly summed up the entire plot.

The story wasn't meant to be dragged this far. And so if you've made it this far, I can't thank you enough. If you were lost along the way and have still managed to read your way through to this last part of Eventually Yours, I can't thank you enough either.

Thank you all for the votes, comments, and silent recommendations. You're all a big piece of this book and I'll forever be grateful.

I hope you loved Aiden and Breanna’s sweet, whirlwind love story.

Feel free to also check out my other books.

As always, thank you so much for reading! ✨

XOXO,
~ the_atticwriter ♥