AJ and Margaux were wrapped up in each other. Margaux just looked wrecked. Jesus. Is that what happened to women when they gave birth? I tried hard to visualize Nyla ever looking that exhausted. That wrecked.
"Mum, don't start."
"What? I'm just saying. I wouldn't be opposed to another grandchild."
"Slow down. I just got the woman to agree to marry me.."
My mother grinned up at me. "Glad you got that nailed down before you realized you're punching above your weight."
"Hush, Mum. Aren't you supposed to be on my side?"
She shrugged. "You're quite a catch. Which says a hell of a lot about her."
"Oh, I know. She's pretty magnificent, isn't she? I'm still not sure how I ever got her to agree to be mine."
"It's the Du Mont charm, I swear."
The baby started to shake her little fist, and Nyla just cooed at her, murmuring baby sounds. None of that shit made any sense. But still, my niece quieted and then promptly went back to sucking at her little fist and closed her eyes.
"She does look good with a baby though," I agreed.
My mother nodded. "See? This is what I'm saying. And then we can fill my house with the sounds of babies."
I laughed. "You're still going to have to give us some time, Mum."
"Right." She tilted her chin up, glancing toward the door.
"Mum, he's not coming, okay?"
She sighed. "I don't know. I had hoped that maybe he would see, learn... something. I guess that is a misguided wish and hope."
I nodded. "That would be accurate. He made his choice."
She dropped her voice. "You know AJ called him, right?"
My eyes went wide. "What?"
"Yeah. Last week before you and Nyla returned to Monaco. I suppose, with the baby imminent, she wanted to get some things off her chest, and she did. And from what I understand, he may not have been displeased."
I sighed. "When the fuck is he going to learn that he is the one who fucked up here?"
"Oh, I think he knows. From what the servants tell me, Mrs. Johnson, you know, she always was one to gossip. One of the reasons why I loved her so much. Anyway, she said he looked despondent and remorseful. It doesn't feel good to be all on your own when the rest of your family is together."
I shrugged. "Well, he made his bed, didn't he?"
"Are you ever going to forgive him?"
"Not until AJ does. Then I'll forgive him."
She sighed. "You really are my little protector, aren't you?"
"Absolutely."
"So, where do you think you and Nyla are going to have the wedding?"
"God, Mum, really?"
"Oh, I'm just saying. I was thinking the Du Mont Estate."
I smiled down at her. "Mum?"
She squared her shoulders. "Well, I have decided that home is wherever both my children are happy. I refuse to have to sneak around to see either one of you. So I officially moved out."
I stared at her. "What?"
"Your father and I have lived separate lives for so long, it was a habit. A bad one that I needed to break for the sake of my daughter and my son. If he wants to make changes, good for him. I'm just not going to be the one there to convince him to bargain with either of you. It's not my job. My job is to be the Grandmama to as many grandbabies as I can get from the both of you."
"Cheers to that, Mum."
"Now, go hug that beautiful woman so she'll have her own baby."
I laughed then approached Nyla slowly. She glanced up with a beaming smile. "Oh my God, she's so precious. Did you know they smelled like this?"
I laughed. "Yes. Babies do have a distinct odor."
She rolled her eyes. "It's not an odor."
"Okay, so they smell good. But they're little security threats."
She laughed. "Oh my God, seriously?"
"Well, they are. I mean, I'm going to teach this little one not to be, of course. Because she'll be perfect."
"Ah," Nyla laughed. "Ever the doting uncle."
"You better believe it."
My mother came and relieved Nyla of Esme and her little sleeping coos, and I wrapped my arms around her. "I'm so glad you're here."
She hugged me back. "Well, you're my family. Where else would I be?"
"You know that you have a lot more of us, right?"
"Yes, sadly. I always used to think I wanted big brothers, until I had big brother types. The other day, Bridge told me that I was making the bread wrong. Can you imagine that? What does he know about making bread?"
I laughed. "He actually bakes to relax. Don't tell him I told you that. He would be well ticked off."
Her eyes went wide. "Bridge bakes?"
"Oh yeah. It's something his Mum does. She's a chef. Has a restaurant now and everything. And whenever he's stressed out, that's what he does. He cooks. I think he's desperate to have someone to cook for properly. I'm pretty sure Emma eats a lot."
She grinned at that. "Why do you think she's the one?"
"Why do I think that they're made for each other? Lots of reasons. I just hope he figures it out a lot sooner than I did. Or maybe let's hope that it takes him twice as long. Either way, I'll be entertained."
She laughed. "I love you, East Hale."
"I love you, Nyla Kincade. Soon-to-be Hale."
Epilogue 2 Emma
It had taken me six weeks to get back to bloody London. East, Ben, and Bridge hadn't been kidding. Bridge and the boys had bought my mother’s house, regardless of what it was actually worth. Just like that. As if it was nothing. What kind of bullshit was that? And then they forced me back to the states with my mother. Which, God, I loved my mother, and it was really good to see her. But it wasn’t for them to decide who I was or what I wanted to do. I wasn't a child anymore.
So while I was still
