The After of Us (Judge Me Not #4)(58)

“Still, you helped me find him, babe.”

After dinner, we head back to my place. Not to have sex—we have a lot of that, trust me. No, tonight, we’re planning a quiet end-of-evening spent with Lil.

After we pick up my daughter at the farmhouse, the three of us begin the short walk over to my apartment. Along the way, Lily tells us all about some old board games she and Sarah found in the attic of the farmhouse. She then proceeds to tell us how they also came upon a “big, scary spider” in one of the dusty boxes.

“Jack brave. He caught it and set it free out a window,” Lily informs us.

“Oh, that Jack, he sure is a hero,” Emma teases. “I bet Uncle Chase was proud as could be.”

“He was p-woud,” Lily replies excitedly. “He say Jack saved us.”

“Ah, saving damsels in distress,” I interject. “Something we Gartner men are good at doing. It’s great to hear Jack’s getting a head start on the family legacy.”

Lily loses interest in my blustering and runs ahead, leaving me alone with Emma.

Bumping her hip to mine, Emma says flirtatiously, “Hmm, you’ve been known to save me a few times here and there, Will Gartner.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Well, you, my love, do the same for me. Like, every f*cking day of my life.”

It’s true, Emma does save me. She grounds me, keeps me on course.

In my living room, all three of us curl up on the couch and pick out a movie to watch. Well, Lil picks out the movie. Doesn’t matter that it’s the same cartoon flick I’ve seen a dozen times already with her. What matters is that I’m watching this show with my daughter and Emma.

When the movie ends, Lily takes my hand. And then she picks up Emma’s hand.

Pressing our hands together, with hers wedged in the middle, she says, “I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

Turning to Emma, she states, “I love you too, Mommy.”

Emma’s eyes flicker to mine as she replies, “Love you too, Lily.”

This is the first time Lily has ever left off “Emma” when calling her “Mommy.” I nod and let Emma know with my eyes that I’m fine with Lily referring to her as her mom. She’s certainly a better mother to my daughter than her biological mom has been, and that’s what matters.

After clearing my throat, I say, “Hey, Lil, I have an idea.”

“What, Daddy?”

My eyes meet Emma’s, and with our hands still entwined, I say, “What do you think about Mommy moving in with us?”

Emma’s bright blues widen. “Really, Will?”

“Yes. If it’s okay with you and Lil?”

“Of course it’s okay,” she whispers, smiling. “It’s more than okay.”

“So, what do you think, Lily?” I ask, peering down at my smiling daughter. “You okay with that plan, too?”

Lily nods enthusiastically. “Yes, yes! I want Mommy with us all the time.” And then, looking at Emma, and then at me, she asks, “Are we a family now, Daddy?”

“Yes, Lily, we sure are.”

I guess what they say is true—dreams really can come true.





Will



All my dreams have come true, and I count myself a lucky man.

Emma moved in with Lily and me a week after the decision to do so was made. And a couple of months later, we bought a small ranch house together. Not far from Chase and Kay and the kids, our new home is located on a nice piece of land, with lots of room for Lily to play.

Unfortunately, Cassie is still not in Lily’s life. She resurfaced, and I tried to make her see reason—her mother tried, too—but nothing we said or did got through to her.

Maybe someday things will change.

Lily, thank God, thrives regardless. She no longer asks about her “real” mother. As far as she’s concerned, she has a father and mother who love her, and two grandmothers who fly out to see her—and spoil the hell out of her—every chance they get.

And then there’s me.

I’ve grown a lot since finding out about Lily. My daughter showing up in my life helped me discover the life I was truly meant to lead. It sure is funny how things like that work, but work it did for me.

And there’s more…

By finally following my true passion—authoring graphic novels—my one-time dream has become my career.

By finally trusting my instincts, I’ve become a really good father to Lily.

And by finally opening my heart, I found love with Emma.

So, what have I learned?

I’ve learned that sometimes you have to take a chance, follow your heart, and stop fighting that which is meant to be.

Let your dreams lead you to the happiness you deserve.





S.R. Grey is an Amazon Top 100 and Barnes & Noble #1 Bestselling author. She is the author of the popular Judge Me Not series, the new Promises series, the Inevitability duology, A Harbour Falls Mystery trilogy, and the Laid Bare series of novellas. Ms. Grey’s works have appeared on several Amazon Bestseller lists, including Top 100 multiple times, as well as #1 on Barnes & Noble Bestselling Nook books list.

Ms. Grey resides in Pennsylvania. When not writing, Ms. Grey can be found reading, traveling, running, or cheering for her hometown sports teams.