Page 110 of A Snowy Escape

Another Three Years Later

There is nothing like the giggles and screams that fill the air as the boys run around the yard trying to collect all the plastic eggs before the dogs or other kids can find them.

Holidays never had much meaning before Abby came into our lives. Being able to experience each one through the eyes of the boys is a whole different world.

Sometimes I wonder if becoming a sentimental mess is just part of getting older. I’m honestly not sure if I could have appreciated these moments of chaos if I’d had kids ten years ago.

I’ve got infinitely more patience than I did when I was in my early twenties, but I’m also not in the kind of shape I was in back then. The positives far outweigh the negatives, at least to me.

“Can I get a second opinion on whether this chicken is done?” Luka asks from his spot, manning the grill.

“I’m coming,” Abby’s brother says, shoving out of his chair. Austin and his wife, Leslie, have only made the trip up twice before—once right after they found out we asked Abby to marry us, and the other time was about three months after the boys were born.

I wouldn’t say we know them well or anything, but they seem like good people. Since Luka and I are the only kids from our parents’ pack, the boys don’t have any cousins from our side of the family. They have a ton from Bryant’s side, though, as well as three from Austin’s pack.

Abby waddles across the yard, scooping up Beau and planting a quick kiss on his cheek before he demands to be put down.

I cringe like I always do when I see her lift one of the boys. Normally I just worry about the toll on her back, but now that she’s six months pregnant with the new baby, I have a whole host of other concerns.

The boys are solid kids.

Definitely future alphas.

They come up almost to her hip, and they’re only three. We joke a lot that they’ll be the same height she is by the time they’re ten.

When she holds them, they stretch from the top of her shoulder down to her knees. I can’t seem to understand how the universe thought it was smart to make alphas so big in comparison to omegas.

Everyone tells me that Mother Nature knows what it’s doing, and that is the rational way to look at it. They just don’t understand that I’m not logical when it comes to anything to do with Abby.

That woman is my heart and soul walking around in another body. I’m going to worry about her until the day I die.

“Love you, Mommy! I gots to get more eggs!” Beau says, taking off in a flash.

I chuckle, shaking my head.

“Shadow!” Colt yells, sounding exasperated. “That’s mine. Give it back! Bad dog.”

If I didn’t talk to them on a daily basis, I would likely have no idea what he just said. I’m going to miss it when they get the hang of all the words they mispronounce.

Shadow takes off with the purple plastic egg, and Colt chases after him.

Echo follows the two.

Bryant takes a swig of his beer and chuckles as he follows the two toward the fence. “Trust me, kid. You don’t want it when it’s covered in Shadow’s slobber. Let me help you find another one.”

Abby’s eyes meet mine, and a bright smile takes over her face as she sways closer. Her face has gotten fuller earlier than it did with the boys. Her bump also popped faster this time.

She’s absolutely the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and I still can’t believe that I tricked her into loving me.

She face-plants into my chest, and I smile like a fool.

“How ya doing, sweetheart?”

“I’m good,” she says, her words coming out muffled by my shirt.

“Really?” I ask, trying not to chuckle.

“Okay, fine.” She huffs. “I’m starving, tired, and ready for everyone to leave so we can put the boys down for a nap. But I am happy to see Leslie, Austin, and the kids. They’re braver than I am. I wouldn’t have traveled with three kids with just the two of us. I can’t believe they left the rest of their pack back in Georgia.”