Page 57 of Lost Without You

Ethan shook his head as he pulled her in close to his body. “I think we’ve had enough craziness for a while, don’t you? A bit of normal is what we need.”

“I was thinking of a family adventure,” Rachel cupped his face and gave his smiling lips a soft kiss. “Our family.”

“I’m definitely up for that. We better get to work on it right away,” Ethan replied as he stripped off their remaining clothes.

Rachel couldn’t agree more.

Epilogue

One year later

Rachel

“Honey, I’m home!” Rachel yelled as she entered the foyer, throwing down her laptop case and picking up Watson.

Home had never felt so good.

So much had changed in her life since last year and some days she couldn’t quite believe it. She’d moved in with Ethan after their wedding in Vegas and they’d settled into a new normal. Her parents had flown out several times to visit. Both her mom and dad were in therapy, working on healing the past. It wasn’t easy to step back into a marriage when they’d both been out of each other’s lives for so long. Happily, their love had survived, and they worked hard to build a new life together.

Ryker and Rachel also joined in several family therapy sessions to talk about all the years her dad was gone and work through their emotions in a healthy way. Her dad struggled for a bit to settle back into New York life, but gradually, things improved. He was working with Ryker, writing a book about his life story, and it was due to be published next year.

Rachel started down the hallway to the kitchen when she noticed an acrid smell in the air.

“What’s burning?” she asked.

“Your dinner!” Ethan yelled in reply.

Rachel padded down the hallway to find Ethan rinsing a pan—and the charred remains of dinner—down the drain.

“Sorry, sweetheart. I wanted to prepare a romantic meal for our anniversary,” Ethan dropped the pan in the sink and wiped his hands on a towel.

Rachel placed Watson on the counter and slid her arms around Ethan’s waist, giving his neck a kiss.

“The thought was wonderful, but your cooking is not,” she giggled, and Ethan laughed with her.

“I’ll never attempt another meal again,” Ethan chuckled as he turned in her arms. “How are you feeling?”

Ethan rubbed his hand over her swollen belly. Their baby boy wasn’t due for another two months, and Rachel couldn’t wait.

“Good, but I’m starving. Your son is always hungry,” she quipped.

“Gee, I wonder where he gets that from?” Ethan murmured, then gave her a kiss.

Which turned into another and another…

“Let’s order in and take a long soak in the tub together,” Rachel murmured against his lips.

“Perfect, but first, I have news,” he replied, then shook his head. “But maybe that should wait.”

“Good or bad?”

“I got a call from Sloan, Lara’s husband. Sorry, soon-to-be ex. She met some guy at a resort in Mexico a month ago and never came back.”

“Holy shit, that is good news,” Rachel murmured, shaking her head. “For us, I mean. But poor Sloan.”

Lara had showed up to the house twice over the past year, but they’d called the police since she was violating the restraining order.

“I think he’ll be okay. He sounds relieved more than anything,” Ethan replied. “I also got an email from Dalton. Hatch’s death was ruled a homicide after the autopsy. Harrison’s trial date for conspiracy to commit murder has been set for October.”