“Hi, Dad. How are you feeling?” I say as I cross the room. Dad is sitting up in bed. Today must be a relatively pain-free day.

He raises his hand in a weak wave, a cluster of tubes and wires trailing from his arm. “Good afternoon, sweetheart. Tell me how you are first.”

I smile at him. He always insists upon that, no matter what. I lean down to kiss his cheek and sit in the armchair by his side.

“Well, Tate & Cane is doing great. Our stock prices are higher than they’ve been in ten years. We’ve been getting so many work offers, we’ve actually had to hire a few freelance subcontractors to pick up the slack.”

“Excellent news,” he says. “I’m so proud of you and Noah. You two kids have done more for this company than I ever dreamed. I only wish Bill had lived to see this day, but I suppose I’ll just have to tell him all about it when I get to heaven.” Then he gives me a pointed look, his thinning eyebrows slightly raised. “Do you enjoy being a CEO? I hope you’ve been taking enough time for yourself too.”

“Yes, I love it. And we try to reserve weekends for relaxing together.”

“Sounds like things are pleasant at home.”

I nod, grinning. Sometimes I still get giddy over the fact that I’m married to Noah—happily now, not just legally. “And I have a big announcement.”

“Oh?”

I lean over to take Dad’s hand and look him in the eye. “I’m pregnant.”

Joy dawns gradually over his face as the good news sinks in. “Really? You’re sure?”

“I just went to the doctor yesterday for an official test.” Usually, it’s not a great idea to announce a pregnancy so early, but a grandchild is my father’s dying wish. I can jump the gun a little bit.

“Oh, how wonderful.” He heaves a blissful sigh and there are tears shimmering in his eyes.

It’s a moment I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to have with my father, and it’s every bit as sweet and heartfelt as I imagined it would be.

“How are you feeling? And have you thought about names yet?” he asks.

“I’m feeling great; don’t worry. We figured William or Frederick for a boy, Dahlia or Susan for a girl.” It only seems right to name our baby after one of its grandparents.

Dad blinks, then laughs until a coughing fit cuts him off. “I appreciate the thought, sweetheart, but for God’s sake, don’t name the poor thing Fred. Or at least use it for the middle, not the first. That name is getting to be on the old-fashioned side these days.”

I give him a look. “And Dahlia isn’t?”

“Perhaps, but you’ll have to take that up with Noah.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I say with a chuckle. Without letting go of Dad’s hand, I pull a small, folded square of cloth from my purse. “But I’m not sure he’ll be able to think straight for a few days. He was so excited yesterday, he ran right out of the doctor’s office and bought this.”

Dad unfolds the present. It’s an infant onesie made of butter-soft, pale yellow cotton. Beaming at me, he hugs the tiny piece of clothing to his heart.

I gently squeeze his free hand. “Okay, Dad, I told you how I’ve been. Now you tell me how you are.”

“Do you even need to ask, sweetheart? I couldn’t be happier.”

Blinking back tears, I reply simply, “Me too.”

Epilogue Two

Noah

I did it. I totally put a bun in her oven. I am so the fucking man. My wife is incredible, and I can’t wait to see her as a mother. Because this baby? This will make us a true family, and one I’m honored to be part of.

Even sweeter news? In an unexpected twist, we learned from Prescott that the estate attorney over my father’s will had been instructed not to tell us that the will had stipulated our shares of the company be placed in a trust if the heir clause wasn’t met within ninety days, but if we did marry and produce an heir at a later date, the shares would revert to our child. It’s an even happier happy ending. We’ve got this.

Game on.