He smiled, pressing a kiss to my gloved palm. “Always.”

I began walking again, and Simon fell in step beside me, pulling me out of Jeremiah’s way as our son made a mad dash toward the house.

“So, what else did you get me?” I asked, curious.

“Besides my undying love and affection?” Simon helped me up the two steps. He shrugged “Jewelry.”

I grinned. “I’m sure I’ll like it. But I’d rather have you. This. Us.”

Simon placed my hand over his heart. My fingers curled toward the strong pulse as I raised my gaze to his.

“I promise.”

Epilogue

Simon

Five Months Later

I touched the perfect, pink fingers and ran my hand up her plump arm.

“She’s gorgeous,” I murmured.

“She is.”

“Did you settle on a name?” I asked, almost too enraptured to look up. My daughter. I held my baby girl in my arm.

“Well . . .”

My gaze rose to meet Ella’s. She leaned back against the pillow, exhausted and glowing. Her cheeks were still thin, but they radiated with health, and her eyes remained bright as she smiled at us.

“You paint quite the picture there, Mr. Dorsey. You holding that precious girl.”

I pressed a soft kiss to the pulse point on the top of her head. “She brings out my snuggler.”

“As long as you save some for me.”

My smile turned more heated. “Oh, that’s a given.” I cuddled my daughter closer. “So. Name.”

Ella settled farther into her pillow. “I know it’s May, but I wanted to name her something to remind me of our Christmas.”

I nodded, my pulse pounding as it did each time she brought up that time. Not that Ella ever took advantage of my guilt—that was all on me.

“What do you think of Celyn?” She plucked at the blanket over her knee.

“That sounds . . . Irish?”

“Welsh. For Mum’s heritage. It means Holly. A bit of a nod to our trials but purely her own.”

“It’s lovely. Like you.” I leaned down and pressed a kiss to Celyn’s plump cheek. “Celyn Dorsey.”

“Celyn Angelica Dorsey.”

My smile widened. Ella answered it and soon we both laughed.

“She’s on her way,” I said. “She was beside herself that her trip to LA took longer than expected.”

Angelica might be my A&R director, but Ella treated her like a long-lost sister. The two of them bent their heads together, and whispered over ways to fix the world—and me—often.

My relationship with Ella strengthened each day because I’d kept my promise. When I had to tour, I called her at least twice to hear about her day and Jeremiah’s. Angelica ensured me the time and privacy to do so.

Yep, Angelica was a godsend. And a good friend.