Chapter Fifty-One

Two months later …

Aria slid the sliding doors to the balcony closed behind her and turned toward the humid summer breeze. The hustle and bustle of downtown Dallas moved around below her, but she didn't mind.

The busyness around her felt nice, especially since she felt at ease being in their new place. The penthouse was huge, with four bedrooms and a living room that rivaled Aria's apartment back home. She'd never lived in something so nice before, and she felt out of place and undeserving at first, but Ethan assured her that she deserved every square foot.

After she gave birth to Easton—which was the name they finally choose—Ethan stepped into gear and planned out their next steps without any hesitation.

There was no way she wanted to go back to Devry Media as the CEO's baby momma, so Ethan suggested she move with him to Dallas, so he could oversee the construction of the new office.

It'd been a quick move and painful to leave Joan behind, especially after everything she did for Aria, but Ethan flew her out to visit the month before, and she gave them a much-needed night out on the town. Ethan and Aria hadn't been on a proper date, other than the night in his apartment and Surreal, so it felt brand-new. It made her laugh to think she had a baby with the man due to their unconventional relationship.

The way he treated her, the extra steps he took to woo her really proved to Aria that he was trying, which was all she could ask for since her pregnancy was dropped on his lap at the last minute.

Aria placed the baby monitor on the balcony table and opened her book to finish the last chapter. Ethan had been out all morning in meetings with the contractors, and that left Aria with time to clean and spend time with Easton.

She planned to work with Ethan once the new office was up and running, but that would be several months. She didn't mind the extra time with Easton before they hired a nanny to come watch him. In fact, the thought of leaving her Lil Man caused an ache in her chest, but she would cross that bridge when she got there.

Aria looked out over the skyline, biting the corner of her nail and laughing at the thought of her life turning out the way it had. It still felt unreal to be with Ethan officially. The move to Dallas with him felt uneasy at first. With them still being new to each other, Aria felt like walking on eggshells, but she knew it would get easier, and it had.

The front door opened, and Aria glanced over her shoulder at Ethan as he tossed his keys onto the kitchen counter and ran his fingers into the length of his hair. There was stress on his face, maybe from the details of the new office for Devry Media or his lack of sleep.

She insisted that he sleep while she dealt with the baby, but he became restless, and she noticed him peeking around the corner into the nursery throughout the night. It was sweet, but he needed to rest. She could see the sleepiness gathered around his eyes.

Aria closed her book and walked into the penthouse, watching as he scrolled through his phone, and emailed with furious fingers.

"You're tired," she said, leaning against the other side of the island. "You need to go take a nap."

He glanced up. "I'm fine, just these contractors prolonging their work. It's nothing to worry about," he said sliding his phone into his pocket and walking around to face her.

She glanced up into his playful blue eyes. "How is Easton?"

"Napping. He fought it pretty hard this last time, but I won. He can be a pretty determined little guy when he wants to be."

Ethan smirked. "How long has he been down?"

Aria glanced over her shoulder at the wall clock. "About fifteen minutes. He normally sleeps about an hour or so this time of day."

Ethan stroked her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb and nerves traveled down her spine. "I'm the luckiest man in the world, Aria."

She rolled her eyes. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Ethan Devry."

Ethan's gaze traveled over her face, and he cupped her jaw softly. "I'm sorry how everything happened. I'm sorry you felt you couldn’t talk to me about Easton, and I'm sorry about my reaction. I was stunned. I remember you asking about me being a father, and I'm sure my answer hurt you. After seeing that little boy, there is nothing I want more than to become a great father for him and prove myself to the both of you every day. You know that right? I'd do anything for you."

Aria smiled; wrapping her arms around him, she rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. "I do know that," she whispered. "And I know this hasn't been how either of us pictured our life going, but I'm so glad I get a chance to do it with you."

Ethan pulled her back, stared down into her dark gaze, and twisted a curl around his finger. "Me too, Mrs. Linetti," he said with a smile, a mischievous look twinkled in his eyes. "How about we take a trip to our bedroom to prove our love is never-ending?"

Aria chuckled as warmth traveled up her neck to her cheeks. She reached back and grabbed the baby monitor, and Ethan trapped her against the counter, his skilled mouth hovering over the sensitive skin of her neck.

"I can't wait to spend the next fifty plus years living my life with you," he said, before kissing the delicate pale flesh.

Aria ran her palm up his chest and slid her arm around his neck. "Even when I’m gray?"

Ethan thought about it, and Aria shoved his chest and laughed as he hauled her over his shoulder and stalked toward their bedroom. Nothing about their relationship—their journey—had been traditional, but in that moment, none of it matter. Aria Linetti would spend the rest of her life raising her little boy with the help of Ethan Devry, and that was the greatest happily-ever-after she could have wished for.