by Lori Ryan
Epilogue
Chad watched Jennie as she slept—their tiny precious daughter bundled in his arms. He was afraid to move for fear of crushing her. Twenty-two hours of labor had worn Jennie out and seeing her in so much pain had been more than he could handle.
When she’d asked for an epidural, Chad wanted to drop to his knees in thanks, knowing she’d finally get some relief. He didn’t do well with seeing the woman he loved hurting.
The scar on Jennie’s arm was a constant reminder of the pain he’d put her through, but it also reminded him to be so grateful for having the woman he loved in his life.
He looked down at the sweet face of his sleeping daughter and laughed when he remembered Jennie telling their friends what they’d named their child.
Princess Tiffany Tabitha Tobias Thompson. She said it with a completely straight face and sold them all on her sincerity. They’d stood there with the funniest expressions trying to find some polite response. Chad felt so sorry for them, he’d told them the baby’s real name.
Ella Kylee Thompson, named after Chad’s grandmother and Kyle. She was a big baby, weighing in at eight and a half pounds and measuring twenty-three inches, but she still felt so small in Chad’s arms. He worried he would break her. Her foot was the size of his pinkie, but boy did she scream when she came out.
Apparently, she was not thrilled to be taken out of the warm cocoon her mother had kept her in all these months. She turned her little face purple and red and opened that mouth and let the world know she was ticked off.
And, he’d never heard anything so magical in his life.
“Hey, you.” Jennie spoke quietly from the bed.
Chad smiled at her and brought Ella over, knowing she would want to nurse. The baby seemed to want to eat every few hours.
“How do you feel? Do you need anything?”
Jennie shook her head at him and looked down at Ella who now nursed hungrily. Her little eyes were already closed as though she only planned to eat and then drop right off to sleep again.
“I’m okay,” Jennie said. “I want to get home to our own bed and get settled in with you and Ella.”
Chad kissed her forehead and brushed the hair back from her eyes. “Soon, Jen. I’m pretty sure you have to stay here at least one day, if not two,” he said with a laugh.
“Can’t you bribe a doctor? Get them to let me go home?” she asked as Chad laughed at her and shook his head.
“Call some of your army buddies and have them sneak us out? It’ll be a black op. They’ll love it,” she begged.
“I love you, Jennie Thompson,” he whispered, ignoring her plotting.
“I love you, too, Boss Man,” she whispered back.
Chad knew a lifetime with her wouldn’t be enough, but it was a start.
And, he’d take it.
Stalker Notes (Otherwise Known as Author Notes)
Thank you so much for reading Chad and Jennie’s story! If you’ve been reading the Sutton Billionaire’s story from the start, you know Chad has been there from the beginning.
What you probably don’t know is that when I first created his character, I thought he was going to be a total jerk. Not a bad guy, exactly, but just someone who wasn’t very nice to the people around him and who was only out for himself.
Not exactly how he turned out, huh? I kind of love it when a character or a story takes on a life of their own. I ended up having to go back and rewrite him when it became clear he just wasn’t going to put up with being written the way I wanted to write him.
I’m glad it ended up that way! I bet Jennie’s happy, too. He ended up being just the guy she needed in her world.
Thank you for reading them and for all the love and support you’ve shown me throughout my years as an author! My readers are what keep me going and let me live this amazing, extraordinary life of creativity and drama!
The next book in the series, The Billionaire’s Rock Star, is available here.
About the Author
Lori Ryan is a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author who writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense. She lives with an extremely understanding husband, three wonderful children, and two dogs (who are lucky they’re adorable and cute because they rarely behave) in Austin, Texas. It’s a bit of a zoo, but she wouldn’t change a thing.
Lori published her first novel in April of 2013 and has loved every bit of the crazy adventure this career has taken her on since then. Lori loves to connect with her readers. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter or subscribe to her blog. Oh, and if you’ve read Lori’s books and loved them, please consider leaving a review with the retailer of your choice to help other readers find her work as well! It’s a tremendous honor to have her work recommended to others or written up in reviews. Lori promises to do a happy dance around her office every time you write one!