On our wedding day, my bride locked my terrified son in a bedroom. His words shattered everything.

The next few months were the happiest of my life.

Victoria was in jail, awaiting trial.

The restraining order was permanent.

She was gone.

Gone from our house.

Gone from our phones.

Gone from our lives.

Ethan healed a little more every day.

He started sleeping through the night again.

The nightmares stopped.

He went back to school, made new friends, joined the soccer team.

He stopped flinching when someone raised their voice.

Stopped sucking his thumb.

Stopped asking if I was going to leave him.

Lena was with us every step of the way.

She moved into the guest room.

Drove Ethan to school.

Helped him with his homework.

Made his favorite mac and cheese every Friday night.

She was the mom he’d lost.

The mom he deserved.

And I fell more in love with her every single day.

But I was scared.

Scared to rush things.

Scared to hurt Ethan.

Scared that if I messed this up, I’d lose them both.

My mom noticed.

She pulled me aside one Sunday after dinner.

“When are you going to ask that girl out?”

I choked on my coffee.

“Mom, what? We’re not… it’s not like that. She’s here for Ethan.”

My mom rolled her eyes.

“Please. I see the way you look at her. The way she looks at you. You’re both just too scared to say anything. And don’t give me that ‘it’s for Ethan’ crap. That boy loves her more than anything. He wants you two to be together. He told me so last week.”

I stared at her.

“He did?”

“Uh-huh. Said he wishes you’d marry her. That she’s the best mom ever. So what are you waiting for? Another disaster? Life is short, honey. You deserve to be happy. She deserves to be happy. And Ethan… he deserves a whole family. One that loves each other. One that’s real.”

She was right.

She was always right.

That night, I sat on the back porch, drinking beer, thinking.

Lena came out, holding two mugs of hot chocolate.

She handed me one.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

I took the mug, my fingers brushing hers.

Electricity shot up my arm.

“Just thinking. About how lucky we are. To have you.”

She smiled, sitting down next to me.

“I’m the lucky one. You two gave me a home. I never had that growing up. My parents died when I was young. I bounced around foster homes. I never thought I’d have a family. Not a real one.”

My heart ached for her.

“Well, you have one now. Us. Forever. No matter what.”

She looked at me.

Her eyes were glistening in the moonlight.

“Forever?”

I nodded.

“Forever. Lena… I need to tell you something. And if you don’t feel the same way, we can forget I ever said it. Things can go back to how they were. I just… I can’t keep it in anymore.”

I took a deep breath.

“I love you. Not just as the woman who takes care of my son. As you. The brave, kind, beautiful woman who stood up to Victoria for us. Who loves Ethan like he’s your own. Who makes every day better just by being in it. I’m in love with you. And I have been for a long time.”

She didn’t say anything for a long time.

I felt my stomach drop.

I’d messed up.

I’d ruined everything.

Then she leaned in.

And kissed me.

Soft.

Sweet.

Perfect.

When she pulled back, she was smiling, tears running down her face.

“I love you too. I have for months. I was so scared to say anything. I thought you’d never see me that way. That I was just the nanny. Just the maid.”

I pulled her close.

“Never. You’re everything. You’re the best thing that ever happened to us.”

We sat there for a long time, holding each other, watching the stars.

Then the back door slid open.

Ethan stood there, rubbing his eyes, holding his teddy bear.

“Are you two kissing now?”

We both jumped, laughing.

I held out my hand to him.

“Come here, buddy. We need to talk to you about something.”

He came over, climbing onto my lap.

“Are you going to get married? Like you were gonna with the mean lady?”

I looked at Lena.