The Covenant (The Billionairess, #3)

Epilogue

Eight years later...

"Daddy, I want to lick the spoon!"

"She got to lick the spoon last time!"

Lucy and Zach were fighting again—over dessert, to no one's surprise. The two of them tugged at the wooden spoon with their small meaty hands. The end was still covered in chocolate chip cookie batter, and a dollop fell onto the floor.

"Hey, let's not make a mess you two," I said, extracting the spoon away. "You can each take turns licking the bowl.

I moved the spoon away where neither of them could fight over as they both started devouring what was left in the bowl. I checked the time on the oven: two more minutes.

"We should wait until mommy gets home," Lucy said. "She likes cookies."

I watched as the two of them locked happily as the shiny metal bowl. They were both eight and seven respectively, and they were growing like trees. Lucy's head sprouted with the same blonde curls as her mom, and Zach already had my dark locks and freckles. When they both finished the bowl, I helped them load it into the dishwasher.

At that moment, the oven dinged.

"They're done!" Lucy squealed.

Lucy and Zach ran towards the oven and looked through the glass inside. I gently moved them aside and opened it up before slipping o it the tray. A dozen chocolate chip cookies, made form scratch ourselves.

"I want one!" Zach said.

"No," Lucy said, smacking his hand away. "We need to wait for—"

Then like she was summoned, the three of us heard the front door unlock and open.

"Mommy!"

I tried not to stumble over Zach and Lucy as they darted past me out of the kitchen towards the living room. I heard Rose chuckle as our two little rascals stumbled towards her.

I left the cookies on the counter to cool then headed into the living room. I stood at the doorway and smiled as I watch Rose attempt to remove her coat while Lucy and Zach hugged her ankles.

"Hello there, cupcake", she said, then kissed Lucy's head. "And pumpkin." She kissed Zach's head.

"We made chocolate chip cookies with Daddy!" Zach said.

"I know, I can smell them from here," Rose said. She glanced up at me with a smile. "And how is baking?"

"Nothing on fire," I said.

"Mom, will you eat cookies with us?" Lucy asked.

"Oh, baby," Rose glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's almost ten. It's getting late."

She glanced up at me.

"The recipe took a bit longer than we thought," I said with a chuckle.

"But it's summer break and we get to stay up late during summer break!" Zach whined.

"I know, pumpkin," Rose said. "But ten is late even for summer." Lucy and Zach both groaned. "How about this: If you both get to bad right now, we can all have cookies for breakfast."

That made both their faces brighten.

"Cookies for breakfast!" Zach cheered.

"Can we have cookies and pancakes for breakfast?" Lucy asked.

"Anything for my little darlings," Rose said. Both of them cheered. "But only of you get in your pajamas and brush your teeth. Then it's to bed. Cupcake needs to bake and pumpkin needs to grow."

Lucy and Zach raced towards their bedrooms, giggling and shoving each other along the way. Rose chuckled and rolled her eyes, then approached me and gave me a kiss.

"How was today?" She asked. "Got any writing done?"

"A few solid pages," I said. "Got a little distracted with the you-know-who's."

"I can tell you've been preoccupied."

Rose ran her hand along my shirt, pulling a loose chocolate chip smeared with batter on my collar. I looked like a mess. My clothes and hands were still messing from Lucy, Zach, and I'd kitchen antics.

"I certainly haven't bored," I chuckled. "I'm sure I'll have more time to get more words in once they go back to school in August."

"Mommy!" Zach yelled form the bathroom. "Lucy keeps pulling my hair!"

"No I'm not!"

"Lucy, be nice to your brother," Rose called back to them. She turned back to me. "She's got a mean streak in her, that one. You know last year her teacher told me she got in trouble for poking a boy with her pencil. She's sharp one."

I grinned and crossed my arms.

"Wonder where she gets that from," I said.

"Mommy, Lucy keeps stepping on my foot!" Zach called.

"You keep stepping on mine!"

"Alright, you two, both of you better make your way to bed," Rose called.

There was a series of small feet running on the hard wood floor, followed by two bedroom doors open and closing. Rose and I couldn't stop giggling.

"They're crazy, those two," I said. "But you gotta love them."

"Yeah, definitely," Rose said. She ran her hand sip my chest to my tie, and used it to pull me close. "But right now, let's get you out of these messy clothes. I want someone else to call me mommy for a while."

A grin crept its way onto my face.

"Of course, mistress," I whispered.

She gave me a smile, then pulled me forward by my toe towards the double doors down the hall.