Storm Warning!!

Chuckling at the way she described the twins, relieved that that was over, I thought we were done, until of course she noticed my ring. Her eyes almost popped out of her head when she saw it sparkling on my finger as I reached for a mug in the cupboard.

"Holy shit, that's some rock you got on your finger. So, you got engaged, too? What the hell happened with you on the weekend? Did you bump into Prince Charming the minute you let your girls out?"

I actually laughed at that, but decided there was no way around it, and after I took a deep breath, I told her, "Owen and I are getting married."

Staring at me like I'd grown an extra head, she dropped into the nearest chair, and muttered, "Get out of town. You and the boss are engaged? When the heck did all this happen? And why am I just hearing about this now?"

I smiled as I thought about him, because I knew I'd been in love with him for as long as I could remember, though I'd never told a soul.

Glad the drama was finally over with Kendra, I brought Owen a coffee. And though he was busy on the phone with a client, after I'd put his mug on his desk, he still winked and reached for my hand and pressed a kiss into my palm.

After that little exchange, I felt like I was floating on air as I made my way back to my desk, deciding I had to be the luckiest girl in the world.

Back into work mode, I had just finished reviewing a contract for a new parking garage for one of the bigger hospitals on University Avenue in the heart of the city. When I looked up, and saw Owen's mother walking through the door, smiling as she approached me.

I liked her, and she'd always been friendly... at least until now I thought, as I looked down anxiously at the big, beautiful diamond ring on my finger.

Her blue eyes sparkling, she smiled and said, "Oh, you just look so lovely today, Aubrey. And I think that red dress really suits you, and does wonders for your figure."

"And you look lovely, too, Mrs. Talbot." Dressed to the nines in an off-white designer suit, with black high heels and matching purse, she looked so polished. Her shoulder length blonde hair perfectly styled, with just a flattering touch of makeup, she always looked so put together that no one would ever guess she was in her seventies.

"I had an appointment in the city this morning," she explained, "and I was hoping I could coax my son into joining me for lunch."

I pulled up Owen's schedule on my computer screen and as I checked his appointments, I heard her gasp. As I turned my head and looked up at her she smiled and said, "Oh, my goodness, what a lovely ring. I had no idea you were engaged, Aubrey. And who's the lucky man?"

Just then Owen walked out of his office, looked back and forth between the two of us and said, "It's me, I'm the lucky one. I asked Aubrey to marry me on the weekend, and thankfully she said yes."

I watched the smile disappear from his mother's face, replaced by a look of shock as she stared at her son and then back at me. "You're marrying your assistant?"

Smiling at me he said, "Actually, I'm marrying the woman I love. And I've never felt this happy, all thanks to Aubrey."

His mother surprised me when she suddenly broke into a smile, rushed over and hugged me around the shoulders, pressed a kiss to my cheek, then went over and gave Owen a big, warm hug, too. Looking up at her son, she grinned and said, "Well, this is surprise, but a nice one. I've always wondered how you two could work together side by side and not realize that you'd be perfect for each other."

Her eyes sparkled as she looked over at me. "I've always liked you Aubrey. And I'm so glad my son finally came to his senses and realized what a treasure he's got in you."

Looking over at Owen's shocked expression I could hardly believe my ears. His mother just gave us her approval, when I'd expected at the very least, she'd give us a lecture about the difference in our ages.

"Now," she said, "why don't the three of us go out and celebrate and have a nice lunch, so you can tell me all about your wedding plans."

I looked at Owen, who was still staring at his mother, looking a little confused. Then he smiled at me and said, "Well, since we just got engaged, we haven't really got that far yet. But lunch would be nice."

A month later, for Owen's fiftieth birthday, he decided he didn't want a party, preferring just to have a quiet dinner with me.

As we sat together at his favorite Italian restaurant as the waiter brought out a small coffee cream cake and the staff gathered round to sing happy birthday, I pressed a kiss to his cheek and told him "Happy Birthday, sweetheart."

Since he said he didn't need a thing, and told me in no uncertain terms that he didn't want me to buy him anything, after he blew out his candle I put his birthday card on the table, bit into my lip and waited to see what he'd think.

He smiled as he opened the card, since we normally gave each other funny cards I think he was expecting something a little racy or maybe something silly.

But as he stared at the little white stick sitting inside the card, and then back up at me, looking confused he asked, "What's this?"

"That's the test I took this morning. You're going to be a dad, Owen. We're having a baby."

Though I wasn't sure how it happened, maybe that I missed a few days of my pills when we'd been stranded in the storm, I was actually thrilled when I saw the plus sign show up on the stick after I'd done the test first thing in the morning.

Owen's eyes went wide as he reached for my hand and whispered, "Are you serious?"

I nodded. "I just hope this is what you want, and you're not upset. I know we didn't exactly plan for this to happen, especially before we're even married."

His face broke into a big happy smile, he pushed back his chair, reached for me and pulled me into his lap, and obviously not really giving a damn where we were, he kissed me with everything we had.

Stroking my cheek, once we'd pulled apart, he looked into my eyes and told me, "This is definitely the best birthday I've ever had. Now that I've got you, and a baby on the way, I don't think I could wish for anything more."

After we'd had a small intimate wedding with just our closest family and friends, eight months later, we welcomed our son; Michael Anthony Talbot, a healthy seven pound bundle of joy into the world.

The way Owen looked into his son's eyes with a sense of wonder, had me wiping away a tear as he pressed a tender little kiss to the top of his head, smiled down at me and said, "I still can't believe he's here, and that we get to take him home with us."

I laughed and told him, "I think that's the way it usually works, and they actually prefer that we take them home once we've had them."

Chuckling, Owen brushed a kiss across my cheek and said, "And to think I almost didn't hire you."

First I'd heard of it, I sat up and asked, "And why was that?"

He smiled. "You're just so pretty, I was worried you'd be a distraction. But I'm so glad now that I changed my mind, or we wouldn't be here now with our brand new baby boy."

I couldn't argue with that. And I was pretty glad that he'd hired me, too.

No surprise, Owen was so good with the baby, eager to help with anything he could. Well, maybe except for breastfeeding. Though my hubby really seemed to enjoy the fact that the twins were even bigger now that I'd had the baby, as he grin at me and tell me, "There's just more of you to love."

But I realized why he was so eager to care for his son, when I was making our bed one morning, and he was in changing the baby. I smiled as I listened to him on the baby monitor, enjoying a little alone time with his boy.

I sat on the edge of the bed and listened as he quietly told him, "I can't wait to get you up to the cottage, big guy. I'll teach you how to swim and how to bait a hook to catch a fish. And you've got your own jet ski, just waiting for you as soon as you're old enough to ride it."

I smiled to myself as our little guy laughed and cooed, as I could hear Owen happily laughing right along with him as he told him, "Well, don't get too excited, because it'll be a while yet, but you keep on growing and we'll get there."

I actually got a little weepy as I imagined him looking down at his son as his tone grew more serious as he quietly told him, "You know your old dad has waited a lifetime for you. And now I can hardly wait for the three of us to explore that great big world out there together."

When I got up and walked into the baby's room, I realized what a catch he actually was, seeing as he was so good with his son and probably the best husband I could ever have wished for.

Smiling at my hubby, I pressed a kiss to his lips, ran my hands down over his back, gave his butt a little squeeze and whispered, "I was just wondering what our son would think of having a little brother or sister to play with."

The moment he heard that, Owen quickly dropped a kiss on Michael's head and told him, "Okay, time for a nap, big guy. Now mom and dad need a little alone time."

As I took him by the hand and led him into our bedroom, looking back at him over my shoulder giving him a playful waggle of my eyebrow I said, "I think we'll try for a little girl this time. What do you think?"

Shaking his head, he laughed and said, "Baby, as long as we get to practice long and hard, I'll be more than happy with whatever happens."

Once he'd peeled me out of my clothes, the moment slid his tongue along my sex, as I twisted the sheets in my hands, I wondered how much better it could get. At least until he nudged his way inside me and kissed me with everything he had.

Breathlessly gazing into the dark, stormy look in his eyes, as I felt my whole body begin to tremble, I realized that some things were just meant to be. And lucky for me, working closely with the man of my dreams, proved to be the best thing I'd ever done.

I had my man, and our baby boy, and with any luck soon we'd have a little girl to love and spoil, too.

Turns out every cloud really does have a silver lining, if my amazing life with my man was anything to go by.