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He grinned like a mad man, and I put my hands on the side of his face and kissed him. Kissing his lips softly before everything just started to slip out of my mouth.
“I love you, Levi. The day you walked up to me in that bar was the first of many of the best days of my life. And nothing makes me happier, with the exception of our son, than knowing I get to spend the rest of my life with you … than knowing I’m your wife and you’re my husband. So, happy Valentine’s Day, baby. Sorry for taking so long.”
He didn’t say anything with his mouth, but his eyes spoke volumes. Flipping me on to my back on top of the bed, he rested his forehead against mine, his hand on my thigh.
“Mrs. Black,” he whispered, kissing me.
“Yes.”
“Mrs. Black.” He kissed me again, and I answered.
“Yes.”
Yes. I was Thea Black. Mother of Ulric Black. Wife of Levi Black. And damn proud of it.
PART TWO
PAST & PRESENT
PRESENT
LEVI
“Why do I have this annoying feeling you are trying to show off right now?” Tristan muttered as we rode up the elevator.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said. Tilting my hand even more to look at the tablet, so that it was the first thing anyone would see as we walked off the elevator.
“Good morning, Mr. Black. Mr. Knox,” the receptionist said as we stopped in front of her. “Morning, Ms. Courtney. How has been the office been?” I asked, flexing my fingers as her blue eyes dropped to the ring, and then back to me quickly.
Smiling, she nodded. “Pretty much the same as always. I gave most of the details to Mr. Knox … Congrats on your marriage, sir.”
“Thank you.” I nodded as I walked away. Within a few minutes, I was more than positive the whole firm would know. Ms. Courtney could get gossip through the office faster than wildfire. She was also good at getting gossip on other firms, which was why she was still here.
“Why am I friends with you?” Tristan snickered as we walked, nodding at the associates as we did.
“Welcome back, Mr. Black.”
“Congratulations.”
“It’s good to see you, sir.”
“Happy New Year.”
All of their statements reminded me just how long it had been since I’d been in the office. I was a father now. A husband … finally. By the time I made it to my corner office, I was actually tired of the welcome-back parade. However, Betty, being the old and sage woman she was, shot party streamers right at my face as soon as I stepped inside my fruit-basket-baby-gift-covered office. A large banner with the words WELCOME BACK hung on my window and blocked the view of my beautiful city.
“Welcome back, sir!” everyone yelled again, clapping.
“Jesus Christ.” I jumped, glaring at Tristan, who clapped loudly in my ear. “Thank you. Thank you. Now, can someone please clean this shit up?”
It was like a maze getting to my desk. They all laughed, but one voice rang out louder than the rest.
“So unfair.” I knew that voice. We all knew that voice.
Turning, they made way for her, as if she were splitting the Red Sea, my wife, Thea Black, dressed in a high-waisted black skirt and light pink blouse with a bow at the neck. She walked forward, into the middle of the department store that blew up in the middle of my office.
“I did all the heavy lifting, and you’re the one who gets all the gifts.” She picked up the giant teddy bear, and looked to the associates outside. “There wasn’t even so much of a ‘congrats’ card on my desk.”
“Thea!” Atticus Logan came up from the back, dressed in his black suit, though his jacket was off. His sandy blonde hair cut much shorter now. “I didn’t realize you were coming back today.”
