AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Royce snaps his fingers. “Yeah, that was it. Tif’s dad said you wanted her for Thomas from the jump. With the idea of a relationship already in my head, once I saw Genesis, it would be game over.” He gives me the side-eye. “We all thought it was clever how you told Thomas about my plans to marry Tif. With all the animosity between us it was a done deal that Thomas would confront Tiffany at that party you sent him to.”
Tiffany nods and says, “I always found it strange that everywhere my dad sent me, this hunk of a man was there. You took a long shot on us, Gramps. I can’t tell you how much I despised him at first.”
Thomas rolls his eyes. “Like you were some picnic.”
Tiffany tilts her head on his shoulder. “You love me now, right?”
He kisses her on the forehead and says, “Shall I lose my cufflinks when we get home?”
“Get a room!” Royce shouts.
Laughter rings out around the room and I’m laughing right along with them this time.
When it dies down, Royce asks, “What we really want to know, now that you have confessed, you wily old goat, is: what would you have done if Sin and Thomas had rejected Tiffany and me. There was always the factor that we would have honored what we thought were your wishes and gone through with the wedding.”
“Do you think I don’t know you boys at all? Thomas needed Tiffany’s patience and understanding, her laughter and her light. Always doing things by the book, he needed someone to make him branch out, try new things.
“And Royce... well, I had to find out why you were acting like a David Downer when you came back from New Orleans. I couldn’t get you to smile for weeks. After doing a little digging, I found out you had met a gal from Texas. It took more than a minute to find her, but when I did, I bought a company with the sole purpose of securing your happiness.”
They sit in silence, thinking it over. I give them a moment and then say, “Royce and Genesis, Thomas and Tiffany, I hope you will forgive me. Only by Grace did things work out. I actually take no credit for it.”
Their eyes roll at my statement.
“Humility doesn’t suit you, so stop with the act.” Royce looks at the others, and with their approving nods, he says, “We will forgive you without impunity if you promise...”
Here, each of them takes a turn spelling out what they don’t want me to do.
“Don’t.
“Ever.
“Mess.
“In our children’s lives.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it,” I say, crossing my fingers behind my back.
BONUS WEDDING EPILOGUE
ROYCE
Dreamlandwispsawayunderthe insistent buzzing of my phone. Sin snuggles deeper under the covers and presses her face to my side.
Her huff of complaint blows against my ribs.
I grab the phone from the night stand and slide the button before it can ring again, only to croak out a frog-like, “Hello.”
“This is Teresa with your wake up call, Mr. Grayson.” The tone of our morning concierge is that of a baby bird waiting to be fed.
Way too much chirpy-brightness at this hour.
“Uh, I flounder as I palm the sleep from my eyes. “Thank you, Teresa.”
“Have a great day, Mr. Grayson.”
I end the call after returning her wish. As I lean back into the pillows, Sin moves her head to my chest like she will be there all week.
Damn shame we have to get up early on the first day of my six-week vacation. It can’t be helped. Sin’s parents arrive at 10:20AM from New Zealand. With a two-hour cushion, we’ll have plenty of time to dick around.
