AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"She is." I tighten my grip on her fingers. "But she’s already my wife, and I’m not letting her go."
"I wouldn’t expect anything else." My mother turns to me, then rises to her tip-toes. I bend my head, and she kisses my forehead. "I’m so happy for you, Liam. You made me proud today. There was a time, all those years ago, when I thought I’d lost you, but seeing you with her, I know she’s brought you back to me."
I straighten, then shuffle my feet. "There’s something I need to tell you, Ma."
A strange look comes into her eyes. "Later. There’s time for that later. Right now, I want to enjoy my new daughter-in-law and this version of my son that she’s gifting me." She steps back and then Nadine is there.
She hugs me, then kisses Isla. "I’m so happy for the both of you." She sniffs.
"I’m happy, too, Ma." Isla hugs her back.
She steps back, and the rest of the Lymington Knitting Club members surround us. They congratulate me and hug Isla. When it’s Wilma’s turn, she narrows that gimlet-eyed gaze of hers on me. "Took you long enough." She sniffs.
"I’m here now."
"About time." She glances from me to Isla, then back at me. "You take good care of her now, you hear me?"
"Yes, ma’am." I resist the urge to snap off a salute.
"Also, I’m pleased to say, you are now an honorary member of the Lymington Knitting Society."
I bow my head. "It’s my honor and privilege that you’ve accepted me as one of your own."
"You do realize, this means you’re going to have to learn how to knit?" Isla chuckles.
"Can’t say I’ll be good at it, but if that’s what you want. Also, I think I know one more person who’d fit right in. Someone who enjoys knitting as a means to destress."
"Who would this be?" Wilma’s brows draw down.
"A friend who’s who knits to relax.”
I’m referring to Michael’s brother Christian, who I’ve met a few times in my business interactions with the Sovranos.
Wilma harrumphs. "It’s time for lunch." She steps back and heads for the door. The rest of the Knitting Club take their cue from her.
Dorian, who I hadn’t even noticed earlier, blocked by the wall of the Knitting Club, walks over and grips my hand in a bone-crushing handshake. "Welcome to the family."
* * *
"That wasn’t too bad, was it?" I lead her up the steps to our home.Ourhome. I’ve always thought of this as her home, of course, but after the events of the last few hours, it feels particularly poignant to think of it this way. It feels real. It feels like from the moment I saw her I knew my life was going to change.
This feels monumental… and colossal… and the beginning of something new, something I’ve waited for my entire life. Something I didn’t even know I was missing, and yet, now that I have her with me, I can’t imagine how I came this far without her presence in my life. We reach our door and I swing her up in my arms.
She laughs. "What’s this?"
"I’m carrying my bride over the threshold."
"Today isn’t our wedding day."
"Today is the first day of the rest of our lives together."
She looks at me with adoring eyes. "I love you."
"And I love you."
Suddenly, the door swings open, and Malory stands there. She looks from me to Isla. Her gaze widens. She opens and shuts her mouth as the impact of my new look sinks in. Then slowly, her face splits into a big smile. "Congratulations, Mr. Kincaid, madam."
"It’s Isla." She smiles back, then digs her elbow in my stomach.
