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Cat squeezes my hand when I glare at our daughter’s other mother.
“It’s a fact, Cyn,” Garreth says as he settles into his seat on the opposite side of the plane.
Garreth and Hayden have been working tirelessly to rebuild Hanson Liquors. And they undoubtedly will. But that is no longer a part of my story. Bouvier Media is my sole focus—when I can tear myself away from Cat and Chloe. Becausetheyare truly my world.
One day, we’ll bring up the subject of having more children. But if Chloe is it for us, then I’m still the luckiest man on earth. Cat has been through more than most people can handle in the last few months, so forcing her to deal with the trauma of her mother’s death and concerns over her own health is out of the question.
“What do you want to do first?” I tilt forward and eye my daughter across the aisle. She’s created a list of the things she wants to show me, and I can’t wait to learn more about the city she spent years traveling back and forth to.
“Duh. Obviously, I want to see the studio.” Ah yes, she’s most excited about spending time on the set of our show and rubbing elbows with Sienna Langfield.
Cat laughs, and the sound is like a balm to my soul.
* * *
Standing below the Eiffel Tower,I squeeze my wife’s hand. “What do you think, Kitten? Should we sneak up there later tonight? I want to have you above the entire city.”
She bumps her shoulder against me. “So dirty, Mr. Hanson.”
“About that,” I say, pulling her against my chest and bringing a hand to her chin. I brush my lips against hers, and then, because I can’t help myself, I swipe my tongue across them, always craving her taste. “Chloe and I did a thing.”
Cat’s brows pinch together. “What kind of thing?”
Because I can’t ever get enough, I press my lips to hers again. “We changed our last names,” I murmur against her.
“You what?” she says, her voice raising an octave. She puts a hand to my chest and pulls back, scanning my face.
Above us, the stars sparkle and the lights of the Eiffel Tower glitter, but in this moment, there is nothing brighter than my wife’s eyes. She glows as the meaning of my words sets in. “You changed your last name?”
“Yeah. But not to James,” I tease with a smile.
Her lips tip up and she shakes her head. “God, you make me happy.”
“Good. Because, Catherine Bouvier, I didn’t know happiness until I met you. So what do you say? Can I have your last name?”
Cat purses her lips and gives me a teasing shrug. “I think that could be arranged.”
“How ’bout right now?”
“Huh?” she asks, adorably confused.
“Marry me.”
“But we’re already married.” Her smile makes my heart skip a beat.
“Yeah, but your family wasn’t there.”
“They’re not here now either,” she retorts.
“You sure about that?” I tilt my head and look at the crowd gathered behind her.
She spins so fast she almost trips over her heels.
There on the lawn in front of the Eiffel Tower, both our families have gathered. Bundled up and keeping warm on this cool December night, they watch on, wearing wide smiles.
Cat grabs for my hand, squeezing tight as she whispers, “What did you do?”
Theo, whose health has improved greatly since his stroke, is the first to approach. “He did what the rest of us should have done months ago. He brought your family back together. I’m so sorry, Sunshine.” He holds out his arms, and Cat rushes into them.
