AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You gave us our future.”
I touched her cheek. “Yougive us our happy ending every single day.”
“I love you.”
“Forever and always,” I murmured, dropping my forehead to hers.
“Andthoseare better than the vows I pulled off the internet,” Lake said, making us both jump and jerk our heads toward him, making me remember we had an audience and a wedding to finish. “And since she has already has a ring”—Lake jerked his chin at Beth’s hand—“and we all have a silent auction to talk up…I now pronounce you man and wife.”
My eyes went wide. “Lake, I—”
Beth’seyes went wide. “I—”
“You may kiss the bride,” Lake announced loudly, ignoring our shock.
But since I wasn’t going to miss my first chance to kiss my wife…
I did just that.
And thenwhen the cheers died down and I found the strength to pull away…
We all went out and drove up those silent auction bids.
EIGHT
Cas
“Ready, Dad?”Ethan asked softly the next day.
I nodded, played it cool, but every time my stepson—a fact I only mentioned to illustrate exactly how big of a fucking deal it was for him to call me that. Every time, every fucking time I heard him call me Dad I felt it in my heart.
Big time.
“Yeah, bud,” I said. “I’m ready.”
He grinned, his half-goofy smile, and picked up the tray with misshapen pancakes, bacon, eggs, and a fruit salad.
Breakfast in bed for his mom.
Creating core memories.
Learning how to spoil his mom, because she deserved it. Learning that if he bent over backward for the woman he loved that love would be reciprocated tenfold.
Never had I been happier.
Not hefting a Cup. Not seeing my name be written in the Breakers’ history books. Not being drafted or making my family proud. Not—
“Woof!”
I grinned down at my pooch, scratched the top of his head, right between his ears, exactly as he liked it.
Not even when Sparky and I were on our own, my little fur bucket, my best friend and favorite companion.
Mostly because he was happy with just time and lots of scratches and a regularly filled food bowl.
But with Jules and Ethan—
My life was better than I could have ever expected.
