AllFreeNovel
Share Us
In more ways than you know.
But I kept that tidbit to myself. We’d tell Mum and Dad they were going to have another grandchild once we were ready. For now, it was our joyous secret.
“I can’t believe I’m getting married again.” I said it more to myself than anyone else. If asked a year ago whether I’d marry again, I’d have answered with a resounding no, but fate had other plans, and I would be eternally grateful for that.
“You and Grace will make a lovely family,” Max said. Along with Dad, he was my groomsman. I hadn’t wanted to choose between my four brothers, but Max was my twin and we’d always been close. The others understood that. They also got why I didn’t want our wedding to be a massive event like my first one was. Back then, I’d included them all in the bridal party, and we’d dropped a crazy amount of cash to get married at the ski resort, but it hadn’t been what I’d wanted. Maddy had made all the decisions, and in hindsight, my disinterest should have been a red flag. She’d planned a beautiful wedding, but just like she and I hadn’t been the right fit, nor had the wedding.
This time, it was perfect. Just close friends, family, and a delicious homemade lunch.
A song started playing, and everyone fell silent.
Tess emerged from the house first. My heart felt like it doubled in size at the sight of her. She was smiling, her hair loose around her narrow shoulders as she made her way down the stairs and across the lawn, scattering white petals in her path I could imagine her grown, at her own wedding, and tears filled my eyes. I blinked them back. Nope, this was not the moment to start bawling.
Summer came next. My sister looked fresh and pretty in a blue dress that made her golden hair shine with vibrancy. She grinned at me and waggled her eyebrows. “Wait ’til you see her,” she mouthed.
Kennedy followed behind Summer, and in the front row, Liam’s chest puffed with pride. I fought the urge to roll my eyes, but I understood how he felt. Every time I saw Grace, I wondered how I’d managed to get so lucky.
I waited with bated breath until, finally, Grace stepped through the doorway. My heart skipped a beat. She was exquisite. As elegant as ever, and an essence of goodness seemed to radiate from her pores. She was smiling, the slight tremble of her lips giving away her nerves. I caught her eyes, and a shock rolled through me.
Holy shit, this gorgeous woman was about to become my wife.
I couldn’t look away.
As she neared, she reached for me, and I took her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm.
“I love you,” I told her, ignoring Ezra, who’d been about to begin speaking. He’d become a certified officiant so he could conduct our wedding.
“Love you,” she whispered. “Let’s get married.”
I couldn’t think of anything I wanted more.
THE END
Looking for another single dad small town romance novels with friends who become more? In Pretend to Be Yours, sexy single dad Shane agrees to fake date his friend Faith to get her matchmaking parents off her back. Grab your copy today, or take a peek at the excerpt on the next page!
PRETEND TO BE YOURS EXCERPT
Faith St. John stared at the incoming call on her mobile phone with trepidation. The caller ID read Molly & Arthur Weasley—the codename she’d assigned her parents. Faith’s mum and dad never rang after 9:00 p.m. unless something was wrong, and she had a bad feeling about this.
She glanced at Dylan, the eleven-year-old she was babysitting, who lay sprawled on the couch beside her, having fallen asleep while waiting for his dad to get home. She stood and took herself to a different room so she wouldn’t wake him up.
She slowly raised the phone to her ear. “Mum? Dad?”
“Faith!” her mother, Katherine, exclaimed.
She yanked the phone away, wincing. Her mother had one volume. Loud. A trait Faith had inherited.
“Hey there,” she said, switching the phone to speaker so she could talk without risking her eardrums. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“We’re here!”
Faith’s eyebrows knitted together. “I don’t follow. What do you mean?”
“Well....” Katherine dragged the word out, clearly wanting to deliver her news with a punch, as per usual. “You’ll never guess, but we came to town a week early to spend time with you. We drove up after work. Surprise!”
“Oh, my gosh.” Faith smiled. Her parents may be full-on and meddlesome, but she rarely saw them since they’d moved to Wellington, and she missed them. Her cousin Erica’s wedding was next Saturday, but she hadn’t expected them to be in town until then.
“I know. Isn’t it exciting?” Katherine’s voice sped up, and Faith imagined her father, Darren, was hurrying her along. “We were supposed to be up earlier but got stuck in rush hour traffic, and you know how long the drive is at the best of times. Anyway, we’ve arrived now, and we’re parked outside your house. Where are you?”
