Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 104448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
His arms were tight around me, his large hands moving confidently up and down my back. “It’s going to be okay, sweetheart,” he murmured. “We’re going to have an amazing life together. We’re going to give Lellie all the love we didn’t get.”
We kissed and cried and laughed until Lellie let out a frustrated shriek from the kitchen.
Susanna popped her head around the doorframe and shot us a sheepish grin. “Sorry. Time’s up on your love fest. She clearly wants something, but I don’t speak toddler, and I don’t have parental ESP, so—”
Dev and I exchanged a glance and a grin.
“Peej,” we said at the same time.
EPILOGUE
DEV - SEVERAL MONTHS LATER
“Georgia reminds me of Texas,” Tully muttered, holding his hand over his eyes to block out the setting sun. While it was definitely going down, the temperature was still hot as fuck in the park, especially with tens of thousands of music fans in attendance. “It’s like they didn’t get the memo that October is supposed to be comfortably cool.”
I glanced at him as I shifted Lellie’s sleeping form from one shoulder to the other. Thankfully, the giant headphones Kenji had gotten her had worked to block out the noise of Zane’s music, and she’d been zonked for the final forty minutes of his performance. “You think you’re hot? Try holding a furnace against your neck.”
Tully grinned at me and reached out to take her. I scooted out of range so he couldn’t disturb her. “You crazy?” I hissed. “Don’t wake the beast. You were the one who made it a family rule, in case you need reminding.”
Tully’s eyes brightened with laughter. “I was just trying to help. Besides, she transfers fine. Once she’s down for the night, she’s down. Even if it’s at a concert with thousands of screaming fans, apparently.”
I cuddled her closer to me. “She’s too sweet when she’s asleep. I have to enjoy it while I can.”
The truth was, she was sweet when she was awake, too. Ever since we’d all moved into the new house at the end of the summer and settled into a routine, she’d begun to thrive. Jo had warned the reprieve was only temporary since toddlers generally rotated easily between asshole and angel, but for now, we were loving every minute of it.
She was admittedly spoiled rotten. Not only did she have Tully and me, but she also had Indigo wrapped around her finger practically full-time, and she had Way, Silas, Jo, Sheridan, and her husband, Bo, at her beck and call, too. When she’d pointed at one of the foals born this summer—a pretty palomino with a golden coat that shined in the sun—and declared the horse Peej, not a single soul had disputed it.
The other guys from the brotherhood made it out to see us when they could. Nearly every week, Landry sent some small item of what he called “baby couture,” Zane had worked Lellie’s name into one of his songs, and Bash and Rowe had recently been caught murmuring about plans to buy property in Majestic for a second home so they wouldn’t miss seeing her grow up.
I hadn’t thought it possible for my friends and me to be closer than we were, but somehow, Lellie’s presence in my life had managed it. She’d cracked my heart wide and made it impossible for me to hide from the world. Now, I was rooted firmly in the sunlight and thriving.
Things were good. More than good. And I kind of wanted to get back home and continue enjoying it.
Kenji came hustling through the crowd, stopping at the barricade to give the security guy a dark look before being allowed backstage with the rest of us.
“Where’s Ryan?” he asked, thumbing over his shoulder at the guard checking ID.
I shrugged. “He followed Zane into the dressing room after he came offstage and barked at us to wait out here.”
“Never mind, I just heard from Susanna. She tried to get you first, but you didn’t pick up. Guess whose law license was suspended in Texas?”
“Don’t say mine,” Tully said, reaching over to take Lellie from me. The resulting fresh air against my neck and damp shirt was a relief.
“Hank Kinard,” Kenji said. “The poor bastard thought keeping Brock Lois happy was more important than keeping his license. No surprise Lois’s firm threw him under the bus.”
“If only they’d been able to pin anything on Brock,” I muttered, shaking out my arms. “Any news on Paula Scott?”
Kenji nodded. “She accepted the agreement. Finally. She and Franklin signed an acknowledgment that Lellie is your biological child and will sign away all future claims to her and her estate.” He waved his slender fingers. “I don’t remember the legal explanation, but essentially, it’s over. There was one little surprise, though.”
Tully pressed a kiss to Lellie’s messy curls. “Good surprise or bad? We’ve had a great night. I’d hate to ruin it.”