Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
I laughed. “Okay.”
“By the time we’re through telling them about everything we’re going to do, they’ll be begging us to take their money.” He squeezed me tighter. “You’ll see.”
“You’re very persuasive.”
He kissed my shoulder again, then whispered in my ear. “It’s a gift.”
Believe it or not, the meeting went down almost exactly like Devlin said it would. Okay, maybe they weren’t begging us to take their money, but once we’d shown them all the charts and spreadsheets Devlin had created, all the market data he’d collected, all the plans from the builders and renderings from the designers, they appeared convinced.
Devlin was incredible. He blew my mind the way he presented the information, listened to questions and concerns, and addressed each one with thoughtful responses. My appreciation for his gift grew as I watched him win over every last person in the room, not with smarmy bullshit or false bravado, but with genuine respect for the people at the table and their time. Occasionally, while Devlin worked his magic, I’d exchange a smile with Jennifer Bates, Sara’s mom, a slender, dark-haired woman in her early forties. It was like we were in on a secret—Devlin couldn’t lose.
When my part came, I spoke about growing up at Snowberry, about my family’s legacy, about wanting to build something that would both honor tradition and embrace modern luxury. Devlin’s presence at my side was reassuring. Every time I grew nervous and panicky, I’d look at him, and he’d smile—a refuge in the storm. I’d take a breath, refocus, and keep going.
When it was over and the other investors had shaken our hands and left the room, Sara’s mom hugged us both. “Congratulations to you both—on your marriage and your new business venture. I’ll get investment terms to you within a week.”
“Thank you,” I said. I held out a hand, which continued to tremble. “I can’t believe it’s done. I might never stop shaking!”
Jennifer covered my hand with both of her own. “These meetings are always stressful.”
“Unless you’re Devlin.” I looked at him with awe. “You never even broke a sweat!”
He smiled. Gave an easy shrug. “I’m used to this.”
“I don’t know how I’m going to break it to Sara that you’re moving away for good,” Jennifer said to Devlin. “She’s been so sad since you left town.”
“I shouldn’t have left without saying goodbye,” he said. “I’ll make it up to her. I owe her an ice cream cone. Is she around this afternoon?”
“She is.” Jennifer checked her watch. “On Fridays, I pick her up from school at three-twenty.”
“Do you have dinner plans?” he asked. “We could all go out for pizza or something.”
“I do, but Sara doesn’t.” She smiled. “And I’m one hundred percent positive she’d prefer pizza out with you to dinner at home with her sitter tonight.”
“Awesome. I’ll come by and pick her up around six if that’s okay?”
“Of course.” Jennifer looked at me. “But are you sure you want Sara tagging along on your dinner date?”
“Yes! I can’t wait to meet her,” I said. “Devlin has told me all kinds of great things about her.”
“He’s so good with her. With all those kids.” Sighing, she focused on Devlin again. “Camp Lemonade is really going to miss you.”
“I’ll miss them too.” Devlin cleared his throat. “Ready to go, Lex?”
“Yes.” I smiled at Jennifer. “So nice to meet you. And I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for my family.”
“Family is the most important thing in the world,” she said, placing a hand over her heart. “And Devlin has certainly helped mine. I was thrilled to help his.”
For a moment, I was confused, since it wasn’t the Buckley family she’d helped. But as Devlin guided me toward the elevator with a hand on the small of my back, I realized what she’d meant.
I was Devlin’s family now.
The elevator doors parted, and I stepped inside the car. The moment the doors closed and we were alone, he grabbed me in a giant bear hug and lifted me right off my feet. “Fuck yeah! We did it!”
Laughing, I hugged him back. “You did it.”
“Hey, you played a huge role. Your story put heart into the pitch. And you told it perfectly.” He set me down again. Took my face in his hands and kissed me. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you.” As I looked into his blue eyes, the thought struck my heart again, piercing it like an arrow.
We were a family, Devlin and me.
We were a family.
SEVENTEEN
devlin
“Look at me with two pretty girls at my table. How did I get this lucky?”
I put my arm around Lexi, who sat next to me in a booth at the cozy Italian pizzeria we’d found not far from the townhouse where Sara and her mom lived. Across from us, Sara giggled and kicked my shins beneath the table.