Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
We all got a good laugh out of that.
After dinner, I had one more surprise for my girl.
“Get your coat on, we’re going out back.”
“Really? It’s so cold.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve got that covered.”
I’d hired some local guys to set up outdoor heaters and a firepit in our yard while we were eating dinner.
After we put on our black parka coats, we stepped outside.
She immediately noticed the flames. “When did you do all this?”
“I had some help.”
On a table next to the two Adirondack chairs was a bottle of Fireball and two small glasses.
“In honor of Mrs. Angelini, we’re going to enjoy some Fireball outside tonight. I know she would have loved to be here and celebrate with us.”
Felicity’s eyes sparkled with tears. “I didn’t think I was going to cry another time tonight, but you managed to make me.”
I pulled her in for a kiss. After I poured us each a glass of Fireball, we saluted Mrs. Angelini in the sky and clanked our glasses together, chugging the liquor.
Through the fire, I pointed to the house across the bay. “I much prefer being on this side of the water with you. But I’ll always be grateful for that house. If I hadn’t chosen it, we would have never found each other.”
She jumped as the first set of fireworks burst into the night air.
“You’re just full of surprises tonight!”
“I thought this would be a fitting ending to our evening,” I explained. “Fireworks are exactly what I’ve felt from the moment I laid eyes on you.”
“This is incredible,” she said, gazing up at the sky in wonder. Felicity moved her chair closer to mine and leaned her head on my chest as we watched the rest of the spectacular display.
Perhaps the only thing less than perfect was that the heaters were just not cutting it. It was damn frigid outside.
When the fireworks finally ended, Felicity straddled me in my seat and covered my face with kisses. When her lips landed on mine, I could still taste the cinnamon from the Fireball on her tongue.
Her teeth chattered as she announced, “This night has been a dream. Thank you so much for everything. But…”
“But?”
“Can we go inside and have sex now?” She laughed. “I’m freezing my nutsack off!”
* * *
Leo
Final Track: “All You Need Is Love” by The Beatles
FOUR YEARS LATER
Westfordshire, England
“Do like Daddy.” I dipped my brush in the yellow paint and demonstrated how to draw the sun.
It was a gorgeous, sunny day in the countryside, and I’d set up two easels in the back of our estate, deciding to give our three-year-old a painting lesson today.
Unfortunately, instead of following my lead, Eloise dunked her entire hand in the paint before slapping it against the paper.
“That’s amazing, darling.” I laughed.
She giggled and flashed her adorable baby teeth, her red curls blowing in the breeze.
“I wonder what time Mummy’s coming back. Must be soon now,” I said as I filled in my sun with more yellow paint.
Sigmund appeared out of nowhere, interrupting our painting lesson. I’d invited him over for birthday cake.
He smiled at the mess my daughter was making. “Lady Eloise, your painting talent is just as magnificent as your father’s.”
Sigmund lifted her up, not seeming to care that she got paint all over his shirt—just another testament to how much he’d changed over the years.
He closed his eyes as she dabbed some on his face. “You’re adorable, Eloise. You know that?”
“Miraculously, she looks nothing like Ed Sheeran, now does she?” I teased.
“No. She looks like you with a small dusting of freckles and Ginger’s hair. The two of you have finally morphed into one another. Congratulations.”
I chuckled. “How are things over at the Bettencourt project?”
“We break ground on Wednesday.”
“Good,” I said, putting the paintbrush down.
After getting his MBA two years ago, Sigmund was now managing a good portion of my properties, which allowed me more time to spend with my family.
“Do you have any plans for the weekend?” I asked him.
He gave Eloise one last kiss on the cheek before placing her down on the grass. “No. Why?”
I hesitated. “You know how Felicity’s been working part time teaching American law at the university?”
His brows drew together in suspicion. “Yeah…”
“She said one of her female colleagues is really attractive and single with a nice personality. She wants to invite her out here to dinner.”
He glared at me. “No.”
“Okay, but hear me out—”
“No.”
“All right. All right. Can’t say I didn’t try.” I sighed. “And I’ll keep trying.”
“Oh, I know you will.”
Sigmund had had a few meaningless one-night stands over the years since losing Britney. But he hadn’t dated or met anyone he’d connected with. Everything had to happen in its own time, I supposed.
Eager to drop the subject, he pointed in the distance to where Felicity was approaching on one of the horses as she returned from her morning ride. “Ginger seems to be enjoying farm life.”