Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
And this project is the first step toward that. It’ll be huge for the family. There will be a lot of money tied up in this place and a whole ton of jobs created while it’s all being built. And the entire project, the miniature economy of this vision, it all comes back to me.
Which should be terrifying, but I’m only excited.
Elena sticks by my side for the rest of the afternoon. She looks incredible in a silky blouse and I’m tempted a million times to drag her into one of the empty nearby buildings for some private time. But business comes first.
“You did great today,” she says once the party begins to clear up. We walk hand in hand toward the car and she’s beaming, her cheeks pink and flushed. She looks absolutely perfect, and I can’t help but pull her against me before we get into the truck. I kiss her nice and slow.
“Thanks for being there for me.”
“Please, you made all this happen. All I did was shake some hands.”
“Without your influence, I doubt we ever would’ve gotten past the zoning committee.”
“Okay, well, you’re right. I’m incredible.”
I laugh and kiss her again. “Where should we stay tonight? The oasis?”
She shrugs a little. “I don’t know. Our house is looking pretty good. I mean, all the major stuff is done. There’s just some painting left.”
My eyebrows raise. Ever since shit went down with her father and Santoro, she hasn’t wanted to be away from the oasis for long. Which I get, she’s afraid her brother will try to murder her father, and in her head, she’s the only person standing between them.
But that relationship is more complicated than she realizes and I have a feeling Simon has to figure this one out on his own.
There’s also the baby. Emily gave birth to a beautiful little boy and everyone’s obsessed with the new generation, especially Elena. She’s over with Emily almost every day helping out and spending time with them, basically putting herself in the running for Aunt of the Year, an award which I’m betting Elena already gave to herself.
“You know I’d love that, but why the sudden change of heart?” I tilt my head and brush my fingers across her cheek. “The place has been ready for weeks.”
“I know, it’s just—” She chews her lip and looks down. “I guess I just haven’t been ready to start our life, you know? With stuff so up in the air, and with the baby and all, I don’t know.”
“What changed?”
She takes a deep breath and looks up at me. I swear, she’s never been so beautiful before. The curve of her lips, the gleam in her eyes. Her luscious hair and the shape of her throat. I could spend my life looking at this girl and never feel bored. It’s strange, how much I love her.
“I’m pregnant.”
And just like that, I find out that I can love her even more.
Chapter 49
Elena
Brody appears in the doorway and points at me with a stern frown. “I’m serious, Elena. Put down the paintbrush.”
“I’m almost done.” I splash more light blue on the wall with the roller. I lean in, my arms tired, but there are only a few bare spots left. “You have to quit worrying.”
He grunts and walks over. I’m not fast or strong enough to stop him when he takes the roller away and finishes the last bit of the room on his own. Then he glares at me.
“I absolutely will not have my pregnant wife doing manual labor. I told you to wait until I got home to finish this room.”
I roll my eyes at him and kiss his cheek. “I’m four months pregnant. I’m fine, Brody. Would you relax?”
“Absolutely not.” He smacks my ass and drags me out of the room. “You’re coming downstairs. You’re sitting on the couch and kicking your feet up while I cook. And you’re not going to complain.”
I sigh, pretending to be all annoyed, but that does sound great. The house is pretty much done and only the nursery needs some final details. It took me forever to choose what color I wanted to paint on the walls since I don’t plan on finding out the sex before the baby comes, but I figure light blue is fine either way.
Brody busies himself in the kitchen while I get comfortable. Since I can’t drink, he’s been mixing up these mocktails like it’s his job, and they’re actually pretty fantastic. I don’t complain when he puts together this exquisite watermelon cucumber thing, and gets started on dinner. I sink down into the couch with a sigh, closing my eyes.
Things are good. Mom and Dad are out of their self-imposed exile, and while it’s still tense with Simon, I think the baby’s kind of easing everything a little bit. Dad’s lawyers got the charges argued down to hefty fines and probation, which everyone’s relieved about. Brody had to cash in even more favors to make it happen, but he didn’t think twice, just said that’s what family does, and moved on. Which is why I love that man.