Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
He could still remember the glow in her eyes when she’d said yes. It was how he would always see her, vibrant and beautiful, nodding her head because words had failed her.
“Well, it’s a good thing since Si’s parents are in England and Chelsea’s are gone,” he pointed out. “I know Sophy has plenty of family around, but there’s nothing like a doting grandmother. Dad’s crazy about her, too. They’re going to ride us both hard until we present them with an appropriate number of kiddos for them to spoil.”
Michael shook his head. “That’s all going to be on you, brother.”
“Right now it is,” he replied. “But one day you’re going to join me.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen for me. Not the way it has with you and Nina,” Michael replied with grim certainty. “I’ve never once been in love. I think you got all those genes.”
“That’s bullshit. You’ve had plenty of girlfriends over the years.”
“And I never once looked at any of them the way you do Nina. I’ve never felt the need to chase after a woman the way Si did Chelsea,” his brother pointed out. “I’ve never felt that, and I don’t think I ever will. You and Si are lucky, you know.”
Nina looked his way and winked at him before welcoming Charlotte Taggart into their little group.
He was the luckiest man in the world. But his brother was wrong. “You haven’t met the right person yet. You should let Mom set you up.”
His brother’s face went the tiniest bit green. “Don’t you even start that.”
Simon strode up, a glass of Scotch in his hands. “Start what?”
“My brother here has decided since he’s now getting married that it’s my turn,” Michael said with a frown.
Simon nodded Michael’s way. “Well, you’re not getting any younger. We’ve just hired a few new investigators. One of them is a lovely young woman. She’s funny and quite bright. I can arrange a meeting.”
Michael started to back away. “What is wrong with you people? I can find my own dates. I do not need a walking, talking version of Tinder. What happened?”
“Marriage. Children,” Simon said with a shrug.
“Yep, I’m going to avoid all those things,” Michael declared. “I’m going to be everyone’s Uncle Mike. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to go drink a whole lot of beer and pretend you two haven’t lost your damn minds.”
He practically ran away.
“That’s one way to scare my brother off,” JT said with a shake of his head.
“He’ll be back.” Simon looked out over the party. “I think I’ll arrange that meeting anyway. Lola is lovely, and she understands the constraints of his job. I think that’s what’s gone wrong with his last few girlfriends. He needs someone in the business.”
He loved working with Nina. It was the perfect arrangement because they weren’t together all the time, but when he traveled, she could go with him as his security expert.
His super sexy bodyguard.
“I think Mike will work it all out in the end.” He smiled because Nina was walking his way. “Our ladies are here.”
Chelsea and Sophy were by Nina’s side, and Simon set down his drink so he could take his daughter. The baby girl grinned up at her dad.
That would be him someday.
Nina moved to his side, watching his cousin’s family with a warm glow that let him know she was thinking the same thing.
She slipped her hand into his. “Are you ready? Your mother wants to make the formal announcement. Though I don’t understand why. Everyone knows we’re engaged.”
“My aunt is extremely proud to have you in our family,” Simon explained. “She never thought JT would get married. You should be ready for all the formalities. She’s got a proper English girl in the family now.”
Chelsea nodded. “Yeah, Aunt Ava has spent way too much time surrounded by dudes. I for one am super happy to have another woman around. Come on, my loves. Let’s go find Mommy some champagne.”
“Congratulations, you two,” Simon said as he joined his wife.
JT turned to the woman who’d made his life brighter than it had ever been. He’d had a charmed life, but Nina made it a worthwhile life. He drew her close. “You ready to make it official?”
She tilted her head back and gave him a gorgeous grin. “Absolutely.”
He leaned over and kissed his soon-to-be bride. With his friends and family all around him, life was finally perfect.
* * * *