Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 43444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Suppressing a laugh, William heaved a dramatic sigh instead. “Since you’ve gone and convinced me to fulfill my lifelong dream and I’m hoping to get you naked, I suppose I can let you twist my arm about claiming the only woman I’ve ever loved in front of her family and mine.”
“As soon as possible?” She removed her fingers and skimmed her lips gently over his. Teasing him. “It could mean another honeymoon.”
“The things I do for my bride.”
Epilogue
Bronte sat at a table in the corner at Finn’s, watching her husband hold court with a small, secret smile. He’d been charming half the bar with his stories for a while now, but she didn’t mind sharing his attention now and then. Not when the last few months had been better than she ever could have dreamed.
William had been hard at work readying Finn’s Ring—their boxing club—for its grand opening, while reading every business book he could get his hands on and seeking out her brother Thoreau’s advice on an almost daily basis. His focus on making his dream a success was irresistibly sexy.
Most things about him were.
The only thing he was more focused on was Bronte. From the second she’d proposed again, he’d never given her a moment to doubt his devotion.
Especially once she’d told him the last secret she’d been keeping from him.
Informing William that he’d managed to beat the odds—and a birth control pill that was supposed to be ninety-nine percent effective—made him cockier than usual, which was saying a lot. But oddly, she couldn’t find it in her to care.
She was going to have a baby.
They’d moved into the loft apartment above the gym and he’d immediately started nesting and working on baby names her father would approve of. That meant they already needed another bookshelf for their now overflowing library.
No wonder Foster Wayne loved his new son-in-law. When he’d first come to the house to apologize and ask permission to marry her again, her two favorite men had ended up discussing books for hours.
He’d managed to win over every Wayne in turn with his special brand of charm. He’d volunteered to be a guinea pig for Austen’s facial creams, a taster for Thoreau’s new beer recipes and an available babysitter for Emerson’s sons since he said he needed the practice. He’d also included Robert in his plans for the boxing club so often that her brother decided to officially quit his sales job and join the team.
Cassandra Wayne had been a little more standoffish, but Bronte knew that was her fault for lying and putting herself in danger. William never wavered in his campaign, however, and ever since he’d placed the wedding and the upcoming baby shower in her capable hands, things between them had warmed considerably.
Most of the Finns seemed surprised at his turn around, but Bronte had learned enough about him to know that he hadn’t really changed at all. In his heart, William was a family man and he always had been. She couldn’t have dreamed up a better husband, a better father for her child.
She couldn’t imagine ever wanting more.
The scrape of the stool beside her made her jump. “Tell me you’re not crocheting. In a bar. How are we even related?”
Bronte smirked, wiggling her fingers to show off the new wedding ring she was still getting used to. “By marriage. We’re related by marriage. What are you doing here? I thought this was your BFF night with Jen and Jeremy. Aren’t the kids with their grandmother?”
Tasha sighed dramatically, leaning her elbows on the table. “Owen’s feeling possessive again, so Jeremy is probably tied up at the moment. And I mean that literally.”
“And Jen?”
“Finnegan has a stomach bug.” She sighed again. “We’re getting so old. Everyone’s married and popping out new Little Finn’s left and right. Being adults. We used to go to kink clubs and close down bars, you know. Any day now I’ll have to live vicariously through young Jake while I sit in my rocking chair and watch you crochet.”
“Don’t let Seamus hear you talk like that. Jake still has a few years before he’ll be getting into trouble.” Bronte took a sip of her water. “I should mention that whine would go down smoother if you didn’t look so blissfully happy all the time.”
Tasha chuckled. “You look blissful, too. In fact, if it weren’t for James disappearing for parts unknown, I’d say the family has never been so problem free.”
Bronte glanced over at her brother-in-law and her smile dimmed. Younger hadn’t been happy after William delivered his message.
All he’d told her was that James was going after a friend in need. From the clues he’d given, Bronte had a feeling the relationship went much deeper than friendship, but she couldn’t be sure.
William was adamant about everyone respecting the request James made to let him do what he needed to do without interference, but she knew the Finns better now. She also knew Ken Tanaka. They weren’t easily distracted when one of their own was in trouble.