Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 97339 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97339 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
“But the babies . . .” she says, looking at them in concern.
“I’ve got it, babe. I’ll wake you if they need you. They’re safe with me,” I tell her, fully prepared to watch over my children. With me around, no harm or foul will ever come their way, Brianna included.
Bri nods, and I continue running my fingers through her hair, watching as she begins to settle into an exhausted sleep, forever safe in my arms. Then glancing around the room at my sleeping family, I know, this is exactly where we were always meant to be.
Fear tore us apart, and fate brought us back together, delivering to us the greatest blessing life could ever bring, and I know with everything that I am, I will never let them go.
CARTER
12 Months Later
I stand by the altar on my parents’ estate with my brothers and sons right by my side. Logan, Sean, Jax, and Bobby stand beside me—Logan holding Nate as Sean struggles to keep Parker from trying to race off to chase the ducks that take up residence in the lake behind the property. It’s been a year since the boys were born, and to say they’ve been a handful is an understatement.
It’s been fucking crazy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
They drive me insane—but in the best way. When I promised Bri that I wanted to be a family, I don’t think I considered just how much work a baby would be, let alone two of them. They’ve kept Brianna and me on our toes, and it’s been the most exhausting yet thrilling ride of our lives.
Brianna and I hadn’t even left the hospital parking lot before we got into our first fight, which centered around the fucking car seats. She was convinced they weren’t installed correctly, but I know damn well I did it right. She even had me call a professional to come and check them before she allowed the boys to ride in them. And sure enough, the guy came and confirmed that they were the best installed car seats he’d ever seen. But where’s the surprise there? I’m a fucking legend like that.
To this day, she still won’t accept that I was right, but I wouldn’t expect anything else from her. It’s one of the many reasons I’m standing here today, desperate to make her my wife.
Glancing at my boys tucked safely in my brothers’ arms, I give them a wide grin. They look like the next generation of heartbreakers in their little suits, and it reminds me of me and my brothers growing up. Hell, they look just like us, too. They both give me wide, toothy smiles, and my world lights up, somehow even more in love with these little monsters than ever before.
“Are you ready for this?” Logan asks.
“Hell, yeah,” I grin. If anything, I’ve been standing here way too long. I’ve already had to wait a year for her to marry me and want nothing more than to get this show on the road. Though, it wouldn’t be Brianna if she weren’t late to her own fucking wedding.
The guests pour in, all wanting to take their sweet time, and I resist the urge to tell them to sit their asses down and get these nuptials underway.
I wait the longest half an hour of my life, and all it manages to do is remind me that my parents aren’t here. I’m the last of the Waters siblings to get married, and they’ve missed all of them. I know they’re here in spirit, looking down on us, but to be honest, they’re probably just checking in to make sure we don’t trash the property during the after-party.
When the soft music begins to flow through the garden, the guests finally take their seats, and before I know it, it’s go time.
My heart melts the second little Georgie starts making her way down the aisle. She’s the best flower girl I’ve ever seen, even though at eighteen months old, she’s still a little wobbly. She tips out all the rose petals at the top of the aisle before her eyes land on her daddy and she takes off like a rocket to get to him. Oh well, she did her best.
Georgie refuses to stand on the girls’ side, so Sean passes Parker to Jax so that he can scoop up his little girl.
The music continues, and Bri’s bridesmaids come down next. Elle struts down the aisle with tears in her eyes looking stunning as usual, though more so with her tiny little four-month baby bump, making Logan drool beside me.
Cassie follows up the bridesmaids as the matron of honor, looking absolutely gorgeous in her bridesmaid dress and eight-month baby bump, though to be completely honest, she looks about ready to explode. Cass makes flirty glances at Jax, and I have to cut that shit down before they end up screwing behind the altar.