Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 16175 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 81(@200wpm)___ 65(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16175 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 81(@200wpm)___ 65(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
My hand flies to my chest, and I grip the front of my toga.
“Tess, the next part of your life is about to begin. And I want to be there. I want to be there every single day, in every single moment. Will you let me? Will you marry me and we can start a new life together?”
My heart swells with overwhelming happiness, and tears stream down my cheeks. I wipe them with the back of my hand, fully aware that I’m messing up my makeup. But I don’t care. At this moment, I don’t care about anyone else. All I care about is Theo.
“Yes, Theo. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
“I love you, kitten.”
“I love you too, Theo. So much.”
He slides the ring into my finger and pulls me in for a hug. With my cheek leaning on his hard chest, I see Bernie patting Deb’s shoulder while she presses a white handkerchief to her eyes. Viktor sports a wide grin and raises two thumbs up.
The realization hits me in full force. I did not just find Theo, the love of my life, but I also found a family. One I can call my own.
EPILOGUE
TESS
“Kitten, are you gonna be pissed off if I leave you for five minutes so I can join that?” Theo stops massaging my back and nuzzles the crook between my neck and shoulder.
It’s been two years since our simple, intimate wedding. We held it at home and only had around 10 guests. Viktor was our photographer, and Bernie and Deb insisted on paying for the caterer. She also gifted me her wedding gown and gave me permission to alter it as I saw fit.
It was beautiful and magical. After the wedding, I stayed at the bar, still doing the paperwork, while I went through several career options. It was there that I found my true passion.
Theo and I were on one of our movie dates when I had a lightbulb moment. What if we organized weekly events at the bar, like trivia nights or random costume parties? It had to be something patrons could participate in.
We brought it up to Viktor, got his go signal, and went to work.
I had never organized events before. It was the first time, but I enjoyed it so much I was already thinking of what the next one should be.
Fast forward to two years and I was the bar’s creative director … well, kind of.
Today, however, I’m just another guest. Theo has managed to put together a surprise baby shower, and we’re watching Viktor charm Deb’s friends.
“No. You go ahead and enjoy,” I tell Theo.
“You sure?”
I laugh and nod. “I know you’re dying to join so go. Just don’t take it seriously. It’s just a game.”
Theo casts me one panty-dropping smile before he jogs to the mini stage and lines up with the other men. With his wrinkled forehead and intense gaze, I’m pretty sure Theo’s about to show everyone his competitive streak.
He grabs the scarf in front of him and ties it around his head, lowering it to his eyes. Then, he straightens his spine and shoulders.
“You should tell your husband this is just a blindfold diaper challenge, not the Olympics.” Viktor slumps on the seat beside me and crosses his arms.
“I did!”
We sit in silence and watch as Theo masterfully changes the diaper on the doll in less than a minute and raises his fists in the air.
Viktor and I both laugh.
“You know, I never got to thank you.” Viktor turns to me and smiles.
“For what?”
“For making him happy.”
Maybe it’s the hormones, but my eyes burn with tears, emotion crashing over me. “He makes me happy too.”
Viktor laughs softly and shakes his head. “Goddamn, I still remember the time he was so desperate for you to notice him that he actually came to me for advice. Me.”
My head swivels in his direction. “Really?”
“Yup. Imagine my surprise when he sat in my office, wanting to know the best way to ask a girl out.” He guffaws, eyes crinkling at the corners. “That was more surprising than if an alien landed on my lap.”
“Why’s that?”
“Theo and I were already close at the time, but he never confided in me. He’s closed off as fuck. He could bleed in front of me and be like, ‘I’m fine.’”
His spot-on imitation of Theo makes me smile because it’s true. Theo has already explained why he does that, and even though it’s all in the past, it still breaks my heart.
“Then, there was the matter of him growing out his hair for you.”
“Wait, what?” I’m still looking at Viktor, but I can spot Theo bringing a glass of juice and heading in our direction.
“He found one of your hair ties or something. He wanted to wear it, so he grew his hair out. If that’s not crazy obsessive, I don’t know what is.”