Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22112 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22112 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
"I don't like when you're upset with me." I know that I probably sound like a pouting child, but I don’t care. I fold my arms across my middle and huff.
"I'm not upset with you. I'm upset with myself." That pulls my attention back to him, and I notice he’s furrowing his brow. Then I see how tense his jaw is, and I’m more confused.
"Is it because you knew you should have been using protection?" That would kind of make sense, I suppose.
"No." He lets out a low chuckle. "I knew what I was doing every time I came inside you." Maxim's thick fingers stroke the inside of my thigh.
"You're not upset that I'm pregnant?" I ask, and he shakes his head. "You wanted this?"
I’m not sure I was willing to admit how badly I wanted this until I realized it might be. I love the life we've been living since we got married. We've been free spirits and traveling wherever we wanted, but settling down sounds nice too. I’ve secretly dreamed of a real place to call home. Maybe because I never had that before, but having that with Maxim would be my idea of paradise.
"When it comes to you, I want everything. I hate that you would question that. Or you felt you needed to hide this from me." Maxim turns onto the same street where his brother lives.
"I thought we weren't going to your brother’s."
"We're not." Maxim drives past their house and pulls into the driveway next to it. The gates slide open for him, and he pulls through.
“Maxim?” I put my hand over my mouth when the house come into view. Tears burn my eyes as I take it all in.
“I had it built,” he says, and I feel the tears fall down my cheeks.
“You remembered.” I turn to him, and he nods. I can’t believe he did this.
“Of course I did.”
One night we’d been snuggled up watching TV, and Father of the Bride came on. I’d never seen it before, and the movie was adorably sweet. I told Maxim that it would have been nice to have grown up in a home like that. To have a beautiful place filled with family and love.
“I told you when we got married I’d give you everything you ever wanted. I said all I wanted in return was for you to always be my girl.”
“I didn’t think you'd want to settle down.” Maxim unbuckles my seatbelt and easily plucks me from my seat to straddle him.
“I’ve never had a reason to want to settle down somewhere, but this can be our home. We don’t always have to stay here. We can come and go as we please, but this is our home. A baby doesn’t change our love, it only creates room for more.”
I’m so overcome with everything that I can’t respond. All I can do is press my lips against his.
But I made my promise, and I’m sticking to it. I'll always be his girl.
Epilogue
MAXIM
Even longer after that…
When I take out my phone to check on Rue’s location, my brother snorts a laugh. “What?” I ask and raise an eyebrow.
“Nothing.” He shakes his head. “I just can’t believe you’re still doing that.”
“She likes it.” When I say the words, he’s the one raising his eyebrow now. “Okay, fine, I like it too. Mind your business.”
“If I had to guess, I’d say Kelly took them to the bakery up ahead.”
“Good guess,” I confirm and tuck my phone in my back pocket.
“I can’t believe you two. All these years later and still a little too obsessed.”
“You’re one to talk,” I grumble, and he concedes.
“True. Maybe I should talk to Kelly about a tracking device.”
“It saves time,” I say matter-of-factly. “So you’re good with taking the kids for the night?”
“Yeah, the kids have the whole night planned out. They’re going to watch a movie and then learn the choreography for it so they can perform it for all of us at dinner tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait,” I say and feel a genuine smile tug at the corner of my lips. Our daughters are always keeping us entertained, and when they get together with their cousins, it’s almost too much. Almost.
“Here they are,” Luke says when we walk into the bakery and spot Kelly and Rue at the counter talking to one of the bakers.
The kids come running over, and I talk to my girls for a second before Kelly joins us with a huge box in her hand. Luke takes it from her and then pulls her to his side before kissing her on the top of the head.
“Ready to go?” he asks Kelly, and the kids cheer in agreement.
“I think we better,” she teases. “They already said goodbye to Rue. She’s at the counter asking about one of the cakes but said not to wait on her. I think we better get the kids out of here before they convince us to buy another dozen cookies.” Kelly turns to me, and I finish giving the girls a hug and a kiss goodbye. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”