Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Landon scrubs a hand over his face. “Fine. You pass. But I’ll be watching you. Jason, Tanner, and I will all be keeping an eye out. Just because we’re in New York doesn’t mean we’re not involved in their lives.”
“I’d expect nothing less,” I say. “I’m glad she had the three of you all these years.”
“We’re not going anywhere.”
I shake my head and let out a low chuckle. “I didn’t think you were.”
“Everything okay in here?” Amber asks, returning from L.J.’s room.
“Perfect.” I wrap an arm around her waist and kiss her cheek.
“Good. Landon, are you staying for the day?” she asks.
He shakes his head. “The club needs me. I just offered to take the ride so Mom and Dad could go straight home. They said they’ll call you later so you can work out a schedule for when school starts.”
She shoots him a grateful look. “Thanks for everything.” She hugs him and he returns the gesture, but even I can see it is all platonic … even if he does look exactly like his twin brother had.
I let out a relieved breath I wasn’t aware of holding.
A few seconds later, Landon says his goodbyes and walks out to his car. Amber shuts the door to the house.
“Where’s L.J.?” I ask.
“Doing his best to unpack. There are no dirty clothes, thank you, Carrie,” Amber says with a grateful smile.
“Want me to go so you can spend some time alone?” I offer.
She wraps her arms around my waist and shakes her head. “I’d like my two boys to get to know each other. Unless you want to go home and change?”
I chuckle. “It can wait.”
She stares up at me with those big, beautiful blue eyes. “We’re a lot to handle,” she says nervously.
“I can’t wait to do it. I know the juggling of schedules won’t be easy, finding time alone won’t be simple, but I know what I’m getting into. And I’m all in.”
She reaches onto her tiptoes and brushes her lips over mine. “I’m so glad. You changed my life, Shane Warden.”
“Same, Amber Davis. And I couldn’t be happier.”
EPILOGUE
Shane
It is a day to celebrate. Amber received her combined bachelor of arts degree—with her minor in business—and her master’s in education, and I earned tenure at the end of this school year. At the New York uncles’ insistence, we all came to Manhattan for a celebration at the nightclub, which they opened on a Sunday afternoon just for this special occasion.
With my arm around Amber and L.J., now a lanky teenager beside us, I walk into Club TEN29, aptly named after the date Levi Bennett passed away. But the club is now a happy place, one where people come to have fun and celebrate. The owners, L.J.’s uncles, have all come around and accepted my presence in Amber’s and L.J.’s lives. We moved in together when my lease ran out, and since we were always at Amber’s anyway, we decided to live together then.
Although I was ready for more, I knew Amber wanted to finish school. She likes to put all her focus on one big thing at a time, and a wedding would have thrown her off her studying game, no matter how small we might have made it. And with the guys finding their wives, the size of our pseudo-family has expanded.
The party is small, just close family and friends. Amber’s parents flew up from Florida, for which I am grateful as their presence plays into my plans. I wait until the end of the day, after presents are opened and a lot of food eaten.
Even my father and stepmother are here, something my mom has no problem accepting. Many years have passed, and she is long over their marriage and years together. In the time since his heart attack, my dad made an attempt to be part of my life and I’ve reciprocated warily. Now things are decent between us all.
Amber, wearing a pretty pink dress and gold heels, stands by my side. Knowing there is no time like the present, I clear my throat. “Excuse me,” I say. “I’d like to say something.”
The murmurs and conversation quiet down and all eyes are on me. I slide a hand into my suit jacket, which I wore because the party was dressy and I wanted this day to be special and one to remember.
Amber turns to me, questions in her wide blue eyes.
“First I want to thank the guys, Landon, Jason, and Tanner, for the fabulous party, and Faith, Scarlett and Vivi for helping.”
A small round of clapping follows.
“I also want to thank them for giving a college professor a chance with this woman here. I know if they’d put their foot down, it could have made Amber’s choices much more difficult.” In the years since that awkward meeting with Landon at Amber’s front door, we’ve all become good friends.