Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 87289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
It’s not extravagant or over the top.
It’s simple, honest, and real.
A lot like us.
Rina, Lilah, Sloane, and Willow surround me, helping me into my dress. It’s not the kind of gown you’d find in a glossy magazine. The soft, flowing fabric feels like it was made just for me. My hands tremble as I smooth it over my hips.
“You look absolutely stunning,” Lilah whispers, eyes shining.
Sloane, always prepared, hands me a tissue before I realize I need it. “Don’t start crying yet. You’ll ruin your makeup.”
A shaky laugh breaks loose, and emotion swells inside me for these women. My chosen family.
The door creaks open and Nora bursts in. She’s a blur of tulle and sparkly white sneakers, clutching her little flower basket as if it’s the most important job in the world. Petals spill behind her as she races into the room.
“Ready, Mama?” she asks, eyes bright.
I crouch down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I am. But the real question is if you’re ready.”
She nods with exaggerated seriousness, and my throat tightens.
It’s time.
The second I step into the main room and see River waiting, the rest of the world disappears. His blue eyes lock on mine, as if I’m the only person who exists. The music swells, and every movement toward him feels like stepping into the rest of my life.
When I reach him, he leans in. “I didn’t think I could ever be this happy until you came along. And even then, I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to call you mine.”
Tears sting my eyes, but I don’t let them fall. I want to remember every second of this moment.
Our vows are quiet and intimate. There aren’t any speeches or grand gestures. It’s just us with our hands linked, hearts bare, surrounded by the people who matter most.
“I promise to choose you. Every day, in all the ways that matter,” I tell him, meaning every word.
“I promise to protect the love we’ve found. To protect you. And Nora. Always,” he whispers back, brushing his thumb across my knuckles.
Later, there’s laughter, teasing, and raised glasses. I look around at this messy, wonderful family we’ve built, and know I couldn’t ask for anything more.
When River pulls me into the middle of the space for our first dance, his hand firm at my waist and his lips brushing my temple, I feel light and loved.
Even more than that, I’m no longer afraid of falling.
Because I know deep in my heart he’ll always be there to catch me.
Epilogue
Evelyn
Night of the engagement party…
* * *
The rooftop terrace is quiet.
Blissfully so.
Below, the penthouse hums with laughter and clinking glasses as music pulses low and the celebration rolls on.
But up here?
It’s just me, the Chicago skyline, and the hush of an autumn breeze brushing against my skin. The night is unusually warm, a small gift this late in the season. One of the last, if I had to guess.
I move to the ledge that surrounds the rooftop, my heels clicking against the stone, and draw in a slow breath scented with the greenery that lines the terrace. Potted trees, climbing ivy, and bursts of seasonal blooms. The city sprawls before me, a sea of shimmering lights that stretch endlessly into the distance.
It’s only in this stillness that the tension knotted within me begins to loosen.
When the elevator chimes behind me, my breath stalls. I don’t need to turn to know who it is. My spine goes rigid as my shoulders tighten instinctively. Hugh Landry steps out of the elevator and into my stolen peace.
No matter where I go, he finds me.
Lately, it feels more deliberate.
He doesn’t speak, just moves toward me with slow, measured steps until his presence looms at my back. Tall, broad, and unapologetically masculine. Living with him has been a test of willpower I never signed up for. Sharing a home with Hugh should be simple.
It’s turned out to be anything but.
Not when I’ve seen him barefoot, hair mussed from sleep, skin still damp from the shower with a towel slung low around his hips. I close my eyes, banishing the image before it can dig in deeper and do more damage.
There’s a shift of fabric as he stops behind me.
His low voice is dangerously close to my ear. “I thought I’d find you up here.”
I keep my lips pressed together, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reply.
He edges close enough for his body heat to seep into my skin. Near enough that my breathing turns uneven despite my best efforts.
“Funny thing,” he says, voice laced with humor. “For a woman who claims she can’t stand me, you keep ending up in all the places I want to be.”
His nose grazes the curve of my cheek before tracing the line of my jaw.
I fight the shiver threatening to betray me, and lose.