C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - F I V EBREEImet Nat at our favorite restaurant in the city, where the outdoor patio made you feel like you were on a quaint street in Amsterdam. Flowers were always in full bloom no matter the season and changed in an array of colorful arrangements. I needed the escape to this place, and their delicious mango salad and strawberry iced tea sealed the deal.“Hold up,” Nat said before we walked to the hostess stand to be seated. She answered her phone and glared at me. “You’re shitting me, right?” She narrowed her eyes and then ran her hand through her immaculately styled hair.Shit, this can’t be good. Nat would never screw with her hair like that, I thought, knowing Nat never stressed like this, or at least I’d never seen it, and I’d known the woman since forever.“What?” I asked after she ended the call.“It seems that your broker, a man whose name I will never say aloud for any reason…” she paused and sighed.“So, now he’s Beetlejuice?” I said with a sm
“Yeah, as in, pulling the fucking place off the market. I think you need to see them all swarming in your apartment like flies for you to end this.”“Oh shit!” I stopped before entering the elevators. “My power and water are shut off. I didn’t tell the agent about that, and I can’t have them knowing that was all shut off on Friday night.”“It’s turned back on, sweet-Bree,” she smirked. “Get your ass in here, and let’s go face the music.”“Did something happen on our drive over that turned this into some fun game for you?”“Yes,” she grinned. “You look just as hot as you look sexy, and that puts me in a damn good mood.” She looked at my hair and scrunched her face. “Do you have anything to pull up your hair? Good grief, you look like you…” she stopped and pinched her lips into a smile. “Damn, I can only imagine how glorious the sex was. This is he fucked me senseless hair.” She became serious. “Either way, give me that…” She took the hairpins from my hand that I’d dug out of my purse.
My eyes widened at the woman’s language, and I couldn’t help but love that my aunts nearly fainted when they heard what she’d said.“Some women can be so—”“Beautiful.” Cameron stared into his lady’s eyes. “Well, I’m thinking that making babies is going to be the best part of marrying you,” he said excitedly.“That and the hospital sex too.”“These two,” Alex rolled his eyes and licked his enticing lips. “They’re not even married, and I suddenly feel like we’re watching a sex video at their wedding.”I shook my head and rolled my eyes. “Please don’t,” I mouthed when all eyes turned back to Alex, who was sporting a sharp three-piece suit.“Please do,” Nat grinned but was having a difficult time with the two overly handsome gods who’d entered the room. “There’s nothing wrong with a good sex tape.”They’re all going to be the death of me.“This is stupid,” Max said, glaring at Alex. “How are your and Breanne’s wedding plans coming along? Is that why she’s selling the place?” He looked ov
I heard a scratchy laugh come from Cameron’s girl, then watched as she hugged him. “We do make a good couple,” the woman laughed again. She looked at me. “Are you okay? I’m Avery, Jim Mitchell’s wife. He said he knows you and hoped this would all work out.”My eyes widened as I looked at Alex’s shit-eating grin. “What?” I stood to shake her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Mitchell.”“Call me Avery.” She ruffled the hair on Alex’s head. “And after witnessing this man do what he just did with you,” she clicked her tongue, “I can’t believe none of us believed you’d finally find the right woman.”“You can tell Jim I was right about all of this,” Alex said, standing at my side. “And that I think you and Cam make a better couple.”“Now, you’re asking for Jim to pummel my ass,” Cameron laughed, then looked at me. “Are you sure you’re okay?”“Yeah, thanks,” I said. “I just started thinking about my dad, and I’d had enough.”“If your father is haunting this place,” Nat’s eyes widened,
I was in a fantastic mood, just perplexed as hell. If only my mom were still coherent, I could get the answers I wanted.“Hey, lover,” Jim said, walking over and sitting across from me at the picnic table where I pretended to watch everyone behind my sunglasses.“Lover? Isn’t that what Collin and Jake throw around when they get lost in each other’s eyes like the dipshits they are?” I teased, stretching out my legs. I folded my arms and leaned forward on the table.Jim looked over his shoulder at Collin, who held his newborn son, and at his younger brother, Jake, standing at Collin’s side at the rail of the arena. Jake’s son was not a fan of these horses, and he sat on his dad’s shoulders unashamed about that fact, pointing at everyone else who was enjoying them.“Yeah, but…” Jim paused and turned back to me. “I only say lover because Av alluded to the fact that something’s up with you and Breanne.” He held up a hand to stop me from saying anything. “Don’t think for a second I’m that n
“Bottom line? I took Summer back, and as you know, she and I tried to make a run at the whole relationship thing. So much so, I trusted that bitch by putting her on two of my credit cards as an authorized user. It’s when her whole fucking personality changed. She was using my cars, spending my money, and acting like she was one of the Rodeo Drive Housewives. It was beyond ridiculous, and I couldn’t handle it anymore.”“When Elena ripped into your ass about you both being wrong for each other in Hawaii, that probably added to your doubts.”“That too. Although by that time, Summer and I were done. She was only there because I’d invited her when I was drunk.”Jim chuckled. “And spouting off that you love Ms. Stone? Still drunk?”“Now you’re just being a dick. I understand your concern. I fucked it all up with your secretary but trust me when I tell you that what I’m feeling for Breanne is as foreign to me as it is for you to try and accept. It’s real, and it’s fucking too fast, and yet,
“It’s not my go-to quote, fuckhead,” I smiled. “It’s the truth.”“You’re probably in witness protection because when you were a child, you witnessed a mob hit, and you had to testify against the mafia boss, and you’ve been on the run ever since. Your real name is probably something like Pauly O’Russo, and you’re originally from Brooklyn,” Jim said, looking at me with prying eyes as if to confirm his ridiculous conspiracy theory.“O’Russo, huh? I’m Irish and Italian at the same time?” I asked, rolling my eyes.“You look like you could be either, so why not?” Jim said with a grin.“Well, you caught me. Don’t tell Tony Soprano where I am, or else,” I teased.“I knew it. If I get whacked because of you, I’m going to come back and haunt you,” Jim said with a shrug.I rolled my eyes and laughed as I texted Bree for her aunts’ last names.Dimples: Charlize Foster and Blaire Gandy are their married names. Morris is the maiden name. Why?Alex: Mother’s sisters? Or married into the family? The
C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - S E V E NBREEI’d arrived at work early, and while I was sifting through potential renters for my condo, the scent of Alex’s cologneannounced that he was on the top floor before seven in the morning as well. I tucked the papers away as soon as I heard him talking with our vice president Jacey, and their voices were getting closer to my office door. “Good morning, Bree,” Jacey said with a smile. “How’s it going?”As usual, our shared vice president seemed always to ask questions, and before you could answer her, she was out of sight. I smiled, and I noticed Alex was trailing her, head down and face in his phone. Before I started talking business with anyone this morning, I needed to call Nat about this list of renters she’d sent over.“Nat,” I whispered when my best friend picked up, “this is all we have?I don’t want the place to go public. Not after what happened yesterday.” “You woke me up to ask me about renters? I sent that over last night. I’m sure
I walked out to the comfortable waiting area, and Jim was the first to stand when he saw my approach. “We heard mommy and babies are healthy?”“A new and very handsome dad didn’t pass out?” I heard Jane as she walked up to me, smiles worn all around the room while the children were occupied in the learning and games corner of the room.“Jane, I’m happy as hell that you’re here,” I said as she stepped back and smiled up at me.“Well,” she patted my cheek, “I’ve heard you’re doing well from my sister-in-law. I texted Bree and congratulated her on your nuptials since your response was some BS thumbs-up emoji.”“I am.” I grinned at how well my sister appeared. Her blonde, curly hair was loose around her shoulders, and she was dressed casually. She didn’thave her usual stiff military look. “I’m happy you’re here.”She jabbed me in my side. “You better be. Now, let’s go,” she said.“Give us a second,” I smiled at the group as Jane walked in to meet Breanne and our children for the first ti
WITH ALL OF Breanne’s hard work, she safely delivered our sons. Both boys were instantly rushed to their warmers after I cut their umbilical cords, and just as Dr. Allen suggested, Bree’s thirty-eight-week pregnancy could likely deliver two healthy baby boys. He was right.Both babies passing the APGAR score made me exhale in relief at our two beautiful sons, who were now crying loudly for their mother. The group had all texted that they’d wait outside when Bree’s contractions were more brutal, and it was only Cameron who had the balls to peek around the curtain to check on her before heading into surgery.The nurses quickly wrapped both sets of dark-haired boys in their burrito-style blanket and handed them to Breanne after I walked to my wife. I kissed her on her forehead, her tired eyes peering up at me and her beautiful, dimpled smile lighting up the entire room.“You did so well, baby,” I kissed her forehead. “Our sons are healthy and on their way to you.”I watched, mesmerized,
“Yes. Fuck me hard.” She walked over to a wall in the living room, sighed in annoyance, and spread her legs.“I have to admit, everything you just demanded of me can be a man’s dream come true. However, this isn’t exactly romantic.”“Fuck romance, Alex,” she snapped into that gear again. “The romance is dead right now, and you’re going to be dead if you don’t get over here and help me get this going.”“Well, the doc said it was the sperm that triggered the pregnancy, so why don’t we do this where it’s a tiny bit more comfortable for you?” “For me?” she turned back, and evil-Bree was in full swing. “Comfortable? I can’t sleep—I don’t even remember the last time I slept. I’m hotter than hell all of the fucking time, I fart when I least expect it to happen, my indigestion is killing me from all those tacos I can’t stop eating, and as if all of that isn’t bad enough, I pee myself when I laugh, cough, or sneeze. So, I ask you,” she flashed her most challenging expression, “why would I give
“There is an upside for Alex in all of this,” Nat said as the girls all grabbed their slender bouquets of lilies. “There shall be no periods throughout the entire honeymoon, and of course, I hear that as time goes on, you get hornier, so the first six months of your marriage should be fantastic. All thanks to you getting knocked up right before your wedding.”I exhaled, feeling the nerves now. “Let’s worry about getting through this day. My aunt has been faithfully attending that wedding book, and I’m going to dodge her. I can’t cry.”“Ha,” Elena chuckled. “Good luck with that. In addition to what Nat said, your hormones can kick in at random intervals, and you could be the blubbering bride up there with Alex today.”I eyed all of my bridesmaids as they chuckled. “Aren’t you guys supposed to be my support crew or whatever it is that bridesmaids do on the wedding day?”“We support you telling Alex when you’re standing in front of that priest,” Cass teased.“All right,” the door flung o
I was not the bridezilla Nat was sure I’d be. Instead, I was going with the flow, filled with gratitude that I was about to become Alex’s wife officially. After the wedding, he and I were set to travel on the yacht he and Jim jointly owned—Maiden Stone, the one he’d named after me. He was incredibly proud of himself for naming the ship now because he said it represented our relationship—Made in Stone. The only thing we needed to do now was get to the boat after the wedding, which was anchored in the Sea of Cortez.Alex still held an iron fist at work and with our employees, but this softer side of him led him down some silly romantic roads, so much so that I teased him that if our marriage was made in stone, he should probably take my last name and not the other way around.“You look so goddamn beautiful,” Nat said, walking into the room where I was dressed and fully prepared to walk down that aisle and become Alex’s wife. “You’re never going to believe what that gorgeous young doctor
“It counts for something, right?” he asked. “But I can watch our movie with you a hundred times, Dorothy, with my new heart you’ve insisted the wizard give me. I will gladly watch that movie with you.” He kissed my ring finger. “But only if you put my outward expression of love on your finger.”I sniffed as I started to cry, officially caught up in the moment with the man I loved more than anything, and I felt more solid about marrying him than I felt about anything else in this world.Alex returned to bended knee in front of me. “I humbly ask you to marry me or at least start over and date me until the day comes that you feel confident enough to become my wife.”“What if I told you that I felt confident enough that I would marry you now if I could?” I knelt in front of him.“Well, that would put us all back on the plane and off to Vegas as your birthday evening stop, doing that Titanic experience,” he looked back atAvery’s grin, as she leaned into Jim’s side, “and Elvis handling our
“What the hell are you two doing?” Alex said when he turned, and I laughed softly with the rest of the women who’d found the two men’s humor just as entertaining.“Well, I’m humming the tune for Coll to sing on key,” Jake said, acting extremely serious. “Trust me. It takes a lot to keep Collin at that angelic level. And of all the songs he has to sing, it’s got to be Celine Dion’s song —the one we had to hear when we were forced to sit through the movie so we could learn more about the ship.”“I never told you idiots to watch a movie about this ship,” Alex answered in confusion. “What movie?” He glanced between the two men.“Titanic. Kate Winslet?” Collin stopped singing and answered. “Elena told me that you insisted we watch that three-hour movie.” He looked around Alex and at me. “Speaking of which, I now will add my expert opinion. Leonardo DiCaprio’s character was an absolute idiot, and that’s why he didn’t make it.”“Really? We’re doing this?” Alex said. I could hear him trying t
“Whether she knew they were stealing from her or not,” Alex said.I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard his voice as he finished speaking for Cass. I turned back and stared at his brilliant smile and his lighter expression, looking more handsome than I remembered.“You’re here?” I said, confused and in utter shock that Alex was here and joined by his closest friends.“Well,” he held up a boarding pass and pulled his sunglasses off to read the pass, “according to this, I’m not.”Did he go through this attraction too? Wait, this was Alex’s idea. All of it, and my girlfriends did well in acting like it was theirs.I smiled. “Third class passenger and didn’t get a boat?” I tried to guess.His eyes locked with mine. “No boat and my passenger gave up his life jacket. He was reported to be preaching to the ones who were going down with the ship.” He read the information with a broad grin.“Preaching?” I cocked my head to the side. “What passenger were you who selflessly gave up your li
“We’ll be sure to do that,” Cass said. “Go lay down and sleep this off because when we land, we’re going directly to the attraction we set up for Bree. The rules were to drink, but don’t get drunk, and now look at you?”“God,” Nat rubbed her forehead and meandered through the leather seating where we were in, “you owe me for this, Bree.” She turned back to me. “Trust me, flying to an attraction in Missouri was not my idea of a thirty-something birthday party.”“No,” I smiled, “I know exactly what your plans would’ve been. I’m glad we’re going to Missouri instead.”“Wake me when the wheels are safely on the ground, please,” Nat said.WE’D CONSUMED plenty of food and water to soak up the cocktails we’d enjoyed on our luxurious flight, and after the plane landed in Springfield, Missouri, we loaded up into a party limo that was waiting for us. I should have been drawn to the party lights of this massive SUV, but instead, seeing the lime green grass and how beautiful the countryside was in