Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 128430 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128430 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
“Oh, good grief.” Her hands fist behind my neck, the tension from anticipation straining her expression. “I’m not prepared, so just say it, Cooper.”
Rip the bandage off. “I was granted my trust funds and a large portion of the Haywood wealth that would have come to me eventually.” She nods. Swallowing becomes harder for me. I hope she doesn’t freak out and sees it as a good thing. “But the rest remained under their names. It’s substantial.”
“Okay.”
“When they pass, it won’t come to me.”
I see the moment it dawns on her, reaching her eyes as they widen. “Don’t say it.”
“Do you really not want me to say it, or do you want me to say it slowly and let it ease into the atmosphere?”
A heavy sigh is released, and so am I when her hands return to her lap. “Does it have to do with Reed?”
I nod. “He’ll inherit everything else.”
“Which is?” she asks.
“The penthouse in the city, Haywood House in the town of Haywood, two generations of collected wealth in various properties and assets as well as whatever they have left in their bank accounts.”
“Jesus, Cooper.” She rubs her forehead. “No one needs that kind of wealth, much less a kid. Look what it did to you.”
I reposition her on my lap. “Look, Story. Money isn’t evil. It’s just . . . money. Some people are bad. You know that firsthand. Some are awful. I know that well. But we can continue teaching him the values you’ve already instilled, and we have the opportunity to take our money and do good in the world.”
The tightness in her lips eases, and a smile, although small, appears. “Valid point. We could do a lot of good with our money collectively.”
“See? All good things.”
She digs in her pocket before wrapping her arms around me again. “Question. They don’t know about Reed, do they?”
“No. The amendment states any of my offspring.”
She grins mischievously. “Well, that leads me to what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Do I need to brace myself?” I joke, holding her by the hips.
“I don’t think so, but we do need to think about a larger house. Close your eyes and open your hand.”
The stress of moving seems like the last thing she’d want to add to her plate. I close my eyes, then open my hand. Something is placed on my hand before she closes my fingers around it. “You can look now.”
When I unwrap my fingers, a little car with a family of four pegs sits in the palm of my hand. I look into her eyes, not wanting to jump to conclusions, though I already am in the best of ways. Please let this be true.
She says, “Don’t get too excited. It’s not triplets.”
“You’re pregnant?” I ask, a smile cracking my cheeks wide open.
“I am.” She caresses my face. “Are you ready to be a daddy again?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely.” Tilting her down, I kiss her until we’re both breathless and left laughing in pure happiness. This is what life is about.
I remember everything about the woman in my arms from when I first saw her across the party. Dark-brown hair, those eyes that stole my soul. Sunset tights. A smile that could compete with her halo. And feel fucking lucky that I was arrogant enough to twist the fates and take a chance. We didn’t work out then, but she’s all mine now.
“I love you, husband.”
I kiss her and whisper against her lips, “I love you, wife.”
“Daddy?” Reed calls me.
Because of them, and a new little one on the way, I’m the luckiest guy in the world. “Yeah, buddy?”
“Come see the ducks.”
Story hops off my lap and waits for me to stand. Our hands come together, and we start walking in the direction of our son. He’s waving frantically for us to hurry, but sometimes, it’s good to take things slow. I lean down and kiss her on the head. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Everything.”
Smiling up at me, she says, “This is a good day.”
“The best.”
This is the Story of my life, told in two chapters—before and after—we met. We might have started in a storm, but it’s only blue skies ahead.