Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 60081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 300(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 300(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
He proves it by making me come twice more, until I’m so tired even the announcement that he’ll be going over to his mom’s tomorrow morning while I’m packing to explain that accepting me into the family is mandatory can stress me out too much.
Yes, his mom and I got off to a bad start, but I’ll show her I’m one of the good ones, and that I love her son as desperately and whole-heartedly as he loves me. In time, she’ll see that we were right to jump in with both feet. There’s no doubt in my mind about that.
The thought wakes me up enough to mumble against Drew’s chest, “I don’t have any doubts. I always have doubts about boys. But you? None.”
He kisses the top of my head. “And I don’t intend to give you any reason to find one. I’m also adding insurance to your employee package. I can’t have you walking around without insurance. You’re precious cargo.”
I snuggle closer with a smile. “Thanks. You make me feel that way. Very precious indeed.”
We drift off to sleep as the snow continues to fall softly outside and all is right with the world. The very rightest it’s ever been.
Epilogue
Drew
Three Months Later
“Hurry or we won’t get the chocolate chip and coconut pancakes. They always run out! Get a move on, you two!” Sarah Beth spills out of the van, running toward the lakefront gazebo, where the monthly biker brunch is already in full swing.
Tatum laughs and calls out, “Only get two! Your eyes are always bigger than your stomach!”
Sarah Beth waves a hand to let Tatum know she’s heard, but I seriously doubt Tatum’s warning will have any effect.
“She’s going to have a stack of six pancakes by the time we get to the table, isn’t she?” Tatum asks, gathering the basket of croissants and orange juice that’s our contribution to the meal from the back seat.
I loop my arm around her waist. “Of course. And then she’ll say her tummy hurts in half an hour. But I brought the Tums this time.”
“So prepared,” Tatum says, tipping her head back for a kiss. “That’s some hot dad behavior right there.”
“I aim to make you hot,” I murmur against her lips. “It’s my main mission in life.”
She smiles, making our teeth bump together. “Mission accomplished, handsome. Is it wrong that I’m super excited Sarah Beth is staying at your mom’s house tonight and we’re ordering pizza for a movie night?”
“No,” I say, pulling back and searching the park for signs of my mom’s car. “Is it wrong that I can’t wait for Mom to drink too many mimosas and start singing karaoke with Fred?”
Tatum giggles. “No. That’s the best part of biker brunch. Your mom is hysterical when she’s tipsy and singing Don’t Go Breakin’ my Heart.”
“Agreed,” I say, a wave of gratitude that Mom and Tatum are now fast friends sweeping through me all over again.
But I think my mom realized when I showed up at her house that morning in February, telling her I’d met my soul mate and was going to do whatever it took to keep Tatum with me in Bad Dog that she had two choices—embrace my girlfriend or see a lot less of her son.
Things were a little rocky at first, but after our first family dinner, my parents both pulled me aside and made it clear they saw what I saw. They realized that Tatum was special, kind, and completely crazy about Sarah Beth and me. She was the missing piece we needed to complete our family.
Hopefully, in just a few minutes, we’re going to take an important step toward making that family official.
A wave of nervousness tightens my throat, but it’s a good anxiety. I just want everything to be perfect.
Most of all, I want her to say yes.
“Oh, there’s Wren!” Tatum lifts an arm, waving with a big grin. “I’m so glad she made it. It feels like she’s been gone forever.”
I take the basket from her. “Go say hi. I’ll take this down to the picnic tables.”
“Okay, thanks,” she says, pressing a kiss to my cheek. She starts for Wren, but pauses, turning back to me to whisper, “Did Barrett tell you if she’s coming back to work or not? I’m dying to know if they’re going to make up and admit they have the hots for each other. The suspense is killing me.”
“Same,” I agree, “but you know Barrett. He isn’t talking. All he said was that Wren was planning on coming back to work after her sabbatical. That’s it.”
Tatum nods and squeezes my arm. “Okay. I’ll see what kind of dirt I can get out of her. And I have to hear all about her travels. I can’t believe she spent three months in Thailand. That’s so incredibly cool. Look how tan she is!”