Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 69927 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69927 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“At work,” he said. “I was in a hurry to leave, and I forgot it on my desk.” He paused. “You’re beautiful, Sabrina.”
I felt tears sting my eyes. Tears that I refused to let loose.
“Drive us to the chapel, fine sir.” I sniffled. “And try not to make me cry. I don’t want to ruin my makeup for the photos.”
When we arrived, it was to find everyone standing on the curb outside the courthouse doors. Every single eye was on us.
I looked at them, then wrapped my arms around my husband and kissed his cheek. “Let’s go. I have family waiting.”
He reached back and curled his hand around my head, pulling me back to his lips. “You do.”
• • •
Touching the photo that my father had taken—my favorite one of all time—I walked out of the kitchen and into the large open space of the living room.
Six months after we were married, and a year after Faye’s death, Price had surprised me with the beach house.
It wasn’t the one we’d originally rented. That one had been destroyed by the hurricane. It was a new one, on Dauphin Island, that was so close to the water that sometimes it was even in it.
Honestly, I loved everything about it. And I loved my husband even more for getting it for me.
We didn’t rent it out, even though we probably should.
But we came here so much that it didn’t make sense to rent it out because we’d have to limit when we came.
This weekend, for instance, we’d decided spur of the moment to head down here.
As I made it to the back porch, I didn’t have to look to see if he had my cookies.
He always had them ready and waiting for me to get there and share them with him.
He didn’t eat the cookies.
Honestly, I wasn’t even sure he liked the way they tasted when they fell into his coffee sometimes. More often than not, he always got a new cup of coffee a lot sooner than he would have had there not been cookie crumbs in the bottom of his cup.
But he loved me and knew that I wouldn’t have them if he didn’t share.
So he dealt with the crumbs.
Before I even made it out the door, a thump, thump, then the sound of running feet had me stalling at the sliding glass door.
I grinned widely at my kid.
Two years old, our surprise baby boy was a bundle of energy and everything that was beautiful in the world.
He hit me like a wrecking ball, and I thumped backward against the glass, causing Price to look up and witness the love.
I looked down at my son and smiled.
Hercules.
“I wuv woo, Momma,” Hercules whispered.
I felt tears sting the back of my throat.
“I love you, too, Hercules.” I rubbed my nose against his jaw as I picked him up and carried him outside.
I took the seat next to Price, but only after grabbing a kiss from my man.
I’d just gotten settled into my seat when a tiny little cry had me looking up at my father, who was walking out with Faye, our newborn daughter. She was exactly two weeks old, and the apple of her grandfather’s eye.
“Why are you always the one that gets up with my baby?” Price grumbled.
My dad grinned and handed our girl over to him.
Price tucked her into the spot between his chin and chest and then covered her up with the blanket that he had ready and waiting, knowing my dad would bring her out when she was awake.
“Me, too, Daddy. Me, too.” Hercules crawled out of my lap and to his father’s.
Price, like he did every morning, held his cup high, so he didn’t spill his coffee, and grinned quietly to himself as Hercules crawled in next to his sister.
When the blanket was situated, he held his coffee out to me.
I dipped my cookie into the coffee. Then watched the waves roll in and the sunrise with my family.
Best. Life. Ever.
• • •