Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
I hear the garage door, and I grin. She’s home. I love that we’ve made it official, and this is now her home.
Grabbing the bags for donation from the bedroom floor, I toss one over each shoulder and make my way toward the kitchen, which will lead me to the laundry room and the garage to toss them into my truck.
The garage door into the laundry room opens just as I step inside.
Courtney freezes, and a beautiful smile crosses her face. “Hey, handsome. What are you up to?”
“Cleaned out some old clothes. Making use of my rain day.”
She nods. “Yeah, I’m going to do a lot of that as well as I pack. I have so many clothes I don’t even wear anymore.”
I can’t help but chuckle when I think about Sterling’s comment earlier. “Bring it all with you. This is your home, baby.”
She rises up on her toes and pecks my cheek. “I love you.”
“Love you. Let me put these in my truck, and I’ll be right back and we can start dinner.”
“Oh, I picked up dinner.” She lifts a bag of takeout from a local Mexican place we both love. “I also stopped by my place and grabbed a few more things.”
“Perfect. We’ll eat, and I’ll help you unpack. I’ll bring in a load on my way back in.” I kiss her quickly and move around her to enter the garage. Tossing the bags in the back seat of my truck, I go to her car and open the trunk, grab two tote bags and a suitcase, and carry them into the house. “I’ll just put these in the bedroom.”
“Sounds good,” she says. She stops pulling our takeout from the bag and follows me. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with all my stuff. I might have to take over the spare bedroom closet.”
“Then where will the kids’ clothes go?” I ask. She doesn’t reply so I turn to see her with her hand over her mouth, and her eyes are sparkling and misting with tears. “We are having babies, right?” I ask with a grin.
She nods. “Yes,” she finally squeaks out her reply.
“I’ll just put these in the closet.”
She follows me in and gasps. “Where is all of your stuff?”
“It’s still here, just a little more organized. I had gaps between things that didn’t need to be there. You now have the entire right side all to yourself. Top and bottom, and the shelves in the middle right are all yours as well.”
“This is really happening.”
“You bet your fine ass it is.” I pull her into my arms and kiss her. “Now, let's eat, and I’ll help you unpack.”
“I can’t wait to live this life with you, Merrick Kincaid.”
“Right back at you, gorgeous.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
Courtney
It’s Labor Day weekend, and we’re camping. When I say we, I mean the entire Kincaid family. There are a lot of us. It’s loud and chaotic and I love every minute of it. I’ve never been camping, so I didn’t know what to expect, but I love this so much.
This year they chose a campground that rents out small cabins, and each family has their own. We’re all in a row, but we gather together under the canopies for every meal, and to just chill. We’ve roasted marshmallows over the fire and cooked our meals that way too.
It’s been an experience. One I can’t wait to repeat year after year.
There’s a nice breeze blowing, and I’m sitting outside with the rest of the ladies, Merrick’s mom, and all the kiddos. The guys all decided to try their luck at the lake with fishing. They offered for us to go with them, but we all declined. Blakely wanted to go, but Declan convinced her to stay with the other girls. She pouted, but as soon as they were gone, she came out of it.
I don’t think it’s that he didn’t want his daughter with him. Something was up. All the guys seemed a little jazzed to be fishing. It’s hard to tell what they’re up to, but whatever it is, they didn’t think it was wise to take Blakely with them.
“Blakely, how are you liking school? Are you learning anything new?” Alyssa asks her niece.
Blakely sighs dramatically. “Apparently not, since I have to go back.”
Quickly, I turn my head and cover my mouth to keep from laughing.
“Blakely!” Kennedy scolds. “You love school.”
“I like camping more.”
“We know you do, sweetheart,” Carol coos. “But it’s important to go to school to learn all the things you’ll need when you get older.”
“I already know about the arm porn,” Blakely tells her. “I’m really smart.”
I watch as Merrick’s mom bites her cheek and takes a minute to compose herself. “Yes, you are, but there is still so much to learn.”
“Fine,” Blakely grumbles and we all chuckle.
“How about we go for a walk?” Palmer suggests.