Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 93575 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93575 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Aiden and Maddox came over. “All right. You stole enough time.”
Reid laughed good-naturedly. I smiled at them, shaking my head. “You all see me every day. Every. Day.”
Reid leaned down and brushed another kiss to my cheek. “Today’s a special day. And it’s never enough, Sandy. Never enough.”
He strolled back to his wife, Becca, who was watching him with a soft smile. She knew how close we were.
Aiden and Maddox sat beside Jordan and me, sliding a tray with coffee and several pieces of cake on it between us.
“All that cake?”
“Well, you know, I couldn’t decide.” Aiden winked. “Jordan loves them all.”
Jordan scoffed, but I saw the delight in his eyes.
“I’m glad we catered this, but it wouldn’t be the same without our Beth’s cakes,” I murmured.
“I know,” Aiden hummed in agreement. “They are the best.”
Sammy stood, heading for the table, her husband, Luke, following.
“I can never get used to Luke without his cowboy hat,” Maddox mused.
Aiden chuckled. “I know.”
I smiled, watching Van with their kids. They adored him and Liv and enjoyed coming to visit. Sammy and Luke had adopted siblings, Allison and Jacob, but they were loved as much as all the grandkids were. They were simply family. It made no difference to this diverse group. We all loved it when they came for a visit, especially Van and Liv.
Heather and Reed sat on the floor, Heather between Reed’s long legs. Their son, Tyler, was eating cake and entertaining his younger cousin, Rosie, Mila and Nicholas’s daughter. Mila was nestled against Nick, curled up in the corner of the sofa, happy and content.
“I hear Nick is up for another Oscar for the last film he produced and directed,” Jordan said, then took a sip of his coffee. “Of course, he was too modest to tell us himself. It was brilliant. The story and how he handled bringing it to the screen.”
“Yes. Another one of Mila’s books.” Maddox grinned at me. “Our little Mila. Quiet, shy, and bursting with talent.”
“Still waters and all,” I quipped. “They are good together. He says she’s the best thing that ever happened to him. That everything good in his life began when they got together.”
Aiden smiled. “Well, he won best actor for his work in the first film. The film won best adapted screenplay. Now this one is garnering a lot of attention. His little Rosie, whom he adores. Another babe on the way. Plus, he got all of us. That right there is like gold.”
We all chuckled. Nick had fit in with us so well, and everyone loved him. He was good to Mila, and she adored him. And Aiden was right; his career took off in a positive direction once he met Mila. It was wonderful to see.
“Are Richard and Katy staying for good?” I asked Maddox. “Not going back and forth as much?”
He nodded. “Yes. They sold the house in BC. They bought a small condo close to Matthew’s place so they can go visit. They’re going to make Port Albany home now. Gavin and Matthew promised to visit more.”
“You must be pleased.”
He grinned. “Having my partner in crime here all the time? Absolutely. The four of us are planning some major golf rounds.”
Aiden nodded, equally delighted. Richard VanRyan wasn’t a part of BAM, but he was as close to being family as everyone.
“Heather and Gracie are so happy about it. Richard and Katy can fly easily to England, so Penny is pleased too. Gavin and Amanda are planning on spending more time here as well, so everyone is happy.”
Maddox chuckled. “Poor Phillip always looks a bit shell-shocked when he’s here.”
“I don’t blame him. Penny says his family is much smaller and proper.”
“It’s good for him,” Aiden insisted. “Lady Peepee gives him the normalcy he needs.”
“He’s pretty laid-back for a lord. Great dad,” Maddox mused. “And Penny looks very happy.”
“She does. So does Matthew. I have to say, I’ve never seen him look so relaxed.”
“The last to fall,” Jordan murmured. “Always the sweetest. He said he would never get married. No kids. Now he has a wife and one child here and, from what I heard, one on the way. Richard is hoping for twins. Not sure how Matthew feels about that. But Madison is good for him. She made him realize he needed a life outside of being a doctor.”
“And Ashley and Luc fit in so well, you’d never know they weren’t part of us all this time,” Maddox murmured. “Their son looks so much like his namesake, it’s scary.”
“Acts like him too. No doubt who his hero is. He worships Gramps.”
We all glanced toward the VanRyan clan. Richard was being smothered by his youngest grandkids, loving every second of it. The businessman was put aside now, the loving husband, father, and grandfather in his place. Katy observed them, a smile on her face. She was happiest when her children were around, and today, she beamed with delight.