The Lemon Sisters (Wildstone #3)(92)

“Please stop,” she begged, covering her hot face.

“Remember what came next?”

Of course she did. He’d claimed the farts as his own, covering for her.

“I’m pretty sure that’s when you fell in love with me, too,” he said knowingly.

She sighed. “You laughed every time you looked at me for like three weeks.”

“And you’ve been making me laugh ever since. I can’t imagine my life without you in it, Min. You’re all I’ve ever wanted. Hold on, I’ve got a surprise for you.”

She eyed him warily. “I’m not going to pull your finger.”

He grinned. “No, this is something much better.”

“You’ve taken massage lessons?” she asked hopefully.

“No, but hold that thought.” He vanished down the hall and came back with a three-ring binder that she’d never seen before.

“Open it,” he said.

She began to flip through, and her pulse took a good, hard leap. “You redid the family schedule.”

“I did.”

He sounded cocky as all hell, and quite pleased with himself. She went back to eyeing what he’d done, and her heart melted. “You even color-coded it.”

“Gave you purple,” he said.

She met his gaze.

“Which is your favorite color, even though you tell everyone it’s blue,” he said.

He’d given himself half the work, along with giving the kids their own to-do charts. God, she loved this man. “You think you’ve got me all figured out,” she managed through a thick throat.

“No.” He sat next to her and pulled her into his lap. “And God knows, I might never have it all figured out. But I promise to always love you, to keep working on things, and to be a better partner to you. You deserve that, and I’ll never stop giving you everything I’ve got. Please say you’ll let me try to make you happy every day for the rest of your life.” He kissed her softly. “I want this, Min. I want your early mornings, even the crabby ones. I want your fiery temper and the way you smile at me when I manage to calm you down, even when it’s by accident. I want to share a bed with you, even when it’s full of our crazy children. I want your everything.”

Setting the binder aside, she straddled him and slid her fingers into his hair. “Even when I’m not all that lovable?”

“You’re way too hard on yourself.” He cupped her face. “You’re always lovable. And tonight, when the kids are asleep, I’m going to prove it to you.” Leaning in, he put his mouth to her ear and whispered exactly how he was going to do that, in great detail.

“Kids,” she yelled, never taking her eyes off her sexy husband. “Early bedtime tonight!”

She wrapped her arms around him and held on tight, marveling that he was hers. All hers.





Chapter 24


“It’s the orgasms.”

Throat too tight to breathe, Brooke walked into the guesthouse, trying to compartmentalize the different parts of her life that couldn’t be reconciled. Trying to control her emotions.

But she couldn’t control anything, much less herself. She was hurting, she was shaking, she was angry, and she knew, without a doubt, that whatever she did next was going to be incredibly stupid.

She didn’t care.

Garrett was wrong. She wasn’t running. She was simply going after what she wanted. Walking away from him was going to hurt, but she had to do it. She really did see herself taking on the world again. Maybe it wasn’t for everyone, but it was her life. No kids, but hopefully a partner, if she met the right one.

You already met him.

She ignored this little voice in her head. She was a grown-up, and grown-ups couldn’t always have everything they wanted. That was just a fact. She pulled out her phone.

Brooke: I’m coming back.

Cole: There is a God.

Brooke: If you missed me that much, I’ll take a raise.

Cole: Funny. I was actually expecting a resignation letter. Even me, the hardheaded, coldhearted bastard I am, can tell when a person’s found their place.

Brooke: Wildstone isn’t my place.

Cole: Glad to hear it.

Brooke: I don’t belong in Wildstone.

Cole: Music to my ears.

Brooke: I can’t possibly end up here.

Cole: Shit. You’re protesting too much. Quick, get in your car and come home right now before you realize it.

Brooke: You’re as dramatic as Tommy. I’ll be there in four hours. And I want my old job back.

Her phone battery was low, and since she didn’t have a car charger or an extra battery, she plugged her phone into the wall outlet and lay down to rest her eyes while it charged. “Just for a few minutes,” she told the room.

A few minutes later, she jerked awake. But it hadn’t been only a few minutes. It was six a.m., and she’d slept the rest of the night away. Jumping to her feet, she staggered into the main house, needing caffeine before hitting the road.

And maybe some sweet TLC from her three favorite little people.

Her sister was looking over a pan of perfectly golden cinnamon rolls, calmly sipping tea and definitely looking like the Mindy of old. Peaceful. Put together.

Serene.

Brooke stared at her.