The Scottish Bride (The Brides of Holland Springs Book 5)(19)
Walking outside, Cadence shaded her eyes with her hand, looking for her family. The green in the middle of Wintersea was filled with people enjoying the warm afternoon day. Near to their home, it was also where her boys lived as soon as they were done with school for the day. Half the time, she or Maddox would bring supper and they would eat at one of the picnic tables on the perimeter.
Maddox had returned to rugby and played for three more years before retiring and taking up painting as a career rather than a hobby. Art lovers the world over bought his work, and she couldn’t be prouder of him.
As for her, she’d written and published forty novels in the past decade. She was following in the footsteps of her mother and making a living at it.
Life was good.
She smiled at her husband and sons when she spotted them playing soccer. They were messy and sweaty... and hers. She was so loved by these men, her husband and their nine and seven-year-old.
Actually, life was amazing.
Maddox had made her pregnant the night of their second reconciliation. She hadn’t regretted that decision one bit, nor had she regretted leaving with him that day.
It had been a lot easier than she thought. Her family more than a little supportive, but then again, Romanovs believed in the unbelievable. They lived for drama and miracles, but most of all, they lived for love.
“My love, join us,” Maddox called out.
“Coming.” She ran out to them, high fiving Niall and North. “Ready for me to kick your dad’s arse, boys?”
They laughed and nodded. “Do it, Mommy.”
Cadence strolled right up to her husband, grabbed him by his jersey, and pulled him to her. Of course, he went along willingly. No way could she force him to move.
“You haven’t kissed me yet, Mr. Stewart.”
“I’ll rectify that this instant.” He kissed her, and she almost swooned from it.
“Fall down,” she whispered.
“What?”
“I told the boys I’d kick your arse.” She kissed him again. “Fall down... and I promise to make it worth your while tonight.”
She didn’t have to ask again. Maddox fell to the ground, clutching his tail like she had kicked it.
“Hurts so bad, boys.”
They ran over, laughing so hard they could scarcely catch their breaths.
“Tackle Mommy in revenge. You must avenge me, sons,” Maddox ordered dramatically.
“But Mommy’s a girl and we could hurt her.”
“I don’t know... Mommy told me the other night that she loves your tackle hugs. Can’t get enough of them.”
The boys looked at her and she started to back up, holding up her hands. “I do love your tackle hugs, but only when we’re—arg!”
Her sons tackled her, and she fell beside Maddox. He made sure to half-catch her, so she wouldn’t hit something she might need later.
The boys squeezed her tight a couple of times, then got up and started kicking the ball around with some other kids their age.
“Are you happy, my love?” Maddox asked.
“Delirious with it.”
He rolled to one side. “How about I tackle you?”
She waved him over, reveling in their joy and love. “What are you waiting for?”
“Not a damn thing.” Then he lowered himself and kissed her until he made her breathless.
Thank you for reading Maddox and Cadence’s story in The Scottish Bride. Read how their parents met Twice Tempted and Be Mine. Keep going to read the 1st chapter of The Billionaire Bride, the first book in the Brides of Holland Springs Series).
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The Billionaire Bride (Brides of Holland Springs #1)
It’s not easy being the woman most likely to be married to a fortune hunter, but Kate Von Lichtenstein has a plan to deter even the most determined gold digger. She’ll take a page right out of her favorite historical romance novel—with her own unique spin—and marry a man of her choosing before the public gets wind of how much money she actually inherited from her grandparents. And who fits the bill better than the sexy and charming American businessman, Noah Sawyer?
After selling his share of the successful tech company, Noah Sawyer lost everything when an unscrupulous real estate lawyer stole the money he intended to use to purchase a huge swath of land worth millions. So, when a chance meeting with a hot brunette at a friend’s wedding turns into a mutually beneficial business arrangement, Noah jumps at the chance to salvage his business.
However, the sexy land developer has no intention of his marriage to Kate being in name only...
Chapter One
Kate Von Lichtenstein was desperate for a man. Worse, she was desperate for a husband. Unfortunately, she had no other choice but to marry before the paparazzi learned the exact amount she’d recently inherited.
In any other circumstance, inheriting billions for no other reason than being the only—not to mention favorite—grandchild of octogenarians with a vast fortune, would be a windfall.
But not to Kate. No, a fortune of this magnitude only meant one thing—fortune hunters would be on her doorstep in no time... even a best-case scenario had her envisioning a marriage of political or economic gain to bolster her father’s run for office.
However, she had standards and plans. She wouldn’t auction herself off to the first bloke to catch her eye. Instead, she’d take things into her own hands and marry whom she desired. Looks were a plus. As were intelligence, humor, and...Dear Lord.