“And you bet for us?” Nick asked.
“Son, it was obvious from the start you two were meant for each other.”
“Tell them the other thing,” I prompted Nick.
“There’s more? I don’t think I can take anymore,”Birdie wailed.
“My ex showed up and was an asshole, so Nick and his half-brothers, Wyatt and Liam, came to my rescue,” I told them.
“You’re talking to the Locke Brothers? That’s good, Nick. It’s what I wanted for you. Having more family doesn’t take away from our family. You know that, right?”Antony said.He really was a cool voice of reason.
“See, I told you they would be happy,” I said to him very smugly.
“You were right,” he whispered. “Yeah, Ant. Wyatt and Liam…well, they’re okay. And it looks like both of them are going to be sticking around Calico Cove for the foreseeable future. I was thinking, maybe, we could invite them for Thanksgiving.”
“Of course we’re inviting them for Thanksgiving! Tony and I will cook. Oh shit, Tony, we’re going to have to cook for Sydney Malloy and professional hockey players! I think we’ll start with a big ham. We’re going to need a million pounds of potatoes!”
“Okay, we’re going to go now, because Genevieve is already crafting a menu.”
Nick and I chuckled. But I could already see it unfolding. Up at Antony and Birdie’s house on the cliff. All my family. All his family. All his new extended family. Perfect.
He disconnected the call and his smile turned pensive. He pushed my hair behind my ears, mimicking my old nervous habit.
“What’s wrong?” I asked him.
“When you called me from Peter’s car, when I had five seconds to think that they might actually take you away or hurtyou…I’m not going to lie, babe, that probably shaved a few days off my life.”
“I’m sorry you were scared, but I knew neither one of them was capable of hurting me. It was so obvious seeing Rene again why I’d fallen for his bullshit.”
Nick pulled his head back. “Why?”
“Because he was the opposite of you. When I thought it was never going to be us…when I thought I broke everything by showing up at your place on my birthday…I ran. I left the town, then the state, and when that wasn’t far enough, I left the country. Every guy I went out with was the opposite of you. Because if I couldn’t have you, I didn’t want second best. So I ended up with the worst.”
“If you wanted to go back to France, I would go with,” he said.
“No, thank you. I only want to be here. With you. For as long as we can be.”
“I’m thinking about a hundred years or so,” he said, even as he began pressing kisses against my neck in that way he knew drove me crazy.
“I don’t know if that’s physically possible, but let’s give it a shot,” I sighed and rolled my head back, giving him more access to my neck.
“Good,” he said. “Now get off the counter, walk back to our bedroom and get naked. It’s time you took your punishment like a good girl.”
“Punishment?”
“You’re going to get spanked, hard, for even getting in Peter’s car.”
Immediately, I went gooey between my legs.
“Worth it, then,” I said as I hopped off the counter and gave him a flirty wink. “Come get me, Nicky.”
“Always. And don’t call me Nicky!”
EPILOGUE I
Thanksgiving
Nick
