Page 135 of Feels Like Home

“She looks amazing though. And she’s already got that beautiful glow to her,” Josh says and I growl, causing him to howl inlaughter.

“Whoa, man. Calm yourself. I’m a perfectly happy married man. Just stating afact.”

“Fact or not, keep your eyes toyourself.”

James raises his eyebrows at me and smiles knowingly. His wife is gorgeous, too. Obviously, he knows it, but he isn’t so keen on anyone else knowingit.

“How’s she feeling about all this? What did the boys say?Bri?”

“Bri can’t wait. She’s a little nervous, of course. It’s not like Christine’s twenty-five, but she just wants her mom happy. The boys? They’re almost as excited as we are. They love Christine, want her to stick around. The boys looked a little more than shocked when we told them. It was a humbling experience, for sure. Obviously, we’ve talked about things, but them being aware that their dad had sex with someone he wasn’t married to… yet… was not a fun conversation to have. I think next week I’ll smash my fingers with a hammer and see if it’s as muchfun.”

The guys all grin, and Barrett offers up an, “I’llbet.”

“As for our plans? We’re together. We were before we found out, and I wasn’t planning to let her go. Until I lost my damn mind and blamed her for something she didn’t do, but I have her back and now I need to convince her to put my ring on her finger, take my last name, and life will be good.” I lean back in my chair, hands folded together on the back of myhead.

“You’re planning to marry her?” Joshasks.

“That was always the plan. I think I knew it when we first started hanging out, after Heather. It was never awkward. It has always felt right betweenus.”

“Wow,” Barrett says, picking up his phone, which I yank awayquickly.

“Stop it, you news-spreadinggirl!”

He raises his hands. “I wasn’t doing anything!” He tries to defend himself but we all know he wouldn’t have kept that one asecret.

James shakes his head laughing. “And he wonders why I had to just drop to one knee when he didn’t expectit.”

“I’m hoping to do it in a more romantic setting than immediately after seeing someone get arrested.” James proposed about two minutes after they watched Carly’s ex-husband, Vince, get arrested for assault against James, among otherthings.

“And I missed it, too. Still not something I’m over,” Barrett grumbles as he shoots daggers in James’sdirection.

“Why would you need to be a part ofit?”

“Tate and Will both saw it! Pardon me if I think it’s a whole bunch of crap that your gym owner got to see it and not me. Plus, Will got to be there for your firstdate!”

“He owns the shooting range we went to. It’s not like he wastherefor the date. And they were there because we were together when we got the call that Vince was at thehouse!”

“Whatever. Still a bunch of crap. Could have called me,” Barrettgrumbles.

“Hello! I did. You just weren’t quickenough.”

Barrett simply narrows hiseyes.

“You’re so nosy,” Joshsays.

“Hi pot, I’m kettle. Look at that! We’re bothblack.”

“So…” James says, probably trying to get these two nutjobs back on track. “You’re planning to ask her to marry you? Things are okay between you two again? You squared that away? What do the boys think ofthat?”

“Any other questions, man?” I tease, but continue. “We’re good. I apologized for being an idiot. She showed me what it means to be an adult. The boys? Well, let’s just say they’re definitely on board the marriagetrain.”

37

Christine

“Areyou gonna tellus or not?” Lauren asks, settling herself in on my couch, both legs tucked under herbody.

“Tell youwhat?”

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