Page 108 of Almost Paradise

“What time are you getting in tomorrow?” he asks her.

“What time, baby?” Nia asks me.

When I tell her we should land by noon, her father says, “It’s going to be a nice day. Come by after you land. I’m grilling. You can bring that no good husband of yours,” he throws in.

“Can you not call him that, though?” Nia asks.

“I’ll try. Now put my grandsons on the phone. Have fun,” he says.

Nia hands Mason the phone, and the three boys run off to show him their sandcastle.

“Now, if anyone’s going to get poisoned, it’s going to be me,” I whisper in Nia’s ear.

Chapter 61

Drake

Surprisingly, spending time at Nia’s parents’ house isn’t as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. The weather is warm, and we have spent the afternoon in the yard, which looks like a garden from a magazine.

The boys play, while Nia’s dad works the grill and Ray and Shirley talk in the kitchen. Nia cuddles next to me on the loveseat, and I put my arm around her, pulling her close.

“I had so much fun,” she says right before she kisses my cheek. “But I’m exhausted. Let’s go home after we eat.”

“Why don’t you go inside and take a nap?”

“And leave my husband’s arms? Never.” She turns to face me and grins. I can’t help but grin back before I kiss her forehead and her lips. “Besides, I had a thought. You know the gift your mom gave us for our birthday?”

“I do,” I tell her.

“I know where we should go.” She turns to face me and takes both of my hands while I wait to hear what she says next. “Berlin,” she whispers.

“I love that idea,” I tell her.

“We go as husband and wife with our son,” she says. “It can still be our city, Paradise.”

“I love you,” I say against her mouth. “Are you by any chance leaving your birth control at home?” I’ve not been shy about wanting more kids, and she’s agreed to have more. The only disagreement we have on that topic is when.

“You’d better because I love you too.” I hear a deep sigh and look up to see her father staring down at us. He doesn’t scowl at me like he normally does, but he does plop down two bottles of cold water on the table.

“One for you, Nia, and one for your sorry ass husband. Maybe the cold water will cool you both down,” he grumbles as he walks away. “When you two are done kissing like a couple of teenagers, get the boys washed up so we can eat.”

Chapter 62

Nia

About a month after our short getaway to The Bahamas, Carter and I officially change our name to Paradise. I also returned to my old job at Paradise Construction a few weeks later. I had no idea when I stepped into the building on that rainy Monday that Drake had arranged a celebration. He catered lunch for the entire company and announced my return at an impromptu town hall meeting. I remember blushing from my toes all the way to the top of my head.

After lunch, when I went to his office, it was to find that he had replaced the couch like I asked him to. He locked his door, and we christened the new couch like the newlyweds that we are.

Every day we drop our son off at daycare and go to work together. Sometimes he works late, but most days we pick him up together. We have dinner as a family every night, and afterward, we bathe our son and get him ready for bed. Every day I have more love for my husband than I ever could have imagined. Every day, I’m happier than the day before.

Even my dad stopped with the scowls. Drake goes to church with the family once a month now. My mom confessed to me that Dad believes me and Drake love each other, but he’s still keeping his eyes on my sorry ass, no good husband.

Drake’s family has us over for dinner too, and we even spent the night once. Drake’s mom is doing her best to make Carter comfortable enough to stay there without me or his father, but I think my son is still intimidated by the grandeur of the Paradise home. He still loves to go there for barbeques and to swim in the pool. Ray even let me take Mason and Kyle a couple of times.

The only blip with Drake’s family occurred when Hannah found out about her father’s actions. Like Drake, she refused to believe it at first, but when she was presented with the evidence and Howard Bank’s confirmation, she left the room sobbing only to return later to apologize on his behalf. Drake’s mother took me aside to let me know she does not agree with her late husband’s actions. She said if she had known, there’s no way she would not have been a part of Carter’s life from the beginning. I believe her. Maybe that’s why her husband kept this secret from her too. Maybe he knew that she would not agree with him and would run to Drake. I can’t say I’m close with his family, but I’m open to a relationship.

My private phone buzzes in my pocket, and there’s only one person who knows about this phone, so I answer with a big smile on my face. “I can’t come to your office every day for some afternoon delight, husband,” I tell Drake.

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