Page 191 of Forever

I put my hand on Brooklyn’s lower back and guided her to our table. The curtains on the windows had been opened, and the snow was falling harder now. I always loved when it snowed in New York. It was the only time the city ever felt quiet. I pulled Brooklyn’s chair out for her and we both sat down.

It felt so surreal to be seated here with Brooklyn, staring out at all our family and friends. I knew Brooklyn had already pinched me, but I kept thinking I was about to wake up.

“Angel,” Mr. Pruitt said and lifted his glass. “I know we’ve had our ups and downs.”

I stared at Brooklyn and then back at him. That was the understatement of the century.

“Even the name angel…” he shook his head. “But you are my angel. You saved my life.”

I clenched my hand into a fist under the table.

Brooklyn reached over and put her hand on top of my fist.

I turned to look at her.

“A new beginning, remember?” she whispered.

I unclenched my fist. My wife was the most understanding person in history. I took a deep, steadying breath.

“I wouldn’t be standing here today if it wasn’t for you,” Mr. Pruitt said. “And for more than just the obvious reason. You gave me a new purpose, Brooklyn. You are so much like your mother. You reminded me of who I wanted to be. Who I still could be. For you.”

I stared at the tears welling in Brooklyn’s eyes.

“And Matthew.”

I turned to look at him.

“You weren’t my first choice, as you know. It’s no secret that I tried to push Brooklyn toward your brother back in high school.”

Asshole.We’d had a nice moment before the wedding. Why was he bringing that shit up?

Mason chuckled.

Mr. Pruitt shook his head. “Matthew, you were basically a gnat that wouldn’t go away.”

Someone’s fork clanged onto the floor and another person coughed.

“Dad,” Brooklyn said.

“I’ll get to the point,” Mr. Pruitt said. “It turns out you were the good kind of gnat.”

What the hell was a good gnat?

“And you surprised us all by taking over MAC International. A proper heir. And as it turns out…the right choice for my daughter.”

I looked at Mason. He wasn’t chuckling anymore. He folded his arms across his chest and glared at Mr. Pruitt. Bee whispered something in his ear and he smiled. I wondered if she’d told him he was allowed to punch him or something. I wasn’t completely opposed to that.

Justin slowly clapped and walked up to Mr. Pruitt. “Excellent speech, sir. Maybe the best man would like to pick it up from here…” He tried to reach for the microphone but Mr. Pruitt sidestepped him.

“I’m almost done,” Mr. Pruitt said. “Where was I? Ah, yes. Heirs. For the longest time, you were my only living heir, Brooklyn. And now I am so lucky to have a grandson, and another heir on the way. I can’t wait to get to know both of them.”

Well, that was sweet. But I didn’t love the way he kept referring to our kids as heirs. Calling them his grandchildren was preferable.

“Our family will persevere despite all the attempts at our lives. And hopefully those will stop now that I’ve stepped down from my…job.”

“Was he in the mafia or something?” I heard one of my friends from college try and fail to whisper.

I never took Mr. Pruitt for being bad at speeches. But this was not great. Or maybe it was exactly what he wanted it to be. He always had liked putting me down. He had a minute to wrap this up or I’d be the one hitting him instead of Mason.

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