Page 33 of The Mountain Man's Mail Order Surprise
"Gia Kane." She tests the name, smiling. "I like the sound of that."
"Good. Because you're stuck with it now."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
As the evening winds down and guests start to head home, my family gathers around us for one last toast. Seven Kane adults, their partners, and the children who will grow up together, all holding glasses of champagne or sparkling cider.
"To Rosco and Gia," Noah says, raising his glass. "May your love story inspire us all to be brave enough to fight for what matters."
"To family," Talia adds. "Chosen and cherished and forever."
"To love," Jordyn finishes. "In all its messy, beautiful, complicated glory."
We drink, and laugh, and promise to gather again soon for Sunday dinner or holidays or just because that's what families do. As the last guests leave and we're finally alone under the mountain stars, Gia curls against my side.
"Best wedding ever," she says sleepily.
"Best wife ever," I counter.
"Even when I'm huge and cranky and can't see my feet?"
"Especially then." I press a kiss to the top of her head. "Ready to go home, Mrs. Kane?"
"Ready to start our life together, Mr. Kane."
And as we drive down the mountain toward our cabin, our wedding clothes wrinkled and our hearts full, I know that whatever comes next, we'll face it together.
The Kane family way.
CHAPTER EIGHT
GIA
Our first morning as husband and wife is interrupted by my phone ringing at six am. I'm curled against Rosco's chest, warm and content and wearing nothing but his t-shirt from last night, when the shrill sound cuts through our post-wedding bliss.
"Ignore it," Rosco mumbles into my hair, his arm tightening around my waist.
But something about the early hour makes me uneasy. I reach for the phone, squinting at an unknown number as I answer on speakerphone.
"Hello?"
"Gia, sweetheart, congratulations on your wedding."
My blood turns to ice. Zack's voice, smooth and cultured and dripping with false warmth, fills our bedroom like poison.
Rosco goes rigid behind me, instantly alert. He sits up, his expression darkening as he recognizes the voice through the phone.
"How did you get this number?" I ask, though I already know it doesn't matter. Zack has resources I can't even imagine.
"I have my ways. More importantly, I saw the pictures. Beautiful ceremony. Very... rustic."
Pictures.He has pictures of our wedding. The violation of that makes my stomach clench with nausea.
"What do you want, Zack?"
"I want to offer my congratulations, of course. And to let you know that I'll be filing an updated custody petition this week. Now that you've married some mountain man, the courts will need to reassess your stability."
