Page 95 of Summer Heat
The pup must have sensed our excitement because he wiggled his butt and wagged his tail, bucking his head against Maya's hand.
Shep put his arm around me, holding me against his side while Maya played with our new dog. I couldn't believe that this was our life. We were going to live here in this house with Shep and build a life together. Maybe one day, it would be us getting married on the beach and adding another sibling for Maya.
Epilogue
Shep
It was the morning of the wedding, and there were people everywhere. I tried to offer my help, but Linnea had everything covered.
The kitchen was done and exactly how I imagined it would be: a large open space with every luxury imaginable. The bathrooms upstairs were finished, and Linnea had outfitted them with fresh flowers and towels monogrammed with K's for Kingston.
The girls were in one of the bedrooms upstairs getting ready for the wedding, and the only space I could think to offer for the guys was my private attic room.
My brothers and Axel joined us.
When I led the way through my bedroom, Cooper joked, "Where are you taking us?"
"To the roof to throw you off," I groused.
Cooper touched his chest. "On the day of our brother's wedding?"
"You'd better behave," I mumbled as I opened the door to the attic and led the way upstairs.
"You're taking us to the attic?" Hudson asked when he reached the top of the stairs.
I stepped to the side. "My man cave. The downstairs is for everyone, but this is my personal space. This is the only time you'll be allowed in it."
"I didn't even know you'd done anything with the attic," Hudson said, moving farther inside.
"There's a media room, the living-room area, and the rooftop deck."
The guys fanned out, checking out the media room and the deck. We found ourselves on the deck, leaning on the railing where we could see everyone arriving.
"You've done a good job with this place," Hudson said to me.
I nodded. "That was the plan."
"Thank you for doing this so I can marry my girl," Hudson said, his voice sounding tight.
I felt the bloom of pride in my chest that I'd created this space for him. I was making Elena and Hudson's dreams come true. "Who said I did it for you?"
He looked over at me. "What are you talking about?"
"Maybe I did it so I could marry my girl here too."
His eyes widened. "Are you trying to tell us something?"
"I haven't asked her to marry me yet, but I want to." I'd never felt this confident about anything. Maya and Kinsley belonged here with me, and I wanted to make it official. Watching Hudson and Elena the last few months only made me more determined to make her mine in every way possible.
Besides, Maya had been not-too subtly asking for another sibling, and I wanted to grant her wish. I wanted to give her everything.
"You gotta lock that down before Kinsley realizes she's slumming it with you," Coop teased, and I punched him in the arm.
This time, he didn't move out of the way, and I felt the satisfaction of my fist contacting his tricep. "You're probably right though. I need to move quick before she realizes that she's too good for me."
"I don't think you have anything to worry about," Brady said.
Everyone could see how happy I was living with Maya and Kinsley. I'd relaxed at work and put less pressure on myself, which made everything easier. I wasn't on edge all the time, assuming everyone thought the worst of me, because I had someone at home who lifted me up.
