moments more, watching Wren climb into his ride. He pulled up beside me and lowered his passenger window, probably wondering why I hadn’t already taken off yet.
“Race you there?” I joked, making him scowl. “Kidding! See you at home?”
My husband nodded his head toward the road ahead, ordering me to get a move on. True to his word, Wren followed me while I drove with one hand resting on my belly. I smiled to myself, impatiently waiting for this day to be over so that I could finally tell Wren the good news. He’d been my best friend turned lover and now husband.
I had no doubt he’d make a wonderful father.
Blackwood Keep
I INHALED DEEPLY ONCE AGAIN as I watched the woman outside planting flowers. The small garden surrounding her was beautiful—a hobby, no doubt, that required passion as well as patience. Rosalyn and I were both surprised by her green thumb. It had done her so much good. To focus on something other than finding love in all the wrong places. She’d even come to a few of my races. The biggest thing, however, was when she’d contacted my father, telling him all about me. The months that followed had been trying. I was still getting to know my father and my younger half brother, but the distance made it somewhat difficult.
I took another deep breath before forcing myself to step through the sliding door. I’d been so confident about this next step I was about to take that I’d made Ever keep his plans to visit his father in prison. He’d been visiting Sean ever since his father was sentenced to fifteen years for manslaughter. Though harsh, Ever and Wren’s testimony that he had been defending them had kept Sean from facing the rest of his life in prison for murder. He was even up for parole in a few months as long as he kept on his good behavior. After slowly repairing their relationship with their son, Thomas and Evelyn had run away together to Ireland to work on their marriage.
Hearing me approach, Rosalyn looked up, a soft smile covering her face when she saw me. It had been years, and it still felt like getting hit by lightning. I was buzzing with warmth and just a little bit frazzled. She quickly set down the hoe she’d been using to make a new hole for the flower pot next to her and stood.
“Four, it’s good to see you.”
A few small steps, and she was hugging me. I inhaled the floral scent of her hair and wondered if it had always smelled this good.
“Hey,” I greeted when she finally pulled away. “I hope I’m not interrupting?”
My hands began to shake as I itched to call Ever. I couldn’t do this. At least, not alone. I needed him.
“Nonsense.” Noticing my nervousness, she gently pulled me over to the patio table and chairs she’d set out among her plants. “Lemonade?” She gestured toward the pitcher that still had condensation dripping down its sides.
“I’m fine. Thanks.” My mouth was dry, and I could definitely use some, but I was terrified I’d only throw it up. Running my hands down my bare legs since I was wearing a yellow sundress, I forced the words out of my mouth. “I actually came to talk to you about something. Something important.”
“Oh?” Rosalyn looked as startled as I felt.
Before either of us could say anymore, the glass door leading to the patio opened, and Ever appeared, still dressed for work at the high-end architect firm he now managed. The sigh of relief I released was audible, but I didn’t care. He was here.
“You okay?” he asked me after he’d strolled over and kissed me.
“Better now. What about your father?”
Ever smiled at that. “I’m sure he’ll understand. He can hear about our news next week.”
Right…today was Ever’s birthday, and tonight was his party. At least, that was what we’d told all of our friends when we invited them. They’d been hounding us to marry, and tonight, we were finally announcing our engagement.
Neither of us missed the uncomfortable expression on Rosalyn’s face. It was gone as quickly as it had come, but we didn’t bother explaining that I’d meant Sean, not Thomas. Even though she’d moved on from Thomas, breaking up their relationship to work on his marriage, I could imagine seeing Ever and I together felt like being flayed raw all over again. After all, if it hadn’t been for Rosalyn and Thomas, Ever and I would