“I barely survived the first part,” he yelled after her. It was impossible to tally up the bruises, scrapes, cuts, puncture wounds (including tetanus boosters for all of them) and aches they’d accumulated since January.
Sydney slid her arm around his waist. “I did run into Annie in the hallway. She couldn’t stop gushing about how sweet it was for you to offer them a cottage for their honeymoon weekend.”
“Trust me, I regretted it when Ever had me swapping out screens at midnight to prepare it.”
“Nobody wants bugs on their wedding night. And I just noticed the hole yesterday.” Ever poked his biceps. “Besides, it’s a waste of breath for you to grumble. You’re a softie at heart. Don’t deny it.”
Softhearted about the people he loved. Not about business. Nothing but cold, strategic, fiscally sound calculations when it came to business. “It’s a good test for us, having a couple in a cottage. Since we open in a week.”
“Not everything is a test.” Ever poked him again. Maybe he’d have to give her the same speech he’d given Amelia. Professional partners in public, not the familiarity of someone who’d known you for twenty years. Aka, no poking.
“Sure it is. Sneaking around the night we thought Brody broke in showed where we needed to add more perimeter lighting.”
Sydney gasped in surprise. “He didn’t break in? The rumor mill had him stealing liquor.”
Oh, yeah. The aftermath of that had been while they were split up. “Nah, he really is a good kid. He’d left his backpack inside, with an assignment due the next day. All he did was use the key to try and grab it. Brody had no idea we’d installed a security system. He was terrified.”
“Here we go.” Amelia bustled back in, her long pink skirt rustling and her heels clicking on the beautifully polished—if he did say so himself—wood floor. She carried a tray with champagne and glasses. “Come over by the windows. It’s time.”
Sydney held back, but Alex didn’t dignify that with a comment. He just grabbed her hand and pulled her along at his side. Where she belonged. She was a part of this family now, after all.
Outside, a violinist played as the bride processed down the aisle. The river sparkled, the trees had leafed out enough to shade the sun. It was a perfect day.
Which, of course, jolted Alex’s nerves again.
Amelia handed around the filled flutes. “I bought this bottle on December 26th. To save for the day we opened the inn.”
“We don’t have the official opening party until May 2. Haven’t booked guests to stay until the week after that.” It wasn’t exactly the date they’d been pushing for. But it was what they’d ended up with—and Alex wasn’t complaining about having some extra days to finish everything.
“But we’ve let the public onto the grounds. They’ll be eating and dancing in this ballroom in less than an hour. As the bride and groom start their new life together, so do we.”
If he’d gone along with Sydney on her decade of globe-trotting, he still wouldn’t find a better sister than Amelia.
Alex raised his glass. “To Amelia, for giving me the best Christmas present ever. To Teague and Everleigh, for being just crazy and loyal enough to join us on this adventure. I thought this place was a last chance for all of us—and frankly, I wasn’t convinced we’d get to this point.”
Ever looked surprised at his words. “I was. Your sheer force of will would’ve made it happen even if the rest of us quit.”
Teague gave him a shoulder bump. “I knew you’d drag us across the finish line. Bruised and battered, kicking and screaming, occasionally mad as hell, but I knew you’d get us here.”
These people—his people—were incredible. “I had it all wrong. It wasn’t our last chance. The lottery made our dreams come true. Not as easily as expected, but what’s worth it ever is? Amelia, your lottery ticket didn’t just give me a hotel.” He draped his arm around Sydney’s neck and kissed her. “It gave me love. To Sydney, for agreeing to marry me.”
Alex was the only one who touched the glass to his lips. Everyone else stared at him, Sydney included. “Wait. Do…do you mean…for, for real?” Everleigh stammered.
“I meant the day she proposed to me, back in January. Which doesn’t really count.” He tugged off the paper clip ring she still wore. No more reminder of how they’d almost sabotaged their relationship. “There’s still so much I