THE CRAZY GOOD SERIES - Rachel Robinson Page 0,374

the end. She tells him that his corduroys will do instead. Me? I get to wear whatever jeans I want. I celebrate with a fist pump and kiss my woman so thoroughly that I dip her backward. Her blonde hair falls in a cascade toward the floor. It’s long again. The caveman in me approves.

The caterers arrive and the guests trickle in. Evan is celebrated properly. Maverick, Windsor, and their brood arrive fashionably late. Evan is excited to show the kids his new toys and they hurry off to play somewhere less adult.

Maverick slaps me on the back. “What a happy day, man. You guys are so lucky. He is a great kid. Really something special,” he says. Windsor leaves his side to bring a bottle of champagne and a wrapped gift to a table in the far corner. Maverick watches her walk away, shaking his head, like he can’t wait for her to come back. And then promptly have her for lunch.

“Nothing ever happens how you think it should, does it? Evan came to us by unconventional means after our unconventional relationship. He’s the biggest joy in my life,” I say, pressing my lips into a thin line. “Thanks for everything, Mav. Nothing probably would have happened otherwise. I’d still be sitting alone in my apartment, waiting for her to call. You and your dick moves that end up being awesome. You’re the king of that, aren’t you?”

He smiles. “Let’s put it this way. I know a thing or two about second chances. Rarely does waiting benefit them. I’m glad I could be of service, brother,” Mav says. I owe him, but he’d never let me pay him back. Real friends never expect payment. They’re happy to make you happy. Windsor comes back, kisses his cheek, and smiles sweetly at him. She congratulates me on the official adoption with a small hug. She has tears in her eyes. Today has been far more emotional than I imagined it would. He’s been ours for a while now. Just because it’s official shouldn’t make me feel any less different, love him any more, but I think I might. Molly, Horse, and Van stop by and Evan is excited to see them. They’re like his aunt and uncles. The fun ones who bring horrible gifts like Play-Doh and goopy games you only play once because of the mess they make. Today is no different, and Evan is excited to try out his new science kit in the kitchen. Lainey’s eyes widen when she sees him trying to climb the counter to the stove. I laugh.

Ridge Contracting functions without me. They are more than capable of running things themselves. No one ever talks about Vadim or the largest cover-up in RC’s history. Maybe that’s part of the cover-up. Not talking about it. I owe them, too. I check in every once in a while because it bears my name, but I’ve given up the fast lane completely. Aside from hitting our home gym daily, nothing else is at the receiving end of my fury. It’s nice. It’s odd. It’s what I want. Lainey still has her interior design business, but has slowed down to be around for Evan. We could easily afford nannies and babysitters, but she will have none of that. He’s hers. She reminds me of that all the time. To which I promptly respond, he’s mine, too. She relents then. It usually earns me a blow job, or the equivalent of an extreme orgasm.

I slip away from the party and head up to my office. It’s huge and light, at Lainey’s insistence. I want to give Evan something today, and I need to find Dog. I know he’ll love it. It’s old and torn up just like Cuppie. He’ll love it just as much as Lainey does. I unlock a wooden cabinet that’s in the bookshelf and pull out Dog. The rest of the things that Lainey put in my coffin are nestled safely inside here. There’s a picture of us when we dated all those years ago. We look like children, but I know why she picked this photo. We’re looking at each other and smiling like mad. It was taken by a passerby during the same trip when I proposed to her. Behind that is a sealed envelope I’ve never been able to open. It’s a letter from Lainey to me composed after I was pronounced dead. I only know this because she told me when I asked.