Falling into Forever (Falling into You) - By Lauren Abrams Page 0,91

protest.

“Grace said the only way I could ask you to marry me was if I bought you this ring. And was I really going to argue with the logic of a four year old? Certainly not.” He smiles. “However, I do have to admit that I like her taste better than yours. She even had a few redecorating ideas that I might take up. A pool, I think, is in order. Maybe even a water slide.”

“There’s an idea. The neighbors would love us. A water slide in New York.”

“Or Michigan or Lake Geneva or wherever you want to go, Hals. Wherever you want to live. As long as you promise me one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“You don’t throw Buster out into the street. It would break Grace’s heart.”

Like I would really throw an adorable puppy onto the street. Still, it’s a bargaining chip.

“Fine. Buster stays. Under one condition.”

“What?”

I look down at the ring and watch as a glint of sunshine hits it, causing light to dance across the room.

“I need to know that this is a forever kind of thing. You and me. And Grace. You don’t get to take this one back.”

He pulls me in for a long, lingering kiss, the kind that still takes my breath away, even after all of these years, and then pulls back to stare deeply into my eyes.

“Hallie, I promise you that this is definitely a forever kind of thing.”

Epilogue

CHRIS

6 Months Later

“So, how does it feel to be a happily married man? I mean, I know you’ve only been happily married for a grand total of two hours, but that must be long enough for you to make some grand proclamations. But maybe not. It looks like your wife is having a pretty good time on the dance floor. Without you, I might add.”

“Watch yourself, Marcus,” I say lightly, with a quick glance at Hallie, who’s giggling with Sam as they twirl around the tiny dance floor. “As to the marriage question, I would have to say that it feels pretty damn good. Think you’re ready to join our ranks?”

We both turn to look at Eva, who’s sitting at one of the tables set up in the rooftop garden overlooking the city lights, immersed in a conversation with Claire and Diana. Marcus laughs.

“We just reached the point where we can have a meal without hurling insults at each other. If we manage to make it through a weekend, then we’ll talk about marriage. But that will never happen, so I don’t need to worry about it.”

I grin at Marcus’s horrified expression. “We’ll see about that.”

“Sure. When pigs fucking fly, Jensen. Now, look. I know you and Hallie are off to Bali or Belize or the Canary Islands for the honeymoon…”

“Disneyland.”

“Or that.” He gives me a sideways look. “Disneyland? Seriously?”

I shrug. “You have to give the womenfolk what they want.”

“Fine. So, you’re off to Disneyland, but I’m getting heat from the studio about the second screenplay. Now that the first movie’s in the can and all the big shots are assured that it’s going to be a blockbuster, they’re clamoring to get started on the next one, so I can’t let you and Hallie slack on that, even for a few days. You also need to make sure that you get all the best lines, because personally, I think she was holding back on that first one. But now that you’re married to the screenwriter, you can get in on the action…”

I hold my hand up. “Stop. Just stop. You have got to be kidding me. We’re at my goddamn wedding, and you’re trying to talk shop right now? Marcus. Get a life.”

“I agree with that sentiment,” Eva says, putting her hand on Marcus’s arm. “Chris, mind if I borrow him? Congratulations, by the way.” She places a light kiss on my cheek and I smile back at her.

“Thank you. Please, take him. Take him and never give him back. He’s trying to give me grief about the screenplay.”

“Marcus!”

“What? It’s got to get done. Tell me that you weren’t saying the same thing last night.”

She gives me an exasperated look. “I’ll get him off your back if you tell Hallie that she has two weeks before I’m in the same camp as Marcus.”

“Seriously? You, too?”

“Yeah, seriously. Go. Steal your bride back. Sam has a bad habit of monopolizing her, especially when there’s dancing involved.”

She winks at me.

“One week. Hallie has one week before I start calling every hour on the hour,” he calls out over his