pointedly. “Believe me, pretty soon you’re going to be doing a ton of credit-less work, you might as well enjoy the credit while you can.”
“Credit-less work?” I questioned. I’d been doing a lot of charity work since I’d been in town, but I doubted that was what she was referring to.
“Uh huh.” Dolly nodded. “When are you gonna tell people?”
“Tell people what?”
She leaned closer to me and whispered, “That you’re gonna make me a grandma again.”
I spun toward her. “Did Beau tell you?”
“He didn’t need to.” She winked at me.
The legend was true. Dolly Briggs really did know all.
Before I could respond, the wedding coordinator rushed up to us. “Can I borrow you gals? We’re getting family photos.”
“And Sasha and Mrs. Nelson, you stand there.” The photographer instructed.
“Oh, I’m not—”
“You’re family,” Dolly said firmly as she hooked her arm through mine and pulled me toward the large group of Briggs and significant others.
“You’re in, too!” Dolly pointed to Gam who was standing beside Mrs. Porter who was also going to be in the picture with her granddaughter Destiny.
I waited beside Gam to be placed and looked for Beau. I didn’t see him, but the wedding coordinator was still corralling people.
“Okay and you here,” the photographer pointed to me and then to a spot and Gam was positioned beside me.
I was beginning to get nervous that Beau was going to miss the moment when I felt his arms wrapping around my waist.
“You made it!” I said as I turned to kiss him.
“I was putting my guitar away.”
Of course he was. That thing might have been stored in the back of his truck for ten years, but now he treated it like the Hope Diamond.
Gam was laughing with Mrs. Porter as they checked each other’s teeth for lipstick.
I leaned back and whispered to Beau, “It was so nice of your mom to include Gam and I in the family picture.”
“You are my family.” His fingers spread out on my belly. “And I want to make it official. What do ya say? Shotgun wedding?”
I spun my head up and looked at him. “What?”
“I’m serious. Me and you. Next Saturday.”
“Next week?”
“Yep. I think I can get the venue.” He grinned, referring to his parents’ barn.
“Okay.”
His eyes widened in disbelief. “Okay?”
“Okay.” I nodded as tears filled my eyes.
“Everyone, look this way!” The photographer shouted and as I looked back, for the first time in my life I knew what belonging was. I knew what love was. I knew what family was. I knew what home was.
All the dreams I’d never allowed myself to have had come true and in a way I had Drake to thank for it. If he hadn’t cheated on me, I never would have shown up on Gam’s doorstep.
I thought my life, everything I’d built was over, but really it was just beginning. Sometimes when things seemed their darkest, the light is just around the corner.
Gam, this town, this family, Beau, Dug and my baby were my light.
“I love you,” Beau whispered against my ear. “You are my forever thing.”
I smiled for the picture as the picture snapped capturing the happiest moment of my life. So far. I had a feeling with Beau and the baby, this was just the beginning.
THE END
Silver Lining Love
Coming August 6, 2021
Pre-Order Available Now
Dear Love Vixen,
Six months ago, my life changed forever, and I had no idea it was coming.
My sister—the strongest and most selfless person I’ve ever met and the kickass mom to three adorable kids—was killed in a car accident.
In an instant, I became the mom to those three adorable kids, and lemme tell ya…I am far from strong. Or kickass. In fact, up until that night, I was a party girl who never worried about anything deeper than my plans for the weekend. I’m not equipped for this—especially since I lost the person I would’ve normally leaned on in this situation!
To say I’ve been flailing would be an understatement.
There has been one bright spot in the messy-house-late-to-school-bedtime-chaos darkness, though.
My neighbor.
He comes over pretty much every evening, and spends almost the entire weekend at our place. Every weekend. He’s amazing with the kids, which isn’t surprising considering he’s the oldest of nine siblings and helped to raise them.
That’s kind of the problem, though. He’s always said he never wanted kids. That his childhood burned him out. That it was a dealbreaker.
So, even though the sparks are flying so fast and furious it feels like they could burn the house down (which, to be honest,