A gentle knock on my door brought me from my thoughts, and I looked up. Sandy smiled at me. “The boys want to see you in Bentley’s office.”
I frowned. “Everything okay?”
“Yes. I think they want a last word before you go.”
“Okay. You have everything, right?”
Leaning on the doorframe, she crossed her arms. “Reid Matthews, of course I do. I have all the paperwork, the rings, and everything else you need.”
I winked. “That is why you’re my best lady.”
She laughed. Our wedding was going to be very small, and Becca and I decided against a traditional wedding party. Her dad would give her away, and Sandy would accompany me. They would be our witnesses. It was what we wanted, and it felt right for us. The rest of our friends were guests.
I glanced at my phone. “Do they really need to see me? They’ll all be with me on the plane tomorrow.” As a surprise, they had chartered a private plane, so I knew the journey would be a comfortable one with lots of time for talking.
She lifted one shoulder. “They’re waiting.”
“Okay. I’ll be right there.”
I shut down the laptop and made my way to Bentley’s office. Emmy walked toward me, slowly trudging down the hall, one hand resting on her rounded stomach. Bentley was leaning against his doorway, trying to look nonchalant and failing miserably. He watched over her zealously.
Stopping, I grinned at Emmy. “How you doing?” I winked. “Need some help?”
She rolled her eyes. “Is he watching?”
I cut my gaze to Bentley. “He’s pretending to be busy on his phone, but we both know he’s crap at typing without his eyes on the screen, so unless it’s hieroglyphics he’s sending, I would say yes.”
“What does he think is going to happen in the hall?” She huffed.
“Well, you are rather top-heavy now. Maybe he’s worried you’ll topple.” Emmy was petite, and her “baby belly,” as she called it, was rather prominent. She had begun wobbling around four months, and now it was a pronounced waddle. She complained constantly about not remembering what her feet looked like anymore, and she still had weeks to go before the due date. We had made sure to schedule the wedding date so she could join the celebration.
“He is driving me crazy.” A mischievous look crossed her face. “I can make him run down the hall fast by making one noise. Wanna see?”
I chuckled. “I think he heard your plans.”
“Not funny, Freddy,” he called.
She looked over her shoulder. “Whatever, Rigid. You can stop stalking me now.”
“I’m observing. Carefully,” he corrected her.
She muttered something under her breath about overly protective CEOs and blew him a kiss. She disappeared into her office, and I hurried down the hall to Bentley’s office, following him inside.
They all greeted me with a smile, but the atmosphere felt serious.
I sat down. “What’s going on?”
Bentley smiled. “Ready for the next step in your life? Big changes.”
“I think so,” I replied with a small shrug. “Becca’s been living with me the last couple of months. I don’t expect a piece of paper will change my life that much.”
All three of them laughed, making me wary. Something was going on.
Bentley slid a folder my way. “Maybe this piece of paper will change your mind.”
Curious, I pulled the folder close and opened the flap. It was fat with legal documents, and I scanned the first several pages, unsure if I was reading the documents properly.
“I-I don’t understand.”
“This is our wedding gift to you, Reid,” Maddox spoke. “We’ve each given you a share in the company. You are now a part owner of BAM.”
I blinked, shock rendering me speechless.
Maddox grinned. “Your share, albeit small, is worth a fair bit of money.” He threw out a figure that almost made me fall out of my chair. “It is a valuable asset for you.”
Bentley cleared his throat. “The documents say it all, but I’ll give you the fast version. These are non-voting shares. If, at any time, you chose to leave BAM, they revert to the original owner at the price they are valued at today. Namely, the three of us. But until that time, which we hope is never, you have a stake here.”
I shook my head to clear it. “Why?” I managed to get out.
Maddox laughed. “You’ve earned it, Reid. We wanted to give you something tangible, something for your future.” He pointed to the folder. “Check out the second set of papers.”
My hand shook as I flipped to the second set of documents. It was a pre-approved mortgage for the condo in Ridge Towers. My gaze flew to Bentley’s.
“It’s yours, if you want it. If you prefer a house or another place, the mortgage is transferrable. Your shares make you wealthy enough that you can afford to live wherever you want. A mortgage is no longer an issue.” He sat back with a smile. “Your past is no longer an issue. This gives you the ability to move forward once and for all.”
“Becca loves Ridge Towers,” I said, still in shock.
“Then it will be yours.”
“I don’t-I don’t know what to say. I can’t believe you guys are doing this for me,” I mumbled, unable make my voice louder. “I never expected . . . Not in a million years . . .” My throat was thick with emotion. Gratitude filled my heart. Exhilaration hummed below my skin, making my hands shake. I stared down at the papers, the words becoming wavy as my emotions began to overtake me. It was too much to process all at once, and I didn’t know how to handle it.
Becca’s hands slid over my shoulders and the press of her lips on my cheek calmed me. In a second I was on my feet, pulling her into my arms, needing her close. I buried my face into her neck, letting the feel of her calm me.
“Did you know?” I asked quietly.
“They told me this morning.”
“Becca, this changes so many things. I can give you everything.”
She cupped my face. “I have everything. I have you.” Her eyes glimmered in the light. “This changes nothing, Reid, except to show you how much you are loved. You belong here, with the people you care the most about.” She smiled. “Your brothers.”
Aiden stood and crossed the room, gripping my shoulder. “She’s right. You came to us a broken kid, Reid. Eager to learn and grow. You helped us in ways we can never repay. You’ve grown into a responsible man with a bright future. You’ve become a friend and brother to each one of us, and we want you to be a part of our future. This gift was a no-brainer for us.” His hand was heavy on my shoulder. “We’re proud of you.”
I looked at Bentley and Maddox. They were grinning in agreement. Sandy had slipped in with Emmy, her smile wide. Emmy gave me a thumbs-up.
“You three are my family. This place was the first home I ever had. Somewhere I was safe and welcome. Because of you, I met Becca.” I cleared my throat. “I can’t imagine not being here with you guys. I would be proud to be part of this company.” My gaze swept the room. “I love all of you.”
I extended my hand to Aiden. “Thank you.”
He laughed, yanking me in for a hug. His massive arms squeezed the air out of me. When he was finished, Maddox and Bentley stepped in, exchanging hugs, backslaps, and laughter. I never let go of Becca’s hand.