“It’s time!” Mom said, checking her phone. She handed me a bouquet made with pink and purple roses. “You look amazing. I’m so proud of you.”
Since my dad was in a snit about me and Killian helping Mom with the divorce, he had claimed he wasn’t coming. But I suspected it had more to do with the fact that Killian had already told him he wasn’t welcome at the ceremony the day after I accepted his proposal. So Mom was walking down the aisle with me. Which thrilled me. Unlike Dad, she wanted nothing but the best for me and Killian.
She and I strolled out together onto the huge field. Killian stood in a tux at the altar, his hair falling around his stunning face and his even more beautiful blue eyes shining with love.
As Max and Devlin began a rock version of “Here Comes the Bride,” I walked to the man who would show me what true love was every moment of our lives.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Emily
–three months later
I worked on my new book while Killian screwed around on the Internet, feet propped on the table and phone in hand. The band had just finished recording all their new songs, and were chilling until they could figure out the best time to release the singles.
Killian’s shoulders started to shake. Since I was typing away, he pressed a hand against his mouth to keep quiet.
I saved the latest chapter, then looked at him. “What’s so funny?”
“This.” He showed me his phone, then started laughing.
It was a Facebook feed. And it had a live video of Devlin drumming away inside a high school gym. Even through the small screen, the excitement from the high school kids and parents was palpable.
Devlin had promised he’d make it up to me for bringing the Barbie Sextet to Killian’s place. So when Skye moaned about the candy selling and additional fundraiser for her daughter’s band, I had him volunteer to play at the school, with all proceeds to be donated to the band.
He’d grumbled, but finally caved. Then grumbled some more, but he honored his promise.
“The band director almost shit his pants,” Skye had told me over the phone. I’d thought she sounded like she was about to shit her pants, but I kept that to myself because her enthusiasm was so cute.
Not only did the tickets sell out in a second—mainly because they were only twenty bucks each—but Devlin had also raffled off “a selfie with a rock star” and “a kiss from a rock star.” (Not his idea, but mine, ha ha ha.) He’d actually objected to the second one due to worry about whether the winner might be underage. But apparently his lawyer had worked it out so that only people eighteen or older could collect that particular prize.
I had to give Devlin credit, though. Although this was just a high school fundraiser he was forced into, he didn’t perform like he was coerced. He played like he wanted to give everyone the concert of their lives.
We must’ve caught the end of the performance, though, because Devlin soon put his sticks down. The band director came out and pulled out one ticket from each of the two huge bowls they’d set up on the stage.
He said something, which I missed. Somebody screamed close to the phone that was doing the livestream. Something hot pink flashed by. A woman rushed out, her body encased in a tight white top showing her midriff and a pleated pink skirt and silver heels.
Before Devlin could even properly stand up, she grabbed his face between her hands and kissed him.
“Oh my God, is she pushing her tongue into his mouth?” I asked, torn between amusement and horror.
“I think so. Dev looks like somebody’s feeding him a hairball.”
I laughed. “He doesn’t look that bad.” Okay, his eyes were slightly bugged out, but maybe he was just shocked at the level of enthusiasm coming from the woman who won the kiss.
The kiss went on and on, and Devlin started to get into it. Probably to give the woman her money’s worth. The kiss raffle tickets were five bucks apiece. And who knew how many tickets the woman had bought?
Killian smirked. “Devlin’s never going to bring his harem around again after this.”
“Good. He’s welcome to all the women in the world.” I’d heard about Devlin’s ex, Ashley. She was currently starring in my work in progress as a bad guy because I hated that she’d hurt him, and that he was still acting out. He’d denied his playboy ways had anything to do with her, but I could tell. It was definitely a case of the laddie doth protest too much.
I looped an arm around Killian, snuggling against him. “You’re mine.”
He kissed my temple. “And I’m always going to be, my pretty novelist wife.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
Killian
–two years later
I walked down the frozen foods section in Sunny’s. Come on… Bouncy Bare Monkeys should be in. I’d bribed Jenny to text me the second they got some.
Ah ha! There! The final tub! I opened the door, then reached inside to grab the prize I’d been seeking…
What the fuck?
A hand with long, manicured red fingernails gripped my ice cream and refused to let go.
“Hey, I put my hand on it first!” I said.
“No you didn’t!” Molly Patterson said, her eyes narrowed.
“Wanna check the security footage?”
Her face turned red. “Who do you think you are, Killian?”
“An expectant dad. You?”
“I have a birthday party to plan.” Her nostrils flared and she breathed out like a bull ready to charge.
Time for a new tactic. I flicked my gaze to the floor. “Oh shit! Is that a cockroach on your foot?”
“What? Ack!” She jerked back while screeching like she wanted to shatter every piece of glass in the surrounding counties.
“Ah ha!” I took the ice cream and dashed to the cashier.
She quit screaming and started yelling. “Hey, stop!”
“Grabbers keepers, losers weepers.” I swiped my plastic, then took the tub and ran to my car.
When I walked into our home—formerly Emily’s home—Emily jumped to her feet. “You get it?”
“Of course. I’m the man!” I started to sing the Rocky theme, holding the ice cream over my head with two hands like a trophy.
“I love you, honey!” She rushed over with a spoon she’d probably been holding since I’d left.
I gave her the ice cream and watched her dig in like she hadn’t eaten in ages.
She was in her first trimester. She couldn’t keep anything down except ice cream. And not just any ice cream, but Bouncy Bare Monkeys.
Sitting down on the couch, I pulled her on my lap and kissed the side of her neck. “That good, huh?” I teased.
“Yes.” She sounded a little teary. “You don’t understand how cravings work.”
“It’s too bad pregnancy doesn’t make women crave more bedroom action.”
She snort-laughed. “If I craved any more sex, I’d never leave the bed.” Then she looked at the tub…and me…and considered. “Hey…”
“Yeah?”
“Do you, um…want a bite?” she asked.
She was so freakin’ adorable. I laughed. “Nah. Let the baby have it.”