On the other hand, she’d helped him remember how much he’d always enjoyed designing clothing, and well over half of her wardrobe was now things he’d created for her. Could he one day start the trends in Society he’d always dreamed of?
And finally, they had Rosewood to consider. That place held their future as well…
As Rose continued to chat with Griffin, Bull glanced to the row of chairs along the wall. If Thorne had been Bull’s mentor, then young Hunter Lindsay had been his mentee, and it made Bull’s heart light to see him sitting with his new wife, Helena, likely discussing their next plans for their distillery with Lady Mistree. The old woman sat in her rolling bath chair near the window, clearly enjoying the sunlight and excitement.
She looked…even weaker than she’d been last month when Bull had found Rose sitting with her at Rosewood, surrounded by the portraits she’d painted. It was clear that, at long last, the Countess of Mistree was indeed dying.
But she was doing it on her terms.
She’d brought together so many couples in the last few years through her mischief and meddling and manipulations. She was clearly proud of her accomplishments, as well she should be. It made Bull proud of her as well; proud to call herfriend.
Proud, now, to call her family.
As his Rose had told him, Bull’s talentwasmaking friends, and that would serve him well no matter what the future brought: continuing the detective agency with Rose’s help, or starting a new fashion line, or helping to run Rosewood to the best of his ability. Probably not the pickpocketing. He’d do whatever he needed to do with the backing of his family, his friends, and the memory of a remarkable countess.
He squeezed his new wife, and his eyes followed Lady Mistree’s gesture to where Gabby—Hunter’s twin—and her new husband and son stood chatting with the Duke of Effinghell and his wife. Well, considering Alistair didn’t speak unless absolutely necessary, it was almost certain his wife Olivia was doing most of the chattering. As Bull watched, their little group was joined by Alistair’s mother and sisters and their husbands.
Everyone was here. Everyone who mattered.
Here to celebrate Rose…and himself.
He glanced over his bride’s shoulder to see his stepfather smirking at him, and realized there was a lull in the conversation. His cue? “Gentlemen, if ye’d allow me to stealmywifeaway?”
Chuckling, Griffin stuck out his hand. “We’ve been waiting for ye to do so, laddie. Congratulations.”
When Bull accepted the handshake, Griffin pulled him into a hug, an action which surprised him from the man he’d once nicknamedGruff.
“I’m proud of ye, son,” Griffin whispered—aye—gruffly, as he pounded Bull’s back. “Ye’ve grown into a good man.”
His throat suddenly tight with emotion, Bull clung to his father, the man who’d raised him from the age of sixteen, the man who’d shaped him into who he was today. “Thanks to ye, Da.”
“Nay.” Griffin cleared his throat and straightened, holding Bull at arms’ length. “Ye would have gotten here on yer own, but ye had…” He glanced around the room significantly. “Help. So many people here love ye, laddie. We’reallproud of ye, no’ just yer mother and me.”
This room…
This room, here at Endymion, was full of the people who mattered most. Bull had spent the last two decades calling these people his aunts and uncles…and now, he realized that’s exactly who they were. Hisfamily. Hell, to be honest, he was related to half of them already, thanks to some complicated family trees that were more like tangled vines, and now thanks to his marriage, he was related to the other half.
But more thanrelatives, they were the people who supported him, who teased him, whobelievedin him. And that mattered.
Bull’s hands rose to clasp his father’s forearms, and he squeezed. “Thank ye. Thank ye for being here.”
Griffin nodded once, then cleared his throat and stepped back. “Right. Now go spend some time with yer wife before she perishes from loneliness.”
Bull made a show of glancing down at her in surprise. “Lonely? Ye’re lonely, my love?”
“Positively distraught,” Rose sighed forlornly. “I am languishing. Lawks.”
Hiding his smile, Bull swept her into his arms. “For fook’s sake, Rose, why did ye no’ say something?” he asked as they whirled into a waltz. “I cannae have my new wifelanguishing. No’ before our ten-year anniversary. Makes me look bad, ye ken.”
“Well, we would not wantthat.” Rose managed to stretch up and kiss his cheek before he twirled them away from another couple. “By the way, your father forgot to mention something important.”
“Aye?” Bull held her gaze, content to merely stare into her lovely gaze for the rest of the day. “And what’s that?”
“All these people are here because they love you, loveus, Bull. Love what we found together. We share the same friends and family.”
He slowed his steps, keeping her in one place as they danced, so he could focus on her words. “Aye, and we’re lucky for it. Nae debates over where to spend Hogmanay.” Since they all always spent it together anyhow.
“Imean…” Her hand rose to cup his cheek. “These people are here becauseyouare important to them. You have helped so many of us, brought us together. Half of us would not be family if not for your interference over the years. Do you realize that?Youare the reason we are ableto be together.You, Bull. You have been the heart of us all along.”
