“It’s beautiful, Ness. My brother did well,” Axel tells her.
Vanessa bursts into tears and hugs him. “You bought me a house for us and our little girls?”
“I didn’t know we were having two kids when I bought it, but I wanted us to have somewhere we could escape the city. Now we can show them what it’s like to ride horses, milk a cow, ride quad bikes, all that cool stuff they can’t do in the city.”
“I love it, Chris, I love it so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she says as she smothers him in kisses.
“Last year, Evan bought Sienna the house her baby shower was in, the one on the beach,” I whisper to Chance.
“Is this now a Christmas tradition?” he asks.
“Depends on who falls next, but I think the bar has been set.” I chuckle, feeling the effects of the eggnog.
“Did you want to go for a quick walk?” Chance asks.
“Yes, let’s go and make snow angels,” I tell him.
“It’s snowing.” Chance grimaces.
“I know, that’s kind of the point,” I say, grabbing his hand and dragging him out into the snow. It’s freezing, but it doesn’t bother me thanks to the eggnog. I launch myself into the snow and start making an angel, as does Chance. We are laughing and giggling away. This is what Christmas and found family are all about. I stare up into the dark morning sky, watching the white fluffs of snow flutter down.
“Thanks for this, I needed it,” Chance says as I hold out my hand for him.
“I did too,” I agree, shaking off the snow.
“I really am sorry I broke us, D,” he says.
“I am too, but I think it wasn’t the right time for either of us.” A shiver runs down my spine as the cold starts to seep through my clothes. “I think we are better off being friends.”
He nods. “Friends I can do.”
32
DERRICK
We’ve just celebrated Vanessa and Christian’s rehearsal dinner, all the parentals have retired for the night, leaving the rest of us here to continue drinking and chatting away before the big event. Isla stands and taps a knife against the crystal glass.Tap, tap, tap.This silences the room.
“I have an announcement to make,” Isla states.
Oh, shit, this is it. Come on, Finn, this is the moment you grow some balls and have an adult conversation with Isla before she goes, because once she’s gone, she might never come back, or she’ll fall in love with that hot Spanish chef. I wouldn’t blame her.
“For the past ten years, I have been working with the amazing guys of Dirty Texas. It’s been a crazy rollercoaster ride, and I have loved every moment of it. But … I have decided to pursue a new adventure.”
You could hear a pin drop in the room. Oscar and Finn look shocked, as do the other guys, but I suspect Ness and Sienna have already spoken to their men about what we spoke about the other night.
“I’m going to be Sebastien’s new assistant.” Isla beams.
Finn looks devastated, he knows she is leaving because of him.
“I’m so happy for you,” I say, congratulating her because the room has been quiet for long enough, and eventually everyone else does the same. Then suddenly, Ragnar launches himself out of the chair and pulls his sister into a tight hug, she’s bawling her eyes out. They are lost in a private conversation, just the two of them.
“Go see the world. Enjoy life. Have some fun. Find yourself,” Oscar tells her. Then Sebastien walks out unknowingly into the drama. Oscar then turns and points directly at Sebastien. “Hands off my sister.”
“Oscar!” Isla yells at her brother. “You can’t talk to my new boss like that.” Isla looks over to where Sebastien is sitting and mouths, ‘Sorry.’
“Congrats,” Finn mumbles. Isla gives him a head nod and ignores him. He just sits there looking devastated until he gets up and storms out of the dining room.
It’s the wedding day, and Vanessa has asked me to marry them. I’m so honored, but also nervous as hell. It’s as if I’m getting married. You’ve got this. Everything is going to be okay. You are marrying two of your best friends today. Just let the love take over and everything will be fine.
