I place a soft kiss on the back of her hand before continuing.
“With everything that I’ve heard of him, from you and the rest of the family, he seems as if he were quite formidable. I have wondered what would happen if we were to meet.”
This pulls a watery laugh from the stunning woman at my side. “I’m not sure the universe wouldn’t implode.”
“Or maybe we’d get along like old friends, and you wouldn’t even have to choose.”
At this, she throws her head back and fully dissolves into laughter, drawing the attention of a few other couples who have snuck outside to find nooks and crannies to canoodle in.
“Our time together has been incredibly meaningful to me, Blanche. Merging our families has gone more smoothly than I could have ever hoped, and sharing holidays and special occasions has been joyful in ways I didn’t think I ever deserved.”
She turns to smile softly at me. “It’s been wonderful, Ivan. I don’t know how I would deal with these crazy kids without you.”
Alright, this is your chance.Are you a goddamn Bratva boss or not?
“Blanche, I think tonight is the perfect time to—”
“Alright, everyone, it’s time to cut the cake! Let’s get all the family up here for photos! Where’s the mother of the bride and all the siblings?”
The moment is broken by the booming voice of the DJ cutting into the still night, and Blanche pulls back, giving me a chastekiss on the cheek before heeding her summons and going back inside.
Rather than being discouraged from my quest, if anything, tonight has proven what I’ve come to know recently, whether she does or not. Blanche Sinclair is meant to bemine, and I’m willing to wait as long as I need to prove it to her.
Chapter thirty
“No, those can’t be her real ears!” Henry says, laughing at the picture album open in his lap.
Mom and Henry are both cackling on the sofa across from where I’m sitting, and if it wasn’t the most beautiful scene to see the two people I love most in the world get along so well, I would be rolling my eyes. I know exactly what she’s about to say. It’s been an anecdote of hers for almost a decade.
“Yes, she was the most beautiful little girl I’d ever seen. Of course, I was concerned she would never grow into those big ears, but she hit puberty and…well, look at her now. She’s absolutely—”
“Perfect.” Henry finishes her sentence, looking up at me with that twinkle in his eyes that I know all too well.I’m in for a long night.“I can only hope our children are blessed with ears like their mother’s.”
“Oh! Are we already talking about children? You know your father and I can’t wait to be grandparents. I’m afraid it will all rest on the two of you since Blanche is an only child.”
“We’ll certainly make up for Blanche’s lack of siblings.” Henry winks at me before turning his attention back to Mom. “In fact, there’s already one in the oven.”
Mom turns to me, her eyes and mouth cartoonishly wide. “Blanche? You’re pregnant?”
“No, I most certainly am not!” I cut my attention to my husband, who’s reclined back with his arms spread on the back of the sofa and his legs loosely crossed, with his foot propped on his knee. The very picture of confident nonchalance.
“Yes, she is,” he says, his eyes never leaving mine.
“Henry. What on earth are you—”
“Go take a test. There’s one in your bathroom, under the counter.”
I’m too stunned to move. And he still looks so smug that I wouldn’t want to if I could, just to prove him wrong. All I can do at the moment is stare while he raises his eyebrow to provoke me.
“Blanche Margot Bedford, if you don’t go upstairs right now and pee on that damn stick, I’ll…I’ll put a picture of your big dumbo ears on next year’s Christmas cards!”
“Mother, please!” I hiss, finally broken from the trance of Henry’s gaze.
The moment I see the tears running down her cheeks, my attitude shifts. Suddenly, it doesn’t feel like defeat to do as my husband says. Suddenly, all I want to do is run upstairs, pee on a stick, and watch as two pink lines appear.
I’m startled out of my daydream by the softest of caresses to my cheek. “Come on, baby. Go confirm what I’ve known for a week.”
Henry helps me stand, then guides me up the stairs and to my room. I might as well be a zombie as he leads the way into my bathroom, grabs a giant box of pregnancy tests, and handsme one. I go through all the motions, or at least I assume I do. Before I know it, I’m watching as two pink lines appear.
