The other man cocks his head to one side. “That about sums it up.”
I hold up my hands. “I love her, and she loves me.”
Landon lets out a snort. “In one short summer?”
I ignore him. I heard from Amber how quickly Landon fell for Vivi. The man has no room to judge us. “In the meantime, I’d appreciate it if you cut me some slack. Get to know me before deciding how you feel about me. And know I’d cut off my arm before I’d hurt them.”
Arms folded across his chest, Landon studies me, his expression shifting a bit at my last comment. “You said them. So you understand they’re a package deal. L.J. isn’t some kid you can push aside so you can fuck his mom.”
My blood boils at the careless words. “One,” I say through clenched teeth, “don’t talk about Amber like that. She’s worth a lot more than a fuck,” I mutter. “And two, it pisses me off you’d jump to that conclusion. I know L.J. is her world. I only want to be part of them. Not come between them.”
Landon scrubs a hand over his face. “Fine. You pass. But I’ll be watching you. Jason, Tanner, and I will all be keeping an eye out. Just because we’re in New York doesn’t mean we’re not involved in their lives.”
“I’d expect nothing less,” I say. “I’m glad she had the three of you all these years.”
“We’re not going anywhere.”
I shake my head and let out a low chuckle. “I didn’t think you were.”
“Everything okay in here?” Amber asks, returning from L.J.’s room.
“Perfect.” I wrap an arm around her waist and kiss her cheek.
“Good. Landon, are you staying for the day?” she asks.
He shakes his head. “The club needs me. I just offered to take the ride so Mom and Dad could go straight home. They said they’ll call you later so you can work out a schedule for when school starts.”
She shoots him a grateful look. “Thanks for everything.” She hugs him and he returns the gesture, but even I can see it is all platonic… even if he does look exactly like his twin brother had.
I let out a relieved breath I wasn’t aware of holding.
A few seconds later, Landon says his goodbyes and walks out to his car. Amber shuts the door to the house.
“Where’s L.J.?” I ask.
“Doing his best to unpack. There are no dirty clothes, thank you, Carrie,” Amber says with a grateful smile.
“Want me to go so you can spend some time alone?” I offer.
She wraps her arms around my waist and shakes her head. “I’d like my two boys to get to know each other. Unless you want to go home and change?”
I chuckle. “It can wait.”
She stares up at me with those big, beautiful blue eyes. “We’re a lot to handle,” she says nervously.
“I can’t wait to do it. I know the juggling of schedules won’t be easy, finding time alone won’t be simple, but I know what I’m getting into. And I’m all in.”
She reaches onto her tiptoes and brushes her lips over mine. “I’m so glad. You changed my life, Shane Warden.”
“Same, Amber Davis. And I couldn’t be happier.”
EPILOGUE
Shane
It is aday to celebrate. Amber received her combined bachelor of arts degree—with her minor in business—and her master’s in education, and I earned tenure at the end of this school year. At the New York uncles’ insistence, we all came to Manhattan for a celebration at the nightclub, which they opened on a Sunday afternoon just for this special occasion.
With my arm around Amber and L.J., now a lanky teenager beside us, I walk into Club TEN29, aptly named after the date Levi Bennett passed away. But the club is now a happy place, one where people come to have fun and celebrate. The owners, L.J.’s uncles, have all come around and accepted my presence in Amber’s and L.J.’s lives. We moved in together when my lease ran out, and since we were always at Amber’s anyway, we decided to live together then.
