Chapter Thirty-Nine
Six months later
Kensington surveyed the demolished buffet tables and dusted her hands. “I’d say that was a successful retirement party.”
Raquel had made an appearance at the party and then disappeared into her suite once again. She’d failed the bar exam the first time around and was determined to pass the next time. She’d hired a tutor and spent more time with books than she did with people. She hadn’t explained why she wanted to be a lawyer and sidestepped the question when asked outright. But she sat with Kenzi and Nash during Sunday brunch each week, and things were civil. Perhaps even borderline friendly.
Lunette and Hattie were around a lot more often. Lunette had relapsed two months ago. Her downward spiral was much faster this time. Nash and Kenzi took in Hattie for two weeks while Lunette checked into a clinic. She attended regular support meetings and worked to be stable for her daughter. She professed a deep desire to see Hattie start school and graduate college. Her desire for family warred with her addiction at times, but she was making steady progress, and Kenzi hoped that her sister could win the battle her father didn’t fight.
Nash came up behind Kenzi and wrapped his arms around her stomach. He kissed her neck and then her earlobe, sending pleasure across her skin. “Yes, Mrs. Westwood, but what will Hazel’s do without Guy Tratto? He’s an institution.”
In the time since she’d returned, Nash had moved into managing the expansion of the company into new markets with new products. The expansion was taking place at an unprecedented rate. It seemed ice cream consumers were more than happy to follow their brand into other areas of the supermarket. They were in the middle of construction on not one but two new plants that would employ over six hundred new employees. He’d moved into Dad’s empty office and filled it with decisions and plans and success. The room could breathe once again.
And what happened to the ice cream division? Why, Kenzi stepped right in to safeguard the standard of excellence consumers had grown to expect from Hazel’s. She was doing what she’d always dreamed of doing, and she was good at it. The path may not have been straight or smooth, but like Nash, she wouldn’t have taken another destiny.
She reached up, burying her fingers in the hair at her husband’s nape. His arms tightened around her, drawing her back flush with his chest. “We’ll survive. It’s what we do.”
“I like surviving with you.” His lips were warm on her sensitive skin. She was sensitive every place he kissed, every time he kissed her. It was paradise.
She spun in his arms. “How about we start thriving?” She lifted an eyebrow in invitation.
“I like the way this is going.” He kissed her slow, bringing her temperature to new levels.
She giggled.
He growled. “That’s not the response I was looking for.”
She laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“We’re having a communication problem.”
“Then you should come on over to my side of the conversation.” He swayed, his hands on her hips.
“I did that. That’s why we’re having this conversation.”
His swaying slowed. “What exactly are you saying?”
“I’m offering you a new job.”
He waited patiently while she teased him.
“It’s the best job in the whole world. Well, second best, if you ask me.” She bit her lip. Unable to just blurt out something so wonderful, she went on her tiptoes and whispered into his ear, “You’re going to be a daddy.” She paused there, the feel of his five-o’clock shadow against her cheek, holding to the wall before letting go and dropping into this new world—bliss.
He took her hand and placed it over his chest. “I think my heart just grew.”
She smiled. “I know it will be crazy with both of us working and all, but these things happen when the birds and the bees fall in love.”
He put a finger over her lips. She kissed it, and he melted a bit. “We’re going to be awesome parents.”
She giggled. “I’m glad you’re confident.”
“I could take on the world with you.”
“Me too.”
“So let’s do this. Let’s be the best parents ever.”
