Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 89012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
“Well,” Maddox says. “Ashley and I are going to be at Cornerstone Church on Friday evening at six. There will be a pastor there and—”
“Are you getting married?” Damaris shouts. She covers her mouth and races to the table. “Oh, Maddox. Come here, Ashley.”
I barely get to my feet before her arms are wrapped around me.
“Welcome to the family, sweet girl,” Damaris says, pulling back. Her lashes are wet. “I am … I’m thrilled, honey. Thrilled. Does your mother know?”
“Yes,” I say, laughing.
“Okay. What can I do? I’m a do-er. Point me in the right direction—”
“Don’t do that,” a voice says from behind us.
“Hey, Paige is home,” Moss says, getting up to hug her.
Banks bumps knuckles with her as she walks by.
She gives Maddox, Jess, and Foxx quick hugs. Then shares a long one with her dad.
“Ashley,” she says, smiling as she comes to me. “Don’t let my mom have any leeway. Trust me. Nothing is simple with her.”
Damaris swats at her before they embrace.
My heart overflows with the love of this family—for each other … and maybe for me too.
Maddox holds me from behind, locking his hands around my waist. He’s so sturdy and strong, so protective and good.
And mine.
“Mad called and said he was getting married, so I booked a ticket home,” Paige says.
“Glad you get to know before the rest of us,” Banks says.
“We were trying to figure out how to break it to you easy, Sparkles,” Maddox says.
I smile at Banks as his family laughs at him.
“Fuck,” Moss says, tossing his phone on the table.
“What?” Jess asks.
“I keep getting these fucking penguin texts.”
“Someone, well different numbers, keeps texting me about flamingos,” Maddox says.
Paige makes a face. “Where have you been hanging out, guys?”
“Nowhere,” Maddox says.
“It’s been happening to me for weeks,” Moss says. “It’s driving me nuts.”
“Yeah, I’ve been getting flamingos for a week or so. I got them in the Bahamas. I’m so confused.”
Jess sighs. “Sucks to be you guys. I’m eating.”
“You are not,” Damaris says, going back into the kitchen. “We have to say grace.”
Everyone quiets. Banks and Jess take their hats off. Heads are bowed and Kix begins the prayer.
Maddox squeezes my hand. I peek at him and he winks.
“Amen,” Kix says.
“Come on,” Maddox whispers, leading me through the house and out the front door.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
“You’ll see.”
“But your dad just said grace, Mad. We can’t just leave.”
“We’ll be back in time to see if there’s any pizza left after my family attacks the boxes. Brooke will be back soon with Honey, her grandma, so there’ll be more chaos. They won’t even miss us.”
“Okay.”
We walk, hand in hand down the road toward his house. Oh my gosh.
“My bird,” I say, laughing. “You put that thing in front of your house?”
“Our house, but yes. Your bird sculpture has a new home right beside our mailbox. Moss hates it, so I made sure it was nice and visible.”
We keep walking, and I’m not sure what for—I see the sculpture. Really, how can you miss it? I’m about to ask him what’s happening when I stop.
Now I get it.
“Maddox …”
A giant truck comes down the road and then backs into Maddox’s driveway. The name on the side of the truck is the same name as the storage unit where my things are stored in Orlando.
“All of your stuff is here,” he says. “Sara and Banks went and loaded it into the moving truck yesterday and then we paid the storage place to drive it down. They’re going to unload it into the garage so you can go through it when you want to.” He cringes. “Sara and Banks—that’s a story for another day.”
I laugh. I can only imagine.
“But I wanted your life to be settled. Here. In our home. I know you’ve missed your stuff …”
I wrap my arms around him and look into his eyes. I am that. Settled.
And it’s not because of my stuff, although that was a sweet thing to do. It’s because I’ve found myself again. I took the risk and exited things that weren’t right for me … and look what I have for it. I entered into the most beautiful life possible. I never knew it could be like this.
“How do you think of everything?” I ask.
“I’ve been reading romance novels in my downtime and picking up tips.”