Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 110(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 110(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
He pushes his top hat up his head and glances toward my wife. We just got hitched today in her family’s barn, a full month after I decided she was mine and took her home. We’re having a small reception party here too.
Right now, we’re living in our house on her family’s land. It’s too tiny for all the babies we plan on making. But we didn’t want to put the triplets through another upheaval so we’re living in her place.
I’ve leveled the house on my land, and we’ve poured the foundation for a new one. I’m custom-building a home for my pearl and the youngins. Probably take us a few years but we’ll get it done.
The four of them get to weigh in on every decision and she’s already talked them out of putting a moat around the place. Kind of wanted to do that one. After all, no one I care much for outside of my new family.
“She’s pretty,” Adam says. He glances toward my wife who is happily chatting with her maid of honor, Cassie.
Maisy looks up in that moment and catches us staring at her. She gives a wave and Adam blushes and looks away. Eye contact is something he usually reserves for me, but he likes Maisy.
She’s visited him several times at the residential home. She’s learned a lot about vacuums just so she can communicate with him about his interests. She’s also watched his favorite movie with him a few dozen times, the musical about the poor man that starts a circus.
She even had our wedding and ceremony be circus themed so that Adam would be comfortable. That’s why he’s dressed like a ringmaster today. Of course, her brothers love the theme too. They were the jugglers, even had little foam balls that they could toss. The whole wedding wasn’t just about me and Maisy. It was a celebration of the blending of our families.
She mentioned having Adam move in, that she’d love to have him living with the five of us. But I told her we weren’t doing that. I know she means well but my brother has blossomed at the residential home.
He has plenty of friends, an active social life, and he’s happy. I’m not going to take him away from all that just because it’d make me happy to have him nearby. Every decision I’ve made has always been about what’s best for Adam and that won’t ever change.
“She looked at me. She looked at me,” Adam says in a nervous tone. He picks at his thumbnail. I know he has a crush on Maisy. I can’t say that I blame him because well, big brother has damn fine taste.
“She likes your jacket,” I remind him.
He adjusts the red material. “One hundred percent polyester. Dry clean only. Do not iron. Do not steam.”
“Hey, fellas,” Maisy calls as she approaches. She’s looking like the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen in that blue navy dress that’s hugging her curves. I was the one who helped her out of her wedding dress and into that one. Seems a damn shame that I dressed her again. Should have just kept her naked in our bedroom.
“I was looking for a dance partner,” she says. “Y’all know of anybody who might dance with me?”
The song from Adam’s movie starts. It’s his favorite one about the abused, bullied misfits who learn to love themselves. “Maybe you, Adam?”
He looks to me. In some ways, he’s a grown man fully capable of making decisions. But in social situations, he freezes up. Just like he did when we were kids. I give him a nod to encourage him.
The two of them move to the center of the barn with its polished, refinished floors that look real pretty. I called in every damn favor I was owed in this town in the past month. First, I got the Taylors to go over to Tristan’s place with me and have a chat with him and his folks. Seems they aren’t as interested in building a mall here.
Then I got the Scotts over to help me refinish the barn into something worthy of getting hitched in. All Maisy had to do was show me something online called her wedding board, and it was happening. I made sure everything she wanted for today came true.
I got West and them to help me pour the foundation for the house. He and his adopted brothers are part of the Kringle Christmas Tree Ranch. It’s a family business that supplies holiday trees to places all over the Southeast. They’re about to enter their busiest season of the year but they still showed up to help.
As if he hears me thinking his name, my friend West takes a seat on the stool next to me and orders a whiskey on the rocks. Man rarely drinks but I know why he is tonight. He’s pining after his girl, same as I used to pine over my Maisy.