Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 95295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
“Okay, so I decided to do cowboy hats,” she says. “I’ll put the hats one on top of the other so you can show the first one and then be like—surprise, it’s two.”
“Okay, can we do this?” I say excitedly.
“Hold RC,” Sofia says to Matty, handing him over before grabbing a microphone. Where she got it, I have no idea.
“If everyone can come over here so we can do the gender reveal,” Sofia announces.
“Colson.” I look around. “We need Colson,” I say, putting my hand on my stomach when I see him running from the barn.
“There he is.” Gabriel points in the distance.
“Okay, can we have everyone come closer, please,” Sofia instructs, “and can we start the Zoom?” I turn to see there is a projector screen hanging down from the side and I see all the little squares of everyone who can’t be here.
“Where is Zoey?” I look around and then I spot her coming close to me.
“I’m right here,” she assures me. “We just got in, so we had to hightail it.” She side-hugs me and then puts her hand on my belly. “It’s your favorite auntie.”
“Not her aunt,” Sofia corrects, “it’s more a cousin.”
“Did you know that we share the same blood because our mothers are twins, so we are like sisters,” Zoey retorts like she’s throwing down. “So it’s my nephew.”
“Niece,” Gabriel corrects her.
“Whatever. Can we do this?” I ask. “It’s been killing me.”
“Before we do this,” Gabriel starts, “there is something I want to say.”
“Oh my God,” Zoey says from beside me, and I nervously look at Gabriel.
“They are getting married,” Matthew states.
I gasp. “What?” I ask, looking at him, wanting to kill him for even bringing it up. I don’t even look at Gabriel.
“This is a wedding, isn’t it?” he asks, looking around. “A ruse to get us all here, saying it’s a gender reveal, but then it’s, surprise, we’re getting married.”
“Of course not,” I snap. “That’s a crazy, crazy idea.”
“I told you that you were wrong,” Max gloats. “If she was getting married, you don’t think she would have told her parents?”
“It’s a surprise,” Matthew says, winking at me. “You can tell us; we won’t say anything.”
“We are not getting married,” I finally say, looking over at Gabriel, who just smiles at me and looks down to the ground. Great, I think to myself, now I can’t even bring up us moving in with each other.
32
GABRIEL
“We are not getting married,” Zara hisses. I know it’s a stupid thing and, to be honest, the thought never crossed my mind except for right now. I mean, I know I want her to move in with me. I know I miss her more than I care to admit when she is away from me. Fuck, I’m in love with her, and all I want is for her to be here with me and Colson.
“Okay.” I hold up my hand. “We are not getting married,” I say, looking at Zara, who makes no eye contact with me, “but we do have a little surprise for you guys.” Zara now moves over to me, standing next to me, slipping her hand in mine. “We want to say thank you so much for coming and supporting us.”
“Most of you,” Zara snips, taking a dig at her father, who looks up at the sky as Zoe pushes him with her shoulder.
“Can we skip the speeches and get on with what you are having?” JB asks. “We have bets going, and I want to collect my money.” That makes everyone laugh.
“I guess we should just put everyone out of their misery,” Zara declares, and Sofia comes over with a huge box.
“Okay, so all you have to do is open one side and then open the other, and there will be a cowboy hat painted either blue or pink.”
“You hold one end,” I tell Zara, who shakes her head side to side.
“I can’t. My hands are shaking right now.” She holds up her hands, and I see she is shaking like a leaf.
“I got it.” I look over and see Viktor handing Matthew his beer before he comes up to stand beside us.
I look over at him, holding one side of the box and see Zara step to the side. Her whole body is shaking. I know immediately there is no way I’m doing this without holding her next to me. “Dad.” I look into the crowd for him.
“On it.” He doesn’t even know what I’m going to ask him, but he’s apparently on it. He comes to me, holding my side of the box. “Go stand by your woman.” I smile at him because I love how people know she’s mine. “Colson, come help me,” he calls my son over so that it’ll just be me and Zara.
I walk over to her. As I put my arms around her shoulders, I feel her shake under my touch. “It’s okay, Sweetheart.” I pull her closer to me, and she wraps her arms around my waist and smiles up at me. A smile I’ve grown to see when I close my eyes. A smile that lights up her eyes. A smile that makes me feel like I have the whole world in my hands. That is the power of Zara’s smile.