As the days passed, Brett kept waiting for Laurel to propose again, but so far, she’d mentioned nothing more about their future. That meant relying on every ounce of his patience. He understood her need to be on her own, but…
He loved her.
He wanted to be with her.
Going on dates was fun, but not nearly enough when he wanted to go to sleep and wake up next to her.
Soon.
That was what he kept telling himself.
During a business trip to San Francisco, he stopped by Cassandra’s Attic. He glanced around the bookstore, amazed at the changes since the last time he’d been here. “The new children’s section is fantastic.”
“The café and reading nooks were a big hit, so this was the next step.” Cassie McKnight spoke with pride. “It’s something I always imagined having. And now we have a weekly story time, too.”
The first time Brett had been here, the store had a quaint charm. That feeling remained, but rearranging displays and shelves had made the place easier to navigate. The smell of fresh-brewed coffee and baked goods didn’t hurt, either. “Well done, you two.”
Cassie leaned against her husband, Troy. “It took both of us.”
“Two brains are better than one,” Cassie added.
Troy nodded. “Two hearts, too.”
A lump formed in Brett’s throat. He’d only been away two days, but he couldn’t wait to see Laurel.
“Are you going to be writing a book about investing for college now that you’ll be a dad?” Troy asked.
A dad.
Warmth flooded Brett. He couldn’t wait, but the idea of Junior being old enough to go off to college made his stomach churn.
“I might, but right now I’m working on one about personal finance—budgeting, saving, investment options, and retirement.” Laurel had given him the idea, and his publisher agreed the subject was a worthy follow-up to his first book. “A section about saving for college would fit nicely, so thanks for the idea.”
Cassie’s face lit up. “You can do a book signing here after it’s out.”
“Or better yet, have your launch party here,” Troy suggested.
She and Troy were opposites, but their personalities complemented each other so well. Their love was palpable. Brett would be jealous if he hadn’t found Laurel. “Sounds like a plan. I’d love for you to meet Laurel.”
Troy nodded. “And the newest member of the Matthews’ family.”
“When is the baby due?” Cassie asked.
“December twenty-third.” Though Henry was still pushing for the twenty-fifth so each of them would have a holiday birthday. The twenty-fourth would count, too. “Speaking of which, Cara said she’d set aside a couple of baby food cookbooks for me.”
“I think there’s more than a couple waiting for you.” Cassie glanced over at Cara, who sat behind a Book Concierge sign. Her brown hair was long and wavy. Even from this distance, her green eyes shone brightly. “Cara takes her job seriously, and the customers love her.”
“Her recommendations have added six percent to our sales,” Troy, a former venture capitalist turned small-business consultant, added.
“I’m not surprised.” And Brett wasn’t. “The books she’s selected for Laurel and me have been spot on.”
“Happy to hear that.” Cassie’s gaze traveled to Cara again. “I just hope she’s happy here and doesn’t want to return to work as a librarian.”
“Getting her to stay is easy to do, love,” Troy said.
The affection in Troy’s voice made Brett miss Laurel that much more. One more day.
“What do you mean?” Cassie asked.
“Everyone has a price. That might be monetary or not,” Brett offered. In Laurel’s case, she needed time to succeed on her own. “You just have to figure out what Cara needs to keep her at Cassandra’s Attic.”
Too bad he hadn’t taken the same advice with Laurel sooner, but better late than never.
♥ ♥ ♥
Laurel had no regrets over the decision she’d made that night Brett crawled through her window. Doing things on her own was what she’d needed to do. Not that she was alone with Brett and Henry nearby.
Thinking about the two brought a smile to her face. They seemed more like brothers than friends. Maybe that was what led to their competitiveness and frustrations—a sort of sibling rivalry. No matter how either might act, the two men cared about each other, even if they’d never admit it. Henry’s account was one of the few that Brett personally managed at MGI. Henry seemed genuinely pleased about the upcoming baby’s birth, showing a gentler, quieter side of himself these past weeks.
Life was good.
Laurel enjoyed having her own place to live. She was learning so much about interior design from Renee and couldn’t wait to take classes in the spring. That seemed the best timing with the baby and the work being done on Henry’s estate. Laurel hadn’t been on her own long, but her confidence in her abilities and strengths had grown as much as her stomach.
Excited for her dinner date with Brett tonight, Laurel grabbed her jacket off the back of the chair and stood by the front window.
“Eager much?” She laughed at herself.
Brett had spent the past three days in San Francisco. He’d called Laurel each day, often more than once, but she missed not being able to see him. Living down the street from him had spoiled her.
Staring out the window, she rubbed her round belly. Something, however, needed to happen sooner rather than later. Headlights appeared, and her heart leaped.
Brett.
A growing baby in her stomach didn’t stop the flutters from forming.
He’d been patient, not pushing or pressuring her into more than she was ready to give. She’d been the one setting the tone and the speed of their relationship, but now she was ready to kick things up a notch.
Or ten.
Living in Henry’s guesthouse and working for Renee had provided the independence and success Laurel needed. She not only felt like she was succeeding on her own, but she also had the confidence to take that next step toward the future she wanted. She wriggled her toes in anticipation.
The baby kicked.
“Excited, Junior?” she asked, unable to keep her smile from spreading. “Me, too. I can’t wait to hear what your dad has to say.”
As Brett walked toward the guesthouse, Laurel opened the front door. Tingles battled the flutters for supremacy. She clutched the doorknob.
“Hi.” She sounded as breathless as she felt. “Did you have a good trip?”
“Yes, but I’m happy to be home.” His gaze ran the length of her before he stepped inside. He handed her a present wrapped in white paper and tied with a tangerine ribbon. “This is from the staff at Cassandra’s Attic.”
“They gave me a gift?”
His eyes softened. “It’s for both of us.”
Us sounded good to Laurel. She removed the ribbon and then unwrapped the present.
The title made her laugh. “This is the perfect book for new parents.”
Brett tried to see the front cover. “What’s the title?”
“Keeping the Romance Alive After the Baby Arrives,” Laurel read. “Sounds like a must-read.”
“I want to read it, too.”
“We’ll share,” she offered.
“Or we could read the book to each other like we’ve done with the baby books.”
His gaze met hers. Electricity flowed between them.
A beat passed. And another.
Laurel remembered to breathe. “I’d like that.”
A lot.
He lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss was softer than she expected. Wanting more, she pressed her lips against his. He tasted warm with a hint of peppermint and a dash of salt. Her stomach kept her from getting too close to him, but the kiss was enough…for now.
Brett backed away. “If we keep that up, we’ll be late for our reservation.”
She was ready for so much more. The question was when to tell him. “I missed you.”
Surprise gleamed in his gaze. “I missed you, too, and I won’t be going anywhere else until after Junior is born.”
Her lips parted. “Really?”
Nodding, he touched her belly. “Not taking any chances.”
Warmth flowed through her. “Thank you.”
Brett helped Laurel put on her jacket and then kissed her forehead.
“What was that for?” she asked.
His brows drew together. “What?”
He hadn’t realized what he was doing. That made the kiss more special. “Never mind. Let’s go.”
♥ ♥ ♥
Sitting across from Laurel at his favorite downtown Portland bistro, Brett covered her hand with his. The dinner plates had been removed, and though he’d enjoyed his meal, being with Laurel was all that mattered.
Her skin glowed. Her smile only added to her beauty. “I spoke to my mother last night. She’s coming for Thanksgiving.”
That was only a couple of weeks away.
“You told her…”
“Everything.” He and his mother had few secrets, but he hadn’t been ready to talk about Laurel or the baby until now. “It was time.”
Laurel took a slow sip of water. “Is your mom upset?”
“Not upset.”
A carousel of emotions had been expressed during the call. His mother had yelled at him for keeping the news from her, as well as not marrying Laurel right away, and then cried a mix of worried and happy tears.
“We talked about my father.” Something Brett had tried to do in the past, but his mom had always shut down the conversation. She hadn’t this time, and she’d admitted to being too embarrassed those other times. “He was a musician, the kind of guy girls swooned over as soon as he stood on stage. Apparently, he’d needed a place to stay, and he moved in with my mom two days after they met at a bar where he’d played. She thought it was love at first sight but later realized he was using her for a free place to crash. After she got pregnant, he moved out when she was at work. Took all his stuff and anything of hers that was valuable. She tried to find him, but he’d been using a stage name. She had no idea what his real name was.”
Laurel sighed. “Your mom must have been heartbroken.”
Brett nodded. “But she managed. Somehow. And here I am.”
“You’re nothing like that musician.” Her eyes were fierce. “The man doesn’t deserve to be called your father.”
“I know that now. He was a sperm donor at best.” Brett rubbed his thumb against Laurel’s soft skin. “My mom’s excited to be a grandmother. She doesn’t know whether she should be called grandma, grams, grammy, or nana.”
“Tell her to pick one. She’ll be Junior’s only grandparent.” Laurel sounded resigned, not sad. “Which is for the best.”
He didn’t nod, even if he agreed. “Henry’s offered to host turkey day. It’ll make the day easier on you not to have to plan anything or cook and clean up. And you’ll be able to escape to the guesthouse early if you get tired.”
“Sounds good to me, except…” She bit her lip, a serious expression on her face.
Brett’s shoulder muscles bunched. He forced himself not to grip her hand. “What?”
“I was hoping I’d be living at your house by then.”
“My…” Realization hit like a left jab. Only this didn’t hurt. Far from it. “You’re ready?”
She nodded enthusiastically. “Marry me?”
♥ ♥ ♥
Two days after Thanksgiving, Laurel stood next to Marv Crenshaw at the top of Brett’s staircase, which would soon be hers, too. Her wedding day—the real one this time—had arrived. As she adjusted her fingers around her bouquet of roses and lilies, waiting for the harpist to play, joy flowed through her.
“You’re a radiant bride,” Marv whispered.
“Thanks.” Laurel squeezed his arm. Neither of her parents had acknowledged being invited to the wedding. She’d been prepared to walk down the aisle by herself until the older gentleman offered to escort her. Saying no never crossed her mind. Not because he was Brett’s client or was bringing her interior design business, but she considered Marv part of her new family, the one she was creating in Oregon. “I appreciate you being a part of this.”
Marv beamed. “The honor and pleasure are all mine, my dear. BK sends his regards.”
She laughed.
The beginning strains of the “Wedding March” sounded. She pushed back her shoulders.
“Ready?” Marv asked.
Laurel nodded, a mix of contentment and anticipation flowing through her. She’d never been hit with bridal nerves or jitters. She just had an intense desire to say “I do” for the second time to Brett. At least the ceremony would be brief and the definition of non-tacky.
One step, two steps. When she reached the first floor, she inhaled deeply.
The scent of flowers filled the air. The wedding was small with a limited guest list, but thanks to Henry and Renee, the atmosphere shouted, “wedding of the year.”
Furniture had been moved to make room for white folding chairs. She acknowledged Alex, CeCe, and Sarah, who sat together. Danielle, who was the maid of honor, was standing to the left of the makeshift altar. Even though Laurel no longer worked at MGI, she’d stayed close to her former coworkers whom she considered friends. Across the aisle, Renee sat with her crew from the interior design firm. Cynthia Sterling and Ry Guyer, who’d been part of the Reno wedding, were seated in the second row. A few of Brett’s other friends and some MGI people were there, too.
In the front row sat Brett’s mom, a lovely woman who’d been a huge help since she arrived earlier in the week. His mom had never had a daughter, and Laurel no longer had a mom, so the two had helped each other get ready for the wedding. That time together meant so much to Laurel—an extra dose of magic on her wedding day.
Standing next to the officiant, Brett looked gorgeous in his tuxedo, but his wide smile captured her full attention. His gaze met hers, the love flowing between them palpable. Smiling proudly, Henry, the best man, stood next to the groom as he had during their first wedding.
Marv placed Laurel’s hand in Brett’s. Before the older man went to his front-row seat, he kissed her cheek.
Brett sighed. “You’re stunning.”
She stifled a giggle. “You, too.”
The officiant cleared his throat as if to remind them why they were there. They faced him.
She took a breath. And another.
This was the moment she’d been waiting for since she’d walked down the aisle in that chapel in Reno. The beginning of their happily ever after. The start of their forever.