Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“Callie and Bryan came to visit me at my vineyard,” Makayla continues. “And Callie explained everything to me. She has proof that Melanie was blackmailing people. It wasn’t just you; apparently there are at least three other people who are paying her money to keep quiet.”
I exhale, feeling vindicated at last.
“I’d like to say I’m shocked,” Kellan mutters.
Oscar’s frown deepens. “Melanie played her cards well, just not as well as she thought.”
Makayla nods. “Her biggest problem is thinking she’s smarter than everyone else and immune to consequences…”
“You’ll be happy to know we’re taking legal action,” I say with a half smile. “The stunt she pulled at the resort breached our—”
“Non-disclosure agreement, yes,” she cuts in. “I read that, too. And I support your decision. If you need me to testify in court, I’m your gal.”
An uneasy silence settles. Sunlight floods the living room, filling my chest with fragile hope, and for the first time in weeks I can breathe.
“So, you believe us?” Kellan asks.
“I don’t know what happened between you and Melanie, but yes,” Makayla assures us. “I believe you. I believe that you didn’t sleep with her recently, and that for whatever reason, she’s been playing everyone.”
“Maybe she’s always been the troubled type, hiding in plain sight. Pretending to be in perfect control of herself until she lashes out and shoots herself in the foot,” Oscar muses.
“Callie says their parents often bailed her out of trouble. That could be why she kept thinking she could get away with her miserable whims. but… whatever the reason,” Makayla says, “I’m just glad I know the truth and that she won’t be able to manipulate me anymore.”
Kellan nods slowly, his gaze sweeping over her. “Good. We’re glad to hear that.”
“Does that mean you’re sticking around?” I ask, maybe a little too eager.
Oscar shoots me an amused glance. “What my brother is trying to say is—would you like to stay here with us for a while?”
“If that’s okay with you,” she answers. “I thought maybe we could start over.”
“Start over?” he replies, raising a curious eyebrow.
Makayla giggles softly as she looks at him. “Or pick up where we left off before everything went to hell. Either way works for me, as long as we get to be in each other’s lives, Oscar.”
“Sounds good to me,” Kellan says.
“I mean, we’ve got a lot of catching up to do,” she adds. “Who knows, I might even entice you to come up to my vineyard and check it out.”
Pride swells as I grin at this spectacular woman. “Your vineyard?”
“Well, I just planted the saplings. It’ll be a while before the place looks like a real vineyard, but yes,” she says.
This is the best news I’ve heard in a long time.
I draw a deep breath and rest my hand on her knee. My touch alone elicits a subtle tremor from her. “Kay, you belong with us,” I tell her. “These past few weeks have been very hard on all of us, and we’ll do whatever it takes to make things work.”
“I’m relieved to hear that,” she whispers.
She leans back in her chair, clearly tired from her trip. But I’m not letting this angel rest just yet, so I get up and pull her into my arms. “You said we have a lot of catching up to do,” I remind her, making her laugh.
Yet as soon as our lips meet, all bets are off.
And our lives begin again.
32
MAKAYLA
It feels so good to be back in Alex’s arms. I inhale his scent, realizing I’ve craved that mix of soap and cologne since Sweden. His nearness zings through every synapse, reminding me just how much they all mean to me. I’ve been lost without them, even though our time together was brief yet blisteringly intimate.
“God, you’re gorgeous,” he whispers, then pulls back, holding me steady as if he senses how vulnerable I am right now.
I gaze up into his eyes to see the kind of love that I’ve only seen in movies. They are my three princes, and at last I’ve found my way back to their castle.
“I’ve missed this more than I can say,” I whisper back.
A wicked stirring coils low in my belly, urging me toward dark, delicious things. I ache to strip off every layer and feel their hands gliding over my skin. But my head spins, and my limbs feel weaker than they should. Alex notices.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“You look a little pale,” Oscar says.
I turn to find all three Anderson brothers gathered around me. I offer a soft smile, hoping to ease their concern. “I’m just… tired from the trip.”
“Let’s get you some water, then,” Kellan says. “And an aspirin, maybe?”
“Sounds like a good start. So, what have you been up to lately?” I ask, making my way into the kitchen with Kellan at my side.