Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 270(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 270(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
LuEllen gets home shortly after when Julie launches in again. Julie beams with pride as she tells her mom about her award. Now that we moved into our new house, LuEllen doesn’t have to hold down multiple jobs. Her only job now is helping Niki run the office.
That woman is the backbone of NB2 security. It started off small with Niki being asked to cover a few small corporate events, and things bloomed from there. LuEllen was key in the whole how-to-start-a-business thing. She laid that groundwork. We all work as a unit to support this family.
Of course, he’s not fully separated from the Riders. How could he be? That’s his family, too, how they saved Julie, how Bam always has his back. Niki would never turn on the Riders. He even hires from the crew, giving members an opportunity to leave that life fully if they want.
This is the reason we all continue to live together, and I wouldn't change that for anything. As for my mom, she has her own place that's not too far away. She has gained confidence and was eager to become independent. She has been doing great, and I helped her get a job in HR at the hospital. There have been a few rumors that she's dating Dr. Mirae. I haven't asked, but I hope it's true.
He's a pediatric doctor and one of my favorites at the hospital. He lost his wife a handful of years ago. He's very soft-natured, and my mom needs that. She has dealt with enough shit men in her life. It’s nice to see her happy and healthy. Our relationship has grown leaps and bounds from where it was.
“Can I help with anything?” LuEllen asks.
“Nah, I’m good. I got the steaks prepped for Niki, and the sides are pretty much ready to go.”
“How are you feeling?” she asks, propping her hip against the kitchen island, her eyes assessing me. Oh shit.
“Great!” I speak too loudly. “Actually, going to hop in the shower real quick.” I hear her laughter follow after me as I bolt out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
I strip off my scrubs and hop into the shower. The bathroom is one of my favorite places in this house. It's nice to be out of apartments and into a home that is your own house. We all have room to breathe.
I never thought I'd own a new home in my life. It gives me a great sense of pride, knowing how hard we all worked to make this a reality. Even the Riders had a hand in making this possible. Sure, I think we could have done it without them, but they made it easier.
I smile when I hear the glass door open, knowing it’s my husband. We got married not long after graduating high school. Some thought it was too soon, but we knew. It was a small, intimate wedding with everyone we loved there. A second later, he kisses my shoulder, his arm wrapping around me.
“You cooked without me.” I let out a small laugh and turn in his arms, wrapping mine around his neck. Niki lifts me off my feet. I wrap my legs around him.
“I only started things. Our show is on tonight,” I remind him, but he knows. I’ll want to have had dinner and be ready for a snack when it’s show time.
“Are you still mad at me?”
“Maybe,” I lie. He knows damn well I can never stay upset with him. Even when he deserves it.
There was a new series I wanted to watch. We binged it, but I fell asleep with two episodes left. He kept watching without me! The betrayal was almost too much to bear.
"Stopped at Carol’s." He smirks.
"Forgiven." Carol’s is my favorite diner that has the best dessert. I press my mouth to his in a long, sweet kiss.
"Anything else I need to know before I wash my wife?" Gah, it never gets old hearing him call me his wife. It’s crazy to think of the circumstances that led our paths to cross to begin with. But once they did, there was no denying that we were meant for one another.
"I mean, maybe." I am still coming up with an idea of how to tell him. It all happened so fast.
"I did it already, didn't I?" He smirks, so proud of himself. As he should be. The man doesn't take enough credit for what he brings to all of our lives. He is the only person that has ever brought me complete security.
“You did it.” I laugh. “I'm pregnant."
My birth control had been up for renewal, and we decided together I was going to go off it, and we would see what happened. We both knew one day we’d want a baby to grow this family of ours, but we were never sure when.