Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 25616 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 102(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25616 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 102(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
After two and a half decades, she’s still my dream girl.
I love her more than I ever thought a man could love anything.
And I still can’t believe she’s mine.
We’ve been through a lot over the years and I cherish every moment of it. Three kids, two dogs, and one fuzzball cat who Amber is convinced is a reincarnated Munchies. I don’t ask questions.
My company is long gone. I sold it fifteen years ago, shortly after our third child was born. I built an empire, but it was all-consuming. There was no time for the new priorities I had, so I traded it all in for bonfires, Saturday morning pancakes, soccer games, and fall hikes through golden woods.
But mostly for her.
I’d give up everything for her.
People told me I’d regret it. That I’d get bored. That I’d miss the thrill of running a company.
But they don’t know Amber. Not like I do.
She’s the only thrill I need.
I’m so grateful for this woman. She’s given me joy, peace, laughter, and a home full of love and muddy boots and noise and warmth. I would’ve worked myself into a heart attack alone on the 47th floor of Eastmont Center if she hadn’t crashed into my life, causing chaos in a sunflower sundress.
She saved me.
And I never forgot that.
I hear the creak of the screen door and turn to see her stepping outside, barefoot on the deck, a dish towel tossed over her shoulder. Her hair is a little longer now, streaked with gold from the sun, and she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
“Lights look perfect,” she says, lighting up with a smile.
I roam my hungry eyes all over her. “You look perfect.”
She walks over and stands beside me, tucking herself under my arm like she’s done a thousand times on a thousand evenings just like this. I kiss the top of her head and breathe her in as she gazes out at the lake.
“They should be here any minute,” she says. “Willow texted. She’s bringing that weird bean salad again.”
I chuckle. “Greg still pretending to like it?”
“Oh, he’s fully committed to the lie now. There’s no going back.”
I take one last look at our yard and smile. It’s ready for a big, fun family weekend. Our kids are staying until Sunday night, and so are Willow, Greg, and their two kids. It’s going to be a blast.
The massive coolers are full of ice and drinks, the lake is warm, the beds are set, and the BBQ is full of propane. All we’re missing are the people.
Although, now that I have my hands on my hot wife, I kind of want to cancel and keep her all to myself.
I turn her in my arms and look down at her perfect little mouth.
“Mmmmmm,” I moan as I kiss her.
I must be the luckiest man in the world.
“Think we have time for a quickie?” she asks, pushing her hip into my erection.
“Here or upstairs?”
“Upstai—”
The front door opens and our oldest daughter Katrina yells out. “Hello!"
I drop my head with a frustrated groan as our two grandkids come bursting onto the deck. “Papa! Nana!”
It’s hard to stay frustrated when you’re surrounded by so much love. We split apart and welcome them all, giving hugs and kisses and grabbing bags. As soon as we’re inside, Willow and Greg show up with their kids and their golden retriever who immediately belly-flops into the lake. Our middle child, Aaron, shows up next with his new girlfriend on his arm.
The weekend-long party is in full swing, but I still have my eye on my girl.
Amber and I will sneak away and have that quickie before the night is over. We always do.
I let her know it when we catch each other’s eye in the middle of the circus.
I give her that look.
Those adorable cheeks flush and she raises her eyebrows letting me know the message is received.
Willow steals her attention away, showing her the bean salad she made, but I don’t take my eyes off her.
I adore my Amber.
She gave me all this.
She turned my life into something real.
Something worth living.
And I’ll spend every moment of the rest of it loving her for that.
The End!