Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 16707 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 84(@200wpm)___ 67(@250wpm)___ 56(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16707 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 84(@200wpm)___ 67(@250wpm)___ 56(@300wpm)
“I love you, Adrian. I’ve always loved you.”
I take her face in my hands and kiss her deeply. “And I love you, Noelle. I always will.”
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
NOELLE
The afternoon sun slips through the oak trees, painting messy patches of light across our old red checkered picnic blanket. The soft and warm breeze feels so good on my skin. I toss another strawberry into my mouth, sweet juice hitting my tongue.
Beside me, Thomas giggles, kicking his little legs as he stuffs his face with peanut butter sandwiches. “You got peanut butter on your nose,” I tell him, laughing.
He scrunches his face and tries to lick it off.
“Missed it.”
Adrian chuckles, reaching over to wipe it off with his thumb. “You’re a mess, Tomtom.”
Thomas runs off to ride the kid-size Jeep Wrangler Adrian bought yesterday on a whim, and he buckles his favorite dinosaur stuffed toy beside him.
“He’s not the only one who’s a mess. So are you,” I tease, smirking.
Adrian’s tongue peeks at the corner of his mouth. “Oh yeah? You sure?”
Before I can react, he swoops in, kissing me quickly on the mouth.
I blink, my jaw hanging open. “Did you just—”
“Yep.”
“Right in front of your kid?”
Thomas grins from his Jeep. “Daddy likes you. I like you too.”
I shake my head, trying to suppress a smile. These boys are really—
“What the hell is going on?! What’s this?”
I jump, whipping around to see my brother, Peter, standing at the back porch, arms crossed, brows raised so high they might launch off his face. He’s the reddest I’ve ever seen him.
I glance at Adrian, who’s frustratingly calm and unfazed.
“Hey, man,” he says easily, like we weren’t just caught in a kiss. Okay, a peck, but whatever. No one gives their nannies a peck unless…
My brother gapes. “That’s it? Hey, man?” He gestures wildly between us. “My sister?! My baby sister?”
I sigh. “Nice to see you too, Peter. And for the record, I’m not a baby. I’m twenty-five years old, thank you very much.”
He ignores me, drilling his glare into my boyfriend and jabbing an accusing finger. “How long has this been going on? You’re so much older than her, man!”
Adrian meets his gaze evenly. “Since she got here. Listen, Pete. I didn’t mean for it to happen, okay? It just did. I saw her, all grown and sweet and beautiful and kind, and I fell for her hard. I got lucky because she was already in love with me.”
“Of course she was! Why the hell did you think she kept hanging around my room when you were there? Obviously, it wasn’t because she liked her brother’s company.” Peter’s hands go to his hair. For a second, I pity him. Then again, he’s being unnecessarily dramatic. We’re all adults here. “Why did neither of you think to tell me, huh? Were you planning to spring it on me at a family lunch or something?”
“We’re telling you now,” Adrian points out, ever the rational one.
Peter lets out an exasperated sound, then groans. “You didn’t tell me. I caught you!” He mutters a curse under his breath, being mindful that Thomas is around. “She’s my sister, bro.”
Adrian leans back on his hands and shrugs. “And?”
Peter’s jaw works, his nostrils flaring. “And…” He exhales sharply, rubbing his temples and trying to calm himself down. “I should punch you.”
“Probably,” Adrian agrees.
My brother glares at me. “And you?”
“What about me?” I ask innocently.
“You’re supposed to be smarter than this.”
I give him the sweetest smile I can muster. “Maybe I’m not.”
He starts to say something, but then notices Thomas staring up at him, entirely unaffected by the drama. With a resigned sigh, Peter kneels, pulling a wrapped box from behind his back. “Here, Tomtom. Got you something.”
Thomas’s eyes light up. “A present?”
“Yeah.” My brother ruffles his hair and smiles softly at him. “Unlike these two traitors, I actually like you.”
Thomas eagerly tears into the wrapping, revealing a box of LEGOs. “Awesome!”
Adrian and I groan, and I say, “Is this your revenge? Gifting him even more LEGOs that I might, probably will, step on?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” He has clearly gotten over his anger or disappointment or whatever he felt earlier because Peter’s face splits into his trademark smile, mischievous and goofy. “You know what, maybe that could be my revenge. God knows you deserve it. In case you receive a package of at least a thousand LEGOs tomorrow, that’s from me.”
“I hate you so much. Leave.”
Peter pops a strawberry in his mouth. “Not a chance. I decided I would punish you the same way you did when we were growing up, by becoming a menace with just my presence.”
“Oh God, no.”
“Yes.” He smiles and points a strawberry at Adrian, giving him a warning look. “But I’m watching you.”
Adrian grins. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
The End