A long time later after a family style meal of meatball chili, Roman’s favorite homemade cornbread and a big salad, they were lounging around the living room when out of the damn blue Ginny said, “Are you two planning on raising the boy here in the city?”
“We’re exploring other options,” Roman told her.
“Tell Gigi about the house,” Matty insisted with an emphasizing karate chop.
It was Liam who did the explaining. Kelly looked at Rhiann whose face was positively beaming as he laid it out.
“My lovely bride and I are looking for a family house that we can move into after the wedding. There are a few new developments we’re looking at. One is outside the city, and the other is in Connecticut.”
Roman offered his opinion. “I like the Connecticut house. The development is secure, and it’s in a great school district.”
“That sounds to me like you’re in the market too,” Ginny observed.
Sam chimed in. “What are we talking about here? Big family houses?”
“Oh no,” Rhiann was quick to say. “Not at all. The development Roman refers to has about forty homes. It’s gated and is just four blocks from a huge park. The houses aren’t cookie cutter. There are sprawling colonials and single story ranch style.”
“We sound like a realtor brochure,” Liam said with a chuckle. “Do I hear the sounds of my future wife making a decision? Can it be?”
“Maybe we should both buy in the same community.”
Kelly’s head whipped around at Roman’s comment.
“Now, hold on,” Sam interjected. “Me and the missus might want to get in on this too.”
“What?” she stammered. Were they in an alternate reality? What was going on?
Ginny rubbed her husband’s shoulder. “Providence isn’t the same without you,” she said with a warm smile.
Matty launched into her arms. “I love my Gigi.”
“You know we think of Kelly and Matty as family,” Sam said. “I’ve been thinking about giving Bobby a chance to take over the butcher shop. And asking Jimmy to manage my stuff if we leave. Bet he’d be happy to be your property manager too, hon.”
She was stunned. They had it all figured out. She jumped up and ran to Sam, folding him in a hearty hug. Ginny joined in. Matty too.
Then Roman squeezed in and before long so did Liam and Rhiann. They were group hugging and laughing at the same time.
Her whole being filled with light.
This is what love is, she thought.
Sam and Ginny. She loved them as the grandparents she never had.
Matty was more son than brother and her devotion to him was without question.
Rhiann’s welcoming inclusion left her feeling like one of the Baron-Wilde sisters. It was an amazing and special thing.
Even Liam. She loved him. How could she not? He was practically her twin in manner and temperament. Heaven help all of them if they ever truly tangled. His arrogance and her take-no-shit personality were a recipe for disaster.
And then there was Roman. The love she felt for him was different. It scared her a little because of how fast and completely she fell for him. But he’d been the most amazing gentleman despite their raunchy proclivities, and not ever for a single moment in all of this had she wondered if he was for real or if he truly did have her back.
He was, simply put, the best man on the planet. No competition. None. End stop as far as she was concerned. She loved him with her full heart and intended to follow him to the ends of the Earth if she had to. And surprise, surprise. She didn’t care one little bit if they were married or not.
“So I guess this means we’re all moving to Connecticut.” Sam was having a good hearty laugh that quickly caught on.
“And I’m getting a puppy!”
Everyone stopped, looked at Matty as he did some herky-jerky touchdown dance, and then cracked up laughing even harder.
“I think this calls for champagne,” her sexy lover declared before dashing into the kitchen.
There must be a committee meeting, she thought when Liam and Sam followed.
That left the ladies and a still bouncing Matty alone in the living room.
“Can anyone tell me what just happened here?” she asked.
Rhiann, dear sweet Rhiann, put one arm around Ginny and the other around Kelly.
“I’ll tell you what happened. The past just got put to rest. You, Ms. James, have gained one hell of a guy and a brother who thinks you’re the tits and the balls.”
Ginny boomed with laughter.
“And the love of my life and undisputed all around good guy not only gained a sister and a brother, he seems to have picked up a set of grandparents along the way.”
“Truth,” Ginny sweetly declared.
“We cooked up a goddamn family ladies! I’d say that makes us the shit. And if our men want to buy us pretty shiny things, and by that I mean custom houses, why resist?”
She wasn’t sure what to say or how to react. Everything was too perfect.
“And one more thing,” Rhiann happily chirped. “You,” she said to her with a wink. “Bridesmaid. You and Charlie. My big sister Brynn is doing Matron of Honor duties. And Matty can be the ring bearer. Is that okay Kelly? Will you both please be in our wedding?”
“Oh my god, Rhiann,” she cried. “Are you kidding? Matty!” she cried. “Did you hear that? We’re gonna be in a wedding!”
“Yay!” Matty yelled. “Liam’s getting married!”
“And Ginny,” Rhiann said. “I want you and Sam there too. On Liam’s side. As his family. Is that okay?”
That’s when the flood of tears started. Lots of them. The tissues were being passed around when the men came back into the room carrying the champagne and glasses.
“Kelly?” Roman’s concern touched her heart. He was just so damn sweet.
“Relax, Bishop,” Rhiann quipped. “Happy tears, every one.”
Liam took care of popping the champagne and handing out the glasses while Roman cracked open a ginger ale and poured some into a smaller glass for Matty.
The most unexpected and unique family she ever could have imagined gathered in the living room of her new home and raised their glasses.
Sam made a simple toast that with a few choice words covered a world of emotions.
“To family. The one that stands the test of time. Salud, children!”
“Salud,” they all cheered.
“I want to say something,” Kelly said after a sip or two.
Everyone looked at her and the emotion clogged up her throat.
“I’m grateful that you cared enough to stick around,” she told Sam and Ginny.
“I’m glad you went digging,” she told Liam and Rhiann.
To Roman, she said, “Thank you.”
“Why?” he asked in a gentle voice.
“I love you.”
“Me too,” Matty boasted. “Me and Kiki love you Roman. Can we get married too?”
“What?” Roman stammered.
“Matty,” Kelly murmured. “Not now.”
“No, wait,” Roman said. “He’s right. This is perfect!” He high-fived Matty and said, “Thanks, little dude. I owe you a big one.”
Then he slugged back the rest of his champagne and took the flute from her unfeeling grip and put the two aside. When he got on one knee she mumbled, “What’s happening?”
“Kelly,” he began. “Things you need to know. I fucking adore you.”
Matty put a hand to his mouth and side-muttered a snarky and very comical, “Penny jar.”
“And I hate those damn Uggs.”
She giggled and gave him her hand when he asked for it.
“Will you marry me and make me nucking futz for the rest of my sorry life?”
“Well, I don’t know,” she teased. “Does this proposal come with a ring?”
There was no way she expected him to whip some bling out of his pocket but that didn’t mean he wasn’t a fast and creative thinker.
“Who’s got a pen? Find me a pen!”
Everyone scrambled.
“Found one!” Rhiann yelled.
“Me too,” Sam said.
He took the blue pen because it was her color and made a silly production out of drawing a diamond ring on her finger.
“How’s that? Good?”
His cheeky grin sealed her fate.
“I want you to wear a wedding band.”
“Is that the Kelly James way of saying yes?”
The sneaky devil.
She looked at Matty. His face was full of rapturous joy.
“Because you asked this time instead of issuing a demand, then yes. Yes. I will marry you and drive you as crazy as I can. For all the days of our lives.”
He leaped to his feet and kissed her with such passion and emotion that she started to cry. Tears flowed like rain down her cheeks.
What started as an unwelcome incursion into her life had turned into the greatest joy imaginable. She wasn’t the forgotten invisible girl anymore, and she and Matty were surrounded by an embarrassment of love and support.
Not only were all her hopes and dreams for the future assured, but she also found the love of a lifetime in the deal.
It was the happiest happily ever after of all time.
THE END
Meet Kelly's brother Liam in the Wilde Women box set, now FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Bringing you Roman Bishop’s happily ever after has been a true pleasure.
His story connects the Justice saga and the Wilde Women series
in fun and surprising ways!
I hope you enjoyed Bishop’s Pawn.
Wonder what happens next in Roman’s story?
Pick up the thread in the next Family Justice Novel!
~ Everlasting ~
A Family Justice Novel
Spring 2017
Other Books by Suzanne Halliday
The Justice Brothers
Broken Justice
Fixing Justice
Redeeming Justice
Family Justice
Always
Desert Angel
Sanctuary
Unchained
Unforgettable
Wilde Women
Wilde Forever
Wilde Heart
Wilde Magic
The Gideon Affair
The Wedding Affair
Dear Bella
Ella Fox
We’re cooking with gas, now!
The SB’s of my ABS
You know who you are and what you’ve done.
My Halliday Ever After Family
Okay, okay. Who licked him first?
*D*A*
Nothing quite compares to the support of like minds
Suzanne Halliday writes what she knows and what she loves – sexy contemporary romance featuring strong men and spirited women. Her love of creating short stories for friends and family developed into a passion for writing romantic fiction with a sensual edge. She finds the world of digital, self-publishing to be the perfect platform for sharing her stories and also for what she enjoys most of all – reading. When she’s not on a deadline you’ll find her loading up on books to devour.
No longer wandering because the desert southwest finally claimed her, these days instead of digging out from a snowstorm you can still find Suzanne with 80’s hair band music playing in the background, kids running in and out, laptop on with way too many screens open, something awesome in the oven, and a mug of hot tea clutched in one hand.
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