Mr. Hired Boss (Alphalicious Billionaires Boss Book 4)

by Lindsey Hart

  EPILOGUE

  Pearl

  Here we go again. We’re back at my parents’ house, and it’s the night before our wedding. No, Gabriel is not having his stag tonight. He already had it a few weeks ago, and Dean and Sebastien organized it. That’s the funny thing. Maybe that’s bigger news than our wedding.

  Gabriel and I have actually been dating for five years. Yeah, five. I know, that’s a long time. I never really saw myself getting married until I met him, but then it wasn’t a rush, and it wasn’t a race. We didn’t feel that getting married was something we absolutely had to do. I mean, we always knew we’d eventually get there, but for us, it wasn’t this great big thing looming over us that we either dreaded or couldn’t wait to get to. When Gabriel asked me six months ago if I wanted to finally make it official, I laughed at him.

  I was trying to have a bath when he came in and asked me, so I laughed. He turned out the light, lit a candle, and got down on one knee. Then, he asked me if I’d like to be his wife for real. I mean, not like we weren’t already living together and doing the whole life thing together, and not like we weren’t already insanely happy. But he asked me, by candlelight—the creepy kind that people usually tell ghost stories with—if I’d marry him in my parents’ backyard, and I was sold.

  I said, of course. Of course, I’d marry him in my parents’ backyard, just as long as he promised not to barf on me from excessive drinking. If he barfed because of nerves, that’s different. He told me I had a deal.

  So here we are.

  It’s the night before, and we’re in my parents’ living room, which is jam-packed with all my relatives, again. Both my grandparents are here, and they’re still chugging along, all four of them as healthy as horses, and I know I’m incredibly lucky. My aunts and uncles, cousins, Susan, Chase, their two boys, they’re all here. Dean, Dean’s parents, Sebastien, and Gabriel’s parents as well. We’re all packed into the house, though some spilled out into the backyard when all the other rooms got too crowded.

  So about Dean and Sebastiaen, well, they started hanging out when Gabriel and I started dating. We’d go for dinner, drinks, and hang out together—the usual kind of stuff that friends and family do. A few months after that, Dean and Sebastien surprised us all when they announced they were dating. They actually got married two years ago. They’re immensely happy and insanely in love. They adopted a baby girl last year, and she’s the cutest thing in the entire world. I’m so happy to be an aunt, and Gabriel loves being an uncle. I know we’re both going to love being parents.

  I guess the fake boyfriend deal got a two for one surprise out of it.

  No, we haven’t bought a treehouse, but we do have a surprise for our families tomorrow. We’re going to tell them that we’re going to be working on something else very soon. I’m going to quit my job, and Gabriel is going to keep doing what he loves, which is working on those software development thingy. I’m not sure what our next step is, but we did find a really cool Earthship that we’re going to be moving into. We finalized the sale last week, and I’m so freaking excited to live off-grid.

  After that, we want to do something together. I’m not sure what, but we’ll figure it out in between taking care of two babies. Yeah, that’s right.

  We’re going to be parents sooner than everyone thinks, to twins. I went for the ultrasound last week right after we signed the papers for the house. It was the first one, and we were both beyond shocked to find out that there wasn’t just one bundle of joy in there. There were two. Two babies! I know my mom is going to break down into a huge, happy, sappy mess when we tell her, and Gabriel’s mom will probably do the same. God, even Dad might join in with the tears. We’re going to tell everyone tomorrow at the reception before it becomes obvious that I’m not drinking, and why that is. I’m far enough along now that I’m quite confident in doing it. Soon, I’ll start showing, so we figured why not give everyone yet another reason to celebrate?

  “That boy has a nice behind,” Grandma Pearl says as she sidles up beside me, a glass of wine in her hand. “You did alright for yourself.” She winks at me. “But then, what did I expect from the granddaughter named after me?”

  I’ve been wandering the house for the past few hours, trying to make sure I say hi and chat with everyone, so no one feels left out. There’s a ton of people here, so it’s not the easiest thing to do. I’m glad my grandma finally cornered me in the kitchen.

  “Are you talking about my bottom again?” Gabriel strolls into the kitchen. He spots Grandma Pearl and me together and winks. “I know you are. You look guilty.”

  “No,” I say quickly. Too quickly. “Not at all.”

  Grandma Pearl just cackles away to herself and moves off back into the living room. She was clearly only in the kitchen to get herself another glass of wine.

  “So?” Gabriel sets his hands at my waist and gives me a quick kiss on the forehead. “Not getting any last-minute jitters, are you?”

  “Umm, no. I think it’s a little late for that. Last-minute would have been five years ago. So no. Definitely not. I’m excited, and I can’t believe it’s here already.”

  “I know. Six months went by fast.”

  I set a hand over Gabriel’s, right on my stomach, where our two babies are growing. “We have the rest of our lives. I’m really excited to promise you forever, even though I think I already did that a long time ago. Years ago.”

  “You did. We both did.” Gabriel gives me another kiss, this one slower, on my jawline. “But I have to admit that I’m pretty excited to see you wearing my ring. Both rings. I can’t wait to call you my wife.”

  “You’ve been calling me your wife for the past six months now,” I laugh. “The novelty should have worn off by now.”

  Gabriel is seriously a smooth operator, so he just grins at me. “Never. I’ll never get tired of it. And I’m trying to be romantic.”

  “Oh? Oh, you are?” I pretend to be shocked. “Well, then. You could just kiss me full on and take me upstairs. I think that would help send the message.”

  “With everyone down here?”

  “I meant for a nice back massage. Not sure where you were going with that. Ouch!” Gabriel reaches around and pinches my bottom, and I giggle. “Seriously, though. Do you think we can make an escape soon? I’m exhausted. And I really would like a massage. Maybe a foot rub too?”

  “Whoa now. Getting carried away, are we?”

  “Hardly!”

  “Alright, alright. If you want to escape upstairs, I’ll go make our excuses. It is getting late, so I think we’ll be able to get away with making an escape. And I’ll bring ice cream up. I’ll smuggle it under my shirt if I have to.”

  “Don’t frostbite yourself.”

  “Don’t worry. I won’t stick it down my pants. That’s where the important bits are.”

  I roll my eyes. “Remind me again why I’m marrying you?”

  “Because you love me with utmost intensity, and you know I am beyond loyal.”

  I giggle. “You’re right. I can’t even pretend it’s not true. I’m looking forward to the massage and ice cream, so don’t take long. Oh, and to becoming your wife tomorrow, officially. With the ring and the vows and all.”

  Right there in the middle of the kitchen, Gabriel plants a huge kiss on my lips. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him back when he tries to get away. I kiss him until neither of us can think straight, and I only let him go when someone clears their throat behind me. I glance around, but whoever it was just passed through the kitchen and obviously made a quick escape.

  “Okay, I’m coming. Be up in five with the ice cream.”

  “I’m counting on it, future husband.”

  “Only a few hours now. You can still run.”

  “Nah.” I drop another kiss on Gabriel’s mouth. Good lord, I love his mouth. “I’m incredibly happy right where I am. I love you, and that’s never going to change.”

  “Good. Very, very good. It just so happens I love you to
o.”

  Of course, because a few minutes is too many minutes to wait, Gabriel gives me another taste of what that massage is probably going to turn into before I scurry from the room. I actually make it upstairs without anyone trying to keep me down for chats or well wishes. The moment I close the bedroom door, I walk over to the bed and plop down. I really am exhausted, but I’m excited too.

  Who wouldn’t be excited about a life like ours?

  The End

  Did you enjoy this book?

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  We are sworn enemies but she's having my baby.

  How you ask? Well, I’m also wondering the same thing.

  How the hell do people in that stupid fertility clinic mistake MY sperm and inject it into the wrong woman…

  The same woman I fired just the day before for running her mouth off at me.

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Lindsey Hart specializes in sweet to extra hot and dirty romances and strongly believes in happily ever after. If you are looking for a page turner, then you are in for a wild and naughty ride with feisty heroines and alpha male heroes.

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