He protected that building like it was another child. Every time someone wanted to write about it, which was often, he’d become like a grumpy bear with a thorn in its foot. Not that any of the coverage had been bad.
In fact, he’d been featured in articles from here to Timbuktu, lauding his efforts to create a space that resonated so well with his community’s needs. The Big Brothers and Big Sisters programs were regulars at the library, as were a whole host of others that kept us busy day and night.
Lawson, of course, was loving it. Rumored as the adopted “son” of the owner, he was held in high regard and could come and go as he pleased. He spent most of his time in the reading nooks, but I’d been delighted to find that he’d started spending more and more time in the makerspace with other kids his age.
Whether it was 3D printing, laser cutting, or star gazing, he seemed to have an affinity for it all. Other kids were drawn to him because of it at the library, turning him from an outcast to a popular little guy when he was there.
Since Declan was around most of the time too, Lawson’s self-esteem and confidence at the library was at an all-time high. But Declan, Tessa, and I were still his best friends. With Finley starting to inch into a top spot as well.
Declan’s best friend was a force to be reckoned with, and though his roots were more like mine than Declan’s, those two had been made for each other. Lawson saw that, and Finley was most definitely winning him over as well.
Justin beckoned me over from the set where I’d been shooting them all day, wrapped in a faux-fur coat and not much else. He and Amber had kept their word to me, and though Amber had broken up with Mr. Douchebag, their stars continued to rise.
They had sought me out after the breakup, and together with Tessa, her fashion editor, and the library, my dance card was now pretty full. “What’s up, Justin?”
“Not too much.” He smirked, dancing around a little in his spot just like he always did after a decent shoot. “I just wanted to check if we were done? There’s a makeup artist vying for my attention, and I’d like to give it to him if you’ve no more use for me in front of the camera.”
My head fell back as I laughed, patting my client and friend on the shoulder. “Go for it, big guy. We’re done here.”
“Oh no, we’re not.” He shot me a devilish grin and hurried away, disappearing onto the beach outside of the double doors of the warehouse we’d been shooting in.
Amber pursed her lips, but I didn’t miss the amusement in her eyes. She’d been going steady with a guy much better than Mr. Douchebag and had taken on the role of the protector of Justin’s virtue. I had a feeling she was too late, but I loved them both nonetheless.
“If we really are done, you better get going,” she told me. “I’m sure that gorgeous man of yours has some plans.”
A contented sigh escaped me as I thought about going to meet my boys. Lawson and I had moved in with Declan about two weeks ago. Going home—or to the library—to them was a better feeling than I ever could have imagined.
Amber and I exchanged goodbyes. Then I hopped into my car and sped off to meet them. We’d had plans to meet up at the diner, but I was assuming Declan had gotten into another “wave of creativity.” Or at least, that was what I was calling his whims.
And he always needed the pictures taken right away. Still, even after a whole day of shooting, I’d happily do a couple more hours for him.
When I got to the library, though, I saw that it had been decorated with a display seemingly entirely made for me. My pictures had been moved from the walls to cover some of the shelves, creating an aisle for me to move down that celebrated my works from the past year.
It was weird, especially when I noticed the photos I had taken of us over the last year interspersed with professional ones. There was Declan and me, Lawson with us in some of the shots.
Pictures of Tessa and Finley taken at times we’d all spent together. There were even some photos of the Hobbs family, who I had to admit had grown on me a whole lot. I felt like they were my family too, and though Daisy and Charles could be annoying at times, I’d been wrong about Maryanne and Russell.
As I walked down the aisle that contained so many memories of the last twenty or so months since I’d met Declan, my eyes grew watery and my mouth dry.
As the aisle tapered off and the pictures ended, I realized that each and every book in the bookshelves now surrounding me was a classic romance novel. The contemporary ones came next.
Books about love surrounded me, and I felt my heart melt. There were so many accounts of how people had found true love between the pages all around me that the magic of it all seemed to seep right into my veins.
Sure, I knew that most of them were fictional works, but still.
Sighing as I became dreamy and wondered what Declan had up his sleeve with all this, I reached the end of the makeshift aisle to find him and Lawson waiting for me.
They were both dressed smartly, which was a look I had become used to on Declan since I attended many events with him. Lawson, on the other hand, I hadn’t even known owned a suit. In fact, I happened to know that he didn’t.
Which meant that Declan had to have gotten him one. Weird.
He looked so cute in it, though, that I didn’t overthink it too much. Declan, of course, stole my breath in his. No matter how many times I’d seen him all dressed up, the overall effect always got to me.
A lock of his sandy-brown hair fell across his forehead, his forest-green eyes locked on mine. The look in them almost made me cry for all the love shining back at me.
Lawson was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, shooting forward when I got near him to give me a hug. “Hi, baby. What is all this? Why do you two look so fancy? Did you decide against the diner for dinner?”
That would have made sense. The diner wasn’t exactly the kind of place that required the patrons to wear suits, but there were many other places Declan frequented that did have a dress code.
Declan stepped forward, taking my hands in his as Lawson released me and went to stand next to him. “We are going somewhere else for dinner, but that’s not what this is about.”
I cocked my head and narrowed my eyes in suspicion, my heart suddenly racing in my chest. “What is it about then?”
His eyes never released mine, his grip on my hands tight. To my surprise, his palms felt slightly clammy. Declan never had clammy palms.
“Lawson and I have been talking.” He took a deep breath, anxiety skittering through the love still shining out at me. “And we were thinking that we should make this a real family. Make it official that you’re mine and I’m yours, that we all belong together and to each other.”
My own breath caught, but I didn’t interrupt him. I couldn’t.
Declan let go of my hands and dropped to one knee, pulling a velvet-covered box out of his pocket. I was vaguely aware of Lawson squeeing in the background, but I couldn’t focus on anything but Declan in that moment.
He flipped the top of the box to reveal a stunning, intricately designed ring. It had one center stone, elevated by diamond-encrusted silver petals that made it look like a rose opening up to uncover the treasure buried inside.
“I love you, Raeanne. I love Lawson, and I already think of you as my family, but nothing would make me happier than to know that you really are. You’ve changed my life and turned me into someone to be proud of. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I really, really hope that you feel the same way. Will you marry me?”
I was so shocked that I couldn’t answer at first, but my entire being was screaming my answer loudly enough for the word to come to me even through the surprised haze. “Yes, of course. Yes, I will. Of course I will.”
The most exquisite smile transformed his features into an expression that conveyed the kind of joy that shone from his very soul. Wordlessly sliding the ring out of its box, he reached for my hand and placed it on my finger.
Before he got to his feet, he plante
d a small kiss over the top of it and then rose to pull me into his arms. He bent to bury his face in my hair as he held on to me for dear life, whispering into my ear, “Thank you, Raeanne. I love you, and I promise I’m going to spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to make sure I’m the guy who deserves you.”
Tears stung my eyes, and when I heard Lawson whooping and felt his arms around our waists, I couldn’t hold them back anymore. “I love you too, Declan. And you already are.”
The End
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About the Author
Hey there. I'm Weston.
I'm a former firefighter/EMS guy who's picked up the proverbial pen and started writing bad boy romance stories. I co-write with my sister, Ali Parker as we travel the United States for the next two years.
You're going to find Billionaires, Bad Boys, Mafia and loads of sexiness. Something for everyone, hopefully. I'd love to connect with you. Check out the links below and come find me.
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The Parker’s Wicked Playground
Take It Down a Notch
Copyright © 2019 by Weston Parker
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
The novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and plot are all either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons – living or dead – is purely coincidental.
First Edition.
Editor: Eric Martinez
Cover Designer: Ryn Katryn Digital Art
Take It Down A Notch Page 26