Kimberly checked the designer dress she wore. She couldn't believe they were at this hotel in New York about to meet his parents. She fixed her lipstick. "Won't they have questions?"
"If we don't want to answer, we don't."
Her skin jumped as he brushed his hand down her arm. "How is that possible?"
"I do it all the time. Avoidance. They can't know I use my house to run internet interference."
She packed her pocketbook. She fumbled with the lipstick but then the clutch closed with everything inside. "Don't they technically own the hotel?"
"No, this one is mine."
She smiled. Once again, Raphael was overconfident and adorable. "And what ever happened to Roger and Harry?"
"Why bring that up now?"
She walked over to him and fixed his tie. Raphael didn't say a word until she finished. Then she said, "You had a meeting with your boss an hour ago and then came in to take a shower."
He checked that she’d straightened the tie out in the mirror and avoided her gaze. "They died."
"Is your nephew still in danger?"
Goose bumps formed on her arms. This conversation kept her grounded and not worried about his parents for the moment.
He turned around and glared at her. "Not if I have any say in the matter."
Of course he'd say that. She checked her earrings. "And your parents, will they like me?"
"Of course they will." Raphael hugged her and kissed her forehead. "I love you, so they'll have to accept you."
No more stalling. She took his arm and walked in step with him. "After this, we go see my mom and Erica. I feel like we've been going nonstop since we left the castle."
He placed his hand over hers the second he opened the door for them. "We'll be back there soon."
The door to their hotel room closed as they made their way down a bright hallway, so different from his castle. "After the honeymoon."
As they waited near the elevator, he massaged her back. The door then opened. Her legs had pins and needles as she took her first step, but she said, "Let's go."
She took his hand and held him close the entire time they were in the elevator. Her heart slowed down, but her skin stayed jumpy. The elevator dinged, and she squeezed his arm. He continued and massaged her back. On the first floor he whispered in her ear, "Relax, Kimberly."
Easy for him to say. She stepped out of the elevator and he led her to a fancy hotel restaurant. She swallowed as she entered, but then her heart skipped a beat and a smile grew on her face. Erica and her mom stood at the bar. Kimberly let go of Raphael and rushed to her mom and sister. She hugged them both, and her face grew wet from her tears.
Erica stepped back first, but she had a wide smile on her face. "Calm down. I'm pregnant."
"I'm an aunt." Kimberly's tears watered. "I saw your wedding announcement and set on my journey home. I wanted to wish you the best, sis."
Erica clutched her stomach. "How did you see it?"
She blinked. She assumed her sister sent her the email. "It was in my email box."
Erica turned her head and gazed at the man that spoke to Raphael. "Gabriel."
The infamous Gabriel. Kimberly gazed at both of the men. They had similar builds. Erica's children would be beautiful. Kimberly stilled as her heartbeat echoed for Raphael. "I need to meet this guy."
Erica pointed in the obvious direction. "He's over there, with the guy you walked in with."
Kimberly turned back to her sister and mom. Then she held up her hand to show them the diamond ring. "Raphael and I are getting married."
Her mother took her hand and said, "So you'll stay home and not disappear." A giggle escaped her lips. "You could say I'm happy for you."
"I'm happy," Erica said, and took her mother's other hand. Then she gazed at Kimberly again. "I am in search of a babysitter I trust."
"Add me to your list, then." Kimberly took her hand, and the three of them were in a unified circle. Love flowed through her. She never should have left, but then her blood pulsed with excitement. She tugged both women backward a little to get them to walk. "Come. I want to introduce you to Raphael."
Erica winked. "We already met."
"This time you won't grill him about Tiffany."
Her sister's mouth dropped. "You know about that?"
Kimberly nodded. Raphael had told her everything about his life. "We don't keep secrets."
Without another protest, she led her mother and sister back to the men. Raphael kissed her lips fast, and then wrapped his arms around her waist. He then told his brother, "Kimberly and I are planning our wedding next month."
Gabriel's hand circled Erica’s middle, like he was protecting her stomach. "Is there a reason it's that fast?"
Raphael saw the hands. "It's not fast. No one's pregnant. I want a honeymoon before the winter comes."
Gabriel stared at both of them as his parents joined everyone. "Why? What's this winter?"
Kimberly gazed at the older couple. The men took after their father. Their mother was so tiny.
Raphael answered his brother, "We live on this island."
His mother added, "We're all excited, but what if you get pregnant?"
Raphael refused to be swayed. He intended to be married. To live on the island and remodel the keep. Kimberly's stomach wasn't in knots. She'd be tied to someone she loved. Raphael answered his parents in his logical, don't-argue voice. "Then we'll hire someone to stay there all winter for that one purpose."
His mother nodded, not that she had any option other than to agree. "Where is Michaela?"
Gabriel answered, "She's off surveying some hotel chain for day. She sends her love."
"Will you both visit me in Miami?” Kimberly’s mom asked. “We could plan a destination wedding for the New Englanders at the Delano."
Kimberly's head returned to the whirlwind wedding plans. "Aren't they booked? It's usually busy there."
Her mother shrugged. "Don't worry about it. We'll plan the perfect wedding this month. Erica's wedding was fast too."
Erica smiled. "At least I won't be too fat yet. My son can be a groomsman."
Kimberly nodded. "Deal, sis."
With Raphael beside her, she could conquer the world. They were a family, and now her life was complete.
Raphael kissed her cheek. Their families talked, nonstop.
Life was an adventure, and she now had her happily-ever-after.
THE END
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Erica Mira, a Florida native, decides to drive up to Maine in the middle of winter to meet an investor, and ends up crashing into a tree in the middle of the blizzard. After climbing up the mountain to the chateau seeking shelter, she meets Gabriel.
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Party girl. Art thief. All around bad girl. It’s what all the newspapers call socialite and heiress Kate Sparrow. It’s all untrue. Kate’s been set up and she’s following the orders of the FBI to get the real criminal, her father. She’ll have to put up with her sister, the wedding fiasco, and her own fears that someone is after her, trying to stop her to get what she needs to prove her innocence.
Doctor Daniel Collins joins his brothers on a cruise to the wedding of his young cousin. His cousin begs him to keep a close watch on the bride’s sister, Kate. He's to keep her from ruining the wedding.
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Penny moves back to Miami to start her a job with a list of things to accomplish.
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Gigi Dumont never forgot how she walked away from the only man she ever loved.
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When Gigi and Sean are stuck together for a week in Paris, Gigi feels she has lost all her control. How can she survive her attraction to Sean? The man’s sexier now than he was back in the day, and once upon a time, he’d had her heart. She finds herself falling for him, even knowing forever is impossible. http://amzn.to/1Y4BU7S
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Victoria Pinder grew up in Irish Catholic Boston then moved to Miami. Eventually, found that writing is her passion.
She always wrote stories to entertain herself. Her parents are practical minded people demanding a job, but when she sat down to see what she enjoyed doing, writing became obvious.
In 2016 Electing Love, the third Collins Brother book will be published as well as Stormy Peril. Both continue in the romantic suspense category. More books might be scheduled, so stay tuned on her newsletter and sign up at http://eepurl.com/bHX79L.
She also write science fiction/fantasy romance, and in 2016 Mything the Throne and Queen Uncovered will be published. Eventually she wants to put this category under a pen name, so watch her newsletter for updates.
Her website is www.victoriapinder.com and you can sign up for her newsletter there to stay tuned to all of Victoria’s new releases.
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