by Toni Aleo
When I glance up at her, she is glaring at us, but that’s nothing new. Ever since Mawmaw told her off, she hasn’t been the kindest to us. But that’s how it is in this town. You don’t cross the older folks and expect to walk away unscathed.
“Okay, let’s get to the business of our new mayor.”
I squeeze Reed’s hand and smile when he brings them up to his lips, kissing the back of my hand. Sister Engelmann lifts a yellow envelope and then opens it. Inside is a smaller white envelope, and when she opens that one, I hold my breath.
A wide grin takes over her face, and my heart drops into my gut when I see it. “Our new mayor is William Engelmann Jr.”
Silence fills the church, and tears spring to my eyes. Betrayal, anger, and then pure hurt race through my body as I look around at the people who came, ate my food, and promised to vote for me. Was it all a waste? What the hell happened?
When the first tear spills over, Reed stands up, pointing to Sister Engelmann. “I call bullshit!”
Mawmaw stands too. “I second that!”
Sister Engelmann looks hurt as she glares back at them. “Excuse me? Are you calling me and the heads of our town liars?”
I glance at Mr. Fitz, and he looks stricken. “I’m sorry, Delaney. I was outvoted.”
My heart falls once more into my gut, shattering and dissolving away. This isn’t good.
“I still call bullshit!” Reed yells once more, and then Theo and Holden stand with him, agreeing.
Sister Engelmann is unfazed. “Officer Bryce, please remove these men.”
Bryce scoffs. “No way. They’re right. This is bullshit.”
Mayhem ensues.
While everyone yells and argues, I sit there in complete shock. I honestly thought I had this. As the tears stream down my face, I know I’m not crying because I lost. No, I can learn to accept that. I’m crying because nothing is holding me here now. This will give Reed the perfect opening to ask me to leave, and I won’t be able to say no, even though I don’t want to leave. I love this town. I love these people, even if they don’t want me as their mayor.
I love Reed more, though.
“Let’s go.” Reed takes my hand, and I go with him, wiping my face. “This is absolute bullshit, and I urge the heads of the town council to do a recount,” he yells behind us. The whole church is losing its mind, but I’m glad Reed is pulling me out. I don’t want to face the people who don’t want me.
When we get outside, he turns to me, wiping his thumbs along my cheeks. “Don’t you cry over this. I think she rigged it, and I’m going to figure out a way to prove that.”
“I can’t believe they don’t want me.”
“Fuck them. I want you, and that’s all that matters,” he says, kissing me hard on the mouth. “You hear me? I want you.”
He’s blurry through my tears as I nod. “Reed, I don’t want to leave.”
His brow furrows more. “Okay, we can go back in—”
“No, I mean this is a perfect opening for you to ask me to move to Lexington. There is no reason for me to stay here, especially after this, but I still love this town. I don’t want to leave.”
He moves closer, threading his fingers through my hair as he cradles the back of my head. “Did I ask you to leave?”
“Not yet.”
“Do you want to leave?”
“No.”
A quirk appears at the side of his mouth. “Then we’re going nowhere.”
“Really?”
“Really,” he promises. “But I will make that bitch pay.”
I choke on my laughter. “I think it’s a sin to call a Sister a bitch.”
He grins as he pulls me in close, our chins touching, our noses brushing together as his gaze holds mine. “I will continue to sin when it comes to you.”
“That sounds so dirty,” I breathe, and he smiles.
“You have no clue how dirty it can get.”
I kiss his top lip, my body vibrating with love for him. “Wanna show me? Maybe make me forget that I lost tonight?”
He nods. “Already planning on it.”
His lashes caress my cheek as he kisses down my jaw, and my heart soars. I close my eyes as he holds me tightly. “Don’t worry, Delaney Kate. I’m not going anywhere without you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
His mouth makes it to mine, and after a long, lusty kiss that has me panting, I pull away to cup his cheeks in my hands. When we hear voices, we look back to see Theo and Gen coming toward us. With a wide grin, I call out, “Hey, Gen.”
She gives me a grim smile. “I’m so sorry—”
“Don’t,” I stop her, and she eyes me curiously. “I guess I don’t need the famous Zoe Jayne to write me a happily ever after, after all.”
Her eyes twinkle with happiness. “Nope, you’re living it, girl.”
I bring my gaze back to Reed’s, and I nod. “I sure am.”
Epilogue 2
Reed
“I do.”
Gen looks like a princess. I don’t know much about wedding dresses, but Delaney sure did gush about how timeless Gen’s is. Everyone oohed and aahed as she walked down the aisle from the Blu to the deck that I remember building when I was a kid. The whole backyard of the Blu is full of chairs that hold most of the town. I can tell you who isn’t here though…Sister Engelmann. It’s easy to say we’re all still very upset with her, and I’m still sure she ripped my girl off. I’ll find the proof one day, but today, I’ll enjoy watching my best friend marry the girl of his dreams.
By the look in Theo’s eyes, he thinks Gen is damn near perfect. Looking to Gen’s left where Delaney stands in a little yellow dress, I have to agree the same about my girl. It’s only been three weeks since the election, but no one would ever know Delaney lost. She holds herself with such poise, such beauty. Anytime anyone brings up the election, she just smiles and says, “We vote again in two years. I’ll get them next time.”
It blows my mind. She’s so kind, so sweet, and man, I love her.
“And do you, Theo, take Genevieve as yours?”
Theo’s voice is rough as he stares into Gen’s eyes. “Mercy, yes.”
He’s such a dork, sounding like Uncle Jesse from Full House. I hold back my laughter as Pastor Ryman says, “Now Genevieve and Theo have prepared some vows for each other. Who wants to go first?”
“Me ’cause you’re all wordy and stuff. If I go first, maybe people will think I’m cool,” Theo says quickly, and Gen laughs, her eyes full of tears.
“They won’t, but please go ahead.”
Theo sticks out his tongue at Gen, which has everyone in the audience laughing. He clears his throat, his hand shaking as he holds one of hers, a paper with his vows in the other. “I’ve loved you since I was eighteen years old, and I’ve never stopped. I knew one day I’d get you, and believe me, I’ll never in my life let you go. I love you, Genny, and I promise to always make sure you have complete silence when you’re writing and a snack and loads of wine when you’re editing. And believe me, I’ve got you on the inspiration,” he says with a wink. Delaney snorts with laughter, and Gen hiccups a sob, but a beautiful grin sits on her lips. “I will always be better than the men you write about because I want to be the only hero in your life. I love you, Gen. How about we write some steamy stories and loads of happy times in between?”
“I love the sound of that.”
Gen wipes away a tear as Theo tucks his piece of paper back into his jacket, his eyes still on Gen. When she clears her throat free of the tears that are streaming down her face, Theo gives her a dry look. “You didn’t write it down?”
“Nope, didn’t have to.” She sighs loudly, and Theo threads their fingers together. “I spent hours writing these perfect vows that would blow you away. When I was done, I had over a hundred pages worth of words, and since I know everyone here is ready to drink, I saved them just for you.”
“Thank God,” Bryce calls from his seat, and we all laugh
.
“When I came back to Spring Grove, it was for inspiration, to finish my book. But what I got was my true happily ever after. You respected me and loved me from afar. I would come to the Blu for a nightly dinner with our friends, and all I wanted was to stay with you forever. But you waited and gave me my space. I’ll never be able to thank you for being you or for loving me more than I deserve. So instead, every morning we wake up, I’ll whisper good morning. During the day, I’ll tell you how much I appreciate you. Every night before we go to bed, I’ll tell you I’ll miss you. And every moment in between, I’ll tell you I love you more than anything in this world. You are the missing piece to my life, Theo, and I love you. So damn much. I’m ready to live our happily ever after.”
Damn, she’s got me misty-eyed. Theo shakes his head as he wipes his eyes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him cry, but that grin, that grin is for Gen.
“See, that’s why I went first!”
A smirk sits on Delaney’s lips as she watches Theo and Gen dance. From where I stand with a beer in my hand, I can’t believe how beautiful she is. Her hair cascades down her shoulders in a thick braid that starts at the crown of her head. Her makeup is light and stunning, while her lips are glossed to pure pink perfection. She’s barefoot, as is Gen, and I love the pink on her toes. When she moves her hand over her cheek, catching her tears, I shake my head. She’s so emotional, but hot damn, I love that girl.
As I drink her in, I can’t believe I ever thought I could leave her. God, I really thought I wanted to, but hearing her cries gutted me. I promised I wouldn’t hurt her, and while I never promised I would fall for her, I did. A thousandfold. How could I not? She’s funny, spunky, and the perfect kind of beautiful that shakes me to the core. She’s the best thing to ever happen to me, and I find it comical that I thought I was actually going to leave her.
I have my fears. I don’t want to lose her, I want her to be mine forever, and I also want this to work. It’s only been a few weeks since I decided to move here, and it’s as if everything is going at lightning speed. I didn’t expect to fall so damn hard for her, but I also didn’t expect to get the clinic of my dreams. I fought this town left and right, but once I let it in, I fell for it. I hadn’t wanted to come back. I’d thought my dreams and my heart were in Lexington. It took coming home to realize that what my dad said was true.
Everything I could ever want is here.
Delaney cups her face as Theo dips Gen, kissing her nose in the perfect photo finish. My girl’s eyes are misty as she claps along with the whole room. Some of her hair has come loose from her braid, falling in her face as she hollers loudly, and I want to brush it out of her way. Now. I put my beer on the table beside me before I walk across the dance floor toward her. When she senses me coming, those sweet, watery eyes fall on me. A slow grin spreads across her lips before I reach her, taking her by her elbow.
I bring her into my chest and kiss the top of her head. “Why in the world are you crying?”
She laughs around her cries. “They are just so beautiful.”
I chuckle softly as I bring my arms around her, holding her close to me. She wraps her arms around me, tucking them up under my suit jacket.
“The whole wedding is.”
“It is a nice little shindig,” I agree, kissing her once more. “Hey.”
She tips her head back, those beautiful brown depths shining just for me. “Yeah?”
“You wanna dance with me?”
Her grin grows. “I sure do.”
I take her hands out from beneath my jacket and pull her out onto the dance floor. She positions her arms around my neck as I hold her at her hips, and her forehead rests softly against my chin. As “Greatest Love Story” plays around us, I feel Delaney’s heartbeat like a kick drum against my chest. I don’t ever want to move from this spot right here. I’ve never felt this feeling of contentment before. I always just went with the flow, but with Delaney, it’s different. I don’t want to just go with the flow. I want to do the opposite with her. I want to make memories, and I want this town to talk. I’m one lucky guy, and boy, does it feel good to know that she loves me. Because I love her.
“I still can’t believe you got Theo to disinvite Sister Engelmann.”
I smile against her hair, her sweet rose smell inebriating me. “Don’t mess with my sweetheart.”
She snorts. “I could have just lost.”
“Nope, she did something. I don’t know what, but I’m going to figure it out.” She giggles against my chin as I kiss her between her eyes. “My brother is a cop. He can solve this crime. He needs something to do.”
“You’re insane.”
“I don’t know how you’re not upset.”
“Because I got what I want,” she says almost immediately as she tips her head back. “Everything else is simply not important when I get to love you.”
My skin tingles as I gaze into her eyes. She’s so in love, and at first, I was nervous to be. I didn’t think this was what I wanted, but looking deep into her eyes, I know it is. There is nothing I want more than for this to work. “We should have started this earlier.”
Her brow perks. “Started what?”
“This loving each other stuff.”
She grins. “I’ve loved you since I was nine, thank you very much.”
“Well, I was an idiot.”
“You’re not wrong,” she agrees, and I grin down at her. “But then, I think you had to leave to see that Spring Grove would always be waiting for you.”
“And you’d be waiting for me?”
She shakes her head, her brows drawing in. “No, I tried to get over you. It didn’t work.”
“Well, no shit. I’m the best lay of your life.”
She laughs out loud, and my heart does a flip-flop in my chest at the beautiful sound. “I don’t know about that, but we all know I’m yours.”
I nip at her chin, her giggles running down my spine. “Maybe so.”
“I know. I’m pretty amazing.”
“You are,” I agree, and I cup her face with my hand. I move my thumb over her jaw and then her lips before I press it into her cheek. She’s so unbelievably beautiful, and I can’t believe she’s all mine. “I want something from you.”
“What this time?” she teases, and I press my lips to her top one, making her eyes fall shut a bit.
“Your forever.”
Her eyes open wide as her grin takes up her whole face. “My forever, you say?”
“Yeah,” I say softly, stroking my thumb across her cheek. “I don’t have a ring.”
Her breath catches as her eyes widen. With a watery grin, she whispers, “It’s okay, I know where you live.”
“Yeah. Hopefully, with me…?”
Her eyes sparkle as her bottom lip starts to tremble. “I’d love that.”
“Good, because I love you.”
“I love you back.”
I lean in just as she goes to her tippy-toes, our lips almost touching. My heart is in my throat as I stare into the eyes of the reason I’m here. The reason I want to love. My sweetheart. “You know what this means?”
“What? Endless blow jobs?”
“Oh, absolutely,” I tease, and tears spill down her beautiful, flushed face. “But also, you’ll be only my sweetheart.”
“Hey, Reed,” she says, and I move in closer, wanting to kiss her.
“What?”
“I’ve always been only yours.”
When her lips touch mine, I feel her words in our kiss, and I don’t think I ever want to stop.
But who says I have to?
THE END
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Excerpt from MISADVENTURES WITH A MANNY
Chapter One
VERA
I am completely heartbroken.
Everything hurts.
But not due to the loss I am experiencing.
That sickening feeling in my gut is for my boys.
Holding Louis’s and Elliot’s hands, I watch my soon-to-be ex-husband, Simon, carry boxes to his truck. His girlfriend—Kaia, our former nanny—stands by the back of a cab with a pained look on her face. What the hell she has to be pained about is beyond me. She stole my children’s father from them and my husband from me. Yeah, things were rough between Simon and me. I worked a lot, as did he, but I’d loved him since I was sixteen. He is all I know, and now, he is leaving us.
His family.
Placing the boxes in the truck bed, Simon whispers something in her ear, and she gives him a weak smile. I want to scream. I want to throw something at them. How dare he display his love right there in front of our children. I wouldn’t do that to my kids.
But I don’t say or do anything. I have to stay strong for them. Especially for our oldest, Charlie. He hasn’t been handling this well. Not that I expect him to.
Just then, Charlie barrels out of the house. He throws a box onto the lawn, his voice breaking as he screams, “Here you go. Take the rest of your crap!”
“Charlie, that’s unnecessary,” Simon calls, walking toward our fourteen-year-old son. “You don’t need to be hostile. Is your mother hostile?”
Charlie doesn’t even look at me. His fists are shaking, his face red. He loves his father. Sometimes, I am convinced he loves his dad more than he loves me. They used to do everything together. Simon isn’t a bad father. But not only did he betray me with the affair, he betrayed the trust of our boys. Charlie swings his leg back and kicks Simon’s box hard. I press my lips together and stifle the impulse to intervene. This is between them.
Quite honestly, I wish I could kick something. My heart sinks as my son makes a scene.