Always Mickie (Cruz Brothers Book 3)
Page 29
She seemed to think it was hilarious.
Well, I thought payback was, too.
“I just thought Kinley could use some company when she’s not on the road with you,” I said to Parker. “Better than your video stripteases, right?”
Mason went up behind Parker, gripping his shoulders in laughter. “Ho, ho, ho, bro!”
Parker glared at me from across the room. I couldn’t stop smiling.
Then his expression changed. A devious grin spread across his mouth, making mine disappear.
Shit. That look was never good for me.
He pulled something out of his coat pocket. “You know, I was saving this for just the right moment.” He glanced at the blowup doll. “I’d say this is it.”
He turned the item around for everyone to see. It looked like a DVD movie case. I didn’t recognize the name, Roar of the Beast. Was that supposed to mean something? I leaned forward, squinting closer at the image on the cover—
Wait. Was that…?
“No. Way!” Mickie shouted, snatching the case out of his hands. Her wide eyes shot to me. “It’s you! This is the movie we were in!”
“What?” Sage screeched. “You were in a movie?”
“When was that?” Kinley asked.
I stuck my arm out. “Give me that.”
Mickie handed it over and sure enough, there I was smack on the cover. Just me, standing on top of that car with a torched two-by-four raised above my head. My face was a mask of fury, my mouth wide open. I must have been in the middle of shouting that ridiculous rant.
I couldn’t even remember what I’d said.
“How in the hell did you find this?” I growled.
“I have my ways,” Parker answered, waggling his eyebrows. “They say there’s one pivotal scene in there that makes the entire movie. They even renamed the whole thing after that scene was shot. I have to wonder, Dawson. Might you have the…Roar of the Beast?”
Everyone burst into laughter.
“Color me intrigued,” Mason mused.
Mickie was cracking up behind her hand, trying not to lose it. “Wait until you see it,” she murmured.
I held the case up. “This is never going to see the light of—”
Mason swiped it out of my hand. “Oh, we’re watching this right after Christmas Vacation. Gabby, Leo…you guys want to see your dad in a movie?”
“Yeah!”
I glared at Parker. “This isn’t over.”
He raised his coffee mug in salute. “Can’t wait ‘til next year.”
Later, Mickie and I went into the garage and brought out our final gift for the kids.
“Guys, say hi to your new buddy,” Mickie said.
The second the twins laid eyes on their new white lab puppy with a huge red bow around its neck…more screaming.
“A puppy!”
“He’s so cute!”
“Can we name him Cuddles?”
“That’s too girly. I want to name him Thor.”
And on, and on, and on for the rest of morning.
I saved my gift to Mickie until the end. I handed her the plain envelope, which she took with a curious expression.
“Merry Christmas, Mick.”
Her giddy smile widened when she pulled out the plane and opera tickets. Her eyes flitted over them before shooting up to mine.
“You’re taking me to New York?” she asked excitedly. “For my birthday?”
Making up for the trip I’d had to cancel on her two years ago. She was crazy if she thought I’d forgotten about that.
“We’re starting in New York,” I clarified.
She looked up at me in confusion, as everyone else listened in silence.
I smiled. “I’m taking you to Italy, baby.”
Holy cow, I really couldn’t get away from all the screaming.
She jumped on top of me, wrapping herself around me like a vine as she cried and laughed and thanked me a thousand times.
I’d take a thousand kisses instead, but that could wait until later.
“Oh, my God, I can’t believe you did this,” she whispered.
I covered her mouth with mine, ignoring the rest of our family in the room.
“Are you happy?” I asked.
She wiped her tears away with the biggest smile on her face. “You have no idea how happy I am. But even without this trip, I’d be just as happy. You want to know why?”
I tightened my arms around her. “Tell me.”
She leaned closer. “Because I have you, and that’s all I’ll ever need. I love you so much.”
I buried my face in her mass of curls, breathing her in like I was going to do for the rest of our lives.
“I love you, too. Always, Mickie.”
“And forever.”
THE END
STAY TUNED…
Casual Affair (Slow Seductions #1) will release on
July 24, 2017
with Entangled Brazen!
Pre-order for this title will be available on July 3, 2017
More books by Melanie Munton:
Cruz Brothers series:
The Art of Sage (Cruz Brothers #2)
Playing for Kinley (Cruz Brothers #1)
Timid Souls novellas:
Stubborn Hearts
Unexpected Love
Possession and Politics Trilogy:
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE
and
SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER
Send me an email at:
melaniemuntonauthor@gmail.com
Also follow me on:
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Goodreads
A Letter from the Author
Dear reader,
I cannot believe the Cruz Brothers series is over! These three brothers’ stories have been emotional but so much fun to write. I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know them as much as I have, and look forward to reading some bonus chapters in my monthly newsletter! You aren’t signed up for my newsletter, you say? Not to worry. Go to my website at www.melaniemunton.com to receive all the guilty pleasures you can handle. ;)
Even though this series is ending, there are more that are just beginning! The first book in my next series, Slow Seductions—releasing with Entangled Publishing’s Brazen line—will be here on July 24, 2017. Casual Affair is all kinds of steamy fun, so make sure you pre-order your copy on July 3rd! If you want to learn more about the rest of my new releases, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Goodreads. And don’t forget to sign up for that newsletter!
Thank you so very much for reading along, and I truly hope you’ve enjoyed following the journeys of Dawson, Mason, and Parker Cruz. Feel free to continue following me on my journey, too, because I would sure love the company!
With love,
Melanie xoxoxo
Acknowledgments
As always, to my husband Sean, I probably never would have started writing if it wasn’t for you. You’ve supported and encouraged me from day one, and made me believe that I could accomplish great things. YOU make my dreams possible. Thank you for that, and for every other beautiful thing you bring to my life.
To my parents, as I embark on a new chapter of my writing, I’m constantly reminded of the foundation you both provided as I was growing up. You have influenced more of my decisions in life than you could possibly know…in good ways. Your love and support over the years has led me to where I’m at today, and helped me become the person I am.
To the rest of my family, it would be a cliché to say that you all inspire me. But you do. You inspire my stories, you inspire my characters, and you inspire my determination to do the very best I can with each and every project I take on. Despite all my quirks and craziness, you guys have always had my back through everything. Which makes me quirky and lucky.
Lastly, to all of my readers, those who have been with me
from the beginning and those who are brand new, THANK YOU times infinity. Your feedback over the years has been amazing, and your support has been overwhelming. I know that if you guys aren’t happy, then I’m not doing my job, so I always want to hear from you. Thank you so much for hopping on this rollercoaster with me, and for sticking with me throughout my journey! I so so soooo appreciate all of your love!
About the Author
Traveler. Reader. Wino. Beach-goer. St. Louis Cardinals fan. Sarcastic. Bit of a nerd.
That about sums it up, but let’s go into more detail…
Melanie was born and raised in a small rural town in the heart of the Missouri Ozarks. She earned her degree in Anthropology from Missouri State University, where she met her husband, Sean. They decided to move to North Carolina in late 2014, where she realized her passion for writing.
One of Melanie’s favorite things to do is travel with her husband. They road tripped around Italy together in May 2017 and have plans to visit Ireland in the near future. She has a horrible addiction to pasta and could eat it for every meal if she wasn’t worried about the carbs. She often gets sad when her wine rack isn’t full. And she loves her sweets…which is why she never keeps any in her house.
Above all else, she cherishes her relationships with all of her family, friends, and God. She lives for the rare and precious moments when she gets to see everyone together.