by Lacey Wolfe
Eve pulled away from him. “Brad, let’s not argue. I’m ready for all of that, and I’m getting a puppy. End of story.”
He sighed and took her hand in his. “Okay, but don’t come knocking on my door when the dog pees on your floor or gets in your trash.”
She smiled at him. “I promise.”
Outside, she led him toward her driveway. She stopped in front of the Mustang. “Want to drive?”
“Need gas?” he asked.
She laughed and pulled the keys from her pocket. “No. Drive my car.”
His face lit up. She knew he’d wanted to drive her car since she’d parked it in the driveway. Brad wrapped his arms around her again. “Hell, yeah!”
He released her and opened the passenger side door for her to get in. As he walked around to the driver side, she couldn’t help but feel complete. Brad was her future. She was sure of it. They had all the time to figure things out—well, maybe. She wanted kids soon. After all, before she knew it, she’d be thirty-six. Her biological clock wasn’t slowing down.
“Ready?” he asked.
“As I’ll ever be.” She placed a hand on his lap. “You know what?”
“What?”
“I changed my mind.”
“Uh, about what?” He sounded uncertain.
“I don’t want that lavish wedding. I just want to get to the courthouse and do this thing. Let’s save the money for our life together.”
Brad laughed and leaned over to take her lips in a kiss with all the built-up passion from the last few days. Damn, if only this car had more room. She could go for some loving only Brad could give.
He pulled back. “I love you more and more each second.”
“Let’s go get my puppy and then figure out whose house we’re going to live in.”
“Mine, of course.” Brad backed out of the driveway.
“Why yours?”
“It’s bigger.”
“Yeah, but we could get more money a month on rent from yours.”
Brad stopped at the stop sign and looked at her. “Are we really going to fight about this now?”
Eve shrugged. “I just wanted to make sure later we make those sheets catch on fire from our spark.”
He shook his head. “Life is going to be interesting.”
Epilogue
Brad peeked into the nursery. “Are you okay?”
Eve smiled as sweetly as possible, even though she was ready to find his dog a new home. “Yes, it’s just Bo.”
Brad groaned. “What now?”
Oh, just the dirtiest habit this dog had yet. She could deal with Bo eating from the garbage can, but from the diaper pail? Ick. “He ate a diaper.”
“How do you know it wasn’t your dog?”
She raised an eyebrow. One, her dog was small and couldn’t even reach the lid. And two, her dog had never shown an interest in any trashcan. “Betsy is not into eating what comes out our child’s butt.”
Brad glanced past Eve at what she’d found on the floor. He smacked his forehead. “That’s sick. Really damn gross. Why would he want to eat that?”
Their son cooed from the crib, obviously finding it funny, too. Eve picked up Kyle and snuggled him. Brad rested his arm over her shoulder. “At least we did something right.”
“We did.” Their son was four months old and the light of their life. They had wasted no time getting married and starting a family. Especially when Eve turned thirty-six. She wasn’t waiting any longer. If she had her way, they’d have another kid before she hit thirty-nine.
“What time is your grandmother coming over?” Brad grabbed a blue blanket from the rocking chair and handed it to her.
“Any minute. She said she’s got a gift for us.” Eve couldn’t imagine what. She’d already given them so much. With the money, Brad had opened his own gym, and Eve was blissfully enjoying the life of a housewife.
“Maybe it’s another lottery ticket.” Brad winked.
“I think we’ve got enough money, don’t you?”
He shrugged. “You can never have too much.”
She rolled her eyes. “Well, last night was the winning and they said someone won. So I think it’s something else.” Carrying Kyle with her across the house, she opened the back door and whistled for the dogs. “You two go outside. I’m not happy with you.”
Betsy and Bo trotted past her into the yard.
The timer echoed from the kitchen.
“I’ll get it,” Brad called.
Eve had made her grandmother’s favorite pot roast and veggies. Grams was bringing a date, too. Though Eve wasn’t sure what his name was. Lately, her grandmother had been changing men out often, but at least she was enjoying her life.
The doorbell rang.
“Great! Grams is here,” Eve said to the baby.
Kyle cooed again.
Grams entered the home without giving her a chance to get to the door. “Where is my sweet guy?”
“Right here.” Brad came over and hugged Grams.
“Oh, not you.” She laughed, tossing her sweater onto the couch before holding her long, skinny arms out for Kyle.
“Where’s the guy?” Eve asked.
“I decided not to bring him. He was being so silly this morning.”
Eve didn’t want to know. “Well, we made your favorite.”
Grams held Kyle up in the air, and he smiled at her.
Eve put her arm around Brad’s waist. This was the life she’d always wanted. There wasn’t anything else she wanted or needed. Life was complete.
“Oh, here.” Grams handed her purse to Eve. “Your gift is in there.”
Eve looked in the purse and saw an envelope addressed to her and Brad. After setting the bag down, she opened the envelope and found a lottery ticket. There was no way. Absolutely not was this last night’s winning ticket. “Grams?”
“It’s last night’s winning numbers.”
“You’re kidding?” Was this a joke? Was Eve sleeping?
Grams laughed. “It’s only fifteen million this time.”
“Wait, more money?” Brad’s mouth dropped open, and he tugged the ticket from Eve.
“You keep it,” Eve said, not believing Grams had technically won the lottery two times in her life.
“No, it’s all yours. Put it in the savings for this cute guy.” She kissed the baby’s cheek. “He’s going to be a doctor, so you’ll need the money for his college tuition.”
Eve glanced at Brad, who stared back at her with as much shock.
“Father’s Day is coming up.” Eve winked. “Maybe you can get a new car. That truck won’t last forever. Just don’t fight me about it.”
Brad kissed her cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Acknowledgments
Thank you to Emma Lai for sending me a direct message on facebook one day, telling me she had the perfect idea for me. She planted the seeds in my head for Ticket To Love, and I am forever grateful. This story is one of my more humor filled, fun stories.
Ella Jade and Tamaria Soana for pre-reading this story and helping me work out all the kinks in it. I’d be lost without you two ladies reading my stories.
Thank you Limitless Publishing for taking my story on and giving it a home with your press. Toni is an excellent editor and I’m pleased with the work we did.
And finally to my readers’. This wouldn’t be worth it without you. I love hearing from you, so please don’t be shy!
About the Author
Lacey Wolfe has always had a passion for words, whether it’s getting lost in a book or writing her own. Her goal as an author is to have a romance for everyone, whether it’s sweet, sensual, or spicy. She’s had several books on the Amazon best sellers lists. When she isn’t writing, she can be found running, talking to her pets, breaking up fights between her children, or lost in some sort of craft. Oh, and she takes kindly to anyone who feeds her cookies.
Lacey lives in Georgia with her husband, son and daughter,
their six cats and one black lab who rules the house.
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