by SJ McCoy
Her arms came up around his neck and their towels felt to the ground as she pressed herself against him. “And I love you, Bigshot.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Holly looked across at Pete, her fiancé! She was happy to let him drive her new car to Gramps', she didn't know her way around Summer Lake yet anyway. Though, as he'd told her this morning, she'd have the rest of her life to learn. He was making all her dreams come true. This beautiful place, their wonderful friends up here, he was sharing it all with her. It was her life now too. Most of all though, HE was her dream come true. He was hers, he only wanted her, and he wanted her enough to change his plan. They were getting married!
They'd gone to see his parents this morning to share the good news. She'd confessed to him before they went that she was a little nervous. They really were from a different world than she was.
“But Sweetheart, you felt that way about me remember? And besides, you and Mom seemed to be getting along very well, until I showed up and spoiled it.”
He'd been right of course. Anne had immediately put her at ease. Holly really did like her, and Graham, he was just like Pete! How lucky was she to get wonderful in-laws thrown in with her gorgeous fiancé? Everything about them, and their huge home, was grand, classy, and clearly very wealthy, but at the same time so warm, inviting – and fun! She could see that Pete's sense of fun was definitely a family trait. From Anne waggling her elegant eyebrows very suggestively, when she'd inquired how soon she could expect grand_babies, to Graham swatting his wife's backside as she'd bent over, everything about them was light-hearted and loving. She hoped Pete would like her family even half as much as she liked his. She felt a little bad that she hadn't even called them yet to tell them. She hoped her Dad would forgive Pete for not following the old ways. Her family were quite traditional, both her brothers-in-law had sought his permission before asking for his daughters' hands. She was sure Pete would win him over though.
That beautiful smile was playing on his lips as he reached for her hand and held it on top of his thigh as he drove.
“What are you smirking at, Bigshot?”
“How happy I am. How lucky I am. How dumb I was being, and what great friends we have. Most of all, I'm smiling because I love you, Sweetheart. I can't quite believe that you love me back. That we're going to get married, and that we have our whole lives ahead of us. Together.”
Holly still couldn't quite believe it either. “I feel the same way, Pete. I keep wanting to pinch you. I'm scared I'll wake up and find it was all just a dream.”
He squeezed her hand. “It's no dream. Welcome to our new reality.” He turned the car onto the West Shore Road toward Gramps' place. “We need to figure out what this reality is going to look like too.”
“How do you mean?”
“Well, like we said, we're together, that's everything, the rest is just detail. But the details still need to be determined. Like whether you're going to do the plaza with me. How much time you want to spend at the store, or in LA at all. How much time we want to spend up here. What we're going to do with the house here.” He grinned at her. “I told you in the beginning that you have impeccable timing. Well, you're in time to have your input on how we build our house. The basic plans are done, but I'm sure Jack can tweak it, if you want to change it. We can do whatever you like with the interior, finishes, appliances, flooring, all that stuff. I want you to have what you want.”
Holly just stared at him. This wasn't like any reality she'd ever known. “Pete, that's so sweet of you, but I already have what I want, and that's you. I don't want you to change your life or how you build your house. I certainly don't want you spending more money on me. I know all that stuff is important to you, but it doesn't mean anything to me. All I want is to love you, and for you to love me.”
He smiled across at her. “I do love you, Sweetheart. The stuff is no more important to me than it is to you. If you can honestly tell me you'd be happier, we can go live in your townhouse. I don't care as long as we're together. But I don't think you would be happier, you're just not used to having options. I want you to get used to it. Remember my old plan was about holding off, until I had everything in place for the right woman and our family. Because of your impeccable timing, you came along sooner than I planned. It's so much better this way. You're not just stepping into the life I prepared, we get to build it together, to suit us both.” He shook her hand so the bracelet jangled on her wrist. “Remember I said it's about building the best life you can? It took Nate to remind me what that really means. He also said I become something more when I'm with you. It's true. I don't want you to fit into my life, I want more than that. I want US to build OUR life, which will be something so much better than I could ever build alone. I want everything that you bring to the relationship. I'm happy to admit that you bring things I don't have, and I want you to share them with me. I hope you will accept and want to share what I bring. Does that make sense to you?”
She leaned across and kissed his cheek. “It does. I may struggle for a while though, to get used it. Your world really is so very different from mine. You don't know where I come from, my family, my life, where I grew up. It's not like this.” She loved her family, but her background was so different.
“We'll both have a lot of learning and adjusting to do as we figure this out, Sweetheart. And,” he shot her a sideways glance, “We can get started on it tomorrow afternoon.” His lips were curving up at the corners.
What was he up to now? “What are we doing tomorrow afternoon, Bigshot? She laughed.
“Going to see your folks.”
“Sunday afternoon? But everyone will be there. My sisters, the kids, everyone. It's a madhouse on Sundays. We could go in the week?” No way did she want his first encounter with her crazy clan to be the full-on Sunday experience. There would be kids running around screaming, television blaring, bothers-in-law in the back yard, drinking beer and working on motorcycles.
He was grinning at her. “Sorry, Sweetheart, but they're expecting us tomorrow.”
“They're what?!”
“That's where I went on Friday. To see your Dad, ask his permission. I promised that, if you said yes, we'd be over Sunday afternoon, just like the rest of the family. You might want to call them to let them know?”
She stared at him in disbelief. “You did what?”
His grin grew even bigger. “Sweetheart, I couldn't ask you to marry me without seeing your Dad first. I think he likes me. I think your Mom does too. You're not ashamed of me are you?”
She let go of his hand and pinched him, hard.
“Ouch!”
“You deserved that one! You know damned well I'm not ashamed of you. And Pete, you do know I'm not ashamed of my family either?” She didn't want want him to think that. She just didn't know how to build a bridge between two such different worlds.
His eyes softened now, “Yes, Sweetheart, I do. I just know you still have some hang-ups about our differences. I figured the quickest way to get over them is to let me into your life. I told you, you bring things to the table that I want. I can't wait to have sisters and brothers-in-law, nephews and nieces. To be part of a big rowdy family. You don't get any of that as an only child of older parents, you know.”
“Be careful what you wish for, Bigshot. You have no idea.” He was right of course. They were getting married, their different worlds would become one big mix. When she thought about it, her family would love him. He would love them. She could even imagine her Mom with Anne. She smiled at him now. Then pinched him one more time. “Are you sure you're real? I'm starting to think this is all too good to be true.”
“It's for real. I'm for real, WE are for real.” He squeezed her hand as he pulled off the road and into Gramps' driveway. “Now, are you ready for this?”
She smiled and nodded. She couldn't wait to see their friends' reactions when they told them. Emma was going to be so smug, and she didn't mind at all. There were quite a few cars along the dri
veway. She could see Missy's van and Jack's truck. The whole gang were sitting at one of the long tables they'd used for the wedding reception. Gramps and Jack were working the grill.
Missy was the first to spot them as they walked down the path. “Yay!” She shouted. “You finally saw sense!”
Pete put his arm around Holly's shoulders and grinned. “Yeah. With a little help from my friends. Thanks, Miss.”
Jack came over from the grill to shake Pete's hand and slap his back. “About time, Bro!” He turned to Holly, hugged her, and clasped her hand. She watched his eyes grow big as he saw the ring. He looked at Pete with a huge grin. “New plan?”
Pete laughed and pulled her against him. “Yep. Thanks, partner. Meet my new plan.”
“Em! Guys! You need to see this.” Everyone crowded around them as Jack held her hand up to show off the ring.
“Yes!” cried Missy.
“Oh my goodness!” shouted Emma. “I was right! Congratulations! I'm so happy for you both!”
Dan came and hugged her. “Didn't I tell you?” He laughed.
Ben punched Pete's arm, “Told you, Bud!”
Laura admired the ring, eyes wide. “That is sooo beautiful. Congratulations, girlfriend!”
Holly beamed at them all, this really was her life now. Pete stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She felt as though her world was filled with all the warmth and light he brought. She was back where she belonged, in his arms, in this place, with all these wonderful people who were her friends too, she really did belong here.
Pete planted a kiss on the top of her head and looked around at everyone. “So,” he grinned. “Who wants to help plan a wedding?”
***
A Note From SJ
I hope you enjoyed Holly and Pete's story and getting to know Summer Lake and it's residents. If you did, please consider letting your friends know about the book, if you feel they might like it too.
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Love
SJ
Missy and Dan are up next, Sign up for the Newsletter for updates.
If this is the first Summer Lake Romance you've read, be sure to check out Book #1,
Jack and Emma's story, Love Like You've Never Been Hurt
Table Of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two