Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 132951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 665(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 665(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
I tip my head up to find my husband gazing down at me with love. “Best birthday ever.”
EPILOGUE
CONNOR
“Everly, please put your phone down and finish your breakfast,” I say for the tenth time.
“My hair is doing something weird.” She slides her phone back in her pocket, though, before I can confiscate it.
“Your hair looks great,” Mildred assures her.
“You look beautiful as always,” Meems confirms.
“Thanks, Meems.” Everly nuzzles Meems’s arm like a happy cat. “You’re beautiful, too.”
“Thanks, sweetheart.” Meems kisses the top of her head.
Meems is just as taken with the twins as Mildred and I are.
“I’m too nervous to eat,” Everly declares. Then she douses her pancakes in two liters of maple syrup and takes a bite anyway. She chews and pushes her plate away. “I’ll eat these as a snack later.”
“Can I do the same?” Victor asks. Normally he’s like a vacuum cleaner with the way he hoovers up food, but today his plate is still half full.
“I’ll throw some snacks in my bag,” Mildred offers.
“And we’re having a celebratory lunch after anyway,” I remind them, adjusting my tie.
Mildred pushes her chair back and stands, moving toward me. Her hands settle on my chest, grounding me. “You a little nervous, too?” she asks.
“Excited mostly. I just can’t wait to make it official.” The twins have been with us for the past six months. As soon as they moved in, Mildred and I started the process of formally adopting them. We want them forever. Today we’re signing the adoption papers.
“Me either.” She pushes up on her toes, and I bend to accept the kiss.
“Arms out everyone!” Meems declares.
We all extend one to the centre of the table, palm up and she drops a new bracelet into each of our palms.
“Oooh! These ones are flashy!” Everly’s eyes are lit up with joy.
“That’s because they’re special.” Meems winks.
Each one has Grace Family in gold lettered beads, followed by each of our names.
In just a couple of hours, Victor and Everly will be ours. We’ll be our own little family, not just in our hearts, but on paper, too. For the first time in my life, I truly belong to someone.
Every time I sat next to Mildred at a hockey game, every smile she graced me with, every word she spoke—wrapped themselves around my heart.
I thought I was helping her and getting what I wanted in the process, but then she gave me her heart. And claimed mine.
I’m her sweet villain and she’s my little menace.
We belong to each other until the end of forever.
And that might just be long enough.