Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 86632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Motioning for her to go in, I couldn’t hide my smile.
Everyone cried out the second she was in the room.
“Congratulations!”
Brystol let out a small yelp of surprise, then turned to me. “You booked this room?”
I laughed. “Yes! I thought you’d have figured it out by now.”
She threw herself into my arms and hugged me. “I love you, Gavin Quinn. This is the best day of my life!”
“For now,” I said as I drew back and winked. I gave her a quick kiss, took her coat off, and we were soon surrounded by our family and friends, all trying to get a look at the ring and offer their congratulations.
The rest of the evening was filled with good food, great conversation, and one very happy Brystol.
“Gavin!”
I closed my eyes and Declan laughed. “What’s wrong?”
“She’s either going to ask me to build something, or she is going to ask me to get her some kind of weird food combination.”
“If it were me, I’d be hoping for the food.”
I laughed. “You would think. But last week she asked me to blend meatloaf and mashed potatoes in the blender because the texture of the meat was making her feel sick. Let me just tell you, pouring that into a glass and watching the woman you love chug it…it’s not pretty. I almost threw up.”
Declan screwed up his face. “That sounds disgusting.”
“It was. And the way she downed it.” I shivered. “I feel like I’m going to throw up just thinking about it again.”
“Gavin!” Brystol called again.
“You better go; her voice went up a few octaves.”
I jogged up the steps and found Brystol in the nursery, on a ladder. “What in the hell are you doing? Brystol! You’re seven months pregnant!”
She glanced over her shoulder. “I was trying to hang these curtains, but I’m afraid to go up any higher.”
I quickly made my way into the room and helped her off the ladder. “If you want anything hung up, just ask me, okay? I don’t want you on the ladder.”
Smiling, she reached up and kissed me. “I will. I thought I could do it, but I guess I’m bigger than I thought I was. My belly was getting in the way of climbing up.”
I laughed. Picking up the curtains, I looked them over. “How do they go up?”
“These little clips. I have them all attached to the curtain, you just need to slip the rod through them and get the curtains even on each side.”
“Need any help?” Declan asked as he made his way into the room.
Pointing to the other side of the room, I replied, “If you want to grab that step ladder and help.”
I climbed up the ladder, took the rod down, and slid the rings onto it. Declan grabbed the rod and we placed it back into the holders.
“Does it look even?” I asked Declan.
“What do you mean?”
“Like is your side spread out even like mine?”
Declan stared at me. “How in the hell would I know? I’m looking at it the same way you are.”
“The rings, are they spread out evenly, like mine are?”
He looked back at the curtain rod and adjusted some of the rings. It felt like it was taking forever.
“They don’t have to be exactly the same distance apart, Declan!”
He huffed. “There, I think that’s even. Can you say yours is this evenly spaced?”
After looking at his then mine, I made a few adjustments on mine then asked, “How is that, Bry?”
When Brystol didn’t answer, I looked over my shoulder. “Brystol?”
“Is that bacon I smell?”
Sighing, I got off the ladder. “Good Lord, what is she making now?”
Declan folded up the step stool. “How long were we messing with the curtains that she had time to get downstairs and make bacon?”
“Never underestimate a pregnant woman.”
When we both walked into the kitchen, we came to an abrupt stop. Declan grabbed onto my arm as I stared at Brystol while she wrapped bacon around a pickle.
“Is she…is she?” Declan whispered. He let out a gasp as she took a bite. Turning, he rushed out of the kitchen.
“Brystol, you just made Declan run from the kitchen with your choice of snacks. He’s probably throwing up in our half bath as we speak.”
She looked at me with an innocent expression. “It’s good!” she replied, holding out the pickle. “Want some?”
I held up my hands. “I think I’ll pass, babe.”
Shrugging, she said, “You don’t know what you are missing out on.”
“I think I’ll take the chance.”
Declan walked back into the kitchen.
“You okay, dude?” I asked.
He nodded. “I’ve seen some terrible things during my time in the Marines, but nothing has ever made me hurl like the sight of a pickle wrapped in bacon.”
“You know what I’m craving for lunch.”
Declan whimpered.
“No telling,” I replied.
“Mac and cheese with lo mein.” She smiled. “Oh! And did you buy more mustard?”