CHAPTER 30

Brian

I woke up to Amanda talking excitedly on her phone in the corner. She was sitting on the windowsill with her legs curled up to her, a bright smile on her face. I rolled over with a groan and looked at her, my eyes running along the smooth contour of her legs.

“That’s wonderful. Yes. Yes, please, go ahead. I’ll be down there this afternoon. Uh huh. One o’clock tomorrow sounds perfect. I’ll see you then. And thank you. Thank you so very much.”

“Who was that?” I asked.

“Brian, you’re never going to guess what just happened.”

I sat up in bed as Amanda turned her smile toward me.

“What happened? Who was that?” I asked.

“That was the man from the art gallery. He chose me to sell the gallery to!”

“Wow. Amanda, that’s incredible.” My heart felt lighter than it had in years. Amanda was bouncing around with excitement as she wiggled herself around. I slid from the bed and wrapped my arms around her, drawing her in for a congratulatory kiss. I felt my soul collapsing into her, and the last of my walls dropping.

This woman had me enraptured — body, mind, and soul.

“I’m so happy for you,” I said.

“Well, good morning to you, too.” She drew me back in for another kiss as I picked her up into my arms. My hands cupped her ass as her legs wrapped around me. I could feel my cock throbbing painfully beneath my pajama pants, seeking out her warmth as her heat grew. I could smell her already. Her intoxicating scent filling the space around us as she threaded her body around mine.

“Is this a good time to ask when we’re getting married?” I asked.

Amanda pulled her body away from mine as I sat down on the windowsill and captured her eyes.

“You still want to marry me?” she asked.

“Yeah, Amanda, I do,” I said to her. “But I think we need to talk about some things first.”

“Yes, we do,” she said.

“What do you have going on at one tomorrow?” I asked, suddenly remembering her conversation.

“The owner’s expediting the paperwork. I have to go into town today to fill out the loan paperwork and then I’m going down to sign for the place tomorrow.”

“That’s amazing, Amanda. We can talk after all of that is taken care of. I’m so proud of you.”

I gazed into her eyes before a small knock came at the door. Lanie came walking in as Amanda scooted off my lap. Her movements weren’t as quick as they were the last time Lanie almost caught us. She didn’t try to jump away from me or make it look like we weren’t up to anything.

It gave me hope that our conversation would be a good one.

“Breakfast, please?” Lanie asked.

“Of course you can have breakfast,” Amanda said. “What would you like?”

“Cereal and milk,” Lanie said.

“Hmmm, that depends. Can I get a kiss?”

Lanie grabbed Amanda’s cheeks and pressed a kiss right to her lips. The two of them giggled as Amanda carried Lanie out of the room, her hips swaying as she held my little girl close. I quickly threw on a shirt and followed them out there. Lanie was talking at the table as Amanda poured her a bowl of cereal, and I started a pot of coffee as a knock came at the door.

“You expecting anyone?” Amanda asked.

“No. Did Sarah say she was coming by?” I asked.

“Nope. I told her I’d call her, but she never said anything about coming by.”

“Open up, doofus. I know you’re in there.” I recognized Jack’s voice instantly. Lanie’s eyes grew as she gasped with delight, scurrying down from the table as Amanda set her bowl of cereal down. I opened the door, and Lanie went rushing for Jack, wrapping her arms around his leg.

“Uncle Jack! You’re here!” Lanie said.

“Yes, I am. And this is for you,” Jack said.

“Whoa! It’s bigger than me, Daddy!”

Jack’s eyebrows hiked up with surprise as I beamed down at my niece.

“Yes, it is. Do you want help carrying it to your room?” I asked.

“No. I got it,” Lanie said.

I ushered Jack into the house as Lanie struggled to get the bear down the hallway. Amanda stayed behind the kitchen counter, her cheeks a vibrant red as I looked over at her. I shifted myself between Jack’s view and her body as she ran down the hallway, looking for a pair of pants to put on as I embraced my friend.

“Congratulations,” Jack said.

“I didn’t think you got my voice message. I never heard back from you,” I said.

“I was too busy booking a plane ticket. I wanted to come out here and congratulate you in person. This is a huge fucking deal. I wasn’t missing this.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re here,” I said.

“You must be Jack,” Amanda said.

She walked up beside me and held her hand out for my best friend. He took her hand and brought it to his lips to kiss and I felt a small twinge of jealousy taint my stomach. Amanda grinned and shook her head, then she wrapped her arm around me and held me close.

“I came by to congratulate Brian on his custody battle win,” Jack said.

“Well, we’re glad you’re here. Are you hungry? The coffee’s almost done brewing. I could cook everyone something?”

“Do you have a specialty?” Jack asked.

“Omelets and bacon,” Amanda said.

“That sounds phenomenal.”

“You don’t have to cook if you don’t want to. I can get it,” I said.

“Sit down and have some time with your friend. You let me have mine. Now take yours,” Amanda said.

“I like her. Listen to the beautiful woman. Come sit down and talk with me,” Jack said.

A few minutes later, Lanie came running back out. She dove into Jack’s lap and curled up next to him, telling him about all the things she’s done lately. She told him about our hike and about how she peed like a big girl yesterday. She told him about how Amanda always had tea parties with her and promised they could dress up next time. She told him about all the times she watched Snow White and how she had been sick for a little bit but was feeling better.

“Lanie. Let’s give Uncle Jack some time to breathe,” I said.

“Time to breathe? Lanie, does it sound like I need time to breathe?” Jack asked.

“No, Uncle Jack!”

I heard Amanda’s giggle flutter from the kitchen as the smells of breakfast permeated the cabin. She was making omelets and frying up bacon like it was something she did every morning. Jack was rolling around on the floor with Lanie and I was staring at Amanda, running my eyes up and down her beautiful body as bacon grease popped in the pan.

“She’s a beautiful woman,” Jack said.

“That she is,” I said.

“You know if the three of you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask.”

“I appreciate it,” I said.

“That’s a pretty big rock on her finger…”

“It’s a pretty big rock for a pretty complicated situation,” I said.

“Do you love her?”

I whipped my head around at Jack’s question.

“What?” I asked.

“Do you love her?”

“What does that have to do with anything?” I asked.

“Everything, my friend. I saw the way you just looked at her. You’re more than a little infatuated.”

“Breakfast is almost ready, you two,” Amanda said.

“It smells wonderful,” I said.

“Divine, even,” Jack said.

“Keep talking like that and I might trade the two of you out,” Amanda said, grinning.

I felt another pang of jealousy punch me right in the gut, robbing me of the air in my lungs.

“Oh, yeah. You’re in love,” Jack said, chuckling.

“Could you keep your voice down?” I asked.

“All I’m asking is if you love her. It’s less complicated than you think,” he said.

“And how’s that?” I asked.

“Because I can tell by the way she’s looking at you right now that she loves you.”

My eyes whipped back over to Amanda and she dropped her gaze to the plates. She was scooping up everyone food before she carried it to the table. Her cheeks were tinted with a healthy red glow as a smirk plastered itself on her beautiful face.

“You think so?” I asked.

“I know so,” Jack said. “Talk to her. Tell her. Don’t wait another second. You’ve lost enough in this life. It’s time you started gaining a bit.”

“Breakfast is served,” Amanda said. “Coffee all around?”

“The perfect drink to top off the perfect breakfast,” Jack said.

“Oh, he really is a charmer, isn’t he?” Amanda asked.

“Only to women who are truly beautiful,” I said.

Amanda’s eyes locked with mine and she blushed again, but it was the look in her eye that caught my attention. I could’ve sworn there was nothing in her eyes but adoration, but the moment was so fleeting that I couldn’t be sure.

But Jack was. Jack was beyond sure.

“Told you,” he said.

“Shut up and let’s eat,” I said.