It's About Time (Blossom Peak #4)(120)
“Yes, Elliot,” she whispers against my lips. “I guess I’ll marry you for real.”
“You guess, huh?”
“I mean, we got really good at playing pretend, so…”
I cup the side of her face, studying her dark eyes. “I don’t think this ever was pretend for me, baby. You changed my fucking life.”
“I love you,” she mumbles against my mouth before kissing me again. “I love you more than I ever thought possible.”
“Fuck, I love you too.” Dilynne wraps her arms around me, keeping her mouth tangled with mine until we finally part and I slip the ring on her finger. “I hope you like this.”
“Are you kidding? It’s black like my soul and the color of grease. It’s perfect!”
“Your soul isn’t black, Dilynne.”
“I’m just joking.”
“ Well, don’t joke about something like that. Your soul woke mine up and I wouldn’t be the man I am today if it weren’t for you.”
***
Two Months Later
“Okay, no more snacks. It’s time to play some blackjack,” Laney says as she wipes her hands on her leggings and rubs her belly.
“You heard the woman. Deal,” Fletcher tells me as he rests his arm on the back of Laney’s chair.
Henley leans closer to Elodie. “Okay, do you remember what we talked about? What the rules are?”
Elodie glares at him. “For the hundredth time, yes, Henley. Now leave me alone so I can kick your ass and make you regret ever doubting that I should play blackjack with you in the first place.”
Laney claps her hands together. “Spoken like a true wife.”
Elodie wiggles her fingers on her left hand, letting the light hit her engagement ring. “In a few more months, that will be true.”
Henley plants a kiss on her cheek. “The only person I could stand losing to for the rest of my life is you, sweetheart.”
She smiles over at him. “Aw, that’s nice that you’re trying to suck up to me, baby. But I’m out for blood,” she says, turning her focus back to the table before rubbing her palms together.
Dilynne nods. “Hell yes. We’re going to make you boys regret not letting us play with you.”
Rhonan raises a brow at her. “I think based on the animosity I’m sensing, we might already be regretting the agreement to this anyway.”
Vie nna glares at Rhonan, rubbing her pregnant belly as well. “Look, life is changing and it’s about time you boys change with it. You’re all married now or soon to be,” she says, glancing over at me and Dilynne because we’re getting married in just a few short days.
It’s the week of Thanksgiving and since Fletcher didn’t have to play on the holiday this year, we decided to take advantage of him being home and get married so all of our friends could be there.
“So your traditions that started before us need to be readjusted to make room for the women that have decided to put up with your asses for the rest of your lives,” Vienna continues.
Laney high fives her across the table. “I couldn’t have said it better myself. Plus, there’s about to be two new babies added to the mix, so the Blackjack Brotherhood is growing, boys. Embrace it.”
I glance around at my friends, finding each one of them with a smirk on their lips because the girls are right. Our family—the one that we’ve chosen for ourselves—has grown so much in the past year that none of us could have predicted this is where we’d end up.
But even through the obstacles, losses and lessons, one thing has remained true: the ability to actually trust someone, to believe they want prosperity for you just as much as themselves, and that jealousy won’t rear its ugly head and motivate people to do insane things—that’s the type of friendship that few people are ever lucky enough to find.
But I found it with my boys a.k.a. The Blackjack Brotherhood.
And I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that never changes.
THE END
** *
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Elodie's friend Lennon, and her sisters, are the leads in my next series!
Get ready to discover Garnet Valley, coming this October!
Also By Harlow James
Garnet Valley Series
Who the Heart Chooses (Lennon and Easton)
***
Blossom Peak Series
All This Time (Fletcher and Laney)
On Borrowed Time (Henley and Elodie)
Test of Time (Rhonan and Vienna) It's About Time (Elliot and Di lynne) ***
Carrington Cove Series
Somewhere You Belong (Dallas and Willow)
Someone You Deserve (Penn and Astrid)
Sometimes You Fall (Grady and Scottie)
Someday You Learn (Parker and Cashlynn)
Somehow You Knew (Gage and Hazel)
***
The Ladies Who Brunch (rom-coms with a ton of spice)
Never Say Never (Charlotte and Damien)
No One Else (Amelia and Ethan)
Now’s The Time (Penelope and Maddox)
Not As Planned (Noelle and Grant)
Nice Guys Still Finish (Jeffrey and Ariel)