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“Are you crazy?”
“Not at all. Best bet I ever lost.” His lips tugged upward in the biggest smile he’d ever had. Gerard couldn’t help it. He’d never been happier than he was at this moment. Losing that bet was the best thing that ever happened to him.
“What was the bet?”
“Two years without a woman. On our arm or in our bed.”
Her eyes widened. “Holy shit. I’m glad you lost it, but that’s a lot of money.”
“I think that bet helped open my eyes. Reverse psychology. So, worth it. Totally.”
He ran a hand up her side, causing Rowan to squirm and giggle. “Seems I’m not the only one who’s ticklish.” He grabbed for her, but she pushed off and ran away. He caught her at the foot of the bed, and the day fell away as they surrounded themselves with nothing but each other.
Later, after a shower that was as much fun as the bed, Rowan lay in Gerard’s arms in wonder. Yesterday, she’d seen nothing but a bleak future ahead of her. Today, the sun blinded her. All because they chose to take a chance on love.
“Penny for your thoughts,” he said, tucking her in more snugly to his side.
“I was thinking about how much has changed. How bright the future looks.”
“Together,” he murmured into her hair.
“Together,” she answered, feeling the tug of sleep.
“Oh, remind me later to tell you something Mom told me,” she murmured.
“What’s that?” His voice was husky with sleep.
“Nothing that can’t wait.”
“Mmmm.”
She lay listening as his breathing slowed, mulling over all the surprises the past couple days had wrought. And finally drifted off with a smile that wouldn’t stop and a heart bursting with happiness.
Together.
Epilogue
Two month's later.
Gerard, unwilling to take his arm from around his wife’s waist, watched as his sister oohed and ahhed over Rowan’s wedding ring for the about the seventh time since their wedding at City Hall a month ago.
“Still loving this Celtic knot design.”
Rowan smiled up at her husband. “He knows what my Irish heritage means to me.”
With a light squeeze, he acknowledged the compliment. Anything that was important to Rowan was important to him. Including the newly formed Barrett and McCarthy Investment Group, complete with a changed board. Rowan’s mother, unwilling to take on day to day business, elected to fill the board seat vacated by Silverman. A much better option in Gerard’s point of view.
Now that the bulk of the consolidation work and the press conference were done, he and Rowan could finally take a few days to themselves.
“Come on, you two,” Rose said, ushering them out the door. “Go make grandbabies.”
“Mother!” Rowan said, whirling on her mother.
“What? You think I don’t know what honeymoons are all about? Now go. Emersyn and I can handle anything here for a while.”
Gerard found her suggestion intriguing and one he planned to fully enjoy. However, he’d learned quickly that giving Rose the upper hand only made her grab for more. “Mrs. McCarthy, we need to talk about a few things first.”
Rose stopped so fast he almost tripped over his own feet trying to halt his forward momentum. Rose put her hands on her hips. “Did you, or did you not, marry my daughter?”
