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Grim leaned against their dad. Damn but he’d come a longway. He used to be stiff and formal, and now he leaned against the old man likehe had the right to comfort him. Because he did. “I like my watch, too. Don’tworry about it, Dad. My main question is where did you put the one for Pops? Heloses everything.”
Pops chuckled. “He had Big Tag…well, tag me a long time ago.It’s in my right butt cheek. If it helps, he’s got one in his butt, too.”
“Well, mine is in my everyday collar,” his mother announced.
Josh shook his head. “Necklace. Can we call it a necklace?”
“Prude,” his mother admonished. “Now we can share the app heuses and all keep track of one another.”
“I only use it in emergencies.” His father had put an armaround Grim. “I promise. I know I call Chase paranoid, but I’ve seen somethings in my time I can’t forget.”
“And apparently Pops has too,” Grim said with a whistle. “Heknew exactly what to do when we needed to close Harlow’s wound.”
His mom shook her head. “Yes, we all remember how to dothat. It’s burned in my brain forever. But let’s talk about more pleasantthings. I know you guys are happy with the guest house, but we thought youmight need more room.”
“We’re fine.” Grim looked horrified at the thought. “Theguest house is perfect. It’s great.”
“They’re not kicking us out.” Josh knew exactly what scaredhis brother. “And those three bedrooms with no office and no…space for otherthings is going to feel tight after a while. We might take some time before wetalk about having kids, but we’ll want more room when it happens. I was goingto suggest finding some land close by.”
They’d sat by her bedside the night before and talked aboutthe family they wanted to build. Nicole had told him she wanted at least twokids, and maybe three, and she wanted them close together so they wouldn’t feelalone. Like she had.
“We bought the ranch next door, and it’s our wedding presentto you,” Dad announced.
Grim’s eyes went wide. “You bought Ezekiel’s land?”
Dad nodded. “I told you he would leave when he realized thetown is changing. The sheriff had a long talk with him about the fact that he’sgoing to start ticketing him and the boys when they harass the citizens. I madehim a good offer, and he’ll be out in three weeks. Grim, I hope you’re notupset about your brothers leaving.”
“My brother is here,” Grim said quietly. “My brother wouldnever leave me.”
From here on out, he thought Grim wouldn’t worry about hisfamily. The universe had made a mistake, and he’d been born to the wrongpeople. It was corrected now. Or maybe there was no fate at all, merely awide-open willingness to let more love in. Like his parents always did.
“So you bought us a ranch for a wedding present? You knowwhen you go over the top, you go way over the top,” Josh said with a grin sincehe knew exactly what his dad was doing.
“We’re so grateful,” Nicole began.
“Yes, and Olivia will be, too, when she moves into the guesthouse and our parents can go back to their pre-children naked time,” Josh saidwith a shake of his head. “You better change the locks because we’ll still walkin at all times of the day.”
“Oh, I’ll keep a robe in every room,” his mom said, her armaround Pop’s waist. She cuddled against him. “I remember how to do it. And it’sgoing to be a while because you’re going to need to build. That ramshackle oldhouse needs to come down, and I would prefer you built a wee bit closer to thebig house. I don’t want my grandbabies having to walk miles to see their mimi. Who will be dressed for the grandbabies. But I haveto admit, I’m looking forward to some privacy. Just a little.”
He might joke about his parents’ sex life, but he was happyfor them. They were still so in love. It was everything he and Grim wanted withNicole.
“I get to build a whole house?” Nicole asked.
His mother nodded. “Yes. It’s going to be so much fun. We’llbring in a designer and get it perfect. But we also have to start talking aboutthe wedding. I assume there is going to be a wedding.”
“Not that anyone has asked me properly,” Nicole replied witha grin.
“I think you should be patient, baby. We might have plans,”Grim offered. “We’re going to do this right. How about you get better and we goback to Austin for a weekend? I bet you come home with a ring on your finger.”
Because they’d already found the perfect one. It was beingresized for Nicole, and they intended to slip it on her finger when she washealed. They had sat in the waiting room while Nicole had been in surgery, andthey wouldn’t even think about something going wrong. They’d planned the futurebecause there wasn’t much of one without her. They had a whole game plan on howthey were going to make it an engagement night to remember.
“I have some magazines with wedding ideas,” his mother wassaying.
“We’re going to have to up our prices,” Pops said with ashake of his head. “She’s going to turn this into a royal wedding.”
His mom and future wife were off, planning and laughing.
“I think we can handle it,” his dad said with a satisfiedsmile. His smile suddenly turned upside down and super serious. “Now we onlyhave to worry about Olivia.”
