Page 55 of Only Ever You

I grin. “Just gave Pippa a come to Jesus moment.”

Pippa’s eyes are wide, and Simone snorts. “I do not want to know what that means. Garrett’s giving his speech, and he says you won’t want to miss it.”

A crowd is gathered around Garrett, and from what I can hear he’s listing facts and figures for the year. He’s a details man, who sometimes forgets not everyone else is.

“I’d also like to announce that …” Garrett lets out a sigh. “This will be the last product release with our current face of Infinity Drinks, Adeline Walsh. In the new year, we’ll be running a Face of Infinity competition to line up with our new health drink products aimed at a younger demographic.”

To my left, there’s a gasp and I don’t need to look to know it’s Adeline.

“Did you know about this?” Simone mutters.

“Nope. Garrett’s making this up on the fly.”

She snickers. “I never did like that woman.”

Pippa’s stiff as a board in my arms, and I press a kiss to the back of her neck.

“So, I’d like to thank Adeline for all the work she’s done these past five years.” Garrett nods toward her.

“This wasn’t planned?” Pippa whispers.

I shake my head. “I knew nothing about it. Garrett has a habit of going rogue from time to time, but given he’s the genius behind all this, we let him roll if it’s not going to hit the rest of us.”

“But why?”

I tilt my head. “If I had to guess, it’s because she overstepped with you.”

Pippa’s brows knit in confusion. “Me?”

“Garrett knows what you mean to me, Pip. They all do. You’re family as far as they’re concerned.”

Her expression softens. “I didn’t know.”

“Garrett and Victor and Mallory—they are my family. They know what I went through with my mum, and the four of us have been together through thick and thin. And now you’re part of our family.”

Pippa slides her arm around my waist. I wrap my arms around her shoulders and close my eyes, breathing her in.

Adeline’s gaze is fixed on Pippa, and I glare at her until her eyes reach mine. She flinches before turning to one of her friends, and while I don’t hear what she says, it’s not good. But I couldn’t care less. She had her claws out for my girl, and while I had no idea Garrett would do this, I’m not unhappy about it.

I’ve never been in love—never told a woman I love her. Not until Pippa.

She’s it for me.

Chapter Seventeen

Deacon

After the product launch, we settled into a routine.

Pippa barely went back to her flat—it helped that she loved mine.

And it turned out declaring my love gave her even more confidence in us.

She knows she’s loved, and not just by me. They know not to cross any lines, but Pippa’s the most loved person in our team.

“You nearly ready to go home?” I ask.

With a roll of her eyes, she tilts her head, giving me an affectionate look. “Home?”

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