Page 78 of The Sweet Spot

“Kennedy, you look perfect. How about you get changed and go with Lindy next door to get a cupcake? Would that be okay?”

Her big golden eyes see way more than she lets on as she nods her head. “Are you okay, Brynlee?”

“I will be, honey. Don’t worry about me.” I turn to Everly and plaster on the fakest smile of my life. “Can you please get me out of this dress before Deacon gets up here?”

“Pretty sure it’s not bad luck if you’ve already married the groom, Brynn,” she whispers, then shuts up when I throw a glare her way.

By the time Deacon gets here, I’m sitting on a couch in Everly’s office in a silk robe with the phone on speaker and horrible elevator music filling the room.

His wild eyes catch mine as he squats down in front of me, and my mom and dad walk into the room, carefully closing the door behind them.

“You brought the whole family,” I laugh halfheartedly.

“I called your father when Grace went to go get Deacon,” Mom offers, and I see my dad take her hand in his.

“Your brother is waiting outside the door,” Dad tells me, and I notice the gym clothes and tape on his hands. I guess he was working with Killian when Mom called.

“Miss St. James,” Dr. Ambrosano says as the music cuts off abruptly. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“It’s actually Mrs. Kane now,” I tell her, looking at my handsome husband, who has his hands resting on my hips as he watches my every breath.

“We received the results of your test, Mrs. Kane.” An entire lifetime passes in the seconds before she speaks again. “They came back negative.”

She keeps talking, but as my face falls to Deacon’s chest, I don’t hear a word past negative, and it may be the most beautiful word I’ve ever heard. The phone falls from my fingers, and I throw my arms around Deacon’s neck and let him take all my weight.

He lifts me from my feet and holds me so damn tight, I’m surprised I can still breathe, but I don’t want him to ever let go. “She said negative, right?” I ask through the tears, and my husband shakes his head as he cries tears of joy.

He kisses me so damn hard, I may never breathe again. Like he’s proving to us both I’m alive and right here in his arms. “She said negative, baby. She said negative,” he repeats, like a sacred vow falling from his lips. “You’re going to have a long life, Brynlee Kane. We’re going to fill every single page with the best life you could ever imagine.”

I press my lips to his tears. “The sweetest story, Deacon.”

“Our story, Brynlee.”

Our story.

BRYNLEE

You deserve the kind of love that brings peace to your soul.

—Brynlee’s Secret Thoughts

“What are you doing down here, Brynn?”

I look up at Maddox and smile as I enjoy the Atlantic Ocean washing over my feet. “It’s beautiful out here, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.” He looks out at the dark waves. “I guess it is. You doing okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” I hip-check him gently. “Because I’m standing in the ocean, alone, the night before my wedding?”

“Well yeah, I guess. The girls are all up at the inn. Pretty sure Deacon is sitting in the dining room, enjoying a bottle of very old, very expensive bourbon with our dads. I heard our sisters saying they were going into town to see if they could find a little trouble. Have I told you how damn glad I am that Livvy didn’t go to the same school as Caitlin? Jesus. Those two together scare the shit out of me,” he admits, and a laugh burst from my lips.

He’s not wrong.

Those two are dangerous together.

“What are you talking about? Nothing scares you, Madman.” I kick water at his ankles and soak his rolled-up pants.

“You scared the shit out of me, Brynnie. You’re the heart of us all. You know that, right? You’re the nucleus. The one who holds us all together. The one who brought the twins into our craziness as kids. Who then brought Callen with them. The girls played soccer because you did. I trained at Crucible because I couldn’t have my girl cousin be a better fighter than me. You lead. We follow. Nothing can happen to you.” He shoves his hands in his pockets, then looks away.

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