Page 75 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 4

Jack chuckled and squeezed my hips. I dropped my arms and tried to make myself more comfortable.

“Yay!” he whispered at the sight of my boobs again.

I playfully smacked his chest. “Be serious. You were about to tell me why you’re giving up everything in your entire life for me and my small business.”

“I’m not doing it just for you. I’m doing it for us, for our future, and that of our child and future children.”

“How so?”

“Well, for one, you have a huge, beautiful home you absolutely love that I’m also fond of. Your sister, our kid’s aunt, lives right next door. That’s babysitting ready to go.”

I chuckled. “True. Autumn loves kids almost as much as my mother does.”

“And that’s another thing. Your mom. She wants to watch her grandchildren daily. And who better than a woman who’s raised two wonderful women to love and guide our kids while we work.”

“I told you I’m planning on taking some time away so I can raise TJ myself.”

He waved his hands. “I know,solskinn,and I think that’s beautiful. But having options is essential when you’re a parent, right? Just think if TJ didn’t have us, Erik and Savannah, or Irene and Henrik. He’d be in the system like I was. Like Troy and Ellen were. In California, he not only has us, he has your sister, your parents, and the entire small community you live in.”

“My mom will teach him a bunch of things you may not want him knowing, such as which goddesses do what and why, how the moon affects our moods, that growing your own food is by far superior to what you get at a grocery store. Then, of course, there’s tarot, crystals, vegan eating, tea leaves telling your future, Autumn and her sight...I could go on and on.”

He chuckled fully. “And then there’s Bernie, a scientist. And you, a horticulturist that knows everything about plants, and me who can teach him about business and financial independence or just being a guy who loves sports, and hiking, and cars.”

I slumped forward, bracing my hands on his chest. “What about his roots? He’s Norwegian.”

“Which is why he’ll have regular visits with Erik and Savannah and Irene and Henrik. Just because we live in California most of the year won’t mean we can’t spend time in Norway teaching him about his heritage. Plus, I was thinking athome, I’d speak to him in Norwegian, while you speak to him in English. He’ll learn both languages simultaneously. And he can have calls with his extended family speaking Norwegian. We’re not going to let him miss out on either. We have the means to live in both places, at least some of the time.”

“And when he’s in school?”

“We’ll be in California. Then, when we’re not, we can spend time in Norway. Or, apparently, in Montana since it sounds like homebase for Erik and Savannah will be there, near her sister and their family.”

I nodded. “And you want to what? Become the CEO of Humble Buds?”

He grinned. “I was thinking I’d buy into the company. Invest in our future business. And yes, if you’d have me, I’d be happy to take the role of CEO.”

“Are you kidding?” I screeched. “You’re hired, baby!” I was about to jump off my husband and call my dad when he sat up, looped his arms around my body and rolled us until I was on bottom.

“That’s it? I tell you I’m going to invest in your company and offer to be CEO, and that’s all you have to say? You don’t want to run numbers? Call your lawyers?”

“Pfffftttt. I was going to call my dad and tell him we were free to focus on the plants and science. He’ll be so stoked.”

Jack swept his nose across mine. “You are so easy to love. The absolute perfect woman.”

I looped my arms around his neck. “I know, right?” I teased. “Honestly though, this solution solves a lot of our problems. If you run Humble Buds, that means I’ll be free to just work part-time or whatever hours I want. Mom will lose her mind with joy if she can have a baby around the farm. Oh, I know! We should get chickens. Let TJ pick them out and watch them grow and provide eggs. Maybe ducks too.”

“That’s all you have to say? We should get chickens.”

“And ducks,” I added. “Don’t forget the ducks. They’re so cute when they quack-quack and wiggle their feathered booties.”

“So that’s it. We pack up Ellen’s house, put it on the market, bring the stuff we want to California, move into The Pink Lady, and I’ll invest and start running Humble Buds?”

I let those facts run through my head until they added up to a fat, “Hell yeah!” However, maybe not say it quite like that, because I didn’t want to sound like a dork, so I ended with a solid, “Sounds good to me.”

“No more discussion. You’re happy with everything I presented?”

“As long as it comes with you, TJ, chickens, and ducks, I’m one hundred percent on board.”

“I won’t forget the chickens and ducks.” He shifted forward and kissed me. “So, we’re doing this. Moving to California, raising TJ on the farm?”

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