Page 101 of Single Mom's Christmas Wish

He shakes his head again. “Not for me to judge. As far as the law is concerned, you and Archer Faulkner are entering willingly into legal matrimony. And attorney-client privilege is still a thing, might I remind you.”

“I’m your client?”

“You’re a Monroe. Of course, you are.”

I give Archer, Reed, and Maddox a wide-eyed look. “Is this real?”

“For another sixteen hours or so, yes,” Archer replies. “We’re within the will’s deadline. So, what do you say, Dakota? Want to try getting married again?”

I set my sights on the lady in the purple and gold robe.

“You’re going to officiate the ceremony?” I ask.

“Marjorie Stephens,” she replies. “At your service. Ordained and licensed in the state of California.”

Maddox whips out a marriage certificate. “All you and Archer have to do is sign this after you say your vows.”

Archer comes closer, cupping my face in his hands. “Dakota, this is it. If you don’t want to do this, we’ve come prepared with our checkbooks and will still take care of things for you. And I know you need to go about things your own way, but I love you. Reed and Maddox love you. You can’t deny that you feel the same.”

“I do feel the same,” I mutter, tears pricking my eyes. “But there’s something you guys should know before we—”

“You’re pregnant; we’re already aware,” Reed cuts in. “We’ll address that later, but just so we’re clear, we are all on board.”

“All the way,” Maddox adds, a smile dancing across his face.

And just like that, I find myself looking up at Archer, suddenly able to breathe easier. The troubles and the tension of the past few months begin to dissipate, drizzling out of me like an unsavory mist. My muscles relax. I feel lighter. And my heart beats in a playful flutter as it becomes obvious that I am, in fact, going to get my eighty million dollars after all.

“What about Callie?” I ask, glancing back at Rawlings.

He offers an amused shrug. “She’ll have no choice but to accept the situation for what it is. Truth be told, I wouldn’t have trusted her with that much money. Your grandmother may have been a difficult woman, but she was anything but foolish. Callie would’ve blown through the entire inheritance in less than a year.”

“All right, so what do you say, Dakota?” Archer asks, his hands resting on my shoulders. “Are we going to do this or what?”

“I… yes. Gosh, I don’t even have a wedding dress,” I reply as I look down at myself, my cheeks burning with a mixture of excitement and raw nerves.

“It doesn’t matter. You’re stunning just the way you are,” Archer says with a loving smile.

“Well, in that case, come on, Mr. Faulkner. I can’t wait to become Mrs. Faulkner,” I say to my future husband and his brothers, too.

40

Dakota

“Are you ready, Mrs. Faulkner?”

Reed’s words are like honey glazing my heart.

“As I’ll ever be,” I reply, a wicked smile stretching my lips.

I’m blindfolded with a white satin ribbon. Maddox and Reed escorted me to the car from the bed & breakfast, where we had a Christmas feast and opened the presents we’d bought for Maisie and Trevor.

I have no idea where we’re going from there.

Chelsea is taking care of the kids while my husbands and I indulge on our wedding day. My chest is filled with joy and love as I am gently guided up some steps. There’s music playing in the background. A soft Latin jazz. I smell roses and lilies everywhere.

I hear a pair of double doors open before Archer’s voice comes through. “Welcome to the honeymoon suite,” he says, his voice dripping with excitement.

“I’d love to be able to see it,” I chuckle softly.

---