Page 63 of Single Mom's Christmas Wish

“She can shove her questions where the sun don’t shine,” I reply.

Dakota comes over with a bright smile dancing across her lips. “What are you guys up to?” she asks.

“Checking up on you,” Reed says. “How are you doing?”

“I’m good. Hard at work, obviously. It’s starting to wind down a little. I’m not sure for how long, though,” she replies, briefly looking around to make sure no customers are waiting.

“We need to talk,” Reed says.

As if summoned, Callie moves closer, slipping through the crowd to get herself within earshot. We don’t have much time. I want this deal sealed before Dakota’s sister gets close enough to figure out the play we’re cooking up.

“Is something wrong?” Dakota worriedly asks.

“What’s wrong is that we can’t let you struggle like this anymore,” Reed says. “We’re together. As unconventional as it may be, we’re together, and we’re making it work. Let us help you.”

“Oh, Reed, it’s—”

“I’m serious. You need a husband to get your inheritance. It is an opportunity that you simply can’t pass up. Let me be the one to do it.”

Dakota gasps. “Wait, what?”

“Marry me,” he says, then takes the velvet box out of his pocket and shows it to her. “I’m serious, Dakota.”

“Reed…”

“You deserve more, and you deserve better than you’ve had,” he says. “Marry me, Dakota. Let me help you.”

His words echo all around us. More and more guests turn to look at us, to witness something that wasn’t supposed to happen here, but Callie’s constant advances toward my brothers and me forced us to move up our timeline.

Dakota is speechless and wide-eyed. “This is a joke, right?”

“I am here, giving you a ring along with my promise that you and Maisie will always be taken care of. Let’s get married before Christmas and get you that life you know you deserve,” my brother says.

Looking over my shoulder, I can see that Callie is close enough to understand what’s happening. Her furrowed brow speaks of confusion. I can’t help but smile. Good. She thought Dakota was going to marry me, so she tried to hit on me, revealing herintentions with surprising ease. Chelsea was right. Callie thinks she’s the smartest person in the room, but damn, that’s just an illusion. Her ego keeps getting the better of her because she did not see this coming.

She notices my grin and nods once. “You played me,” Callie hisses.

“You played yourself,” I shoot back. “Did you really think I’d let you ruin this for Dakota? Maybe you have her convinced of your fake good intentions, but I’m not buying what you’re selling. We will have a wedding before Christmas, and Dakota will get her inheritance.”

Callie scoffs. “You might think you’ve won, but I won’t quit. That money is mine, and you can’t stop me from getting it.”

“I’m not the one who needs to stop you. Reed’s already done that,” I reply just as Dakota nods, tears springing from her beautiful brown eyes.

“Yes!” Dakota says to Reed. “I’ll marry you.”

People start clapping and cheering. It’s exactly what we needed. It’s out in public now. Reed Faulkner and Dakota Ellis are to be married before Christmas. She will finally have what she has always wanted, what she deserves. She’ll have the financial stability to give her daughter everything she wants and needs and to build her own business freely. She will get to keep her home, and she will get to thrive in this new stage of her life.

That makes me ridiculously happy, happier than I ever thought I’d be, even though I would’ve loved to have been the one putting the ring on Dakota’s finger. I love my brothers, and we share everything. Letting Reed be the public husband is the wisest choice. Maddox doesn’t like the social aspect of his entireexistence, and I tend to make enemies out of the people I can’t stand, regardless of their power, status, or influence. Of the three of us, Reed is the more balanced one, the safer bet. It’ll make that marriage certificate ironclad, and Callie won’t be able to go after him in any capacity.

She’s already made a play for me, whether Dakota noticed or not. If she starts hitting on Reed next, it’ll stink to high heaven, and she knows it.

I watch as Dakota hugs and kisses Reed. I wish we could share in this moment, but we’ve got the rest of the night all to ourselves. Soon enough, the four of us will celebrate together, back at our place, while Callie will have to regroup and say goodbye to any chance she thought she’d have at Dakota’s inheritance.

For once, I feel like the good guys have won.

23

Dakota

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