Page 92 of Gracefully Yours

She nodded, like it was still weird for her to say. “It felt like the right time. To start our family.”

My mouth went dry, thinking of other ways we planned to start a family.

Was this crazy? Having a fake marriage—one of convenience, because of a marriage pact in college—and still wanting to have it all? I didn’t know, but I knew one thing: there was no way I was letting her go.

* * *

“Oh,”Charlotte said, sounding disappointed as we passed it. “It sold.”

After a lazy day of Hallmark movies and cuddling with our new pup on the couch, we loaded Brownie and his crate up to drive to Benjamin and Angelina’s house for Christmas dinner.

Of course, as we’d driven onto their street, the plot of land that always caught my eye popped up again.

Had she always looked at it too? I couldn’t think of a better place to live than on the same street as my sister, especially once we had families of our own. I knew that most people would think it was crazy, but Benjamin had been trying to talk the rest of us guys into it ever since they’d moved here. It was a neighborhood full of enormous houses with big lots, which you rarely saw in new construction, let alone in the Portland area, but it was in a wealthy area.

One that luckily, all of us could afford. Sure, Benjamin might have been making the big bucks as a CFO, and Hunter was a Doctor, but as an engineer, I had a decently large salary as well, and I’d been squirreling away most of it for years.

“There’s other lots,” I said, reaching out and squeezing her thigh as I drove.

“I know. But that one was…”

I knew exactly what she meant. It called to me too. Which solidified the plan I had in mind. The plan she didn’t even know I’d put into action yet.

“Perfect?” Letting my hand rest on her thigh, I guided my car into the driveway behind Matthew and Noelle’s truck. “It’s just an empty lot, darling.”

“But it had so much room in the backyard for the…” Her voice grew quiet, trailing off.

“The kids?” I put the car in park and turned to look at her.

She avoided my gaze, playing with her fingers in her lap, picking at the nail polish that was still on there from the wedding. “Well… Eventually. You want more than one, right?”

I nodded. Charlotte had no idea how much I wanted all of it with her. “I’ve always liked the idea of having a big family. However many you want.” Two, three, four—I couldn’t help but smile, thinking about us raising them together. There was no one I’d rather start a family with than her. My best friend—my wife.

She dipped her head. “We can talk about it later, anyway.”

Showtime. I collected Brownie’s crate, thankful the pup had slept for most of the drive. It was probably a bit nuts to bring him over to meet this many people on our first day, but—this was our family. Even Matthew and Noelle, not related to us by blood or marriage, were the people we’d chosen. The family we’d chosen.

Snowball, the dog, was wearing a Santa hat withSanta Pawsembroidered on the rim. I couldn’t believe how well behaved Matthew’s dog was that she was just sitting there, not even attempting to eat the pom-pom.

“And who’s this cutie?” Noelle said, kneeling on the floor in front of our puppy as he barked in excitement. Something we’d work on, but for now, he was just an eight week-old puppy. And we wanted him to get socialized.

“Everyone,” Charlotte said with a smile, as the entire gang looked over at us, Charlotte’s wedding ring catching the light. “This is Brownie.”

I pulled her to my side as Noelle scratched in between his ears. “Charlotte got him for us for Christmas.”

“Foryou,”she whispered.

“Same difference.” I flicked her nose.

“Aww, look at him,” Angelina said, crouching down next to Noelle. Brownie tried to jump on her to lick her face, and she sternly told himno. “Anywhere but the face,” she playfully scolded before peppering his sweet little face with kisses.

I was smitten. I’d always wanted a dog, and the idea of a protector dog that Charlotte would have by her side while she was home alone was just the icing on top of the cake. We’d spent all afternoon after I’d made us french toast cuddled up with Brownie on the couch, or playing with him on the floor. As soon as I’d gotten him leash trained, I’d train him to run by my side every morning too.

Gabbi was scratching the top of Selina’s head as Brownie eagerly sniffed the house. “I wish we could have brought Toothless, too.”

Bruce and Selina, the kittens Angelina had practically begged Benjamin to get (though he’d caved easily in the end), were happily perched up high on their cat tree, wearing matching pink and blue collars, eating up all the attention.

Hunter chuckled. “I think she’s perfectly happy staying at home with her brand new toy and taking a nice long catnap.” He ran his hand over his girlfriend’s back.

---