Page 141 of Against All Odds

“For all the shit we give you, you know that we’d do anything for you.”

I do know that. Miles has been my friend since I can remember, and Killian and Lachlan are there for me anytime I need them.

“I’m glad everything worked out this way,” Killian says.

I watch as Violet is swarmed by the girls, all of them laughing and smiling as they talk. My chest aches at the sight. She’s happy, and I’d like to think I have something to do with it.

“I am too.”

Lachlan clasps me on the back. “So do we have to wait to find out what the sex is?”

I chuckle. “Yup, you sure do.”

“Such a prick.”

Killian laughs. “You know, I thought we might be celebrating another thing.”

“Did you?”

“I did.”

I’ve thought about it every day since we left. When we got back, she handed me the ring and asked me to hold on to it andallow us to settle in a little more. She explained that until all her problems are settled—meaning Dylan—she wants to wait.

Me being impatient, I wanted to argue, but that’s unfair to her and also acting like her dickbag ex.

So I’ll wait. Being with her is all I’ve ever wanted. I don’t need a ring or a piece of paper to tell me that she’s mine. And that I’ll always be hers.

“Not yet, Violet and I are in no rush. Well, Violet isn’t. I’d marry her tomorrow.”

Miles laughs. “Been there.”

“How did you handle it?” I ask.

“If you ask Penny, she’d say like a petulant child, but I think it was more of a manly stance.”

Lachlan snorts. “Yeah, you were so manly as you pouted.”

He shrugs. “Just give her time, Ev. She’s been through hell.”

“Did her piece-of-shit ex release his statement yet?” Killian asks.

“No, we keep waiting.”

Lachlan shakes his head. He dealt with this with his ex as well. She wasn’t as vile or public about it, but he worried for a while that she was going to want custody back of his daughter. She decided she didn’t in the end, but I remember how stressed he was, thinking he could lose Rose. “I hope he does right by Violet.”

“Me too. Speaking of Violet, I’m going to see when she wants to announce our big news.”

I head over and wrap my arm around her. “Hi, baby.”

“Hello, love. Are you having fun?”

“That’s what I was going to ask you.”

She looks around at all our friends. “The best time ever.”

“The guys want to know.”

Violet laughs through her nose. “The girls too.”

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