Page 26 of Mail Order Bride for the Scrooge

LAKE

Gannon and I have been in Seattle for a week. I guess you could call it our honeymoon since I told him I didn’t want to go anywhere after we got married. Not only was winter really going to settle in, but I just wanted to enjoy being with my husband in our home. I wanted that closeness and traveling to some exotic destination never really held any appeal for me.

Instead of exploring a place, we explored each other’s bodies, and it was more than enough for me. The way my husband can play my body is beyond compare. I’m a lucky woman and I don’t hesitate to show him just how much I appreciate the way he worships me by doing the same to him.

I smile over to where Gannon and Nico are playing a game of pool while we hang out in the DSMC clubhouse. It feels different being here now. Not only because Seattle and this place is no longer my home, but because Nico has relaxed into the idea of letting me have my own life.

I’m proud of my big brother, but I have a feeling that him relaxing has more to do with him trusting Gannon to protect me than it does anything else. It’s okay, I’ll take it.

“I’m pretty sure you’re cheating,” Nico grumbles at my husband who just grins back at my brother.

“That’s a pretty grave accusation,” Gannon ribs him back.

I chuckle to myself at the relationship they’ve forged together through phone calls and Nico coming to see us when the weather would allow it and he could step away from his duties at the club.

I tease them about their bromance all the time, but they don’t seem to mind. I’m happy they’re getting along. It makes me feel all warm and cozy.

As much as I’ve loved visiting Seattle again, I’m looking forward to going home. I have a surprise for my husband that I’ll give to him later tonight during the club’s official going away party for us.

Nico isn’t the only one who has accepted Gannon. It seems like all the brothers in the club have welcomed him with open arms. I have a feeling if we didn’t live so far away from Seattle, or any chapter of the DSMC, he would be made a brother without much fuss.

Our vacation has been spent exploring a city Gannon has never been to, while giving me an opportunity to say goodbye to the place where I grew up. Part of me is going to miss it here, but I’m not looking back.

Why bother? I have so much to look forward to in Jasper Ridge.

All the stuff I put in storage has been gone through and either donated or packed up for the drive back home. We even had to rent a trailer. I thought Gannon might complain it’s too much stuff, but I should have known better.

My husband never complains when it comes to me.

Still, I can tell he’s looking forward to heading back home as well.

When we dropped Storm off with the Langs, I thought Gannon was going to cry. The man got down on the floor and wrapped his arms around the dog’s neck, murmuring, “It won’t be forever. We’ll be back. Be a good dog and don’t get too spoiled.”

Elaine gasped and pressed her hand to her heart in mock outrage. “We would never spoil him.”

Gannon gave her a pointed look, but the woman just laughed. She waved her hand dismissively as he reminded her, “He doesn’t get table scraps. I brought plenty of dog food for him.”

Elaine looked at me and winked as I sat down next to my husband and Storm crawled right into my lap, looking up at me with his big soulful eyes. I hugged him as well, knowing he probably would hate being cooped up in the truck for the drive, but not liking leaving him behind either.

“We’ll miss you,” I whispered, and Storm snuggled into me as if he knew exactly what I was saying to him.

I swear Gannon had tears in his eyes when we were driving away, Storm barking his own goodbyes to us.

When I reached over and gave his thigh a squeeze, I tried to reassure him. “He’ll be fine. You know they love their grandpup.”

He nodded, but I knew he was hating leaving Storm as much as I was but was trying to push the feeling away. He grumbled, “They’d probably love grandchildren even more.”

I smiled at him, knowing he was eager to knock me up. Little did he know that he already had. I was just waiting for the right time to tell him.

Tonight will be perfect because not only will I get to tell Gannon, but Nico and the rest of the club as well. We have a lot to celebrate tonight.

I never knew what love really was, but then I took a chance that changed my entire life. I don’t regret it for a moment.

Nico tosses his cue onto the pool table and scowls, his exasperated words pulling my attention back to him. “I thought you said you weren’t very good.”

Gannon throws his head back and laughs, giving a casual shrug that reeks of male pride and smugness. When he looks at me, he winks before heading toward me. I’ve been sitting at a table with a few of the old ladies of the club. There aren’t many, but I have a feeling their numbers are going to keep increasing.

When I first met the men of the DSMC, none of the younger guys had old ladies, but once one of the men fell, it started a domino effect. I’m glad the men of the club are finding their happiness; they deserve it and the women they’ve fallen for are strong and exactly what each man needs.

---