Page 48 of Resolutions and Love

I look at the faces of Silas and Lincoln and I can tell they’re having the same thoughts as me and are filled with the same kind of love for their women. For their soul mates. We would never stand in the way of their friendship, it’s too important to them and it helped to make them into the women we love.

Lincoln speaks out of the corner of his mouth at Silas, “It won’t be long before you’re contacting Holden to make you something special.”

“Yup,” Silas pops the p, his eyes sparkling as he looks at Paisley.

When we walk into the art gallery, we continue to follow our women around like puppies, making small talk with each other and the rest of the family we’ve been taken into. The gallery is packed, mostly with faces I know. They might need to think about expanding soon if they want to ever get more people in here than only the family.

When our women have caught up with each other, they float back our way. The three of us tuck them into our sides in a move which looks choreographed but is all instinctual need. She fits against me perfectly and I don’t want to let go.

Troy, one of the artists at Banks Ink. comes up to us, his eyes sharp and assessing. He points between us, his tone accusing, “Something’s different.”

Coral pipes up, her voice bright as she touches the pendant I made her, “I’m wearing this jewelry for the first time.” She beams up at me. “Holden made it for me.”

Troy scratches his chin. “No, that’s not it.” He makes a humming sound before he draws the attention of other people with a shout, “You did it, didn’t you?” Coral’s mouth falls open, I’m sure assuming Troy is talking about the most embarrassing thing he could be. It snaps closed when he continues, “You did the ‘I love you’ thing.”

I bark out a laugh and kiss Coral’s temple, taking a deep breath to enjoy the way hair smells. I love the way she smells, a sweet juniper. It’s home.

“Maybe,” Coral teases him with a sly grin on her face. You don’t have to spend a lot of time around this family to figure out Troy is a hopeless romantic. He also likes to be the first to know certain things.

He pumps his fist before turning and addressing the entire gallery. “Coral and Holden did the whole ‘I love you’ thing, family!”

Cheers erupt around us, and I figure why not make it an even bigger celebration. “She agreed to move in with me too.”

Troy lets out a whoop and shouts, “And she’s moving in!” He looks around the room, locking eyes with Booker Holland, the guitarist for the rock band Suburban Outcasts. “Who won the pool, man?”

Coral groans and gives Troy a shove, which only makes him laugh before bounding away and scooping his wife, Ellie Banks, up into his arms.

As the family around us claps and cheers, I figure when you’re the center of attention, you should really put on a show. I plunge my fingers into my woman’s soft tresses and pull her to me, kissing her. It starts out slow and sweet, but, like it always does, it turns into so much more.

I have a feeling life will continue to be that way for us. It’ll build and grow and evolve, but it will always have love right at the center. She walked into my office and dazzled me with a single look, and I will only ever help her shine.

EPILOGUE

SIX MONTHS LATER

CORAL

My favorite holiday is in a few weeks, and I can’t wait. I’ve been looking forward to stuffing my face with some turkey and all the trimmings since Halloween. I’ve even threatened to buy a turkey so I can cook it and do a test run for Thanksgiving, but mostly just so I can eat it.

Holden doesn’t think I’m serious, but he’s just a silly man. He knows how seriously I take eating and snacking, so I’m not sure why he would be surprised at my love for a holiday with some of the best food of the year. You don’t bust out cranberries for just any holiday. Not in my house when I was growing up anyway.

Then there’s green bean casserole. Thanksgiving was the only time my mom made it, so I looked forward to it all year. She’d make green beans in other ways, but never the casserole with all the bubbly mushroom soup goodness and the satisfying crunchy topping.

Then there’s the gravy.

Yeah, don’t get me started on the gravy. I love the stuff, but I’m shit at making it. Mine always comes out lumpy and a little gummy so the only time I get to enjoy gravy is when someone else is cooking it and that means Thanksgiving.

This is the first year I’m going to be attending the Banks family Thanksgiving since my parents decided to go and visit family for the holiday. They tried to get me to go with them, saying we didn’t know how long some of our extended family would still be around. They even said Holden could come with me, as if it would be a hardship.

It wouldn’t because they love the man. I think Mom might love him more than I do and that’s saying something. I don’t blame them considering he’s such a charmer.

Hell, he charmed me right out of my resolution and my panties with very little effort.

I roll back from my desk and look around my office. I can’t help at smile at how perfect it is in here. Holden surprised me the night he asked me to move in with him, showing me the office he put together the moment we walked in the door. The excitement on his face as he led me into the room is a look I’ll never forget.

When I walked through the door I was stunned. I think I did six full turns, taking everything in, before I could say anything. When I did, it was a stuttered, “H-How did you get all this stuff together without me knowing?” I eyed him suspiciously, “We’ve been spending a lot of time together.”

Holden winked at me, “I have my ways and I’m very stealthy.”

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