Page 86 of My Boss's Sons

I watched her melt into him and smiled. “Well, you can’t leave us now. If you love him, you definitely love us.”

Ethan grunted an agreement. “Yeah, Alex’s attitude makes him the hardest to love out of us three. You must be crazy about us and frankly, I don’t understand how you stayed away for so long.”

Alex picked Sophia up and carried her towards the door. “Fuck you guys. I’m loveable. And I’m stealing Sophia so she can tell me how she loves me more than she loves you two idiots.”

Sophia giggled in his arms and waved at us like we weren’t already getting out of bed to follow them. If she hadn’t already figured out that we would follow her anywhere she went, she would. She’d come back and I would make sure she never had a reason to leave us again.

“Wait! I need to call Ava and tell her that I’m coming home late.”

Ethan laughed. “Late? Try tomorrow. And that’s only because I miss Lily and the puppies.”

“Or we all go tonight and curl up in your smaller bed.” I shrugged. “Either way, you’re stuck with us tonight.”

Sophia’s smile was pure sunshine. “Just tonight?”

I basked in that sunshine. “And every other night for the rest of my life. Because, you know, I love you. Probably more than Alex does.”

Her eyes filled with tears and she smiled even wider.

“If it’s a contest, I’m going to win.” Ethan brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “I love you more than both of these fools.”

Sophia blinked and two fat tears streaked down her cheeks. “I love…that y’all love me.”

I scoffed as she laughed. “That’s mean.”

Alex put her down on his bathroom counter. “Well?”

She rolled her eyes. “I love y’all. Happy?”

I cupped the back of her neck. “More than you fucking know.”

68

Epilogue I

***Sophia***

Six Months Later

Mary held up her glass of champagne and smiled at me across the crowded event space. “Thanks to Sophia Bennett, we’ve closed out this year over our projections. I’m not just saying that because she’s going to be my daughter-in-law someday, either. Since she stepped in as Managing Director of Acquisitions, we’ve seen exponential growth. Her connection to business owners is second only to her ability to close a deal. I consider us very lucky to have her here. As most of you know, we almost lost her, but I’d like to think my charm won her back.”

I tipped my glass to her and cringed when she motioned me forward. She had become like a mother to me as soon as wegot past the whole thinking I’d slept with her husband thing. I loved her, but she loved speeches so I was nervous about how everything was going to go. I made my way through the busy room, smiling and excusing myself as I went.

“Isn’t she beautiful? She makes beautiful babies, too, so this potential grandma is pretty excited about that!” Mary blushed and let out an embarrassed giggle. “Sorry! Noah says I have to stop being so pushy about kids, especially at work. How can I help myself, though? This is a party, so it’s like it doesn’t count!”

I heard Ava’s loud laugh coming from somewhere farther back in the space and made a promise to boob-punch her later. Just before I reached the stage, Noah took the microphone from his mom.

“And this is why we don’t invite the press to our events anymore, ladies and gentlemen.” He flashed a charming smile at the crowd but when his eyes met mine, it shifted into something even better, something that spoke to the happiness he felt because of me. His eyes brightened and one side of his lips tipped up just a bit more, making it less perfect but more mine.

“Oh, hush. Half the people here are so sloshed, they’ll never remember anything I said.” Mary shrugged her shoulders. “Thankfully.”

Someone from the crowd shouted out. “Thanks for the open bar!”

I stopped at the bottom of the stage, hoping Mary would change her mind about inviting me up, but she waved me forward. I lifted the bottom of my gown in one hand as Noah appeared at my side to hold my other hand and help me up the stairs. I smiled up at him and when our eyes caught, we stole a private moment. “Save me.”

He pulled me closer and brushed his lips over my ear. “It’s too late. This is happening.”

Mary wrapped her arm around my waist and held the microphone between us. “You changed Anderson Inc. this year, Sophia. Even if I didn’t love you like a daughter and favor you over everyone, I would still think you deserve this. You were the catalyst for change that this company needed.”

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