Hate to Love You (Strong Brothers 4)

“Don’t you forget it.” And to make sure he didn’t, I kissed him, pouring everything I had into it.

Epilogue: Andi

Margaret gave two-weeks’ notice of her retirement so she could complete the final transfer of power to Ryan, Hunter, and Carter. She continued to hope that Noah would come on board, but he didn’t make any decisions about his future during that time.

I worked those two weeks, helping Margaret clean up her office and make sure that her grandsons as well as her executives felt confident in running the business. When I wasn’t working, I was with Noah. We spent a lot of time on his motorcycle riding out anywhere and everywhere from the beach to the mountains.

We still clashed every now and then, but now that we were open about our feelings, I didn’t feel the need to lash out or retreat from him. Usually, our bouts of bickering ended in sex, so all was good.

This weekend was his nephew, Tanner's birthday. I’d often been invited to family gatherings, but this time would be the first I’d be attending as an item. The family knew about us, of course, but we hadn't yet been at a family event as a couple.

On the back of Noah’s bike, with my arms wrapped around him as we wove through San Diego toward Carter's house, I felt like I was in paradise. Everything was perfect. And if I played my cards right, it would always be perfect.

I pulled into Carter’s driveway and Noah helped me off the bike. He took my hand and we walked toward the front door.

"Carter told me that Tanner wants to marry you when he grows up,” Noah said.

I laughed. "If I was into being a cute cougar, I might wait until he grew up."

Noah tugged at me, pulling me flush against him. "He’d have to get past me."

I looped my arms around him. "You don't have anything to worry about."

The interesting thing was, for so long as we were navigating our relationship, I did worry. We’d so often been at odds, I wondered if that would eventually get in the way. But now I realized that our strong heads were part of what drew us together. We liked that we challenged each other.

He opened the door and led us into the house, through the back out to the pool. As we stepped out on the deck, I saw that everyone else was there. Carter was at the grill making burgers and hotdogs, while Hunter stood beside him as if he were supervising. The only problem was Hunter didn't know anything about grilling.

Jess, Natalie and Kellie were sitting over the table under an umbrella chattering away. They seem to be oohing and ahhing over Kellie and Ryan's baby, as Jess rubbed her ever-expanding belly. Ryan was sitting in a chaise chair next to my father.

"Uncle Noah and Auntie Andi, you came to my party," Tanner came running up to us.

Noah bent down and scooped Tanner up into his arms, and I gasped a little bit as I had a vision of him being a father, and wanting to be the woman who helped him achieve that.

"We wouldn't be anywhere else, buddy,” he said.

"Will you come in the pool with me, Uncle Noah? No one wants to swim with me."

"Not even your grandpa?"

We looked over at Noah’s father, Alex, who loved the water.

"Uncle Ryan is taking all his time,” Tanner said.

Noah laughed. “Well, you and I are getting in the water and you’ll see grandpa will join us in no time. I think he's part fish."

Tanner’s eyes rounded. "Really?"

Noah nodded. "Look on his neck. See if you don't find any gills."

I laughed.

"You missed all the other little people who were here," Margaret said as she came up from behind us.

"The little people?" Noah asked.

"Tanner's little friends. Do you have an aversion to children?" Gran studied us and I got the distinct feeling she was wondering about whether or not Noah and I would ever have children. The answer, in my mind, was yes, but we hadn't gotten that far yet.

"No aversion. I just had some things I do take care of earlier today," Noah said.