“I’ll step aside,” he said without hesitation. And he meant it.
To win over Glenna, there was no sacrifice too great. And with her at his side, he knew he could achieve success beyond any preconceived plans he’d set for his life. She opened his horizons.
Enriched his life.
Her eyebrows shot up in shock. “You’ll do that? You can’t possibly mean to give up your job, your stake in the Steele business.”
“No job is more important than you.” He meant those words more than any he’d ever spoken. “There is more to life than work. There is family.”
“But…your job is your family.”
“No. Not anymore,” he said simply.
“You really mean this.” Amazement entered her blue eyes as she scanned his face.
“Whatever I need to do to prove to you I want to be the man you deserve.”
She flattened a hand to his chest. “You don’t have to do this for me.”
He smiled unrepentantly. “It’s not like I’m lacking financially. I work because I want to, not because I need to. I can consult. Spend more time with you. With Fleur.”
She blinked fast, nibbling her lower lip, then blurted out, “What if we both consult?”
“Run that by me again? I’m not sure I heard right. You’ve been so adamant about your family legacy. I don’t expect some kind of quid pro quo on the job-quitting front. We’ll both be making sacrifices along the way. I get that. And I also get that our relationship, our marriage, will be worth it.”
“Broderick…” She squeezed his hand hard. “Family. Isn’t that what we’re talking about? You and I building a family together? Marriage, even. This is our legacy, one we build together. We can consult for the company and create our own schedules.”
He stroked her face, feeling a joy he was beginning to realize could be his for life. “I like the sound of what you’re saying, but I want to make sure you really understand you don’t have to give up your career for me.”
“Oh, Broderick, don’t you see? I’m not giving up anything. I’m healing broken relationships and facing new challenges instead of just protecting myself from possible hurts. I’m embracing a life with you. And if our parents say no to this plan of ours—” she inhaled deeply “—then we, you and I—a family—become oh, say, accountants maybe, and live off our portfolios and hunt and catch fish while we play with Kota and bring up Fleur. Our daughter.”
The beauty of her offer and the magnitude of her sacrifice filled him, making him feel whole for the first time in a very long while. “I am totally in love with your plan, and I’m totally in love with you, Glenna.”
Her arms slid around his neck and she wriggled closer, leaning into him. The softness of her body against his fit with perfection, giving off a hint of the scent of almonds. “Well, isn’t that a magnificent coincidence? Because I am wildly, passionately in love with you, too, Broderick Steele.”
And if he had any remaining doubts—which he didn’t—he intended to prove just how strong their love was. He hauled her closer and gently rolled her to the bearskin rug where he would prove it all night long, for a lifetime.
EPILOGUE
Two weeks later
Glenna knew she wasn’t the only mother ever to spend time simply gazing at her baby, so she refused to feel guilty about her lazy afternoon in the sprawling Steele family home, watching Fleur sleep in her swing. Nearby, Naomi worked on her tablet, her dark head bent over the screen as she tapped and scrolled. The quiet hum of the swing motor and the soft taps were the only sounds in the sunroom, and Glenna’s life felt absolutely perfect as she watched the baby’s head cuddle deeper into the side of the pink cushioning.
Glenna’s whole world had changed since the “bachelorette” party for Jeannie in this room, the day Fleur had come into their lives. Now, she felt at home with the Steele family, her heart expanding to take in all of Broderick’s relations. Soon to be official once Jeannie and Jack finished finalizing their wedding plans, plans that kept moving dates due to accommodating so many schedules. Turning from Fleur’s swing, Glenna peered out one tall window where a slight snow fell outside. Below, Broderick sat easily on his horse, returning from a ride with his family.
Her heart flipped in her chest. Broderick was such a strong man of honor. The love of her life. She still could hardly believe how much joy filled her world these days.
A breathy baby sigh drew her attention back to the room. Fleur’s eyes were fluttering awake as she cooed happily, but Naomi’s brow was deeply furrowed as she stared at her tablet.