Kiss by Kiss (Riggins Brothers 3)

“I did.”

“I liked it,” he says, moving my hair and nipping at my neck.

“Enough of that. She’ll never get the cake cut and served,” Sawyer says. “Go, let us take care of this.”

“Love you, Rory,” Grant whispers before pulling away and walking back toward the living room.

“I love you too.” I don’t lower my voice. He stops and turns to look over his shoulder, a smile pulling at his lips.

“I don’t know what happened here today, but keep that shit up.” He points at Sawyer and back to me with a wink, and then he’s gone.

“Told you,” Sawyer says, bumping her hip into mine.

“I’m still scared, but talking to the two of you helped me. He was already working me out of my shell. I think it was hearing Layla’s story. She lived through so much, and she’s not willing to let it keep her from living her life. It’s not keeping her from loving and being loved. What she went through, it makes my ex look like a little old lady.”

“Welcome to the family, Aurora.” She smiles.

“Not yet,” I tell her.

“Oh, it’s going to happen. Mark my words. These guys don’t toss out I love yous unless it’s something they feel deep. That’s fine. I’ll get to say I told you so.”

“I hope you do,” I admit. “Now, we’ve got to serve up this cake.” We get to work making up eight plates of all six samples and carrying them into the living room before passing them out. “Now, each flavor is a different color. I need you to taste each of them and tell me which colors are your favorite.” That’s all the encouragement they need. Everyone dives in, including Layla and me for the second time.

Over the next hour, we debate on the best flavor, and we’re still not any closer to deciding. “This is all your fault.” Owen points at me. “If you weren’t so damn good at your job.” He smiles, shaking his head.

“How about this? I change the cake from three small tiers to four, and then I surround it with cupcakes of the remaining two flavors?” I suggest.

“That’s a lot of work for you,” Layla says, chewing on her bottom lip. I can tell she likes this answer to our little dilemma, but she’s worried about me.

“Pft.” I wave off her concern. “This is what I do. Besides, I have the best assistant ever. We can do this, no problem.”

“Are you sure, sis?” Owen asks.

I open my mouth to reply but shut it, fighting back my emotions. I nod instead. “Yes,” I say, finding my words. “I promise it’s nothing.”

Owen stands and comes to me, bending. He hugs me tight. “Thank you, Rory.”

I try, I really do, but a stray tear slides over my cheek. “You’re welcome.”

“Thank the lord,” Marshall says, sitting back in his seat. “That was seriously stressful. I don’t need that kind of negativity in my life,” he says, making us all laugh.

I give him a watery smile, and he winks at me. Today has been full of tough talks and not so tough decisions, and somehow, I feel lighter. The weight of worry is no longer weighing on my shoulders. Instead, there is hope in my heart for what the future can hold. Layla and Sawyer gave me hope. They didn’t tell me anything Grant hasn’t, but I’ll be the first to admit trusting men isn’t something that comes easy for me, but I do trust him. Now, I need to trust in him, that this is what he wants. That I’m what he wants, and we can move forward. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll all be sitting around our living room trying to decide on our wedding cake flavors.

A girl can dream.

Chapter 21

Grant

This is the second wedding I’ve been to in less than a year. As I sit here in Owen’s living room, watching as he vows to love Layla for the rest of their lives, I feel it—the magic that Dad and my two oldest brothers keep preaching about. It’s this moment watching two people who love one another so deeply that nothing else seems to matter or even exist. If I’m being honest, I saw it at Royce and Sawyer’s wedding too. I was just too dumb to see it for what it is.

Leaning over, I press my lips to Aurora’s temple. She’s sitting as close to me as I can get her without her being in my lap. Our fingers are entwined resting on her thighs, and I know without a doubt that she’s my magic. I wasn’t looking for my forever, but it found me all the same, and the universe was looking out for me when they brought Aurora into my life. She’s everything I never knew I wanted.

She glances over and mouths, “Are you okay?”