McKenzie Cousins Box Set 1

Luckily, he doesn’t keep me waiting long and with a slight cough snags my attention. “You’ve covered all bases with that speech.” Minutes pass while he contemplates his next words, and then a grin splits his face. “I noticed her ring . . . Welcome to the family.” He leans over, offering his hand. “She’ll keep you on your toes.” He smirks.

“Oh, I know that already.” I Chuckle and become serious again, admitting, “I’ve waited a long time for her.”

Michael watches me before he softly smiles. “Take care of her.”

“I will.” I make sure that my tone conveys just how serious I am.

He nods and walks out.

Sitting back in my chair, I have maybe two minutes to contemplate the conversation before my assistant, Julia, will be walking in through the door.

Shaking loose of the thoughts, I need to think about the hotel for an hour before I need to go back upstairs to get ready for this evening. We’ll have a full house for the party, and all the rooms are booked out at half price to the party guests.

I’m always nervous the first night of operation, but from experience I know that by bringing in staff from the other hotels to work alongside the newly trained. It works well and prevents any major problems from arising.

The office that I’m currently making use of will be the one that the hotel manager, Matthew Tyler, uses after today. We’ve shared this space well, and I couldn’t have picked a better man for the job.

Right on time, Julia barges into the office space with an irritated frown marring her brows. “I have tons of messages that you need to sort through. I’ve tried to separate them between you and Matthew. The one from the Mayor, you have. Do that one first, and then come and find me. There’s more.” Without another word, she leaves with the door slamming behind her.

She has attitude, which I’m relieved to say will be Matthew’s problem after today.

18

Sirena

“I’m a whale,” I groan, looking at myself through the full-length mirror in the bedroom of our suite. My dress is deep purple silk and although the strapless style is comfortable, all that I see is my huge stomach. It looks like I’m having twins instead of just the one baby. The dress is fitted across my swollen breasts and belly, and then it drops from my hips to my ankles. I have some flat ballerina style shoes to wear because there is no way I’m going to be able to waddle around in heels. No way in hell.

“Wow,” my brother, Joshua, whistles. “You look beautiful, sis.” He moves further into the bedroom and frowns. “What’s wrong?” He stands behind me, looking me over, trying to find the problem

“I’m all baby.”

“Sirena, you look amazing. Better than you were the last time I was home . . . and this,” he places a hand on my belly, “is something that you should be proud of. You’re pregnant. You’re carrying a new life. You.” He kisses me on the top of my head. “Are. Amazing.”

I stare at my brother in shock at his words and watch while he smirks. Collecting my shoes from the floor, he ushers me into a chair. “Joshua, are you really in there?”

He rolls his eyes and slips my shoes onto my feet. “I can be sweet and caring when I choose to be, as you well know.” He shrugs. “You weren’t feeling it, so I helped.” He grins. “Now let me haul you up from there and we’ll go downstairs. I know Garrett is worried about you, but I think he’s excited to have you on his arm as well.”

I smile at the mention of Garrett while keeping my gaze on my brother. “You like him, right?”

“He makes you smile again. It’s obvious to everyone that he’s worried about you and your baby.”

“Garrett will be a great father to this child, and even if we have more children, I believe that he’ll treat them all the same. He’s a good man, Josh.”

“As long as he treats you like a Princess,” he smirks, “then we won’t have a problem.” He cups the back of my neck and leaning down, kisses my forehead. “Let’s get you to the ball.”

Giggling, I take my brother’s offered hands. “Do you really think I look okay?”

“Women!” Joshua mumbles. “I’m proud to have you on my arm.”

“That was smoothly done, Mr. FBI agent.”

He groans. “Trust you.”

“Are they keeping you safe?” I ask, moving toward the elevators.

“I’m fine. Please don’t worry about me. Concentrate on my niece or nephew.”

I wrap my arm through his and plastering a smile on my lips to cover up my nervousness, I enter the party on my brother’s arm.