Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 109608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
The picture changed to one of Dru Oakley, wearing a tea-length Oscar de la Renta dress with bos straps and sporting a crystal grid. She was standing very close to Sullivan Holloway, who was smiling down at her while she beamed up at him. Both were holding flutes of champagne.
“And something else that’s official, public records show that Jamie Oakley has adopted his stepdaughter, Drusilla Lynch. The reason for this get-together of beautiful people. She’s changed her name to Drusilla Rawlins Oakley, because rumor has it, AJ Oakley did not create the magnificence that is Jamie, or through Jamie, his son Judge.”
The picture on the screen changed to a handsome older man standing with Jamie and two other men close to Jamie’s age, along with Judge. All of them were wearing evening clothes (with three of the men wearing string ties instead of bow). All of them held old-fashioned glasses in their hands. All of them looked like they were laughing.
“But instead, this man, Morgan Rawlins, a Texas rancher, is the true sire to AJ’s last boy. Now, this report isn’t confirmed, but we all have eyes. So…”
The background pictures swirled through snaps of Imogen Swan and Duncan Holloway standing with Mika Stowe and Tom Pierce. This moving to Chloe Oakley laughing with Blake Sharp. Then Gage Holloway talking to Hale Wheeler and Elsa Cohen. Next was members of the G-Force striking poses with Valentina Castellini. On to a shot of Matt Pierce, Sasha Pierce, Gage, Sully and Dru all clinking glasses in a toast. This moved to a picture of Kateri True Arrow speaking with Elsa. After that Cadence Merriman giggling at something Nico Castellini said while he smiled at her. And last, Rix Hendrix and Alex Sharp listening to something Ned Sharp was saying.
“The gang was all there,” the talking head said as the photos cycled. “Dressed to the nines, as usual, and giving no thought to how the little people live, as they shouldn’t since they’re just that amazing. Congratulations to Drusilla, Jamie and Judge for making their family official. And big congratulations to Jamie and Nora on their upcoming nuptials. All I can say is, it’s about damned time. Now, be sure to hit follow for more news on the rich and beautiful. Elsa’s out of the game, so someone has to share all of this, and that someone is me. There’s always more where this came from, and I’m the one to give it to you. So hit that follow, folks, and see you on the flipside.”
Swipe.
And done.
Jamie
The house was enormous.
Tucked down a decline off Senator Highway, surrounded by trees, it was made of wood and stone, had five bedrooms, six baths, a chef’s kitchen, front and back decks, his and hers closets in the primary bedroom—both walk-in— a study (for him), a large built-in vanity in the primary bathroom (for her), and a small guest house down a stone path fifty yards from the main house.
It sat on eleven acres.
Standing in the kitchen, looking out the window at Nora, Dru, Judge and Chloe (with JT in Dru’s arms) all out on the deck, the sun shining on their hair, their attention aimed at the guest house—it wasn’t until Jamie saw Nora turn her head and look at him through the window that he made his decision.
And what made his decision was his future wife, standing on the back deck of what was a mountain house, no matter how large it was, looking elegant, relaxed, immensely fuckable, and outrageously happy. She was wearing a sleeveless Prada, flower print, scarf collar dress and peach Gianvito Rossi flower, stiletto, slide sandals. Her gorgeous face was soft, he could feel the warmth emanating from her brown eyes all the way to where he was standing…
And she was smiling.
This would be their home when they were in Arizona, so yes, his decision was mostly about her.
But it was also about the other four humans out on that deck.
All he’d won. All he’d lost. All he’d earned. All he’d endured. All of it, every moment, every struggle, every heartache, every victory was about getting to this moment in his life with those five people firmly entrenched in it. Having the honor of watching them blossom, grow, live, love, including love him, and having the privilege of giving all of that back.
In other words, having a family.
Having his family.
The only thing in his life he ever truly wanted.
All of that, he read on Nora’s face.
All of it was communicated in her smile.
Jamie smiled in return.