“What a dirty little you-know-what.“ Penny gasped in outrage.
“Yes,” Shannon agreed. “I would’ve never known if I hadn’t stumbled upon a few slips of paper that she’d apparently practiced her letter statement to Nolan on. Dumb girl left the rejects on her notepad on her desk. I guess she was so busy trying to take over my job she forgot about it. I went into her area to find the stapler-remover because she was always taking it and forgetting to return it, that I found the notepad under a stack of papers. Once I had the evidence in my hand, it was hard for her to refute. I took great relish in letting her go.”
“Wow. That’s crazy,” Penny said. “Sometimes women can be really catty when it comes to other women. But, in a way, she brought you two together.”
“True,” Shannon agreed, smiling. “I wish her the best but I’d never work with her again.”
“Well, of course not, you can’t trust her farther than you can throw her!”
Shannon and Penny laughed and the conversation moved back to wedding details, which was a perfect excuse for Dillon and Nolan to excuse themselves without getting an earful.
As Dillon and Nolan enjoyed a little Irish whiskey in the study, Nolan said, “I never thought I’d find anything remotely close to what you and Penny have.”
Dillon lifted his glass in salute, agreeing, “We’re lucky men.”
Nolan savored his whiskey, adding reflectively, “Do you think there’s someone out there for Vince?”
“I hope so,” Dillon answered but his tone said he shared Nolan’s fears about their brother. “If anyone needs someone to help heal the pain from the past…it’s Vince.”
Nolan nodded. Perhaps it wasn’t in the cards for Vince, but he sincerely hoped so. Now that he had Shannon and Aubrey in his life, he realized what he’d been missing.
He wanted that for Vince, too.
“Little brother, he has to follow his own path,” Dillon said, shrugging. “If I’ve learned anything, if it’s meant to be…it will find a way.”
Simple but sage advice.
“Let’s hope fate is kind to Vince, too,” he said, lifting his glass and Dillon did the same.
“Here’s to hope.”
They both drank and sighed with contentment.
Life was good — and Nolan knew he was one lucky son-of-a-bitch.
“So fatherhood…” Dillon asked, his nerves showing. “How is it?”
In this Nolan had no trouble beaming from ear to ear, saying, “Brother, it’s the best thing that has ever happened to me. You’re going to love it.”
Nolan couldn’t wait to add to their brood, but he’d made a deal with Shannon — no more babies until after the wedding.
Anytime after that was fair game.
He smiled at the thought.
Making babies with Shannon…he couldn’t wait.
And this time around, he wasn’t going to miss a single minute.