Page 117 of Finding Peace
Like he finally believes this life… this family—his second chance—is real.
Lincoln’s gaze flickers between my own. “You look really fuckin’ pretty today.”
I scoff a laugh and glance down at myself. I’m wearing a simple white cotton dress. It’s comfortable and loose and stops at about mid-calf. It has puffed sleeves that stop at my elbows and buttons down the front of it. Paired with a pair of green Hunter rain boots I ordered once the snow started melting, and a cream Tecovas felt hat, I honestly thought I looked a bit ridiculous. But, regardless of how impractically I might be dressed, it was the only thing that looked evenremotely comfortable when I rolled out of bed this morning. “I quite literally couldn’t stand the feeling of pants on my body today. Nor did I have the energy to do my hair. So this was my best option.”
He chuckles quietly before bending down and pressing his lips softly against my stomach. The tenderness of it makes my eyes sting.
If I could stop crying all the damn time, that would be great.
I don’t have long to dwell on the almost certain tears before he straightens and his lips meet my own. It starts gentle—but only for a moment. Sliding his hand to my ass, he deepens the kiss. It’s warm and slow and filled with just the right amount of pressure to have me weak in the knees. A low groan vibrates in his chest before he pulls back just enough to speak against my lips.
“If I could walk into this barn every day and see you like this,” he rumbles, voice rough, “it’d be a dream come true.”
I giggle as he curves my body against his own. “Better get your fill then.”
He shrugs casually. “There’s always the next one.”
My head snaps back. “The next one?! How about we get throughthis one?”
Lincoln just winks. Then he reaches into his pocket and pulls out an envelope.
My name is written across the front and nothing else. “I wanted to give you this. Jasper picked it up from a P.O. box while he was in Billings yesterday.”
I take the envelope slowly, eyeing him. “Why do you have a P.O. box in Billings?”
His grin widens. “You’ll see when you open it. Sebastian helped set it up.”
Leaning down, he kisses me once more—quick but warm—just as his phone starts ringing in his pocket. “I love you, Sweetheart. Come find one of us if you need to after you read that.”
He answers the call as he turns toward the stairs leading to his office. “Yeah?” he says into the phone, already climbing. There’s a pause before I hear him ask, “You find another one?”
The question barely registers, my attention already on the envelope in my hands. Gently, I sink down onto an overturned bucket beside Griffin’s stall and slide one finger under the flap.
The second I unfold the paper inside, my breath catches.
I’d recognize that handwriting anywhere.
Tears blur my vision before I even start reading.
Anya,
If you’re reading this, then it means that whatever magic those guys in New York and your cowboy bodyguards did worked.
First of all—hi. I’m alive. I’m okay. You don’t need to worry about me.
And second of all…
YOU’RE PREGNANT?!
I nearly fell out of my chair when I found out.
The one named Sebastian told me, and I screamed so loud my neighbor banged on the wall.
I can’t believe I’m going to be an aunt.
An actual aunt!
I cannot wait to meet my niece or nephew someday. I’m already planning on spoiling them rotten, by the way. I hope those men you live with are prepared for that.
