Page 155 of My Husband Problem

Yes. I want that. I wanthim. And he wants me.

A happy calm washes over me. I take a deep breath. “Well, there are a couple of things you might need to know first.”

I watch him carefully. Will he recognize the words as the same ones I said to him on our wedding day in Cara almost two years ago?

He grins. “Astrid, I don’t care if you're a crazy cat lady, if you collect ducks, if you live in a house with horrendous seventies wallpaper. I am so madly in love with you and this town and this future ahead of us that I can’t imagine living without all of it. All I need you to do is walk down that fucking aisle.”

They aren’t exactly the same words he said on our previous wedding day, but it’s a fantastic rewrite.

I laugh and stretch up to kiss him. “You really think that you will always get your way, don’t you?” I also asked him that on that fateful day.

He grins down at me and gives me the same answer he did back then. “Yes.”

I giggle. “Well, okay, but those ‘couple of things’ are, I have now stolen your black T-shirt too and will be alternating sleeping in it and your button-down.”

He laughs. “I’m very good with that.” He dips his head and says, “At least on the nights you’re not sleeping completely naked.”

I shiver and kiss him quickly before saying, “And two, Patty is fostering an orange kitten, and I think we should adopt it for Oscar.”

He lifts his head, thinking that over. “Oscar needs a cat friend,” Declan says with a nod. “Great idea.”

“Orange cats are well-known goofy, chaotic, affectionate menaces.”

He thinks that over as well. “Is Beckett an orange cat in human form?”

I laugh. “Yes. Very much so.”

“Sounds perfect for the older, sometimes grumpy tabby who really just needs friends and love,” Declan says.

My heart melts. I put my hand against his cheek. “Let’s go to New Orleans and get married. Rightnow.”

He gives me a hot, possessive look as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. “We’re going to need a couple of witnesses. And I know exactly who they should be.”

I assume he’s going to say Miles and Iris. But I think I have a better idea. “Do you think?—”

“What do you think Alex is doing right now?”

I suck in a quick breath. That’s who I was thinking of. I smile and pull out my phone. “He’s a retired professional hockeyplayer living in small town, Louisiana, following our Parks and Rec Director around like a lovesick puppy. I think he might be able to get away.”

Declan chuckles. “Excellent. Give him a call.” He lifts his phone to his ear and says, “Hi, Fiona, I was hoping you might possibly be free for a couple of hours today to go with Astrid and me to New Orleans.”

CHAPTER 32

DECLAN

We arriveat the palace only minutes behind the car that brought Cian, Scarlett, Henry, and Ruby from the landing strip.

Alex, Nora, Fiona, Knox, and Saoirse all flew with me, Astrid, Miles, and Iris from Louisiana. I’m thrilled to have them all here to witness our wedding and to support us. But I’m acutely aware that they’ve all recently spent more time than I have in my home country and the palace where I grew up, as they get out of the car and approach the imposing stone structure without hesitation.

I don’t let go of Astrid's hand as we walk up the immense staircase. I hear the commotion of the reunion taking place in the grand foyer and pause just outside the open doors. Astrid clearly feels my tension and squeezes my hand.

“It’s going to be fine,” she tells me. “No matter what happens, we are still husband and wife.”

I take in her gorgeous face and let her words sink in. “Of course.”

That’s not the concern, obviously.

Astrid is mine. Legally and emotionally this time. For good.