Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 540(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 540(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
“Holy shit!” Aiden remarked, leaping up from his seat. Within seconds, he yanked me from my chair and began spinning me around in circles. The moment he placed me on the floor, I saw the tears falling from his own eyes. Because when I cried, he cried. When I celebrated, he celebrated.
“You did this, Jerry!” he remarked, pulling me into the best hug of my life. “Your hard work did this. I’m so proud of you.”
Mama came out with two more pieces of cake and paused when she saw our emotions. “What’s going on?”
“Hailee got into the master’s program at Adler,” Aiden said with so much glee in his voice.
Mama’s eyes widened as she shouted with excitement. “Oh, my goodness! Let me go in the back and bring out the whole freaking cake. Karl! Get out of the office! We are celebrating!”
Dad came out right away and when we told him the news, he started jumping up and down with joy, too. When Aiden let me go, I fell into Dad’s arms. The first man who’d ever taught me what love looked like, what it felt like.
“I had no doubt in you and your abilities. I’m so proud of you, Cinderella,” he whispered as he kissed my forehead. “I love you forever.”
“I love you longer than that.”
46
Aiden
One Year Later
I wasn’t having a panic attack.
Truth be told, I hadn’t suffered from a panic attack in a while. Not since Hailee helped me discover paths to my happiness, and I got into therapy. It turned out, getting help could lead to a happier life.
And my life was becoming happier and happier each day.
That morning, I felt the calmest I’d ever felt in my life. It was the day of my wedding. The day I looked at my very best friend and said, “I do”, and I’d never felt surer about anything in my whole life.
Loving Hailee was something I’d do for the rest of my life, and it felt like an honor to say those two words to her when we’d reach the end of the aisle in front of our family and friends.
“You look good,” Damian said, walking over to me as we waited in the dressing room. The ceremony was going to be starting any moment, and I had my three newest brothers with me as groomsmen. Connor, Jax, and Damian became instant brothers to me. They were the definition of family, and they welcomed me with open arms.
Damian straightened out my bow tie and I smiled. “You don’t look half bad yourself.”
“Must be genetics,” he joked before patting me on the back.
“Okay, Connor, Jax, the photographer needs you all out in the hallway,” Mom said as she walked into the dressing room. The moment she saw us all she teared up. “Handsome, handsome men,” she mentioned. Connor and Jax headed out for the photos as Mom walked over to Damian and me. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek and then turned to Damian and kissed his as she placed her hands against his cheeks. “You look amazing, son.”
Damian was a tough guy. He didn’t show much emotion, but in that moment, I thought he was on the brink of tears.
“What is it?” Mom asked him.
He shook his head a little as a half-smile slipped out. “Nothing. It’s just… You called me son.”
“Yes. That’s what you are to me.”
He cleared his throat and stood straighter. “I just always wanted that.”
“Wanted what?”
He sniffled, trying to stay strong. “A mom.”
Mom smiled. “I always wanted another son for my Aiden, so I think it works out perfectly. Meet Jax and Connor outside for pictures in a minute, okay?” She gave Damian another kiss on the cheek before leaving the room.
I smirked as I looked at my brother.
He grimaced and brushed away his tears. “If you ever mention me crying to anyone, I will punch you in your balls,” he grumbled.
I tossed my hands up in surrender. “Your secret is safe with me.”
He patted my back one more time before leaving the room to join Connor and Jax for photographs, leaving me alone with myself and my thoughts.
I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing out my suit, thinking about how I was minutes away from the biggest moment of my life thus far.
“You look good,” someone said from behind me. I turned to see Karl standing there in his own tuxedo.
“You don’t look that bad yourself.”
“What can I say? This old man knows how to clean up well.” He walked over to me and brushed his thumb against his nose. “Are you nervous?”
“Not at all. Just ready.”
He smiled. “That’s how I felt on my wedding day to Penny. Just ready. When you know you’re marrying your person, there’s a calmness that comes over you.” He glanced at his watch. “I must get to Hailee to get ready to walk her down the aisle, but I wanted to stop in quick and let you know that I couldn’t think of a better man to be marrying my daughter. I’ve seen the way you love her, and that only makes me love you more. It is an honor to be your father-in-law, but if you’d like, you are always more than welcome to call me dad.”