I was delighted he’d even thought about it. I didn’t want kids right away either. I had so much I still wanted to do. But it was nice to know Cole and I were on the same page about something so huge.
I gestured to Jarrod. “I don’t know how you get anything done with all that adorableness around you.”
“Actually, despite the distracting adorableness, Jarrod has been great. Sophia cried most nights, but Jarrod sleeps a lot. He’s an absolute angel.”
Seeing the loving look on his friend’s face, Cole said cautiously, “Not looking forward to returning to work, then?”
Hannah shrugged. “I’m looking forward to getting back into the classroom, but I’ll miss this. I’m only going back part-time to begin with. I still need more time with this little guy.” She suddenly grinned at me and stepped closer, lowering her voice. “Cole tells us you’re a talented artist and have a particular talent at landscapes.”
“Oh.” Surprised by the change in subject and the compliment, I found myself stuttering, “I’m all ri— Okay, I mean, I guess I—I’m okay.”
Cole wrapped an arm around me and jerked me into his side. “What she meant to say was ‘Yes, I’m a bloody fantastic artist, thank you.’”
I rolled my eyes. “What he said.”
Hannah laughed. “Well, good, because we were all trying to come up with the perfect gift to give the couple who have everything.” She gestured to the room around us, so I gathered she meant Joss and Braden. “And then we thought it might be a lovely idea to commission a cityscape of Edinburgh.”
“Commission?” I put my free hand to my chest. “Commission me?”
“Well, yes. We trust Cole’s eye, and if he says you’re good, then you’re good.”
Amazed, humbled, excited, all of the above, I nodded enthusiastically. “I’d love to. What are they celebrating?”
“Joss’s pregnancy, of course.”
More surprise shot through me and I looked up at Cole in question.
He winced. “With everything we had going on I forgot to tell you.”
“Tell her what?” Joss’s familiar voice queried behind us.
We turned and she, Jo, and Ellie closed in on us so we created a small circle.
“That you’re pregnant.” I smiled. “Congratulations.”
Her gunmetal eyes softened. “Thank you. This is the last one, so Braden has everyone making a huge deal out of it.”
“It is a big deal.” Her husband sidled up to her, inserting himself in beside her and Ellie so he could press a kiss to Joss’s neck. Joss leaned into him and sighed.
“Fine, it’s a big deal, but can we please stop talking about it? This is Cole and Shannon’s engagement party.”
“Oh, please,” Hannah snorted as her big sister took Jarrod from her. “This is Ellie’s party.”
Ellie grinned unashamedly. “Any excuse, eh, baby boy,” she cooed, pressing a kiss to Jarrod’s forehead.
“Oh, give him here.” Elodie appeared at her side, reaching for her grandchild.
“You’re not playing pass the parcel,” Hannah huffed.
“Shush.” Elodie waved her off and pressed Jarrod to her body. “I haven’t held him in fifteen minutes. I’m having withdrawals.”
“How are you feeling?” I felt the need to ask. During all the excitement last weekend, I hadn’t inquired. “You look well.”
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright, and she had lost that haggard tiredness she’d worn after the attack.
“I’m fine, sweetheart,” she assured me, giving me a kind smile. “I’ve had plenty of rest and I’m feeling strong. Especially now that I have another beautiful grandchild to keep me busy, and a wedding to look forward to.”
“Shannon, before I forget,” Braden suddenly said, drawing my attention from the matriarch of the family. “I have an offer for your brother.”
“An offer?” I said, puzzled.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Marco appear. He pulled Hannah into his side.
“I shared,” Cole explained, looking concerned. “Not about everything but about why Logan was in prison. I thought they could help. I’m sorry. I should—”
“It’s fine.” I cut him off and pressed a hand to his arm in reassurance. “I trust them.” I glanced back at Braden. “What kind of offer?”
“I imagine he’ll find it hard to get work when he gets out of prison, but Cole explained matters and a man shouldn’t have to bear those kinds of consequences for protecting his family. When your brother gets out send him to me and I’ll find a job for him wherever he feels he wants to start over. I have a number of opportunities for him.”
“Same here,” Marco said. “I’m site manager for a construction company. If he doesn’t find anything to suit him with Braden, I’d be happy to set him up somewhere suitable to his skill set.”
Overwhelmed by their generosity, I was struck completely dumb for a few seconds.
The silence only broke when Cole sought to close my mouth by pressing a finger under my chin. Everyone chuckled and I swatted playfully at his hand.
“Thank you,” I managed. “That really means a lot. It’ll mean a lot to Logan too.”
“You’re Cole’s family now. That makes you our family.” Elodie smiled.
“And on that note.” Cole stepped away from me and lowered himself to one knee.
“Cole, what are—”
“Stealing my thunder back.” He grinned and took my hand. “Here in this room are the people who mean the most to me. A family that embraced my family and made us stronger for it. It was the best gift I’d ever been given until the moment you told me you loved me.”
My breath hitched.
“You offered me everything last week, and I want my chance to offer everything back to you. I’m offering you what they once offered me. I’m offering you a family who will love and protect you not only because I love and protect you, but because you’re an amazing woman who deserves every sweet thing life has to give. We’re going to spend the rest of our lives happier and stronger because we have each other, and because we finally have the kind of family behind us we both always dreamed of having.”
The tears were pouring so fast down my cheeks I could barely see through the blur as he produced a narrow-pointed marquise diamond perched on a platinum band. His own eyes were bright with emotion as he slid the ring onto my finger.
Seconds later I was lifted into his arms. I wrapped my legs around his waist as I kissed the life out of him. When I finally managed to pry myself from him, a teary-eyed Jo, Liv, and Elodie hugged me, followed by a grinning Joss, Ellie, and Hannah. I received more congratulatory hugs from the men and even from the kids, and I stood there in Cole’s arms, staring every five seconds at the beautiful ring on my finger, thinking how strange life could be.
How a person could go from feeling so lonely and broken to so cherished and hopeful in only a few short months.
As I gazed around at the colorful characters who surrounded me, I decided it was them. They had a kind of magic about them, a magic they’d gifted to Cole, who in turn had gifted it to me.
* * *
It had been two weeks since our engagement. In that time I’d moved all of my things into Cole’s, where he surprised me once more. He’d had a sofa bed put in the guest bedroom to replace the bed that had been in there. He did this to provide more room . . . more room for all of my art stuff. It was also a great space away from the studio for him to concentrate on his own artwork.
Living with Cole was pretty easy overall. I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was scary and heady and exciting too.
Before I got to do the fun moving-in stuff, I went back to Glasgow to meet with my family. They were pissed, but I was done trying to prove myself to them. Only time would tell whether or not we’d get past our issues.
I had Cole now.
And I’d always had Logan.
My eyes were drawn to my brother as soon as Cole and I walked into the visitor room at the prison. Logan sat waiting for us, looking alert, scrutinizing Cole as he led me by the hand through the room.
I smiled at my brother as we took our seats opposite him. “Logan, it’s good to see you again.”
“You too, Shay.” His eyes flicked to Cole. “I take it you went big, not home.”
I laughed and nodded.
Cole looked confused.
“My brother encouraged me to propose.”
My fiancé raised an eyebrow at that. “Without having met me?”
Logan shrugged. “I went with my instincts on this one.”
Feeling giddy for many reasons, I leaned toward him. “I’ll let you two chat and get to know each other in a minute, but first I have great news.”
“Greater than that big bloody diamond on your finger?” Logan took my hand and then smirked at Cole. “Nice.”
“Focus.” I jerked on Logan’s hand, bringing his attention back to me. “Look, you remember I mentioned Cole’s family are involved in quite a bit of business in Edinburgh?”
“Yeah.”
I grinned. “Logan, Braden’s offered you a job. So did Marco. When you get out . . . they’ll have something waiting for you.”
Logan stared at me dumbly for a second and then at Cole. When he returned his gaze to me, he said softly, “Are you kidding me?”
“Nope. They know everything and they get it. They want to help you out.”
“That’s . . .” He shook his head. “Why would they? They don’t know me.”
“They know me.” I squeezed his hand. “And they’re good people.”
Logan rubbed a hand over his short hair. “I’m a bit speechless. I’ve been . . . I’ve been worrying about what would happen once I get back out there . . . This . . .” He looked at Cole. “Thanks, mate. This means a lot. Tell them thanks.”
Cole nodded. “It’s not a problem.”
Logan gripped my hand harder. “Thanks, Shannon.”
“No.” I smiled, fighting tears of happiness. “Thank you.”
EPILOGUE
Eighteen months later
L ight flooded the room. The smell of flowers and paint fumes had already become so familiar to me it was like being home. I was so comfortable there I lost myself in the art. Sometimes I had no idea how much time had passed.
Stepping back from the large piece of canvas, I contemplated the scene. It was a dystopian New York painted in gouache. It was my first time using the paint and so far I was enjoying the velvety effect of it.
“Shannon.”
“Hmm?”
“Shannon, what are you still doing here? It’s six o’clock.”
That penetrated my fog. “What?” I glanced over my shoulder at my friend and classmate Bernice. Bernie and I were both older freshman at Edinburgh College of Art and had gravitated to each other almost immediately when we started a few short months ago. I stared around at the empty classroom. “Damn.” I put my brush down. “I’m supposed to be at Joss’s book launch in an hour.”
“You can make it if you hurry.”
I nodded, grabbed my bag, and rushed past her. “Thank you! See you tomorrow.”
* * *
“You’re covered in paint,” Cole said without preamble as soon as I stumbled into our apartment. He grabbed my hand. “Shower.”
I felt a rush of anticipation but tried to squash it considering we didn’t have a whole lot of time. “I can’t shower with you. We’ll be really, really, really late.”
He pushed open the door and shrugged out of his shirt, revealing the stylized “S” he’d had tattooed on his chest. Just like Stu had predicted, Cole had not heeded Steely’s warning about getting a woman’s name tattooed on him. I’d talked him out of getting my entire name scripted onto his skin, and we’d agreed on the initial. “Then we’ll be really, really, really late.”
Laughing, I followed him, tugging off my own shirt and leaving it behind on the floor beside his. “If anyone asks, I’ll blame you.”
* * *
“You’re late,” Hannah whispered as Cole and I pushed through the small crowd in the bookstore to stand with our family.
“Cole’s fault,” I whispered back.
“What was it this time?” Marco muttered. “Testing the weight of the kitchen table?”
I grinned, staring straight ahead at Joss, who was talking about the inspiration behind her latest character. “Nope. The effectiveness of our showerhead.”
“I think I’m going to be sick.”
I laughed softly at the familiar grumble and looked over my shoulder. Logan stood behind me, dressed smartly in a dark blue shirt and black jeans.
He grimaced at me. “Do me a favor—look around the room before you share those kinds of details.”
Trying to stem my giggling, I nodded and turned back to listen to Joss.
A few minutes later she’d finished her introduction, signed some books, and was now heading toward us. She took in my still-damp curls and the high color on my cheeks. “First you’re late and then you talk through my intro. You owe me another painting.”
“Sorry. It was all Cole’s fault.”
“Stop.” Logan held up a hand. “What did I say?”
“What did you say?” Braden came to a stop beside him.