Sweetest Mistake (Nolan Brothers #2) (39 page)

T
he temperature climbed above fifty degrees and the rich, loamy scent of spring filled the air. Outside to greet their new guests, Emily shucked her sweatshirt and turned her face toward the sun. Only a few months ago, fifty degrees had hit her like an arctic blast. Now, warmth spread through her and eased the aching from her bones.

Luke bounded down the porch stairs. The shadows that’d stalked him seemed to have lifted.

One hand slipped around her waist while the other smoothed over her large belly. “How’s he doing today?”

“He’s active. I think he’s excited, too.”

An ultrasound showed the baby to be developing well and in perfect health. It also showed they were having a boy. With the news, the wonder-terror had returned with the intensity of a thousand white-hot suns. What did she know about raising a little boy?

But then she remembered she didn’t have to do it alone. Luke was there, and he had enough confidence for ten people. And she had Luke’s brothers, and Mina, and Isobel was becoming a dear friend very quickly.

One thing Emily knew for certain, her baby would be loved.

Luke took a long taste of her mouth. “And how are you today, Mrs. Nolan?”

She laid her head on his shoulder. “I’m perfect.”

A car turned and ambled up the drive. When it rolled to a stop in front of the house, Luke went around to the driver-side door.

Leo unfolded from the car.

At his appearance, Emily’s heart squeezed. He was thin, gaunt even, and his eyes appeared sunken in his too-thin face.

He was the first of their weekend guests, though Leo would be staying with them after the others left next week.

It’d be their third time hosting the retreat. Luke had worked with Chloe Smallwood to plan the program and bring it to fruition. This weekend’s group was their most diverse yet and included military and law enforcement personnel, as well as rape survivors.

Warriors from every battlefield, Luke had said when he first told her about the idea.

The brothers stood at the car for a time, talking, until finally, they moved to join her on the front porch.

A light twinkled in Luke’s emerald eyes when he smiled at her. “You’ll never guess what happened.”

“What happened?” she repeated.

“They lost Leo’s luggage.”

Leo glowered at him, though his scowl held no bite. “He told me I’m lucky.”

Luke lifted one shoulder. “You could’ve found your things thrown all over the airport terminal.”

Heat rushed into Emily’s cheeks. “Speaking of, y-you still haven’t returned BOB to m-me.”

Luke slung his arm over her shoulders and pulled her close into his side. “You and BOB are through. I’m entirely too insecure to share you with another man.”

“Who’s Bob?” Leo asked.

Emily laughed and slipped her arms around Luke’s waist as they walked with Leo into the house.

It struck her then that her whole world, when snuggled tight, fit inside of her arms.

Luke lay in their bed, awaiting her return.

When finally she waddled back into the bedroom, her belly heavy and round in front of her, his heart squeezed.

He stretched, filching a prepackaged cookie from the plate she carried. “Hey, guess what? There’s a plot.”

“Really?” The mattress dipped when she climbed onto the bed and a wisp of her scent teased his nostrils. “What’s happening?”

“So Serena has made the tough choice to sell her virginity to the highest bidder.”

Emily’s pouty mouth twisted into a wry frown. “Tough choice, huh?”

“Her little brother has a rare form of cancer and she has to come up with the money to pay for his treatment.”

“Okay, that is a good reason.” She adjusted a pillow behind her back.

He bit into a cookie and hit play to resume the movie. “The highest bidder is some old dude named Roger and she’s arrived at his beach house mansion to make good on the deal.” He held up the cookie. “You know, these aren’t that bad.”

“I told you so.”

He placed one hand on her bare leg. “I’ve learned there’s a place for cheap and easy in my life after all.”

She slapped his arm. “What happened when Serena got to Roger’s mansion? Did they do it?”

Luke shook his head. “Not yet. Roger’s son, Chase, saw her first. Now he’s pretending to be Roger.”

Emily snuggled down under the quilt. “How stupid is Serena if she can’t tell the difference between a sixty-year-old and a twenty-year-old?”

The scene changed to a dark night on the beach.

Luke frowned at the TV. “They weren’t supposed to film on the beach. That’s a permit violation.”

“Max appealed and won. I think Drew may have used his influence on that one, too.”

“He’s a real servant to the public, isn’t he?”

On the TV screen, Honey emerged from the lake. Water sloughed off her naked body. On shore, a man waited for her.

Emily peered at the TV. “Is that a boom mike?”

“You’re looking at the scenery?”

“I’ve already seen Honey naked. I gather from your familiarity with her resume, so have you.”

“Lucky for you, I don’t get tired of looking at naked women.”

Honey’s voice carried through the TV. “I seem to have misplaced my clothes.”

“You don’t need them.” Will snatched Honey to him and kissed her.

“I like this guy.” Luke took another bite of his cookie.

Emily frowned. “His delivery isn’t the only thing that’s a little stiff.”

With his bark of laughter, he choked on a chocolate chip.

Soft moans and grunts offset the slippery sounds of their kissing.

“Are they actually doing it?”

“Max told me Will’s wearing a skin-colored banana hammock.” Her nose crinkled adorably. “Knowing them kind of ruins it.”

Luke tilted his head to the side as the couple on the screen rolled in the sand. “Yeah, you’re right, it kinda does.”

He hit the Fast-Forward button until the scene changed. Honey and Will had moved to the library and were doing it on the desk.

“Do you think we missed a plot point or something?” he asked.

Emily flushed pink all over. “I thought the skinny dipping was just a coincidence.” She tucked a soft strand of her light hair behind her ear. “You don’t think…? Max didn’t… know that we… Did he?”

Luke frowned, chasing his memory. “Was he even here for your little skinny dip?”

Her shoulders relaxed. “Yeah, you’re right.”

“I guess we just picked all the best places to have sex.”

She crunched on a cookie and a crease puckered her brow while she chewed. “I really need to clean that desk.”

“You’re thinking about cleaning?”

She winced. “Sorry. Fast-forward some more.”

Images rushed by, until Honey and Will emerged on the screen with their clothes on, and Luke hit the Play button.

They were arguing, as somehow Serena had found out Chase wasn’t Roger. Through tears, Honey told Will she didn’t care he lied because she was in love with him. Then they did it again.

“Oh, good.” Emily breathed a relieved sigh. “We never did it on that balcony.”

“We need to correct that grievous oversight.”

She titled her head to the side and watched the action on the screen for a long moment. “She looks kind of bored.”

He hit Fast-Forward.

“Sex never lasts this long,” he felt compelled to point out.

He stopped the video. Serena stood in the foyer, a suitcase at her feet. When Chase appeared, she wanted to know why he didn’t have his suitcase. They were going to miss their flight to Vegas. Chase told Serena he couldn’t marry her. He would marry Mitzi, the daughter of his father’s business partner, as the families arranged years ago.

The credits rolled. He hit the Power button and the TV went dark.

“Wow, twist ending.” She snuggled into his side.

He ran a hand over her ginormous belly. “I can’t believe I married a woman who will watch porn with me.”

“It’s not porn. There’s a plot.”

“If you say so.”

“I do say so. And if you’re counting up my virtues, don’t forget I bake, too,” she said proudly.

“That’s pushing it.”

He buried his face in her hair.

For years on the force, he’d had to find little ways to lie to himself, to try to convince himself that some goodness remained in this world.

Now, he didn’t have to lie.

With a deep breath, he drew her inside him.

He was no longer a cop. At one time, the mere possibility of that happening would’ve destroyed him, and at first, it’d been hard. He didn’t know how to be anything other than a cop. He didn’t know how to do anything other than fight for the good guys.

He’d had a different story planned for himself, one with a different ending.

But this one would do.

The background noise had faded somewhat. He had them, and somehow, it was enough to fill the hole. To erase the void that’d opened up inside him the day a disturbed kid lashed out.

And while he’d never regain what was lost that day, he’d made some peace with it. What if one of the children at that school, facing the other end of that gun, had belonged to him and Emily? There were no winners, no heroes, in such tragedies. Only anguish.

His arms tightened around them.

He was no longer just a cop.

Now, he had options.

He was an inn owner. A community activist.

He was a brother and an uncle.

Soon, he’d be a dad.

He was Emily’s husband.

And it was enough.

It was everything.

THE END

Dear Reader,

Thank you for reading
SWEETEST MISTAKE
! I hope you enjoyed Luke and Emily’s story. If you did, and you’d like to help other readers discover this book, please consider leaving a review at
Amazon
and/or
Goodreads
.

In case you missed it, you can read Noah and Mina’s story in
BEAUTIFUL RUIN
, Book 1 of the Nolan Brothers series. Or, if you’d like to be notified when other books in the series are available, sign up for my newsletter
here
and I’ll be sure to keep you informed of my new releases.

Thank you again for taking a chance on
SWEETEST MISTAKE
.

Happy reading!

Amy

About The Author

Amy Olle writes sexy contemporary romances filled with hope, heart, and humor. Her debut novel,
Beautiful Ruin
, is the first book in a series about the five Irish-born Nolan brothers sent as children to live with family on a remote island in northern Michigan. She is delighted to put her Psychology degrees to good use writing romance.

Amy lives in Michigan with her longsuffering husband, brilliant son, and (female) turtle named George.

For new releases and giveaways,
join Amy’s mailing list
. She loves to hear from readers! Connect with her on
Twitter
and
Facebook
or contact her at [email protected].