Page 116 of Accidental Groom

Elena’s eyes widen slightly. “Seriously?”

“He wants to meet her,” I murmur, reaching out just enough to stroke Clem’s arm with the back of my fingers. “I think he’s trying.”

Elena pauses, then nods. “Good. That’s good.”

I lift my gaze to hers. “You’re okay with that?”

“I am,” she says softly. “You deserve to try to have a relationship with your son, Harry.”

She leans into me, her head resting on my shoulder, the weight of Clementine resting just barely between us. I could happily sit like this for the rest of my life, even with Elena’s hand reaching out and squeezing and empty air, a silent request for Sarah to hand her her coffee.

Sarah rolls her eyes and obliges.

“I’ve been thinking,” Elena says, taking a sip with her head pointedly turned as far from Clem’s head as possible. Always so nervous about accidentally spilling things on her. “I want to go to Switzerland. Soon. I didn’t get to go for the grand opening. I want to see it.”

Sarah rolls her eyes. “That resort is ridiculous. The photos areinsane.”

I shoot her a look.

“I’m just being honest!”

Elena rolls her eyes, a smirk playing at her lips. “The resort isnice,” she counters. “And I want to meet the events team there in person, talk through the plans for the summer and winter season. And obviously see what I missed out on.”

“It was perfect, for the record,” I grin, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. “Even without you there. Everyone said so.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she grumbles. “But I want to go. And then maybe Bangkok after, spend a few days there, see what kind of local partnerships we can set up. I’ve got ideas for destination wedding packs.”

Sarah blinks at her. “You’re going to take the baby halfway across the world?”

Elena shrugs, looking up at me. “Only if her father comes.”

Clementine squirms slightly, and I lift her gently into my arms, kiss her nose. She makes a tiny snuffling sound that tugs at something inside my chest. “Anywhere you two go, I go,” I murmur.

It’s not just a promise. It’s the truth. Elena changed everything, took a life I thought had already had its run of fulfillment, and revealed how hollow it had been for years. She gave me a daughter, a partner, a home — not the house, not the Hall, not the legacy.

Her.

And maybe someday, when we’re older and Clementine’s grown and the world for us is quieter, we’ll sit on the porch of that cabin on the preserve, and I’ll tell her that this, all of this, was what I’d been unknowingly waiting for twelve years to have.

My family. My home. My second chance, and my everything.

Finally.

What to read next? You’ll love Accidental Blind Date: An Enemies to Lovers Age Gap Romance,available on Amazon. Read now!

Check out the first chapters on the next page…

My blind date stood me up.

But the hot silver fox at the bar? He gave my night a happy ending.

Over. And. Over.

But don’t let that charming grin fool you. He’s really not the nice guy he pretends to be.

Turns out he’s actually my older brother’s best friend.

A smooth-talking business shark trying to take over my little bookstore.