Page 89 of Challenged By You

Before they can answer, I tell her, “Second, Jonas is still trying to change the menu.”

There’s silence on the other end of the line. “You’re getting married in less than twenty-four hours, Jonas. Are you out of your mind?” I consider the fact Mia didn’t curse a minor miracle. The fact the windows to my office rattled a bit is a perfectly acceptable trade-off.

Sheepishly, he hooks an arm around my neck when he leans in to answer. “I just want to make sure Trina can eat everything.” His other hand caresses our baby’s bump.

Elle pipes up, “Okay, cheese I’m willing to look into adjusting for that reason. I amnotwilling to make mini cakes, Jonas. That’s where I put my foot down.”

“If it’s doable, Jonas, Elle will take care of it. If it’s not, then it’s not. It’s time to stop being nervous and start getting excited.” And at that, Mia slams down the phone.

Seconds later, a text pops up on my screen.I swear he’s worse than when I married Cam. Both times.

I grin, remembering the stories Mia shared over the years. “Are we good here?” I ask everyone in the room. “Even though the rehearsal is small, I’d like to go home to get ready for it.”

Jonas releases his hold on me and offers his hand. “Then let’s go home, sweetheart.” I take it and stand.

Elle pushes to her feet. Quickly she leans forward and brushes a kiss against Jonas’s cheek, then leans in to give me a fierce hug. “I’ll be over to your condo in a few hours.”

“Next to Jonas, you’re the most important person I need there,” I tell her honestly. Elle standing by my side tomorrow is everything. She’s more than my best friend—we’ve lived through too many of life’s challenges for that.

She saunters out, calling, “Hey, guys. Do we have a wheel of Swiss Lorraine anywhere here? The groom strikes again. Come on Chris, Annie. Let’s see if we can make your dad any cheesier than he normally is.”

“Okay!” They scramble after their favorite aunt because they know they’ll likely get a snack out of her dessert chefs by the time we get out of my office.

A soon as the kids vacate, I burst out laughing. “That’s what you asked her for? Swiss Lorraine?” I wrap my arms around my fiancé and hug him hard.

“Listen, with the way we weremintto be together, how can you expect anything less?” He drops his head down to nuzzle gently at my cheek.

“If bet if Elle knew that story, she’d find the closest supermarket to buy it at,” I chuckle.

Jonas rears back, making me immediately regret my words. “That is not a challenge,” I warn him.

“Then what was it?” The light I love in his dark brown eyes is sparkling down at me.

I groan. “Just take us all home. We need to get ready.”

“Then you’d better shut down. You won’t see the inside of this office for the next two weeks.” A delicious shiver runs through me when I realize we’ll be off to Europe for the next two weeks. As if he can read my thoughts, Jonas comes up behind me and places his hands on my hips. “How much five-star cuisine do you think we can get from room service?”

“I hope a hell of a lot.”

“Good. Let’s get the hell out of here and get started,” Jonas growls. “I love you, Trina.”

I tingle from head to toe when he says it. I hope I still do when I’m tottering around with a cane. “I love you too, Jonas.” Grabbing my purse, Jonas rolls his eyes before he swings the colorful backpack onto his shoulder.

Taking my hand, he leads me out door. Coming to an abrupt stop, he asks, “What happened to your door?”

Innocently, I ask, “What do you mean?”

He runs his fingers over where it used to read,Chef Trina Paxton, Executive Chef.Now all it says isExecutive Chef.“What’s going on?”

Figuring it’s as good a time as any to give him his wedding gift, I press him forward until his back is against the wall I first slammed into him when I ran out of this very office under duress. “While we’re gone, they’re going to change the name to read Chef Trina Rice, Executive Chef. It was going…”

I don’t have a chance to say any more as Jonas drops my bag to the floor and pulls me into his arms to kiss me thoroughly. I know for certain he loves his gift because our kids have a chance to finish dessert by the time he’s done.

The End