Page 166 of Scandalous Contract

I couldn’t wait to hear those three words from her lips.

CHAPTER FORTY

STEFANIE

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THE SUN WAS SHOWINGoff that afternoon, high and hot, blanketing everything in a golden haze. I was hanging out on Ronnie’s patio, reclined in one of his comfy pool chairs with my legs stretched out and a cold glass of lemonade in my hand.

My purple one-piece swimsuit hugged me in all the right places, the matching floral wrap knotted at my waist fluttering in the breeze. Flip-flops dangled from my toes, and my curls were pulled into a high ponytail.

Ronnie was next to me in bright orange swim trunks that complemented his dark chocolate skin tone. He was finally relaxing after grilling all day. The scent of barbecue clung to the air, smoke, hickory, and spice. It was almost time to eat.

The pool glistened under the sun, but neither of us was in it. We were just lounging, listening to the gentle slosh of water from the filter, the occasional bird call, and the distant hum of a lawn mower down the street.

Inside the house, India was busy chatting on the phone with her friends and scrolling through birthday pictures. My baby was officially eighteen, and she’d had the birthday celebration she deserved.

It had been a full-on bash at Ronnie’s restaurant with decorations, music, and people she loved and enjoyed hanging with. She’d been surprised that most of the people she’d invited actually showed up.

Like me, she was an overthinker and had thought most of them wouldn’t come. Seeing her happy had made me happy. I smiled as I stared out at the water.

“Alright,” Ronnie said suddenly, dragging his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose to squint at me. “What’s with that smile? You look like a cat that just found a slice of cheese.”

I blinked, caught off guard by the question. “I can’t smile now?”

He raised a brow. “It’s not just the smile.” He waved his hand over me. “It’s everything. You’re practically radiating, woman. What’s going on?”

I took a sip of lemonade, trying to hide the grin tugging at my lips. “I’m just happy my baby had a great birthday. And she made it to eighteen. When I first brought her home, you told me that I couldn’t keep a plant alive, so there was no way I’d keep a human baby alive.”

“I did say that. And I commend you for keeping our little bumble bee alive and thriving because you make that shit look easy when I know it’s not. But don’t change the subject. I can tell when something is going on. What’s up?”

I knew exactly what he was talking about. There was no point in pretending I didn’t want to talk about it, too.

“For the first time in a long time... everything feels right,” I told him. “Like life finally lined up the way it was supposed to for me.”

Ronnie tilted his head. “Everything?”