Epilogue
Two month's later.
G erard, unwilling to take his arm from around his wife’s waist, watched as his sister oohed and ahhed over Rowan’s wedding ring for the about the seventh time since their wedding at City Hall a month ago.
“Still loving this Celtic knot design.”
Rowan smiled up at her husband. “He knows what my Irish heritage means to me.”
With a light squeeze, he acknowledged the compliment. Anything that was important to Rowan was important to him. Including the newly formed Barrett and McCarthy Investment Group, complete with a changed board. Rowan’s mother, unwilling to take on day to day business, elected to fill the board seat vacated by Silverman. A much better option in Gerard’s point of view.
Now that the bulk of the consolidation work and the press conference were done, he and Rowan could finally take a few days to themselves.
“Come on, you two,” Rose said, ushering them out the door. “Go make grandbabies.”
“Mother!” Rowan said, whirling on her mother.
“What? You think I don’t know what honeymoons are all about? Now go. Emersyn and I can handle anything here for a while.”
Gerard found her suggestion intriguing and one he planned to fully enjoy. However, he’d learned quickly that giving Rose the upper hand only made her grab for more. “Mrs. McCarthy, we need to talk about a few things first.”
Rose stopped so fast he almost tripped over his own feet trying to halt his forward momentum. Rose put her hands on her hips. “Did you, or did you not, marry my daughter?”
He grinned. So did Rowan. One of the few arguments they’d won with her mother was that they would have a small civil ceremony. No big fancy wedding. Rowan had been adamant. He would’ve given her a ceremony fit for a royal if she’d wanted it, but she’d said no.
“I did marry your daughter,” he answered.
“Then you’d better start calling me Rose.”
He leaned in to whisper in her ear as Rowan and Emersyn walked ahead to the limo. “Or grandmother?”
Rose patted his cheek. “Young man, we’re going to get along just fine.”
They caught up as his bride and his sister hugged.
“I’m so happy we’re sisters,” Rowan said.
“I knew we would be as soon as I met you,” Emersyn said.
“And you’ve officially promised not to meddle in my affairs any more, right?” Gerard hugged his sister while Rowan said goodbye to her mother.
By the time they arrived in Colorado, he could see Rowan was exhausted. “Sleep. I’ll wake you when we get to the cabin.”
He spent the drive there thanking fate—and sometimes, his sister—for bringing Rowan into his life. Whenever he glanced at her sleeping form, which was often, he couldn’t believe his luck. Gerard had always believed he would never marry, that he was married to Barrett Investments. He couldn’t have been more wrong.
He pulled into the cabin’s driveway and shut the car off. Leaning over, he nudged Rowan gently.
“Mmm?”
“Wake up, sleeping beauty. We’re here.”
Rowan opened her eyes and looked around. “I slept the whole way?”
“You did. Now, ready to go inside and really get this honeymoon started?
“Oh, yes,” she said, moving closer. “So ready.”
Their kiss, full of promise, lasted long enough to fog up the windows. When they separated, he got out and went around the car to open her door.
“I’ll get the luggage later,” he said, swinging her out and into his arms.
Rowan squealed. “Put me down.”
“We are doing this the right way, Mrs. Barrett.” He proved that by unlocking the door without setting her on her feet, then carrying her past the threshold, kissing her the entire way.
When he finally did set her down, they were both breathing hard. He glanced over her shoulder and froze. When Rowan turned, she laughed so hard, it reminded him of that night in her office when she’d upended her chair.
“I’m going to kill Emersyn,” he said.
The entire cabin was covered in streamers and balloons. Penises intermixed with hearts. Even the pictures on the walls had been covered with gift wrap that had very erotic scenes depicted.
“How the hell did she find out where we were going on our honeymoon?”
“You know Emersyn. She has her ways.” Rowan walked over to one paper-clad picture that showed various Kama Sutra poses. She leaned in for a closer look, then turned to him. “How is that position even possible?”
He glanced at the pose she pointed to. “Hmmm. I guess we’ll just have to try it to see.”
Rowan turned in his arms. “I’d like that very much, husband.”
That night, they sat outside around the campfire with Rowan in his lap.
“I’m so happy to be your wife.”
“Not as happy as I am to be your husband.”
She cupped his cheek with her hand. “You were the surprise in my life. I never meant to fall in love. It wasn’t part of the plan.”
He twirled a lock of her hair around his finger. “I’m learning that it’s all right when things don’t go as planned. That sometimes, everything turns out much better than we could ever imagine.”
He nuzzled her neck.
“Mmmm,” she moaned. “It sure does.”
Gerard snuck his hand under her coat and t-shirt and snapped the clasp of her bra. Pushing everything up, he bared her breast and took it in his mouth. He would never tire of this. Ever. Rowan was his mate, his life, perfect in every way. Just like their new hybrid company.
Just like he was. Whole.
***
Thank you for reading Royal Flush, book 1 in the Billionaire Bachelor Pledge series. While this series can be read in any order, the next one in the series is High Card, where Xander and Danni try to find a way past secrets into love. If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review wherever you prefer and know that it would be greatly appreciated.