FOREVER SERIES: COMPLETE BOX SET

by Lynn, Sandi

  “She’s still upset. I wiped a couple of tears from her eyes before I left for the office, but she’ll be okay.”

  “Umm, Dad.” Collin looked straight ahead.

  “Oh shit. How did she know we were here?”

  “Dad, she’s got that look on her face. I’m scared,” Collin expressed.

  “So am I, son. Just keep running.”

  Ellery headed straight for us with a mad-as-hell look on her face. “So, I see you’re having a talk with our son without me, Connor.” She stood there with her hand on her hip.

  I swallowed hard. “Ellery, how did you know we were here?”

  “Collin’s secretary, Laurinda, told me. I went to the office to talk to both of you, hoping we could get this resolved, and I find out you’re having a gym session with him?”

  Collin and I got off the treadmill and wiped our faces with towels. “Let’s go into the locker room, Ellery. People are staring.”

  “I don’t care if they’re staring. This is my gym and if I want to yell in it, I will.”

  Collin walked over to her and hooked his arm around her, kissing her cheek. “Hey, Mom. Let’s go and talk.”

  I let out a sigh of relief as she placed her arm around his waist, and we headed to the locker room.

  * * *

  Ellery

  I stood there and stared at my son as sweat dripped down his face. He was my boy and nothing he could ever do would change how much I loved him. Even though I was hurt by his decision to get married without his family, I needed to accept the fact that he was happy and that was all that mattered. Seeing him after his breakup with Hailey was, at times, too much to bear. When he found Amelia, I saw something in him that I never had before. It was the same something I had when I met Connor. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I understood.

  “Go clean yourself up and we’ll talk after.”

  “Okay, Mom.”

  Connor walked over and wrapped his arms around me. “I’m so proud of you, baby.”

  “You’re all sweaty, Connor.” I broke our embrace.

  “I thought you liked it when I’m all sweaty.” He winked.

  “I do. Just not gym sweat.” I reached up and kissed his lips. “Go change.”

  He slapped me on the ass with his towel before walking away and I took a seat on the bench. A few moments later, both my handsome men walked towards me in their tailored business suits. As they stood there in front of me, I stared at them with a tear in my eye. Not only did they look so much alike, they acted alike, and Amelia was the luckiest girl in the world to be loved by my son. Just as I was by Connor. I stood up and wrapped my arms around my son.

  “I am truly happy for you, Collin, and I want you to know how much I love you. I’m sorry for yelling at you last night.”

  “It’s okay, Mom, and I know how much you love me. I love you too and so does Amelia. We just want you to be happy for us.”

  “I am. I’m very happy for both of you. Please come to dinner with us tonight so I can apologize to Amelia and welcome her properly to the family. We can also discuss a date for the wedding reception your dad and I are giving you.”

  “Amelia and I would love to have dinner with you and Dad tonight. What time?”

  “I figured you’d say yes, so I already made reservations at Per Se for seven o’clock.” I smiled as I placed my hand on his cheek.

  “Seven it is.”

  “Now that we have this settled, Collin and I need to get back to the office. What are your plans for the rest of the day?” Connor asked as we left the locker room.

  “I’m going to stay here and get in a workout and then go over some things with Bobby. I’ll see my two sweet men later.” I gave Collin a kiss on the cheek and Connor a kiss on the lips and watched with contentment as they walked out of the gym.

  I pulled out my phone and called Julia.

  “Hi, Mom.”

  “Hi, sweetheart. Your dad and I are taking Collin and Amelia to dinner tonight. Would you and Jake like to join us?”

  “So you’ve made up?”

  “Yes. I came to my senses and had a talk with Collin. We’d love for you to join us tonight.”

  “That’s okay. Jake isn’t getting home until six o’clock and then he’ll want to spend some time with Brayden before I ship him off to you and Dad tonight.”

  “Okay. Then we’ll pick Brayden up after dinner. Thanks, Julia, for letting him spend the night with us tonight.”

  “You’re welcome, Mom. I know tomorrow is Denny’s birthday and it’s going to be hard on Daddy. Using time alone with Jake was a good excuse. I think having Brayden there tomorrow with you and Dad, at least in the morning, will help him feel a little better.”

  “I think so too, sweetheart. I’ll talk to you later. I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  I sighed as I ended the call. Tomorrow was going to be a difficult day for us, but mostly for Connor. He was still mourning Denny’s death and it had been emotionally difficult for him. I was hoping he’d take the day off of work tomorrow and spend it with me and Brayden. He never read the letter that Denny wrote him. He said that he wasn’t ready and some day he would be. I had a feeling that day would be tomorrow.

  * * *

  When Amelia and Collin walked through the doors at Per Se, I stood up and gave Amelia a big hug.

  “I’m so sorry, Amelia, for my behavior last night.”

  “It’s okay, Ellery. I totally understand. My parents would have been upset too.”

  I broke our embrace as I took her hands before sitting down. “I would love it if you’d call me ‘Mom,’ and I’m thrilled to have you as my daughter in-law. Collin couldn’t have picked a better girl in the world to marry. Congratulations and officially welcome to our family, Mrs. Amelia Black.”

  “Thank you so much, Mom.” She gave a tender smile.

  “Excuse me, Elle; it’s my turn.” Connor smirked.

  I stepped out of the way as he hugged her and welcomed her to the family.

  “What about me?” Collin asked as he held out his arms.

  “We already hugged you earlier.” I winked.

  He chuckled and we sat down and ordered a drink. We spent the next couple of hours talking about the wedding reception and how we were going to tell the rest of the family that Collin was already married.

  Chapter 7

  Connor

  I awoke to the sound of Brayden crying. Ellery got up to get him and she brought him back to the bed and handed him to me.

  “Say good morning to your grandpa.” She smiled.

  I took him from her and gave him a kiss. He was happy and full of smiles now that he was out of his crib.

  “I’m going to get his bottle. I’ll be right back.” She leaned over and kissed my lips.

  As I held him in my arms, I smiled as I thought of Denny. Today was his birthday and I missed him. I missed our talks, his smart-ass comments, but mostly, I missed his lectures. Ellery walked back in the room and handed me Brayden’s bottle.

  “Are you okay, baby?” she asked.

  “Yeah. I’m okay. I miss him, Elle.”

  She reached over and put her arm around me as she stroked Brayden’s head while I fed him his bottle.

  “I know you do. I miss him too. But you know, he wouldn’t want you to be sad. He already made that very clear after he died.”

  “I still can’t believe he’s gone. God, I would love to know what he would have thought about Collin getting married in Vegas.” I gave Ellery a small smile.

  “I know exactly what he would have said. ‘Connor, that boy of yours is exactly like you. Get your head out of your ass and be happy for him. Embrace his marriage and happiness because you know damn well you can’t blame him.’”

  I laughed. “You’re right. I can hear those exact words.”

  She gave me a squeeze as she laid her head on my shoulder. “I love you more and more every day, Connor Black.”

  I turned and kissed her forehead.
“I love you too, baby.”

  Once Brayden was fed, Ellery took him downstairs so I could take a shower. We were going to spend the day together; just the three of us. Like it was when we just had Julia. After my shower, I wrapped the towel around me and walked over to the armoire and opened the top drawer where I had kept Denny’s letter all these months. I slid my finger under the flap and took out the folded white paper. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, I slowly opened it.

  Dear Connor,

  My son and my best friend. As you’re reading this, I don’t want you to feel any sadness. I’m in a good place and I’ve been called home to reunite with my beautiful wife, Dana. Your journey to becoming a man was something that I treasured my whole life. You know Dana and I could never have kids, but we felt like our life was full because you were like our son. I know things with your own father hadn’t been easy for you, but as he gets older, you need to forgive him. People make mistakes and you of all people should know that. You’ve made your fair share throughout the years and you were forgiven more times than I could count. Life is all about family and accepting things we can’t control. You need to see the beauty in all things that happen because even the biggest mistakes can turn out to be the best gifts in life. Acceptance, forgiveness, and love prevail over anything that life throws your way. I love you, Connor Black, more than words can say and I think I did a damn good job of guiding you and loving you through the years. You’ve made me extremely proud and I couldn’t imagine a better man who deserved a wife and family as perfect as yours. Take care of Ellery, Julia, and Collin, and do right by them. So far, you’ve done an amazing job and I’ll be watching over you from afar to make sure you continue to do so. Remember, my son, that I will always love you and one day we’ll be reunited in the big sky. Now, toss this letter and be happy. Be happy for me that I’m back home and stop being selfish because you’re sad. Give Ellery a big kiss from me and don’t forget, I’m always around. If you need to talk about anything, just give me a shout. You’ll feel better, I promise.”

  Love always,

  Denny

  Ellery walked in the room and stopped when she saw the letter in my hands.

  “Is that—”

  “Yeah.” I looked up at her.

  She walked over to me, set Brayden in the middle of the bed, and wrapped her arms around me.

  “I’m confused, Elle. Some of the things he says in this letter about my father don’t make sense.” I handed her the letter. “Denny knew that my relationship with my father was on the mend over the last few years, so I don’t understand what he meant.”

  “I don’t know, Connor. Don’t read too much into it. It’s Denny. He’s probably just making sure you stay on the right track with your dad.”

  “I don’t know. But something about what he said bothers me. Especially the part about acceptance. Almost as if he knew something I don’t.”

  “Sweetheart, seriously, you’re reading too much into his words. Come on and get dressed. Go spend some time with your grandson while I get ready and we can start the day off by going to breakfast.” She kissed my cheek.

  “You’re right. Let me throw on some clothes.” I took the letter from her and folded it back up. I slipped it back in the drawer and closed the armoire. Still, something about that letter seemed off to me.

  Chapter 8

  Collin

  As I sat at my desk, my phone rang, and it was Diana calling. I had called her yesterday to tell her about me and Amelia, but she didn’t answer.

  “Hello, Diana.”

  “Hi, Collin. I’m so sorry that I didn’t get a chance to call you back yesterday. Joel and I were having dinner with some friends and by time I got home and with the time difference, it was too late.”

  “That’s okay, Diana. I just wanted to tell you some news.”

  “What’s going on?”

  I took in a deep breath. “Amelia and I got married in Vegas last week.”

  There was silence on the other end. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

  “Sorry just to spring it on you like that.”

  “God, Collin. Congratulations. I’m so happy for both of you. Wait until I tell Jacob. He’ll be thrilled. Your parents must have been so happy. But I am a bit surprised that you did it in Vegas.”

  “Well, we eloped. My parents weren’t there and they didn’t know until I came back to New York.”

  “Oh. How did they take the news?”

  “Not good at all. There was some tension and hurt for a couple of days, but we talked and everything’s cool now. My mom is planning a wedding reception and I want you and Jacob to come celebrate with us.”

  “We wouldn’t miss it for the world. When is it?”

  “We haven’t set the date yet. But as soon as we do, I’ll let you know. How’s Jacob doing?”

  “He’s doing really good, Collin. His attacks are few and far between now and he hasn’t been hospitalized once since we moved here.”

  “That’s great, Diana. I’m so happy for you both. Amelia and I are going to come and visit you guys next month. We talked about it last night.”

  “That’s wonderful. We can’t wait to see you.”

  “So.” I paused for a moment. “How’s it going with Joel?”

  She laughed into the phone. “Joel and I are great. We are dating exclusively and I’m pretty sure I’ve fallen in love with him. The best part is the way he is with Jacob and Jacob loves him.”

  “Excellent.” I leaned back in my chair. “That’s what I like to hear.”

  My office door opened, and my dad walked in. I held up my finger. “Listen, Diana, my dad just walked into my office. I’ll talk to you soon.” Click.

  My dad walked over to my desk.

  “Diana said hi. She and Jacob are doing really good.”

  “I know, son. I spoke with her last week.”

  I tilted my head and narrowed my eyes. “And you didn’t tell me this, why?”

  “Because someone decided to spring some shocking news on us, and I didn’t think about it.”

  I looked down. “Oh. Anyway, what are you doing here? I thought you were spending the day with Brayden and Mom.”

  “I am. I just had to grab a file from my office.”

  “Where are Mom and Brayden?”

  “In Julia’s office. We’re taking Brayden to the Central Park Zoo.”

  No matter how hard my dad tried, he couldn’t hide the sadness that overtook him today. I walked over to where he was standing and gave him a hug. “I miss him too, Dad.”

  “I know you do, son. We all do. He really left a mark on this whole family.”

  “He sure did.”

  “I better get going. I don’t want to keep your mother waiting. I’ll talk to you later.”

  I gave him a small smile as I walked him to the door. “Have fun at the zoo, Dad.”

  “Thanks, Collin.”

  After the workday ended, I grabbed my briefcase and headed home. When I walked through the door, an amazing aroma filled the air. I set my briefcase down and walked into the kitchen, where I found Amelia standing over the stove.

  “Hey, baby.” I wrapped my arms around her and slid my tongue across her neck.

  “Mhmm. Hi.” She turned around with a smile and wrapped her arms around my neck.

  “What is that delicious smell?”

  “I’m making a roast.” Her lips brushed tenderly against mine.

  “How much longer until it’s ready?”

  “About thirty minutes.”

  I stared into her eyes as the corners of my mouth curved into a smile. “Then we have time for sex.”

  “Not really. I have other things I need to prepare. I have to cut up the lettuce and vegetables for the salad. You can help me if you’d like.”

  “I would love to help. I’m going to change out of my suit, and I’ll be right back.” I pressed my lips against hers.

  I went to the bedroom and changed out of my suit and into a pair of sweatpants. Whe
n I walked back in the kitchen, Amelia was standing at the counter, cutting the lettuce. She looked so sexy in her cropped yoga pants and tank top. I couldn’t resist myself. I wanted her and I was going to have her no matter what. I came up from behind and planted my hands firmly on her breasts.

  “Collin. What are you doing?” She turned her head and gave me a small smile.

  “Shh, baby. Just enjoy it.” My lips softly caressed her neck as my hands made their way up her shirt, feeling her naked breasts.

  I pressed my erection against her, and a soft moan escaped her lips. As I took her hardened nipples between my fingers, she set down the knife and placed her hands firmly on the counter. She knew there was no stopping me. Her head tilted to the side so my mouth could have easier access to the soft skin of her neck. She reached back and placed her hand on my head.

  “Keep both hands on the counter.”

  I released her breasts and hooked my finger in the sides of her yoga pants, taking them down with her panties all the way down to her ankles. I lifted each leg and removed her pants, tossing them to the side. My tongue slowly ran up the back of her leg. She gasped. As soon as my mouth reached her beautiful ass, I drew tiny circles around with my tongue as I dipped my fingers inside her. She was soaking wet already and my cock was twitching something fierce. Her breath hitched as I moved my fingers in and out of her, teasing her and bringing her to an orgasm the minute I pressed my thumb firmly against her clit from behind.

  “Collin. Oh God. Collin,” she screamed as I stood up and wrapped my arm around her waist, holding her tight as my fingers played with her while she climaxed. Once her orgasm subsided, she stood in front of the counter, panting. I pulled down my sweatpants, spread her legs, and thrust my cock in and out of her at a rapid pace.

  Her moans became high pitched with each thrust. “Bend over a little bit, baby.”

  She did as I asked and I went deeper inside her, hitting all the right spots that made my cock twitch. With a firm grip on her hips, the warmth of her pussy, and three more pumps, I pushed deep and moaned as I released myself inside of her. Wrapping my arms around her, I buried my face into her neck as I tried to regain normal breaths.