The Merger

by Bernadette Marie

  He pulled her into him and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “Spencer, I meant it when I said I loved you.”

  “I know. And I realized I’ve never told you how I feel.”

  “When you’re ready.”

  “I’m ready,” he said. “I love you. I think I loved you even when I didn’t like you.”

  “I didn’t like you either.”

  “Good,” he said smiling as he nipped her lips with a kiss. “I want to give you something.” He pulled a box from his jacket pocket. “I asked Tiffany to design this for you.”

  He handed her the box, but all she could do was stare at him. On his birthday, he was giving her a gift?

  “Open it,” he urged her.

  Julie slipped her finger under the flap of the paper and tore it off, then lifted the lid to reveal the most beautiful necklace she’d ever seen.

  “Oh, Spencer, it’s beautiful.”

  “I knew she’d come up with something that was as spectacular as you.”

  He took the ruby and diamond necklace from the box and moved behind her. Slipping the dainty silver chain around her neck, he clasped it on and then rested his hands on her shoulders. He pressed a kiss to the side of her neck and then let his arms slide around her so that her back was pressed to his chest.

  The warmth of the moment would be something she’d go back to forever when she needed a happy place to think about.

  “I love you,” he whispered in her ear and her eyes closed as she embraced the moment.

  “I love you, too.” She let the words flow on the whisper of her breath.

  She felt him shift and his arm came around her again.

  “There’s one more.”

  Julie opened her eyes looked down to the small box in the palm of his hand.

  Her breath caught in her lungs as she took the box from him and turned toward him.

  “Spencer, I should be giving you gifts.”

  “You will be. Let me open this one.”

  He pulled the paper from the box and opened it. For a moment, he studied it before he turned it around.

  “This one is for me.” He took the solitaire diamond which was set in swirls of silver, from the box and held it under the shimmering white lights. “This one comes with a promise and that’s all for me.”

  Julie swallowed hard trying not to sob as she gazed at him.

  “I promise to love you forever. And I keep all the promises I make.”

  “I know you do.”

  He took her hand and slid the ring on her finger. “What I ask in return, as a present for my birthday and for the rest of my life, is your promise to love me forever too.”

  It was no use. The tears spilled over and down her cheek. “I promise you.”

  “Julie, will you marry me? Will you be part of my family and have a family with me?”

  The sobs she fought took away her words and all he did was continue to smile at her.

  This was what she’d always wanted. A man who loved her and was an honest and good man. She wanted normal. A house. A job. A family.

  Spencer Benson was promising it all to her and she wanted it so badly that she was afraid she’d blink and it would all be gone.

  She closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath. When she opened them, he was still there gazing at her holding the ring on her finger.

  “Well? Will you marry me?”

  She nodded. It was all she could do. Words wouldn’t come to give him a proper answer.

  Spencer slid the ring on her finger and then moved in to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

  “You talk more when your head is bleeding.”

  She coughed out a laugh. “I’ll marry you. I will. I’ll be good to you.”

  “I know you will. That’s who you are.”

  He turned her so his arms came around her again and his chin rested on her shoulder. They looked out over the view of the beautiful Tennessee land and sky.

  “I’m going to build you a house right there,” he pointed. “I’m keeping this barn. I love this barn.”

  That made her laugh. “What about all the other houses?”

  “One hundred and fifty will now become seventy-five and they will all be over there,” he pointed in the distance. “And we, and our family,” he added, “will live here in the middle of it all with Tennessee sprawling all around us.”

  She turned into his arms and wrapped hers around his neck. “I love you. Happy Birthday.”

  Rising on her toes, she pressed her mouth to his and let the atmosphere and the love consume her.

  “Avery thinks she can trump me by choosing pink and black cakes each year,” he said pressing his forehead to hers. “This year I think I win. I think this one will go down in history as the best birthday ever.”

  We hope you enjoyed THE MERGER, book 9 in the bestselling Keller Family Series.

  Here is a sneak peek at the final book in the series, THE ESCAPE CLAUSE.

  The Escape Clause ~ Chapter One

  Hospitals were Avery’s least favorite place to be. She had to admire her father for choosing a career that had him bound to them for so many years. As the day of her birthday slipped away and a new day began, she sat in the waiting room with her family.

  She wondered if it were a similar scene twenty-six years ago when she and her cousin Spencer were born—her parents surrounded by family, and in another room her aunt and uncle surrounded by the same family.

  Spencer was only an hour older than she was and they’d shared every birthday together since that first one. And now, after their celebration, her cousin Christian’s wife Victoria was in labor in one room of the hospital, and her cousin Ed and his wife Darcy were in another.

  She’d watched as Ed and Christian’s parents, her aunt Madeline and uncle Carlos went from room to room. Their sister Clara sat across from Avery rubbing her very pregnant stomach.

  The Keller family was being bombarded with babies, and now her cousin Tyler and his wife Courtney were expecting too.

  For a very brief moment, she felt a pang of jealousy rip through her. Would she ever know this moment? Would she ever have that man who would bring her to this moment?

  Pete walked up next to her and held out a paper cup of coffee from the vending machine, “Best we can get at one in the morning.”

  She gratefully took it as he sat down. “Thanks. My head is still swimming from all the wine I drank.”

  He gave her a small nudge. “Lush,” he said with a chuckle and then began to blow on his coffee.

  For a moment, Avery just watched him. Pete Carson had been her dearest friend her entire life. He’d bowed down and played dress up a few times. He’d taught her how to bounce a soccer ball on her forehead. Thinking back, he’d even canceled his own prom date to take her when her date backed out. He was that kind of friend. And now here he was, sitting in a hospital at one o’clock in the morning waiting out babies with her and her family.

  She rested her head on his shoulder and he pressed his head to hers. It was nice to be so comfortable around a friend. He was easing that jealousy she’d been feeling. He’d make someone a good husband someday.

  Around two o’clock, Christian walked out into the waiting area rubbing his eyes. Their Aunt Arianna jumped to her feet.

  “Well?”

  He shook his head. “Her contractions stopped. They’re going to let her rest for a little bit, see how it goes. If they need to induce her, they will later today. The baby is ready, just not cooperating.”

  Avery was sure everyone in the room, who was awake, wanted to make some comment to the lack of cooperation and aim it at Christian. However, the look on his face—that look of worry—had them all remaining quiet.

  Victoria had lost their first child. As Avery’s father had told them, it just happened. But Avery was sure neither of them ever got over it—how could they?

  She turned her face into Pete’s shoulder so that his shirt caught the few tears that were threatening to spill
.

  “Are you okay?” His voice was a whisper and so gentle.

  “Just worried for them.”

  Pete moved his hand over hers and gave it a squeeze. “Everything is going to be okay. Babies have their own agenda, and it isn’t our agenda.”

  She supposed he knew what he was talking about. He had four sisters and a brother. His family was as close as her extended family. She, of course, was an only child. Though it had never felt like that. There probably wasn’t a day in her life where she hadn’t seen one of her cousins, aunts, or uncles.

  As she turned her hand over in his and locked their fingers, she realized they were both blessed to have that. Now all they had to do was find that right person, for each of them, that could make them happy forever.

  A few minutes later Ed staggered into the waiting room. The clothes he’d worn to Avery’s party now under a paper robe. He had a mask down under his chin and a paper hat over his hair. Darcy had gone into labor at the same time as Victoria. However, their baby was breech and more excited to meet everyone. She had been scheduled the following week to have a Caesarean. But, now was a good time too, Avery thought as she looked at her cousin with his enormous grin.

  Christian was the first to step to him. “Well?”

  “She’s here. She’s here!”

  Christian pulled his brother to him in a hug that had Avery’s eyes filling with tears.

  “I’m happy for you,” Christian said, patting his brother’s back and looking at him. “She’s healthy and Darcy is okay?”

  “She’s perfect. Oh, she’s perfect. And Darcy is wonderful. She’s in recovery. Mom and Regan are with her.” He looked around the room.

  In the corner, he found his father asleep in a chair with his daughter Emily asleep on his shoulder.

  Avery watched as Ed moved to them. He touched his father’s hand waking him up.

  “She’s here. A little girl, Dad.”

  Avery’s uncle Carlos smiled a wide smile, careful not to move.

  “I know she’ll never understand this, but I want to take Emily to see her sister.” He rolled the little girl from his father’s shoulder and she stirred. “Hey, big sister. Let’s go see your baby sister.”

  Avery wasn’t sure that at ten months little Emily, whom Ed and Darcy had adopted, had a clue as to what was going on, but they’d all remember.

  Pete turned to look at Avery.

  “You look exhausted. Why don’t I take you home for a while? It doesn’t sound like Victoria is going to have her baby tonight.”

  She hated the thought of leaving, but she knew it made sense. She could go home, get a few hours sleep, and be right back there in the morning to wait out another baby.

  Avery looked at Clara uncomfortably seated in the chair across from her, with Warner rubbing her back to comfort her.

  That jealous pang squeezed her chest again. Perhaps she should go home for a little bit.

  “Okay, let me say goodbye to my parents.”

  Pete watched as she said goodbye to her parents and then the rest of the family that stayed and waited. He’d have to call his own mother in the morning. Avery’s family had been close to his family for years. They’d want to know about Ed’s little girl, whom he’d forgotten to get a name for. Maybe they didn’t have one yet.

  Avery yawned as she walked toward him. He placed his arm around her waist and she his as they walked to the elevator.

  As the doors opened and they stepped in, he hit the button for the lobby.

  “Exciting night,” he said.

  Avery nodded. “Did you see the new jewelry on Julie’s finger?” Perhaps her comment came out a bit too snippy. “No wonder Spencer left our birthday party early.”

  “I thought it was the pink and black cake you made him have…again.”

  That brought a hint of a smile to her lips. She did like to torment her birthday-twin cousin by designing the color theme every year—pink and black.

  Pete took her hand and brought it to his lips. He pressed a kiss to her fingers and said, “I can’t think of a better reason to leave a party than to go get engaged. If that’s what they did.”

  “Why else would she have a ring like that?”

  He shrugged, but he knew that Spencer was all class. Right now, it was Darcy and Ed’s moment and soon it would be Christian and Victoria’s moment. He’d have time later to share the news, if there was any.

  When the doors opened, Pete kept hold of Avery’s hand and walked her to his car in the parking garage. She was silent on the walk. He opened the door for her and waited until she was comfortable before walking around and getting in himself.

  “Thank you for being here with me,” she said, wiping tears from her eyes. “I seem to be a little emotional about it all.”

  “You deserve to be. But Avery, you know there isn’t anywhere I’d rather be than with you.”

  That caused her to chuckle. “You need a woman,” she retorted as he started the engine and backed out of the parking space.

  “I guess if one comes along. For now, I’ll just spend my time with you.”

  She smiled at him. “I’m lucky to have you.”

  “Likewise.”

  She reached for his hand and held it in hers. “I don’t want to be alone tonight. Will you stay with me?”

  Pete shrugged. “I could. Do you have a fan for that spare room? It gets really hot in there.”

  Avery nodded. “Yes.” She then leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. “You’re too good to me.”

  “I know that.”

  “I’m going to miss you when I move away,” she said, and he felt every muscle in his body tense.

  “I was hoping by now you’d changed your mind.”

  The thought of her moving to France to run some vineyard that her grandfather, whom she didn’t know very well, had bought for her had his blood hot. Her parents weren’t going to like it too much. Hell, he didn’t like it too much. But what could he say?

  He’d longed for her as long as he could remember and she didn’t seem to have the same feelings. What more could he do than to support his dearest friend in her new adventure? Perhaps while she was gone, his focus would change and he would find that woman she was always saying he deserved.

  “I was thinking, when you go, maybe I could rent the house from your aunt. My lease is up next month and I’d like something a little bigger.”

  She looked up at him and smiled. “I think that would be nice. I’m sure Julie will be moving out soon.” She chuckled again. “Maybe the woman of your dreams will move in. It worked for Ed and for Spencer.”

  “Maybe,” he said, turning down her street.

  He drove down the alley to the back of her house and parked next to her car.

  “Maybe I should just head home,” he said. “It’s really late and you need some sleep.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t want to be alone.”

  He knew that, but he needed some space. The move to France weighed too heavily on him and the fact that she didn’t even see him as anything other than a friend was wearing on him too.

  The motion lights on the back porch turned on as she opened the car door. “Please come in,” she said softly. “If you don’t stay that’s fine. Just keep me company a while.”

  It was already three o’clock in the morning. She’d want to head back to the hospital early. He might as well stay.

  He opened his door and stepped out as she shut her door and dug for her keys.

  As he walked around the car, she looked up at him. The light behind her gave her a glow, and at that moment he thought she might be more beautiful than any other time in her life.

  “You looked amazing tonight, by the way,” he said not resisting when the urge to touch her hair took over.

  “Thank you. I had a really fun night.” She pressed her lips together. “I was thinking we could go back to the hospital around nine.”

  Pete nodded. “Sure.”

  “And I was hopin
g maybe you’d hold me all night,” she said quickly as if she’d been holding in those words all night.

  There was a flash in her eyes and he wasn’t sure she knew it had happened. But he’d caught it.

  Pete moved in closer to her, resting his hands on her hips. “You want me to sleep in your bed with you?” His voice cracked as he said the words he never thought he’d say.

  She nodded. “Just to hold me. I feel…I don’t know what I feel.”

  He did. He knew exactly what it was. She was feeling alone even though all the people who loved her surrounded her. They were all moving in different directions with their lives now. Of course, most of them were moving toward families of their own. It was obvious, as she’d pointed out, that even Spencer and Julie were moving in that direction. That put Avery in a very unfamiliar place—alone.

  He’d felt that way when his younger sister got married too. Pete was officially the last single Carson. But it wasn’t so bad. He had a slew of nieces and nephews and plenty of couches to crash on. But they were both—alone.

  Pete followed her up to the house and after she pushed open the door, he closed and locked it behind him.

  “Do you want something to drink?” she asked.

  “I’m really tired. I think I’d rather just turn in.”

  Avery nodded, but she didn’t walk further into the house. Instead, she looked up at him. Her eyes were tired, her mascara wiped away, and her nose red from the tears she’d shed during the night.

  Completely exhausted, she still radiated.

  “C’mon, old lady,” he joked at her new age. “Let’s get you to bed.”

  He took her hand and began to pull her through the kitchen, but she tugged against him.

  Pete stopped and looked at her, but the way she looked up at him he knew there were no words. For a long moment, he stood there gazing at her.

  “Avery…”

  She stepped to him. “What are we doing?”

  “Going to bed,” he said simply.

  She shook her head. “There’s more isn’t there?”

  God, hadn’t he always hoped there was?