When they finished the job they were both smothering their laughter as they raced back to the car. Wes looked speechless. He took off for their next stop and didn’t stop laughing the entire drive.
“You two are juvenile,” Wes said rolling his eyes.
“Oh, lighten up, Wesley. These bastards deserve everything they’re getting.”
“Damn right!” Sheilagh shouted. “Oh! I wish I could see their faces in the morning. That’ll teach them to mess with my room.”
“What did they do to your room?” his son asked.
“In March they painted it the most nauseating shade of pink.”
“It’s August.”
“Exactly. I’m like a silent but deadly fart. You never know when I’ll strike, but once I’m out there no one’s safe. Eventually I’ll get you.”
His son turned his gaze on Alec, his expression familiar. “And you married into this willingly?”
Alec laughed. “Abso-freaking-lutely.” Marrying Sheilagh had been the best decision of his life. His love for her grew every day. At first, he’d thought he’d be the one teaching her a thing or two about life, but in the end, they both learned from each other.
Sheilagh hardly ever cried anymore. And when she did, it was usually from laughing. She’d said, once she accepted her place in life, something inside of her seemed to settle. It was an extraordinary thing, watching her come out of her depression and her confidence bloom.
She’d moved into his house the moment they returned from their honeymoon. His home was no longer the tidy house it used to be, but that was fine with him. He loved the way her presence manifested itself in every room.
When she finally told her family she was no longer a McCullough and now a Devereux, the McCulloughs went a little crazy, which was expected. Luckily, Colin took most of the heat for keeping their wedding a secret. It was their first visit back to Center County as husband and wife and Sheilagh insisted on bringing Wes, since he was part of the family. She also insisted on getting even for what her brothers had done to her room.
Wesley and Sheilagh had mended their relationship, but still picked on each other constantly. His son seemed to accept his stepmother was a little wild and even confessed to liking that about her, claiming it made Alec more alive than he’d been in years. He was right of course. Sheilagh brought him to life.
When they reached Finn and Mallory’s house Sheilagh unloaded a large bucket, several water bottles, and an enormous box of Peeps. “I don’t understand,” Wes said, frowning as Sheilagh filled the bucket with water.
“Watch and learn,” she whispered, tearing open the marshmallow chicks.
She dunked a chick into the water and hurled it at Finn’s truck. It landed with a splat, slid a few inches, then seemed to glue itself in place.
Recalling the first time he’d met her brothers and how they’d harassed him, Alec shoved up his sleeves. “Give me one.”
She handed over a chick and he dunked it in the water and heaved it at the truck. He laughed as they continued to lob the Peeps. Twenty minutes later her brother’s truck looked as though the Easter Bunny vomited on it. They even got Wes to join in the fun.
A light flicked on and they stilled. Next the porch light came on and Sheilagh quickly scrambled to gather the evidence.
“Who’s out there?” Finn yelled as he opened the front door.
“Run!” Sheilagh screamed and took off for the car.
“Sheilagh? What the fuck did you do to my truck?” Finn roared.
Alec bolted toward their getaway car as Sheilagh skidded on her bottom in the dirt. He went back to help her, but Wes got there first.
“Run, man! Save yourself!”
Wes dragged her out of the dirt, their laughter echoing through the woods. As soon as they were in the car he took off.
His wife hooted with amusement. “Did you see his face? Priceless!”
There would definitely be consequences, but she was right. His expression was priceless. “Where to now?”
“Last stop, the lake.”
“What’s at the lake?”
“Bray’s boat. We’re stealing it.”
Stealing a boat was fairly easy when one had the keys. Sheilagh proved an excellent captain, prepared with sandwiches and plenty of beer for their maiden voyage.
That night they anchored somewhere in the middle of the lake and drank, delighting over their shenanigans as the sun came up. As Sheilagh fell asleep, her shoulder wedged into his son’s, he took a moment to enjoy the view. This was his family.
Never had he expected his life to take such a turn. Thinking back on the year, he smiled. Tomorrow would likely be another adventure, another day to live to the fullest. When they weren’t working or studying, they lived and she made every bit of living better than it had ever been before.
The End
About the Author
Bestselling author, Lydia Michaels, writes all forms of hot romance. She presses the bounds of love and surprises readers just when they assume they have her stories figured out. From Amish vampyres, to wild Irishmen, to broken heroes, and heroines no man can match, Lydia takes readers on an emotional journey of the heart, mind, and soul with every story she pens. Her books are intellectual, erotic, haunting, always centered on love. Lydia Michaels loves to hear from readers! She can be found of Facebook or contacted by email at [email protected]
www.LydiaMichaels.org
Sacred Waters
Skin
Chaste
Faking It
Breaking Perfect
Simple Man
Call Her Mine
White Chocolate
All 4 You
To Catch a Wolfe
Chasing Feathers
Secret Cravings Publishing
www.secretcravingspublishing.com
Faking It (McCullough Mountain) Page 23
