Authors: Zoe Chant
Shiny new bikes waited in front of the store now, all a bright blue, and a crowd had gathered to witness the reopening. The broken windows had been replaced, and the inside cleaned of debris. Most of all, it seemed livelier, now that Mina had found a means to keep the store open.
After the incident with Roger, she had reported him to the cops a day later. He was quickly arrested for various charges, and she’d gotten her money back. Roger was safely behind bars, and she had her store again with a nice pile of cash, too.
Mina mingled with the crowd, talking and laughing with fellow business owners and long-time clients. Her blond hair was piled on top of her head, tendrils falling down her neck, and Brennan had to restrain himself from playing with her hair as she bounced about. Her expression, though—excited and joyful—made his heart squeeze.
He loved this woman to an extent he’d never thought possible before.
“She looks happy,” Jude said as he made to stand next to Brennan. “You’ve taken good care of my sister.”
“She’s taken good care of me.”
Brennan knew Jude was rolling his eyes, and it just made him grin harder.
“You guys are so cute it’s nauseating,” Jude said. “When do you enter the phase where the infatuation is over and you hate each other because you never remember to put the toilet paper back on the roll?”
“Never, because we’ll always be infatuated with each other.” Another groan from Jude. Looking to his friend, Brennan added, “And I’d never forget to put the toilet paper on the roll. I don’t want to sleep on the couch, man.”
“Fair enough. She’s trained you well, too.”
Mina threw her head back and laughed then, the sound filling the crowd. “You could say that.” Raising an eyebrow, he then asked, “How’s Ashley?”
“Fine, I’m assuming. We broke up.”
The tone of Jude’s voice—neither disappointed nor distressed—pricked Brennan’s ears. “You don’t sound upset about it.”
“Why should I be?” Jude shrugged. “It wasn’t ever going to go anywhere.”
“Why not?”
“Jesus, man, don’t do this. You’re worse than Mina. If I wanted a relationship, I’d find a good girl to have a real relationship with. So far, though, I’ve been uninterested.”
“Uh-huh.”
Jude gritted his teeth, and Brennan had to force himself to stop from smiling. “Why do couples always assume other people want what they have?” Jude asked.
“I’m not assuming. I’m asking.”
“Stop playing armchair psychiatrist. Or matchmaker.”
“Too bad, because there’s a woman I know who I think you’d hit it off with.”
Jude glared, but said nothing. Brennan just waited. And then: “Okay, who is she?”
Brennan grinned.
After telling Jude all about this woman—who also happened to be a shifter, but she could tell Jude that in her own time—Brennan made his way toward Mina. Taking her by the arm, he kissed her hair as he waited for her to finish her conversation with Rosalie.
“The bikes were a perfect investment,” Mina said. “The moment I realized I could make more money renting them to tourists was when I made the decision. Hopefully my projections will prove correct, though.”
Rosalie nodded vigorously. “I think it’s a great idea, dear. Young people love bikes for some reason and I’m just sure you could get those hippies to rent them all day long.”
“Hipsters. And yes, that was the idea.” Mina looked up at Brennan and added, “Brennan wasn’t so sure, but he’s a cautious kind of guy.”
“Yes, that’s me,” he said dryly. “Very cautious.”
A few more people took Mina’s attention from Brennan, but soon he was able to get her away from the crowd.
“I have something I need to talk to you about,” he murmured in her ear.
She raised her eyebrows. “That sounds ominous or exciting, and I can’t tell which.”
“Just assume it’s both.” He led a laughing Mina down to the beach, to a secluded spot where few ventured. At the moment, it was deserted, except for a blanket and picnic basket set up on the sand, a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket.
“Oh Brennan, is this for me?” Mina sat down on the blanket, looking at the spread.
“That, or the seagulls. Looks like they left it alone.” Brennan sat next to her, and pulled the champagne from the bucket, uncorking it and filling two glasses with the bubbly liquid. “A toast to you: for not giving up on your dream and becoming more successful than ever.”
Mina smiled widely. “And a toast to you for pushing me to never give up.” They clinked glasses, sipping the liquid and gazing at each other in silence.
Eventually, she sighed and leaned against him. “Do you really think I can do it?” she asked quietly.
“What, have a successful business? Of course I do.” He took her champagne glass and set them both in a cup holder attached to the basket. “You’ll be so successful that you’ll be swimming in cash.”
“I doubt that, but it’s a nice image. Diving into my pool of money like Scrooge McDuck.” Mina looked up at him then, her gaze darting over his face. “I love you.”
“I love you.” Brennan kissed her, and she tasted of champagne and sweetness and light. Before the kiss could get too heated, though, he pulled away. “I have something else I want to ask you. And show you.”
“Oh?”
His heart began to pound—stupidly, he was nervous about something like this—and he pulled a box from his pocket. Despite Roger’s arrest, Mina’s grandmother’s ring had already been sold, and Mina had assumed it was lost forever. Brennan, though, had made it his mission to find it.
He’d finally discovered it in a tiny pawnshop fifty miles away last week. He’d gotten it cleaned since then and had it placed in a new box. When he opened it now, Mina gasped.
“You found my grandmother’s ring!” She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. “Where did you get it? And why?”
“After many phone calls and emails and false starts, I discovered it in a shop not too far from here. And do you really have to ask why, Mina?” He paused, trying to find the right words. The best words.
“You’re everything to me,” he said solemnly. “I never thought I could love anyone like I love you. But I want you to be mine in every possible way—heart, mind, soul, wedding, license.”
Brennan pulled the ring from the box and held it, spinning it in the sunlight, watching it sparkle before returning his gaze to Mina’s enraptured face. “Will you marry me, Mina?”
Mina didn’t respond for a moment, and Brennan’s heart almost stopped. Had he moved too fast? Had he misread the signals?
“Yes, yes, didn’t I say yes?” Mina said. “Yes, of course I will.”
Brennan sighed with relief. Taking her hand, he placed the ring on her finger before kissing her. Mina laughed against his mouth, and then laughed even harder when she tipped backward onto the blanket. He didn’t care about the sand or the gulls or the potential crowd watching them. He kissed her until his head was full of bubbles, full of the champagne that was purely Mina.
He kissed her cheeks and her nose and her forehead and even her ears, and he stroked a hand down her side, which made her giggle. She was still ticklish, like the first time he’d kissed her, and he rather enjoyed making her squirm. His fingers danced up her sides, and she tried to move away from him with a loud laugh.
“Stop, stop,” she said breathlessly. “I can’t stand it.”
She squealed as he tickled her waist.
“I’ll never stop. You know that, right?” he said.
Mina’s expression turned serious. She stroked his hair, tracing his nose, his jaw. “And neither will I.”
She pulled him down to kiss her again, and Brennan knew that there was nothing in this world that would keep them apart.
“I love you,” he said.
“I know.” Mina grinned at his expression, and as punishment, he tickled her until she begged for mercy and admitted the same.
***
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Cover art: California Beach and Palm Trees San Diego, California: ©
Shutterstock
/ Dancestrokes. Jaguar - Panthera onca, isolated on white ©
Shutterstock
/ Travel Stock. Muscular handsome sexy guy posing, isolated on white: ©
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/ AlenD.
***
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