Page 25 of Handling the Boss

“You know you did,” I said smartly. “Don’t go fishing for compliments.”

Jim laughed, pulling me closer to him. “My life with you will never be dull, will it?”

It was the second time he talked like it was a foregone conclusion that we’d get married someday. I rested my chin on his chest so I could see his face.

“How can you be so sure? About us, I mean?”

He took my hand and placed it over his chest. Beneath my palm I could feel the steady thudding of his heart. “I just listen to my heart, baby. It’s never steered me wrong before.”

I stared at him for a good thirty seconds before the words that had been stuck in my throat for weeks made their way out, without any conscious thought.

“I love you, Jim.”

His eyes widened and a look of wonder crossed his face. “You do? Really?”

“Yeah, really.”

As I said it, I felt it not only in my heart but in my very soul. I was suddenly very sure that Jim Alvarez was the reason I came to Texas. I was meant to come here and find him, to find love with this sweet man.

“I love you too, Jordan. I’ve loved you since the minute I laid eyes on you. And I’ll love you until I take my last breath.”

Without warning he flipped us, so I was on my back and he was hovering over me.

“Don’t press down too hard,” I teased. “I have to pee.”

He gave me a long, hard kiss that was over way too soon.

“How about you go to the bathroom, and I’ll make us some breakfast?” he suggested. “Do you like pancakes and bacon?”

“You make recipes from Pinterest for dinner and pancakes for breakfast too? I’m going to have to keep you.”

“I hope you will,” he said, “because I plan to keep you.”

Epilogue – Jim

One year later…

“Well Jimmy, I guess you’re all grown up now.”

I rolled my eyes as Lillian threw her arm around my neck, the slightest bit unstable on the high heels she was wearing for her role as a bridesmaid. She and Jordan had gotten to be good friends over the last year, and when my fiancée asked her to be a bridesmaid in our wedding, Lillian was thrilled.

“Oh thank God, I finally get to stand up on the estrogen side of the wedding!” she’d teased, at least until she found out that Matthew was the ‘best woman’ for Jordan.

It was weird as hell for my new wife’s ex-husband to stand up in her wedding to another man, but Jordan had been his ‘best woman’ in his wedding, so the two of them didn’t find it strange at all. We’d had a few visits with Matthew and his wife, once when I went up to Detroit to meet Jordan’s family and once when they came down to visit with us. Despite his fancy suit and slicked back hair, I had to admit, he was a good guy. I liked his wife too, mostly because she was super sweet to Jordan.

With Lillian and Matthew standing up for Jordan, of course I’d asked George and Leo to be my attendants. After much debate we’d decided to get married in the park, both of us wanting something casual and easy. Our town park had a large pavilion you could rent for events. We kept ourselves to a small guest list and after a short but beautiful ceremony, we were all partying our asses off, dancing and drinking.

Speaking of George and Leo, as usual they were right behind Lillian, along with Lillian’s husband Martin and George’s wife Cassie. George and Cassie had left their toddler with George’s sister so they could have some ‘adult time’ today. Apparently adult time involved them drinking copious amounts of alcohol and getting handsy with each other at my wedding.

“It was a great wedding, kid,” Leo said. “I’m really happy for you.”

“Thanks, Leo. I appreciate you all being part of our special day.”

“The special day was when you first found your lady love,” Lillian teased.

Jordan moved into my house a few weeks after the first time she slept over. Her lease was ending, and I’d pushed hard for her to leave that crappy apartment and move in with me. As it happened, her ex-husband was making the same argument, and I’d appreciated the assist because it got her right where I wanted her: in my house sleeping in my bed.

Even though she’d moved in grudgingly, we immediately felt comfortable living together. We’d blended our belongings and blended our lives. I made Jordan a lunch every morning while she was in the shower, then we drove into work together, and back home afterwards. With us working in different sectors, it was pretty rare that we saw each other at work, but that was okay. It was important for us to have our own lives too.