16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

H ennessy tried to slow his breathing but wasn’t having any success. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and texted the group chat.

Hennessy: Code Rachel, office.

He heard texts replying, but he was concentrating on not hyperventilating. He didn’t understand what the heck was happening. The door slammed, and then his dad pulled him in for a hug.

“Not sure what’s going on, but we can handle it. Breathe in, one, two, three, then slowly blow it out. One, two, three,” Peck said.

Hennessy concentrated on his voice and doing what it said.

“What the heck is a Code Rachel and why is Hennessy calling it?” Halligan muttered as he walked in with Schaefer and Crewe.

“ Code Rachel is the bail bonds code for emotional backup needed. No questions asked. That last part is the part you’re missing, Halligan,” Quinton said.

“How the hell do you know that?” Halligan asked.

“How do you not?” Crewe and Quinton asked simultaneously.

“Guys, could you shut up so we could hear what Hennessy needs?” Peck asked.

The squabbling between his cousins had his breathing calming. Now he was a little embarrassed about sending the code.

“Hennessy?” Whiskey asked.

Hennessy wasn’t sure when his other brother had gotten there or all the others. He had to wonder who was minding the bar because they were all crowded in the office together.

“Sorry. I was thinking through the proposal and then thought, what if she says no? And suddenly, I couldn’t breathe or even think of how to handle it,” Hennessy said softly. He despised being weak in front of his cousins and brothers.

“You haven’t had an incident like this since you were in high school. Do you think it was the roller coaster the last couple of weeks have been?” Halligan asked.

Hennessy wasn’t sure what had caused it, but the last two weeks had been a series of ups and downs. Four days after Hennessy had made the phone call, Percy had contacted them to say he’d sign the papers. Quinton had visited him to get his signature. When Quinton returned, he mentioned that Percy had gotten into a fight with a couple other prisoners. He had a broken arm, three broken ribs, and multiple scrapes and bruises. Percy had also been adamant that he would never bother the boys again.

They’d had a visit from a lawyer who had items to distribute from Sheila. He’d apologized, but he’d been in the hospital, or he would have been there earlier. Sheila had left the house, an education fund, and a life insurance policy to Sutton.

He and Ellie were trying to figure out what to do with the house. They didn’t want to move there but wanted to be financially responsible. For now, they were renting it to the bail bonds to use for Kathryn’s Wings, their charitable organization. They’d make a final decision later when they had time to go visit it.

“I guess,” he said, looking around at his family gathered to help him.

“I’m going to be the dick to point this out because your woman is out there and is starting to suspect something more than her birthday is happening today,” Schaefer rolled his eyes, then stared at Hennessy. “Why would you worry she would turn you down, when we had to turn the volume on the game to max yesterday? You know what I’m talking about, when you pulled her into Crewe’s bathroom, which shares a wall with my room, and proceeded to make her scream your name multiple times. I mean, I am all for everyone getting some, but our walls are not soundproof,” Schaefer said.

Hennessy stared at his brother, who knew exactly how to get him out of his head. “If you embarrass her, I’ll re-do all your special function keys on your computer.”

Schaefer held up his hands. “I would never. She’s like a little sister.”

“Now, you got your head on straight?” Whiskey asked.

Hennessy nodded at the boys he’d grown up with and who had always had his back.

“Yes. I’ve got this,” Hennessy said.

The guys filed out, and Hennessy followed them because it was time to convince Ellie to have the rest of the fairy tale.

Ellie chatted with Beth and Ry at the bar. Hennessy had been determined to throw her a birthday party. It wasn’t even a big one. She was turning forty, but he wasn’t letting her not have her special day.

Crewe had even smoked a brisket. He was only serving one meal tonight—smoked brisket sandwiches with his homemade barbecue sauce, French fries, and coleslaw. It probably wasn’t the healthiest meal, but it was one of her favorites.

Hennessy had ordered a decorated chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream icing. She’d requested no presents because she had almost everything she wanted. She wanted to be Hennessy’s wife, but the last two weeks had been busy.

The boys had started school as Morgan and Elijah Nelson. Since they were changing their first names, Quinton went ahead and took care of everything all at once. The boys were hers and Hennessy’s forever. Both boys had already made friends with kids their age, which had relieved Ellie. The female principal at their new school seemed capable and kind, which Ellie appreciated.

Sutton had settled into their family, and one night last week had decided she’d sleep in her new bed, which was set up in the room next door to Hennessy’s. When they’d finished reading her nightly book, instead of leading them back to Hennessy’s room, Sutton walked to her bed that had been set up since the day before Christmas and crawled in. She had been sleeping through the night in her new bed, and Ellie was thankful.

Even if they didn’t make love—which was rare—being able to have Hennessy wrap his arms around her after a long day and cuddle her close made everything better. There were still problems to handle, but knowing she and Hennessy could face them together made anything bearable.

“How’s the driving back and forth going?” Ry asked.

“It’s not too bad. The days I have Sutton, it gives us a little alone time. The days I don’t, I blast my music as loud as I like and let all my cares go while singing my favorite songs. Ry, how is the hunt going for a new place to live?”

“It’s going. I can’t find anywhere I want my kids to grow up in that falls in the price range I want, so I’ll see. I have a little bit of time. They don’t kick everyone out for forty-five days,” Ry said.

“You should probably go to your man,” Beth said, motioning behind Ellie. Ellie turned around. Hennessy was standing up on the stage that they used for karaoke. The group quieted, seeing him standing there with a microphone.

“So if you’re a regular here, you know that I was blessed right before Christmas with a three-year-old daughter. In fact, Christmas brought me two sons and a woman who is lovely beyond words. But I’m going to try tonight to find the words.

“You also probably know that last year, my brothers, cousins, and I came up with the brilliant idea of Nelson’s Dating Roulette,” Hennessy paused, letting the laughter die down. “Whiskey actually spun the wheel first and found his happily ever after. I spun the wheel on my night and was supposed to date someone who was proficient with firearms and a single mom. But I’d already started falling for someone when I spun the wheel, but I was positive I was firmly in the friend zone. Now, I can see being friends first was the best thing for us. I have my best friend who is also the woman I can’t imagine my next breath without.

“She is kind but so strong. Her smile makes my heart beat faster, and the way she nurtures our children is a sight to see. What I love most about her is she’s mine. But there’s only one way to guarantee that.” Hennessy jumped off the stage and walked toward her, his grin bringing a smile to her face. Each step closer had her wanting to throw her arms around him because he was her best friend and the man she loved.

He paused in front of her and got down on one knee. “Will you marry me and choose to be mine for the rest of our lives? I promise I will work every day to show you how much I love you, my Lovely.”

He opened a ring box and held it out to her. He was the man who had started as a friend she could share everything with and had become the man she wanted babies with.

She held out her hand for him to slip the ring on. “Hennessy, I will marry you because I love you and our life. Thank you for being my friend first,” she said, her voice trembling.

He tugged her flush against him as the crowd clapped and congratulated them.

“What do you think about a Valentine’s wedding?” he asked but then captured her mouth to kiss her until she wanted to forget all about everyone around them. Her kids’ hands tugging at them had her pulling apart.

“I think it sounds perfect. Should we tell everyone to come in your signature color pink?” Ellie asked, sliding her arms around the boys as Hennessy picked up Sutton.

“My Lovely, I’ll wear whatever you want as long as you’ll be mine on Valentine’s Day,” he said.