Page 60 of Impossible Rapids

Tears dripped down Julie’s cheeks, and she hugged herself. He loved her. He loved her a lot. And he’d just told the entire world that he and Mercedes were like brother and sister and that Julie was his love, his unnasti.

What to do? She dropped to her knees and said a prayer of gratitude for Shawn, begging to know if she should go for him or wait for him, how to love him, how to show him how wrong his mother was. He was far too unselfish. He was her everything.

Then she stood and dressed in a comfortable blue sundress, reapplied her makeup, put on the cinna-mint lip gloss Brylee had shipped to her, tied on her WOMAN UP, BABY! bracelet, and hurried to pick up her phone.

No missed calls.

Oh. It was nine-thirty. Maybe he would call or come tomorrow. Disappointment filled her. Was he giving her time? She’d said she needed space, but she didn’t want it now.

The doorbell rang. She jumped and squealed and dropped her phone, probably cracking it on the tile, and ran through her condo to the front door. Looking through the peephole, she held in another squeal. Shawn. Still in that navy blue suit.

Flinging the door wide, she stared at him for a beat.

“Jules,” he whispered. His eyes were as blue and warm as she’d ever seen them. “I’m so sorry. Can you ever for?—”

Julie launched herself at him. She would’ve knocked most men off their feet. Not Shawn. He caught her and held her tight, and his face broke into a grin.

She pressed her lips right into that irresistible grin. Shawn kissed her back. Then he carried her inside, shut the door with his foot, and continued to kiss her.

The kisses grew in intensity and she was swept away by his love and devotion to her. He wasn’t cold, he was fiery hot for her.

They drew back for a breath, and he studied her. “Does that mean you forgive me?”

“I forgive you,” she said. “Just never keep anything from me again.”

“Done.” He gently framed her face with his hands. “I love you.”

“I love you too, my Viking Warrior.”

“Unnasti,” he whispered. Then their lips met, and everything else could wait.

Epilogue

Shawn shifted his weight, wishing it was time for the wedding already. He and Franz were greeting guests in the backyard as Julie got ready upstairs in his master suite with her three sisters and her mom. The rest of her huge family was milling around, greeting extended family and friends. He now had more family than he knew how to handle. He loved it. Especially all the nieces and nephews. “Uncle Shawn” never got old, and he could hardly wait for babies of their own.

A group made it past their security guards at the rear gate. Shawn immediately smiled as he realized they’d all come together to celebrate him and Julie. Cash and Brylee. The giant Bennett and Rose. Eli and Livvy. Quaid and Anna. Aiden and Chalisa. Nick and Darcy. Jagger and Belinda. And Hays was by himself. Poor guy.

The show would all air this fall, starting in a couple weeks. After a lot of digging, Julie, the research whiz that she was, had found proof that Lucas and Arianna had been the ones who’d messed up some of the episodes, putting the participants in danger or trying to sabotage the show so ‘their money’ wouldn’t be spent. Thankfully, it was all behind them now. Lucas, Arianna, and Brandon Wallace would be in prison for the foreseeable future.

The group angled straight for him and Franz. The ladies gave him hugs and the men gave him a hard time. It was perfect. Shawn was thrilled for each of them and ecstatic for himself.

As the group moved past, some still hugging Franz, a beautiful lady stepped forward. Shawn let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.

“Mama T.” He gathered her close. “Thank you for being here.”

He and Julie went to see her often. She was his true mother, the first adult who’d ever believed in him. He adored her.

“My handsome boy.” She held him tight, then stepped back. “Your bride is the most blessed woman in the world.”

“Thank you. I feel like the most blessed man.”

“You will do incredible things together. Your love is pure and untarnished, and I’m so proud of you for the man you’ve become.”

“I love you.” He hugged her again.

“I love you, my boy.” She had tears in her beautiful green eyes when she pulled back.

She turned to walk away, but Franz said, “Isabella.”