Chapter 30

Anelise and Michael had made it through Thanksgiving with the entire Whitlock clan. The house was filled with so many kids that Anelise was convinced Johnathan and Naomi were floating on cloud nine the whole week.

Meeting Michael’s family had made Anelise a bundle of nerves, especially since Susan was acquainted with her parents. She was so anxious that she was teetering on the edge of a full-blown panic attack.

Michael, however, was confident that his family would adore her. And they did. Lisa and Monica welcomed Anelise into their circle, making her feel like she belonged. Dennis was completely taken with her.

Michael’s house had been snapped up the first weekend it was on the market, selling for more than the asking price. He was set to close the deal two days before Anelise’s graduation on December 14.

He signed the paperwork, watched the movers drive off, loaded up Ollie, and they headed to their new home.

The closing date for the new house wasn’t until the 15th, so the movers were keeping their stuff in a secure storage yard until the 16th. But Michael had a surprise in store for Anelise before then.

Sitting in the driveway with Ollie, Michael made a spur-of-the-moment decision. He drove next door to Neil and Kim’s house, took a deep breath, told Ollie he’d be right back, and knocked on the door. Kim answered, her posture rigid.

“Hi, Kim…” he began.

“What do you want, Michael?” she asked.

“I just wanted to say, I thought I should…” He stumbled over his words, unsure of how to address the parents of the woman he loved, parents who believed he had stolen their daughter and led her astray.

“I just want you to know that I love Ani with all my heart. I’ve never been so in love with anyone in my life. I’m going to marry her and build a life and a family with her.”

“She’s an amazing and exceptional woman. I just wish you could put your anger towards me aside and see that. I know she sent you an invitation to her graduation, and she would love for you to be there.”

Kim stood there, stiff as a board, not saying a word. But Michael could see tears welling up in her eyes. He waited for a moment, then nodded when she remained silent, and turned to leave. But he stopped.

He pulled out his phone and typed something. “I’m sending you our new address in Nashville. You’re welcome to visit her anytime. I know she misses you and Neil.”

He waved and turned to leave, not wanting to prolong her discomfort. He was disappointed that she hadn’t responded, but just as he was about to get in the car, he heard her say, “Tell her I love her!”

He looked back at her, nodded, and then drove off to where the other half of his heart was waiting.

--

He was surrounded by the entire Rothchild family—Craig, Ken, and Judy—as the graduation ceremony began. He had personally invited them after Anelise had sent them an announcement. They had agreed to come, and Anelise was overjoyed to see them again.

Michael had filled them in on the whole story about the baby. They were saddened by what Anelise had gone through but were glad that the two of them had found their way back to each other. Michael’s family couldn’t make it to the graduation as they had all come down with nasty colds.

Anelise was a mix of excitement and nerves as she prepared to receive her diploma and ~finally~ be done with college! She had been studying for what felt like forever and was thrilled at the prospect of never having to write another paper again.

Her thesis had been well received, and she had been offered a full-time assistant position in the department. But she turned it down. As much as she loved Vanderbilt, she was ready for a change of scenery.

She had sent out several résumés and was now playing the waiting game. She walked across the stage when her name was called, shook hands with everyone, and waved to her cheering section. She received the loudest applause of all the graduates.

Naomi had planned a big party for her after the ceremony, and Leslie had invited all their friends, including Matt Douglas. They had a wonderful time, and Anelise was grateful for their love and support, especially since her parents hadn’t shown up.

Michael told her what her mom had said, but she didn’t know what it would take for them to see her in a new light. Her Aunt Peg had called her after hearing from her mom about what had happened.

Her aunt apologized for not doing more when Anelise was younger to get her sister to see reason. Anelise assured her that there was nothing she could have done to change the situation. They agreed to stay in touch, and Peg sent her a lovely graduation card.

Matt came over to congratulate Anelise after the meal and gave her a hug.

“I still can’t believe that Leslie and I still have another semester to go for our bachelor’s and you have your master’s before us!” he said, sounding amazed.

She smiled. “You guys are just slow! But to be fair, you both had a much more active social life freshman year than I did, so don’t worry too much.”

He laughed. “So I know I asked you on your birthday if we could go out sometime, but I hear from Leslie that you’re seeing someone and it’s pretty serious.”

She nodded. “It is. I’m head over heels in love with him and couldn’t be happier. If I hadn’t met Michael this summer, I would have definitely taken you up on your offer.”

“I hear London is to blame. That’s where you two met and fell in love,” he said, sounding a bit downcast.

“I guess so. In London, over the Brontë sisters and British humor!” She laughed. “But now that I think about it, it was really Paris’s fault. That’s when it really hit me.”

He smiled and gave her another hug. “Congratulations again, Ani. I hope to see you around and maybe we can still hang out?”

She agreed and went to refill her wine glass. She watched her handsome boyfriend from across the room as he chatted with a group of men and couldn’t help but smile. She was so happy.

Anelise was lying in bed after the party, grinning as she thought about being done with school. No more papers to write, no more assigned books to read, no more lectures to attend.

She was now free to find a job that she loved and that gave her a sense of purpose. Michael was encouraging her to take her time and not to settle.

She was thinking about how much she loved Michael when he came in from brushing his teeth, dropped his sleep pants, and climbed into bed next to her.

“So what are you grinning about?” he asked, pulling her close.

“Just daydreaming about how glad I am to be finished with school. I’m over the moon that you and Ollie are here now. I can’t wait to move into our kickass house in a few days and just be with you every day,” she confessed, resting on his chest.

“I’m just as excited to be in our house! To cook meals there, tuck Ollie into bed, and make it our own,” he replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“And what about the shower sex?” Anelise teased.

“Hmm, definitely looking forward to that!” His grin made her laugh. “But first, I have a little gift for my girlfriend. Then we need to hit the hay. We have an early start for the closing.”

“How long will the closing take and what’s this gift you’re talking about?” she asked, tracing the contours of his abs.

“Closings usually last about an hour, and you’re coming with me so you can see it all firsthand,” he told her, shifting his position in bed to hover over her.

“But Michael, I don’t need to be there and get involved in your business,” Anelise argued, parting her legs so he could settle between them.

Michael met her gaze and said with conviction, “I want you there with me. Please.”

Seeing how much this meant to him, she reluctantly agreed, even though she felt she might just be in the way.

“Good. Thank you. Now, about that gift for my girlfriend,” he said, moving lower down the bed to shower kisses on Anelise’s body.

Her breath hitched, and she asked again, “And what’s my gift?”

He looked up at her. “It’s a two-part gift. First, I’m going to lick and suck your sweet pussy until you cum on my tongue, and then I’m going to fuck you from behind, hard and fast, just the way you like it.”

Before Anelise could respond, he did exactly what he’d promised, making her cry out and clutch the mattress as waves of pleasure washed over her.

Michael pulled her back to his chest, both of them spent, and stroked her hair when she murmured, “Best gift ever!”

He grinned, thinking about the real gift he had in store for her the next day.