Beyond These Walls (The Walls Duet #2) by J. L. Berg Read Free Book Online Page B

where her parents and Grace were staying. Grace, baby Zander, and her husband, Brian, had arrived not too long ago, and I’d already received a text from Lailah, saying that Grace had commandeered her for the rest of the afternoon to do her makeup and hair for the evening.
    A small smile played across my lips as I walked into the closet to gather my clothes for the evening.
    We were getting married tomorrow.
    It was still hard to imagine, yet the hours couldn’t tick away fast enough. I’d been waiting for this day for what seemed like an eternity. There was a time when I’d believed it was an impossibility, something I could only envision in my dreams.
    But now, it was nearly here, and I couldn’t wait to place that ring on her left hand and make her mine.
    I tossed on a pair of slacks and a light-gray shirt before adding a purple tie and dark gray vest for my bride. She loved seeing me in a vest. I rolled up the sleeves of my shirt, ran my hands through my damp hair, and grabbed a pair of shoes.
    I was ready to go in under twenty minutes.
    I still had a bit of time before our reservation, but I decided to head out anyway, just in case traffic got tricky or anyone decided to arrive early.
    My instincts were right on target as I found myself stuck in a cab twenty minutes later and only six blocks from our apartment. My foot began to nervously tap as I looked at my watch. Finally, I leaned forward and handed the driver a couple of twenties.
    “I’ll just walk. Thanks.”
    A brisk fifteen-minute walk later, I made it to the restaurant with the ability to still feel most of my toes, and I headed inside for warmth. I soon found my mother sitting in a cozy chair by the bar with a glass of dark red merlot in her hand.
    “Hey, Mom,” I greeted.
    She rose to her feet to hug me.
    “First one here?” I asked, briefly looking around, as I took the seat next to her.
    “I believe so. Your brother said he would meet me here for a drink, but I haven’t seen him yet.”
    I kept my comments regarding Roman to myself, and instead, I tried to change the subject. “Did you check in to your hotel all right?”
    She nodded and took a quick sip of wine before answering, “Yes, it’s quite lovely. Returning to the city does sometimes make me miss our place here, but I do love the quiet of the country.”
    When my father had died over a year ago, my mother had made the painful decision to sell their city home. It had been years since they lived there, but it’d held special memories, having been the primary residence where Roman and I had been raised. Now that we were grown though and it was just her, she hadn’t really seen the value in keeping it. Now, when she visited, she’d either stay in a hotel or with Lailah and me in our apartment. Since we were leaving for our honeymoon the morning after the wedding, Mom had chosen to stay in a hotel near the reception location, like most of the other guests who were from out of town.
    “I love the country home,” I replied, remembering the many adventures Roman and I had journeyed through as young boys in that great big house over the years.
    “It looks marvelous this time of year,” she remarked, smirking.
    “I know, I know. We’ll be back in three weeks, Mom.”
    She shook her head in mocked disdain, obviously trying to cover the small smile spreading across her face. “Your first Christmas as husband and wife, and you won’t even be here.”
    “It’s called a honeymoon. I believe yours lasted a month.”
    She grinned. “Five weeks actually, and it was divine. You know I’m just goading you. We’ll be here to celebrate the holidays when you return. Enjoy every minute, sweetheart.”
    “We will.”
    A flash of red caught my eye, and I turned just in time to see Lailah walking through the entrance with her parents a few steps behind. I watched her shrug off her thick red coat and scarf, and what lay hidden underneath was simply magnificent. She was a vision, covered in