“Yeah, I reckon after a while, he’ll be able to play.”
Jack smiled at his father.
Colt returned his smile as he nabbed his suit jacket from the back of a dining room chair as well as Jack’s, which was lying on the table.
As for me…
I smiled inside.
I did that a lot these days.
Then again, I did it a lot on the outside too.
I grabbed my clutch and moved toward the kitchen door, giving my dog a scratch while I did.
I walked out. My husband and son walked out behind me.
Colt put Jack down so he could lock the door and I took my baby boy’s hand. My baby boy who was growing up and not so much of a baby anymore.
We walked to Colt’s truck.
We climbed in.
And Colt took us to Ethan.
* * * * *
For a wedding by a lake that was going to be catered by my brother at a grill and a table groaning with potluck chips, dips, and salads—the only thing wedding-esque being the flowers and decorations the bridesmaids insisted on putting up (something we all got up early to do that morning) and a beautiful wedding cake the mother-of-the-bride demanded she provide—the wedding party was enormous.
Vi as maid of honor, me at her side, Dusty, Rocky, Mimi, Jessie, Josie, and Frankie.
On the other side, Tanner as best man, Mike, Colt, Sully, Cal, Sean, Drew, and Ryker.
Yes, Ryker.
The bride had insisted.
That said, the groom hadn’t protested.
So there stood Ryker, grinning like a lunatic and fidgeting in his suit.
And while folks stood around in the green grass beside a quiet lake outside an awesome lake house, the bride made her appearance.
She looked amazing.
Simple, form-fitting, strapless white lace dress that hit her at her knees and had a dusty-rose satin ribbon wrapped around the waist; a thick bunch of silvery-pink Indiana peonies in her hand that she’d cut herself that morning from the bushes that edged the entire house.
Mother at her left.
Son at her right.
They hit the edge of the lake where we were all fanned out, the bride having expertly managed to negotiate the entire trek through the grass in strappy, spike-heeled sandals while one of Morrie’s buds played Pachelbel on his guitar.
Cher also managed the entire trek with her eyes glued to Merry.
The procession stopped.
Pastor Knox asked, “Who brings this woman to be wed?”
Ethan’s shoulders straightened as he called out loudly, “Her mother and I do.”
I felt my eyes get wet and I nearly lost it when I caught Cher’s profile, her cheeks dusted rose with blush, shimmering with a powder she’d fanned over the color, pinker now, as were her eyes, as she fought back her own wet.
Cher didn’t cry. Not ever. Not that I’d seen.
Unless her son was giving her away to the man she’d loved for five years, only just recently letting him know it.
Cher kissed and hugged her mom. She did the same with Ethan.
Merry came forward and kissed and hugged Grace. He offered to shake Ethan’s hand, but Ethan decided he wanted something else and he hugged Merry’s middle.
Merry hugged him back.
Vi made a choked noise.
I cleared my throat.
Ethan grabbed his mom’s hand and offered it to Merry.
Merry accepted.
They turned to the preacher.
After that, Garrett Merrick and Cher Rivers got married.
* * * * *
Colt
He stood with his wife’s front tucked close to his side, his arm curled around her shoulders, her arms wrapped around his middle, watching.
And not getting it.
He bent to Feb’s ear.
“Why are they laughing?” he asked.
She caught his eyes.
Her brown ones were dancing.
“I have no clue,” she answered.
They both turned back to the front porch of Merry and Cher’s lake house where the new husband and wife were having their first dance, Merry swaying Cher, both of them held close in each other’s arms, both of them straight up busting a gut laughing, doing all this to Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.”
No, Colt didn’t get it.
But watching two people he cared about so fucking happy…
He didn’t need to.
* * * * *
Cal
July, Three Years Later
Cal stood at the back of the church.
Tony’s bud had just escorted Vi down the aisle.
It was time.
Fuck, where was Kate?
He caught movement at the corner of his eye and turned to watch Keirry rushing up to him as fast as she could, considering she was wearing her long bridesmaid gown and she had her little sister’s hand in hers.
Angie was rushing right alongside Keira. Then again, his baby girl would follow his big girl right to the mouth of hell.
Fact.
He just had to hope Keira didn’t lead her there. Keirry was a magnet for trouble and Cal thanked God she hooked her shit to Jasper Layne, who’d die for her.
He watched them come his way and he did it feeling his jaw get hard.
He’d put his foot down about those fucking bridesmaids dresses.
And, as usual, his girls had rolled right over him.
It showed too much cleavage.
And it was too fucking tight.
It was also too late.
The other bridesmaids started filing out behind her.
So this shit was going to happen.
Fuck.
“Daddy!” Angie shouted, breaking free from Keira and rushing to him, looking pretty in her flower girl dress.
He bent and caught her.
Swinging her up in his arms, he murmured, “Hey, baby.”
“Hey, Daddy,” she replied on a big grin and an assessing look that reminded Cal of her mother. “You look handsome.”
He kissed her neck. “And you look even more beautiful than your normal beautiful.”