“My life will be almost over at that age. Might as well settle down before everything stops working.”
“Jesus,” Mom mutters. “Nothing stops working then.”
“Pretty much,” Liam adds.
“You’re going to look like a grandpa at your kid’s high school graduation,” Mom tells him.
Liam winces. “I’m never having children. A wife is bad enough, but babies? Hell no.”
I roll my eyes. I don’t know why he’s so sour on everything. Sure, our parents weren’t the epitome of romance and a long-term relationship. But our lives weren’t that bad, and we were along for the ride with Randall and Mom, who have a good relationship.
As soon as the elevator doors open, the music from the beach and the string quartet Lulu booked hits me. My heart leaps in my chest as I step into the warmth and humidity, and everything crashes into me.
I’m getting married today.
I am lucky enough to have found an amazing woman, but the fact that she is willing to hitch her trailer to me forever is a freaking miracle.
She is all class, while I am covered in oil and smell like burned rubber.
I’ve never been the type to get nervous in front of a crowd, but when I walk down the aisle toward the officiant and everyone turns to look at me, my stomach dips.
Lulu’s mom stops me before I can take my place. “You look so handsome, Oliver. You doing okay, baby?”
“I’m good, ma’am.” I give her a smile, seeing Lulu’s features in her face.
“I’m not a ma’am to you. I’m Delilah or Ma.That’s it,” she says and lifts her hand to my tie, adjusting it. “Got it?”
“I do,” I say as I lift my gaze toward the bank of elevators I just came from.
“Treat my baby good, and we won’t have an issue.”
“I plan to worship her.”
She smiles up at me and pats my chest. “Welcome to the family, Oliver.”
I realize then, I’m not only marrying Lulu—I am joining something bigger. I never had a large family, at least not one I was close to by distance or familiarity. They say when you marry someone, you marry their family, and there’s no other group of people I’d rather join than the Gallos. They are solid people. Welcoming and kind. Gracious and giving. Nosy and sweet. They don’t have a bad side that I’ve seen, and they are more than willing to have one another’s backs for just about anything, even if it puts their lives in danger.
“Go,” my soon-to-be mother-in-law says, pushing me toward my spot on the beach where I’ll watch my future walk toward me.
I have barely a moment to catch my breath and ready myself when the elevator doors slide open, and the music the quartet is playing changes.
My breath lodges in my throat as Lulu steps out of the elevator and is bathed in sunshine like an angel coming down from the heavens.
“Damn,” I whisper, knowing I’m the luckiest son of a bitch in the world. On paper, we don’t work, but when we are together, nothing else matters.
She is the clean to my messy. She is the organized to my chaos.
“Stunning,” I say, unable to take my eyes off her as she glides down the sand toward me on her father’s arm.
The attendants stand, turning in her direction.
We lock eyes, and everything else fades away. My wife is walking toward me.
My wife.
My future.
Never in a million years did I think I’d meet my future that day I took the call about a busted tire. I almost passed the job to Liam. And if I had, I wouldn’t be here, and Lulu may very well not be alive because there’s no way he would’ve tackled her to save her life.
