“It really is. You and your grandmother aren't mad, are you?” I grimaced at Marilyn as we left my bedroom. “That Nick and I are getting married alone?”
“No,” Marilyn whispered as she draped an arm around me. “We’re too busy being deliriously happy for the both of you. Whether you have a wedding is up to you. The marriage is what’s important. I had a huge wedding, and now I have an ex-husband in Arizona.”
I giggled at her raised eyebrow as we strolled into the kitchen. “I don’t want to take anything away from him. I had a wedding too. Even though he said no, maybe he wants—”
“What he wants is you.” Marilyn squeezed my hand. “He’d marry you at the burger place up the block. When this one comes along.” She pressed her palm to my stomach. “Then we’ll have the big party.”
“Anybody home?” Nick called from the doorway.
“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes. How was your shift?” I strolled over to him and flung my arms around his neck.
“Long and tiring. Happy to come home to my sexy fiancée,” Nick growled in my ear. “You popped,” he whispered as hands drifted down my hips.
“I popped a long time ago. Where have you been?”
And popped I did. Aside from my swollen midsection, my modest-sized rack was now at porn-star proportions and my ass gave the Kardashians a run for their money. The bigger I got, the more hands Nick had.
“Did you get a dress? Is it tight?” He feathered kisses up and down my neck. Falling limp in his arms, I forgot we had company.
“Ahem.” My sister cleared her throat as she came up behind us. “Look at you two. My sister is going to be knocked up for the next five years, isn’t she?”
Nick laughed while I scowled at Kate.
“Look at me! I’m a Ghostbuster!” Jack had spent the day with my parents and convinced them to buy his Halloween costume early. The first thing he did in the fifteen minutes since they dropped him off was pull it on, along with all the equipment.
“I see.” Kate nodded. “That is the real deal, Jack. Very nice.”
“That’s a cool outfit, Jackie boy.” Paige came over to Jack as he was handing Kate his ghost gun.
“There are ghosts here, too, Aunt Paige.” Jack’s eyes widened as he pointed up the stairs. “I’m going to try to use my gun tonight.”
“What? Jack, there are no ghosts in the house.” I went over to my son to see if I could at least get him to take off the belt.
“They only come out at night, Mommy. Last night, the whole house was quiet except for a loud creaking in your room. The ghost was banging on the wall!”
Realization drifted across every face in the room. Everyone else was trying to hold in a laugh as I dropped my head into my hands, wanting to crawl into the corner and die.
“I’m so happy for my sister right now.” Kate clutched her chest.
Nick wrapped his arms around me from behind, his chest shaking with laughter.
“If we get the new house, maybe we should think about rugs for the bedroom,” he whispered into my ear. I elbowed his stomach, which only made him laugh harder.
Marilyn shook her head at us with a big smile on her face. I looked for Paige and noticed she’d disappeared.
“Where did Paige go?”
Kate pointed into the kitchen. “I just saw her walk that way.”
I peered in my kitchen and noticed Paige wiping her eyes with a tissue as she took in a deep breath.
“Hey,” I whispered as I came up behind her. “Are you okay?”
She turned and brought her red eyes to mine.
“Yes. Really, I am. Ellie, I’m so happy for you. You have no idea. I wanted this for you so much. I even promised Jack I wouldn’t let you stay alone. It’s why I found those stupid dating apps for you.”
“Oh, so I can be pissed at him for that, too?” My mouth tilted with a smirk.
