Axel laughs then pulls us all in for a hug. My heart bursts as the two people I love the most in the world encircle me.
Axel drives us to the wedding. Luca is buckled into his car seat, kicking his tiny dress shoes.
He tugs at his tie. “Off?”
“Keep it on for the wedding ceremony,” I promise. “Then you can remove it.”
“Lies,” Axel says cheerfully. “You look too handsome. We’re keeping you in that suit forever.”
Luca giggles.
The venue is a restored barn outside the city, the sort with string lights, wooden beams, and wildflowers everywhere. There’s a buffet of Italian food. Vinnie’s influence, I’m sure.
We find seats near the front. Luca sits between us, swinging his legs.
“When is the kiss?” Luca asks loudly.
“At the end,” I say.
“Why?”
“Because that’s how weddings work.”
“You kissed at end?” Luca points his hand to Axel and me.
Axel chokes on nothing. I’m definitely blushing. Finn and Noah stare at us. Jason and Cal too.
“We’re not married, buddy,” Axel says.
Luca frowns. “Why?”
Axel opens his mouth, then closes it and looks at me.
My teammates look at us, grinning.
I have no idea what my face is doing.
“The ceremony’s starting,” I say, and thank God, it is.
The music starts, and Stella skips down the aisle, flinging rose petals at us.
Axel is quiet after the ceremony, Luca for once doing most of the talking. We eat Italian food and sit with Vinnie’s relatives who are thrilled to be here.
When the music starts, Axel, Luca and I dance together as a family.
It’s nice.
The dance floor fills. Evan pulls Vinnie close, one hand on the small of his back, and Vinnie says something that makes Evan laugh against his neck. Finn and Noah sway together like they’veforgotten anyone else exists. Cal’s hand rests on Jason’s hip with casual ownership. Luke spins and dips Sebastian over and over.
Axel watches them. His jaw is tight.
As we dance with Luca between us, holding hands in a circle, Axel’s eyes keep drifting back to those couples, and to what they have that we don’t.
I ask him after we’ve tucked Luca into bed.
“You were quiet tonight,” I say.
“Was I?”
