“Cupcake,” Jesse murmurs, then kisses her cheek. “Such a good heart.”
I lean out of Xander’s embrace and slap his hand as he tries to steal a piece of bacon.
“Don’t even. I will stab your hand with my fork,” I warn.
“Dude,” Jesse mutters. “Don’t mess with a pregnant woman’s food.”
“But it’s bacon, and bacon is meat candy. I want some,” Xander tells me.
I point my fork to the buffet. “Go get some then. I meant it when I said I’d stab you with this fork.”
“Pregnancy has made you violent,” Xander teases.
“And it only gets worse from here,” Ben replies.
When did he get here? And Coley.
Dad and Sandy come walking up.
“Dad?” I question, standing up to give him a hug, then Sandy. “What are you doing here?” I look between him and Sandy, and they’re both smiling.
“We got married,” Sandy blurts out, and Dad laughs.
“That was not part of the plan.”
She snickers. “Who needs a plan?”
He kisses her forehead.
“Well, it’s about damn time,” Lincoln bellows. “Hey, everyone! Our dad and Sandy got married… finally… after twenty-plus years!”
The entire restaurant erupts into cheers and applause.
“Dad, you stud,” Xander calls out, hugging him and slapping him on the back in the way guys do. Then he looks to Sandy. “Mom, gimme some sugar.”
I start laughing. I can’t stop either. The look on Sandy’s face is priceless. One of resignation and mirth. She hugs Xander back and kisses his cheek.
“This is just too good,” Jesse exclaims, laughing with me.
“He’s going to start calling her mommy and shit,” Linc declares.
“I can already see it,” I agree. “Are you staying here a while for a honeymoon?”
Dad shakes his head. “Nope. I’ve got two weeks of work, then Sandy and I are going to Paris for ten days.”
“Oh, Paris is so lovely,” Lucy replies.
One day I’ll get there. One day I’ll go to all the places I’ve dreamed of going. But for now, I’m enjoying this dream that’s come true. A big family, the man of my dreams as my husband, and our baby growing inside me. It’s a dream I hope never ends.
