They fell silent when Carl entered the room again. It wasn’t long before they had everything packed up and ready to be loaded into the car for tomorrow.
The women returned from the salon not long after that, freshly manicured and glowing, not to mention slightly tipsy, their laughter carrying through the house.
“Thank you,” his mom said, inspecting the guys’ work. “Everything looks great.”
“You’re welcome,” Seth murmured as she hugged each of them, even Beck. He held his mother a moment longer than necessary, breathing in the familiar scent of her perfume, trying to memorize this moment.
Next time he saw her, everything would change.
“Well…that’s all I’ve got on my list. I guess we just need to get ready.” She smiled before pressing a kiss to Seth’s cheek and easing from his hug. “The rehearsal begins at five-thirty.”
Seth nodded and held out his hand to Heavenly, who came running and put her hand in his. “We’ll meet you at the church.”
They said a quick goodbye to Hudson and dashed back to the city, scrambled into their clothes, and Ubered to the venue. They arrived in the softly candlelit sanctuary as Carl, Mom, and Hudson did.
Father Heasley greeted them at the entrance, his weathered face creasing into a warm smile as he shook Carl’s hand, then bowed respectfully his mother’s way. Seth introduced Hudson, Beck, and Heavenly, then he shook the priest’s hand himself, finding solace in the man’s familiar, reassuring grip.
“The rest of the family should be here shortly,” Mom assured.
As if on cue, the church doors opened and Seth’s brothers filed in. First, Danny and Maggie, who carried Anna in a frilly dress on her hip. Matt followed, with Connor and Jack bringing up the rear.
As greetings ensued, Carl’s children entered the church.
Blake, the older, was tall and broad-shouldered, like his dad. He also possessed Carl’s easy smile and steady demeanor as he shook Seth’s hand with a genuinely warm greeting. There was something protective and proud in the way he stood near his father—a son watching his dad step into new happiness.
Catherine—who asked everyone to call her Cat—was a surprisingly poised nineteen-year-old college student. She had striking dark hair and her father’s blue eyes. When she hugged his mom, her smile was warm and genuine, as if she embraced her new family with open arms.
“It’s nice to meet you.” Cat smiled.
“I’m so happy to finally meet you,” his mother whispered. “Aren’t you lovely?”
Cat blushed. Then his mother’s attention was quickly diverted by a question from the chapel’s wedding coordinator. Of course, Mom had the answer.
Situation handled, she hugged Blake next, talking rapidly about how wonderful it was to finally have everyone together. Carl stood beside his children, beaming with love and pride.
Minutes later, the rehearsal began. The wedding coordinator walked them through the processional, explaining positions and timing. Seth stood at the back of the church with his mom on his arm, waiting for their cue.
“Thank you, for doing this,” she whispered, her hand trembling slightly where it rested on his elbow. “For being here. For giving me away. I’m guessing it’s not easy?—”
Seth swallowed down his emotions. “You don’t need to thank me, Mom. I’m happy for you, and I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.”
Her eyes turned misty. “It feels so strange to be a bride again. Your grandfather walked me down the aisle when I married your father. And now you’re doing it for me. It feels...different, but still right.” She sniffled. “Listen to me, blathering on.”
Seth’s throat and chest tightened. His dad had loved her completely. Together, they’d built a life and filled it with five boys, chaos, and laughter. Michael Cooper never would have wanted his wife to spend a decade and a half alone.
He smiled at his mother. “You’re not. You’re a beautiful bride.”
She gave him a watery laugh. “I’m a nervous one, too.”
“The boys and I are happy for you. And Dad would want you to be happy, too.”
Mom choked on a sob and dabbed at her eyes. “Don’t make me cry. I’ll ruin my makeup.”
Finally, Father Heasley gestured them to walk down the aisle, then again for good measure. She relaxed a bit with each step, growing steadier with each beat. By the third run-through, she was confident and practically glowing.
But then Seth noticed that Jack and Connor had positioned themselves out of their mom’s line of sight…and right next to Cat. They sent Carl’s daughter heated glances in tandem, in what appeared to be a well-practiced seduction. The girl seemed startled, like she wasn’t sure how to handle identical twins—and her soon-to-be stepbrothers—piling on the flirtation.
Seth grimaced. Goddamnit. He was going to have to shut this shit down.
