“Are you…” A huge smile lifted his lips. “Gabriella.” He stepped toward her. “Are you trying to keep secrets from me again?”
She rolled her eyes but acquiesced to his hugging her closely. “No. What are you talking about? We have a timeline to stick with here.”
“Are you pregnant again?” he asked softly.
We all gasped.
“You were just complaining about how loudly everyone was chewing yesterday,” I accused. I’d thought she was near her period.
“And you said your coffee has been tasting so disgusting lately,” Sadie added.
“You’re acting like a hormonal bitch, too,” Raisa stated bluntly.
Gabriella furrowed her brow, counting with her fingers as if she were tracing back in time. “What? No…”
Luka chuckled. “Gabriella?”
She squeaked. And gawked at him. “Oh, my God. Am I?”
He chuckled and hugged her. “Only one way to tell.”
She swatted him playfully. “But I said I wanted to wait a while. Andre is such a handful and Helene is still just a baby and…” Slowly, she caved to smiling and hugging Luka back. “What if it’s another girl?”
“I’ll be the happiest father in the world,” he said.
“Hey!” Emil poked his head in through the door. “Is someone getting cold feet or what? People are waiting out there.” Hewas all smiles, but when he saw Luka and Gabriella all cuddled together and hugging, he rolled his eyes. “I knew it. You are pregnant, Gabs.”
“That hasn’t been confirmed yet,” she snapped at the man who was older than her but technically her stepson.
“According to me, it is. You damn near chewed my head off yesterday because I left my coffee cup near yours and it smelled too bitter.” He paused, smiling at Sadie like he wanted to put a baby in his wife too.
“Okay. Okay.” I clapped my hands. “Let’s get this show on the road. If I wait any longer, I’m going to have too much milk and bust a seam. Nicky will be hungry soon.” It was TMI for the guys, but it was the truth.
That was all it took for Gabriella to snap back to focus. In a flurry of activity, we all got ready to move out toward the church. Luka would walk me down the aisle, and the others were ready to go as members of the bridal party.
Gabriella kissed Luka and then faced me. “I’m sorry if I am pregnant and?—”
“Sorry?” I laughed. “That would be great news.”
“Well, I’m sorry if I’m being hormonal and bossy,” she admitted. “But you’re the last one. You’re the last chance for me to plan a wedding for a long time.”
Luka rolled his eyes. “Like we won’t be planning this for Misha. Lev. Andre. Carina, Helene, Josephine, Nicky…”
We all smiled.
“I am grateful for you,” I told her before she hurried to her spot to walk down the aisle.
“And I’m grateful that you are part of our family,” Luka told me as we waited to walk.
I rested my head on his shoulder briefly. “And I’m shocked that all these people are here to celebrate this day.” I had no one. No family to bring as a guest list. Just Raisa. But the church was packed!
“Of course they are here.” He smiled like the proud father figure he was. The boss. The leader. “Because it’s not just us,” he reminded me. “Not just those of us who stay at the big house so often. I admire how much you’ve taken charge of your life, Kalina, but never doubt that you have the entirety of the Dubinin Dynasty behind you too.”
I smiled, nodding once with that promise.
And as I moved down the aisle to promise my love and life to Alexsei who beamed at me from that altar, looking so dapper and fine in his tux with Misha next to him as his best man, I felt like I was free at last. Free to soar and grow, but also with a confidence that I would always have a place to land with my hero.
39
