“But if you want to give me your portion of those yummy cream puffs, I won’t say no,” Brody teased.
Freya giggled. “My daddy can always make more. He won’t make me go without.”
Loni tugged his ear down. “I love our family,” she whispered.
Halligan smiled, rubbing his nose against hers. “I do too.”
“Okay, lovebirds, enough of the gushy stuff. We don’t get a wedding because we weren’t invited, but how about a reception here at the bar?” Bill asked.
Halligan appreciated his dad wanting to do something for them. He was sorry that the whole family couldn’t be involved in the wedding.
“What do you think?” he asked Loni.
“I’d love a chance to meet everyone,” she said.
“Well, that’s settled then. I’ll look at the schedule and figure out a day and time,” Bill said, rubbing his hands together.
They were in for it now. His dad loved to plan. He and his brothers had planned the huge trip to Mistletoe Canyon last year. Halligan wondered if he and Loni should take a trip there. They’d gotten married in Las Vegas and hadn’t really had a honeymoon. He’d love to have her on the back of his motorcycle, but he wasn’t risking that until the baby was born. His truck might be comfy for a trip, but he and Loni had a lot of other things to figure out before then, including Bruno’s offer and getting the apartment ready for the baby.
Loni leaned against Halligan. Although the threat was gone, her day hadn’t started the best. She’d woken up nauseous and started her day kneeling in front of the toilet. Halligan brought her ginger ale and crackers, but she guessed she’d need to take Vivi’s suggestion and have them on the bedside table.
Vivi had said the only way she hadn’t thrown up every day was to eat a couple saltine crackers while still lying in bed and take a couple sips of ginger ale. Loni was willing to try anything because she despised throwing up.
At least the nausea didn’t seem to come back later in the day. She and Halligan had discussed Bruno’s offer last night before falling asleep. Halligan left the decision up to her. He supported whatever she wanted.
Loni loved designing and enjoyed attending some of the races to watch the drivers racing in her designs. She wanted to still be a part of the company and keep that tie to her Gigi. With the company jet, she and Halligan could travel to Las Vegas whenever they needed. With the family she now had, she was sure the guys would love to attend a race or two. Rossellini Racing had multiple teams in different organizations. She could make any weekend work if they wanted to go.
There were so many decisions to make. Halligan brought up that they could live in the large apartment if she wanted, but if she wanted an actual house, there was room to build one on the land by his dad and uncles. She was torn. The idea of living in close quarters with everyone here in the apartment or over the bar was tempting because she hadn’t had female family friendsbefore. The house brought the option of having a dog and being able to let it go out in a fenced backyard to do its business. If they had a dog in the apartment, someone had to walk it.
For now, she was going to enjoy spending time with everyone. She really liked Renae and was going to miss her when Renae went back to Texas.
“Brody, maybe that lady who was staring at you would be nicer than that Savi lady,” Wyatt said.
“What lady?” Brody asked.
Oh, this was intriguing. Loni didn’t know Brody, but it was like a soap opera had come to the bar tonight.
“You know, that lady who came from the internet,” Wyatt said.
“Came from the internet?” Brody asked. His perplexed look probably mirrored her own. How did someone come from the internet?
“You know, with the women that Jesse found,” Wyatt said.
“Do you mean one of the Franks cousins that the Franks sisters found out they had?” Halligan asked.
Well, that wasn’t confusing at all. Loni had met so many people that maybe Halligan could draw her a chart of who was married to whom and which kids belonged to which family.
Loni listened half-heartedly to who they thought Brody should date. She was full from the appetizers, and Halligan’s arm around her was keeping her warm. She could go to sleep right here if she relaxed too much.
“Hey all, we’re going to head out. Loni could use a nap. If any of you are planning on leaving soon, I want to tell you how much we appreciate your help. You kept my woman and our unborn child safe,” Halligan said.
Loni let Halligan lift her up into his arms.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Taking you for a nap. Growing a future Nelson is hard work,” Halligan said.
Loni relaxed and let him carry her across the street and to their apartment. It had taken a cross-country trip and opening herself up to possible heartache, but she’d found her home in Dodge City, Kansas, with a man who adored her. Sometimes the best happily ever afters were when no one saw it coming.
