And I had a surprise for Luke. They say pregnant women glowed. Well, I was glowing like a mother. I hoped I could make it through the ceremony without puking. I hoped my morning sickness—what bullcrap, because it was constant sickness—would go away, so I could eat cake. I really wanted that cake.
Rose popped her head in the room to inform me, “Lily, it’s time.” She wore a pink dress similar in style to mine, except hers was knee length and didn’t have all the fancy extras added to it. Holly’s was pink too. Violet’s was lavender, of course.
It had been a long battle between Rose and Violet as to who would be the maid of honor. I’d almost been tempted to pick Holly, but she said she didn’t want to get in the middle. Violet said she deserved it for her subtle matchmaking machinations. Rose insisted she deserved it because we were twins. Eventually, Rose decided that being my identical twin outranked everything else, and she didn’t need to be the maid of honor for everyone to know I loved her most—insert eye roll here. They’d been fighting simply for the sake of fighting but Violet and Rose were good at that. At least it was entertaining.
Rose opened the door all the way and came inside. Holly and Violet were behind her, full of smiles, but Violet dabbed her eyes with a hankie.
“No crying, Vi. If you cry, I’ll cry. Look at my face. There is no way I can fix this if I mess it up.”
Violet took a shaky breath, and her eyes cleared. “I’m just so happy for you, Lily. And only five percent jealous.” She leaned in and hugged me.
Rose joined the hug, saying, “I’m one hundred percent jealous.”.
“I’m not jealous at all,” Holly added right before she too joined in.
We had a fancy-dress sister group hug for a minute longer.
Then we headed out to do this thing.
Chapter 36
Luke
Iwaited for her. Under an arch made of flowers and lights, I waited as my heart overflowed with love.
I could finally breathe. I felt my chest expand to let more than just air inside.
Liam stood at my side, and Cade beside him. They were standing up for me on this day, just like they always had. Only now, I could finally see it. Now I knew I was worth it and could turn around and give it back. My eyes had been opened.
I was finally, truly home.
Liam slapped my shoulder as we heard the music start and whispered, “I’m happy for you, man.” I smiled at him and knew he would be okay. There was no way I would have it any other way.
We watched as Lily’s nephew Mark led Dahlia to her seat in the front. She winked at me, and I smiled back. Holly was next, followed by Rose, then Violet. They each took their places on the other side of the arch.
Everyone oohed and ahhed as Dylan, clad in his little tuxedo, walked down the aisle with the rings on a pillow. He hugged me, then stood between me and Liam.
But everyone collectively lost their minds when Madisonand Mara began pulling Calla down the aisle in a little white wagon. They were all dressed in the fluffiest pink dresses I’d ever seen and wore crowns made of flowers. They threw white rose petals along the aisle. Mara had to keep pulling the petals away from Calla, who was more interested in putting them in her mouth. After they reached us, Violet went to the wagon and carried Calla up to stand in her place, then Mara and Maddie stood in front of Rose and Holly.
It seemed like I had been waiting for her forever, and now I was finally finished marking time. She would be mine again. Forever this time.
The music changed, and I lost my breath as I saw her and Ben step forward. My breath returned with each step she took toward me until my lungs were so full I thought I’d burst.
The vows we took went by in a blur even though I meant every word.
Then, finally, we were dancing. I could hold her in my arms, and I never had to let her go.
She lifted her head from my chest and pulled my head to hers. “I have a wedding present for you.” She leaned in to whisper in my ear, “We’re having a baby.”
My eyes filled with tears, and they fell straight down my cheeks. I couldn’t stop it even if I wanted to. I lifted her straight up with my hands under her arms and kissed her belly, where our child grew. She giggled. I lowered her a bit and shifted my arms around her hips, but still held her aloft.
The train of her dress billowed out as I twirled us around in a circle. I was so happy right now, twirling her around was all I could think to do.
“Oh, God. Don’t spin again, Luke.” Lily gulped.
I set her down gently and cradled her face. “What do you need?” I whispered.
“Just you. And something slow and steady. Don’t bust any more moves,” she teased.
