“Ignore him.”
“Thanks.” I take the hot dog he’s offering with a nervous laugh. “No poisoning will be necessary.”
“Poisoning won’t be needed.” Alex comes up next to me and slings his arm around my shoulder.
“It won’t. Because I don’t plan on breaking Angie’s heart.”
“You won’t,” Alex confirms. “And if you do, I’ll just strangle you with my bare hands.”
He walks away, my jaw hitting the sand.
“Alex! Can you not scare him away?” Carter shakes his head. “I promise, we like you. You make our daughter happy.”
“That’s all I want to do.”
“Good.” Carter claps me on the shoulder and heads over to where Alex is talking with my dad.
“Is it just me, or is it weird to see them all laughing together?” Angie appears beside me.
“Not just you.”
I never thought I’d see this. Alex is stubborn. No doubt where Angie gets it from. But I had to try something. My dad isn’t who he used to be, and I’m glad they both came around to that way of thinking.
“We’ll have to get used to it.”
Her face is happy and glowing and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of seeing it that way.
“Can I give a toast?” Alex interrupts us.
“Is a toast really necessary?” Nick chirps from his spot on the bench. “I’m trying to study.”
“You can give a toast, Dad,” Angie tells him, ignoring her brother.
“Toasts are kind of his thing,” Carter says from his side.
Alex huffs out an awkward laugh. “I never thought I’d see the day where our two families would be here, gathering together.”
“Never in a million years.” Dad’s laugh is just as awkward.
“But now that we’re here together, I find that I actually like you, Derek.”
“Thanks?” It comes out as more of a question than anything.
“Is there an actual toast in here?” Nick asks.
“Are you sure you want to join this family?” Angie whispers from her spot next to me. The sun is dipping lower, and the bonfire casts long fingers of light across the sand. Carter pulls Nick to the side, no doubt telling him to let his dad get through this.
“Sorry, bud,” Alex tells him. “Troy, I know you’ll be a wonderful partner for our daughter. Not many people would want to take us on, but you did. I wasn’t the most welcoming person to you, and for that, I am sorry. Seeing you and Angie together, I know you two are meant for each other. I don’t know what the future holds for you, but you’ll face it together. And have both your families at your side supporting you. We love you both.”
Angie leaves my side to go hug her dad then my parents. This is more than I ever could have hoped for. I have no doubt that they’re going to be best friends before long.
“You know he’s going to be your biggest fan, right?” Carter comes over to me now. He was the easier sell of the two of them. “Prepare to be smothered.”
“If it means you’re on my side, smother away.”
“You might live to regret those words.”
“Nah. We’ll all be family soon enough.”
