Page 159 of Out Of A Fix

“No,” I said, smiling as he wrapped his arms around my neck. “I would love to have a ring and speak vows and belong to you.”

“Well, you already do, but yeah, vows and a marriage license will be good,” he said, then kissed me, hard and final. “How do you feel about next Tuesday, a week from today?”

“Tuesday is great.”

SIXTEEN

Tuesday was not great. Because once I started thinking about it, there were people I wanted—needed—at my wedding. People who were necessary to share my day with. So we moved it to the second Friday in December so the important people, like Luke’s parents, could be there. Jared graciously sent his plane for them, which they were wildly impressed by, so they arrived a few days before everyone else to help us prepare. On Friday, Jared and Owen flew to Seattle, bringing with them Rais and Sienna and Shaw and Benji so they could all be with me on my special day at the Newcastle City Hall.

Of course, I had to point out to Owen and Jared how small my wedding was, how quickly it began and ended, and most importantly, how fast it was planned and executed.

“Yes, but you didn’t have orchids from Madagascar,” Owen said haughtily.

No argument there.

The kids lost their minds when Ash Lennox showed up, didn’t care about Cooper at all, which he was neither surprised at nor hurt by, and then nearly passed out when Nick Madison stepped inside the tiny municipal building. They all took pictures with him, but interestingly, Tatum took an instant liking to Locryn.

Back at the house for the party, Nick was smiling at me like he knew something I didn’t. “I think your daughter has a type.” He tilted his head toward Locryn, who was saying something to an evidently smitten Tatum.

“What? No.”

“Growly alpha men might be her thing. You might wanna watch that.”

I glared at him, and he walked away from me, chuckling.

Luke said, “Why’re you scowling at the music god I’m crazy about who I had no idea you knew? You could’ve warned me.”

I looked at him. “Why?”

“I dunno, I feel like we should have rented a ballroom in a hotel in Seattle.” He gestured around us. “I mean, he’s in our very lived-in house.”

Slipping my arm around his neck, I pulled him to me and kissed his cheek. “Our very loved house, and he gets that.”

“He told me this fall he’s going to do some club dates with Dawson West, and when they come to Seattle, he’ll send all of us tickets.”

I made a face. “A concert? That’ll be loud.”

“Not a concert, a small venue.”

“It’ll still be loud,” I grumbled. “And probably at night.”

“Ohmygod, stop pretending you’re old right now.”

“I am old,” I assured him. “You’re gonna have to take care of me in a few years. Through sickness and health, buddy. Remember your vows.”

Luke turned into me, and I was wrapped in his arms before he kissed me. “We’re gonna have a great time.”

I grunted.

“And Dawson West and the Dregs, holy shit.”

“You’re easy to please.”

“No, I’m really not.” He stepped back, sighing deeply. “Okay, so why were you glowering at my new best friend Nick Madison?”

I pointed at Tatum, who was now sitting beside Locryn on the couch, showing him, I was fairly certain, different Pokémon characters on her phone. And he was being attentive, smiling and laughing when she did. It was the weirdest thing I’d ever seen. “Nick seems to think our daughter has a type.”

Luke sputtered out a laugh like he was choking. “You’re kidding, right?”