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Gratitude and love filled her as she leaned into Braden. “It’s okay. And yes, I’d love to go shopping together. As long as you don’t mind my friends coming along. Portia will murder me if I leave her out of the dress-selection process.”
“That sounds like a lot of fun, actually. My bestie—Damian’s daughter—is on the other side of the country, and I don’t really have a lot of other girlfriends.”
“It’s a date, then.”
Emily returned to her spot beside Damian, who immediately gathered her close and pressed a kiss to her hair, and Braden took a seat on the bench opposite the snuggling couple, pulling Lottie down with him.
“Congratulations,” Damian said, and to Lottie’s surprise it sounded like he actually meant it.
“Yes, congratulations.” Beside Braden, Desmond’s partner was smiling indulgently at them. He reminded her of a kind uncle, not that she’d ever had an uncle, kind or otherwise.
Which begged the question…
“So I’ve been wondering…” Turning to Braden, she pointed at him. “If you’re my Daddy, and they’re your brothers”—she waved her finger between Damian and Desmond—“does that make them my uncles?”
Emily dissolved into giggles. “I had the exact same thought! Uncle Braden and Uncle Desmond!”
“And Uncle Damian!”
“Absolutely not.” Damian leveled a glare at both of them, but it only stopped Emily’s laughter for a moment before she snorted and lost the battle again.
“Aw, what’s the matter, Uncle Damian?” Lottie teased. “Don’t you like your name?”
“Braden. Get your brat under control before I do it for you.”
Instead of scolding her, Braden leaned over and whispered something in her ear that had her grinning ever wider. “Oh, I’m sorry, Uncle Blake. I didn’t realize I was using the wrong name.”
Damian sent a glare in Braden’s direction that had her Daddy bursting into loud, nearly howling laughter. “Jesus Christ, Braden, you’re an even bigger brat than she is.”
Emily smacked Damian’s chest, earning her a glittering look. “Daddy, don’t be mean to Uncle Braden.”
“Careful, Sunshine. Just because I can’t spank the sass out of Charlotte doesn’t mean you have the same immunity.”
To Lottie’s never-ending delight, Emily didn’t drop her gaze submissively like Lottie half expected. She glanced over at Lottie, as if looking for support, which Lottie immediately gave in the form of an enthusiastic nod. Emily then looked back at her Daddy—and stuck out her tongue.
“Oh, you’re going to pay for that, Sunshine. If you’ll excuse us, apparently my naughty girl needs a lesson about disrespecting her Daddy.”
“Uncle Damian, don’t be such a?—”
A hand slapped over her mouth, cutting her off. “If you finish that sentence, little girl, I absolutely will let Uncle Damian spank your ass. You can be a brat, but I draw the line at you being disrespectful.”
When he pulled his hand away, she pouted up at him. “How did you know I was going to say something rude?”
“I can’t think of any way that sentence would have ended that wouldn’t have been rude.”
“Oh. You have a point.” She gave Damian a sheepish smile. “Sorry, Uncle Damian.”
“The ‘uncle’ thing is not going to stick. But thank you for apologizing.” His expression softening considerably, Damian smiled at Braden. “I can’t believe you’re getting married again. Just let me know what you need best-man wise, I’ll take care of it.”
“Who said you’re going to be the best man?” Desmond asked with a scowl.
“Because I’m Braden’s favorite. Clearly.”
Fascinated, Lottie watched the argument devolve into what were clearly old, practiced insults between the twins. Beside her, Braden simply looked resigned, as if he’d watched some version of this argument play out so many times he’d lost the desire to even try and stop it.
“Desmond. Enough.” Authority rang out clearly in Bastian’s voice, halting the argument in its tracks. “Thank you. Now, has anyone thought to ask Braden who he’d like as his best man?”
“Actually, I was thinking of asking you, Bastian.”
