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“That’s my cue,” Lena said, holding her arms out for our daughter. I handed her over, but not before nuzzling the baby’s soft dark hair. I loved the smell of her. My fiancé and mother of my child gave me a quick kiss on the lips. “I’m going to go in the back and feed her. Wait for me by the car.”
“Okay, baby.” I kissed her again, cupping the side of her face. “You looking fucking gorgeous, by the way.” And she did. Her full-length yellow bridesmaid dress fit her body like a glove, which had acquired some fantastic new curves since her pregnancy. I loved the way the material flowed around her hips and I couldn’t stop fantasizing about removing the dress later.
“You clean up pretty nicely yourself, Wyatt,” Lena grinned before disappearing into the crowd.
I stood beside Adam and Meg’s parents’ watching Meg and Adam jog toward the limo that would take them to the Dandelion Hotel for their reception. I had been readily accepted as a member of the Ducate family. I was astounded at how quickly Marion and Tom had welcomed me as a new addition. Marion had even reached out to my mother, inviting her to dinner and talking to her about wedding stuff.
“Where’s your better half?” Rob asked, coming up beside me.
“Feeding Daisy. She’ll be out in a minute,” I told my partner.
“One wedding down, another to go, huh?” he commented, watching our friend kiss his new wife again.
I nudged him with my elbow. “Who knows, maybe you’ll be right behind us.”
Rob snorted. “I don’t see that happening any time soon.” His words were decisive, but I noticed how he watched Meg’s friend Skylar as she walked out of the church with the rest of the wedding party. The two of them had been dancing around something for over a year, but I would never ask him about that. It’s not like he’d tell me anything anyway. Robert Jenkins was a mysterious guy.
“Okay, I’ll meet you at the reception. I’ve got some calls to make first,” Rob said, pulling out his phone.
“Can’t you give work rest for one day?” I asked him.
“It’s not work,” was all he said as he walked away.
As I said, Rob was a mysterious dude.
I called out a greeting to Kyle who was carrying his daughter Katie and walking with Whitney toward the parking lot. Lena told me they had been spending a lot more time together. I knew there was a history there, but I wasn’t the kind of person to dig into people’s personal business. I liked Whitney and I knew instinctively she was a bit damaged, so it was nice to see her smiling.
I headed to our car. I had insisted Lena and I trade in our vehicles for two child-friendly and safety tested SUVs. I tossed the diaper bag in the back seat. My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out to see a message from my mother. I had sent her a few pictures of Daisy dressed up for the wedding and she was gushing over them.
Mom had stuck to her guns and hadn’t allowed Dad to come back. She was happy now; the happiest I had ever seen her. She was working at the local women’s shelter as a case aid and she was planning to come down and stay with Lena and me for the weekend to spend time with her granddaughter. Daisy was surrounded by people that loved her. She was one lucky little girl.
Lena and I had both ditched our apartments and bought a house two streets from her parents. It was a nice colonial with a great backyard, perfect for a playset when Daisy was old enough. Meg painted Daisy’s nursery a nautical theme and we had settled into our life together almost too easily.
Sometimes I still worried that I’d screw it all up, but Marlena had faith in me, and that was enough to assuage the worst of my concerns.
“Sorry that took so long,” Marlena said, carrying Daisy who had fallen asleep in her arms. I carefully took her from Lena and strapped her into her car seat. We both stood there for a few minutes watching her sleep contentedly and I was filled with the most overwhelming sense of calm and joy I had ever experienced.
I turned to my soon-to-be-wife and pulled her into my arms, kissing her long and slowly. “I love you so much,” I murmured against her mouth. I’d never been able to express how she had changed my world. How she saved my soul. How she mended my heart.
“And don't you forget it,” she teased.
“Never,” I promised. And I meant it.
Because it was Marlena, me and Daisy.
Always.
Forever.
The End
