“Thanks.”He kisses my cheek.“The family’s coming over.”
“Your whole family?”
“Everyone.Friends, too.I wanted them to spend dinner with you.Celebrate you coming back.”
I laugh.“You know it’s midweek, right?”
“That’s what makes it fun,” he says with a grin.“Midweek celebration.I’ve got it catered, so no stress.You’ve got time to shower and get dressed.”
I shake my head, smiling.“You’re too much.”Part of me wanted him all to myself tonight, but the other part is excited to see everyone.
“Oh, and Elvira has been asking about you nonstop.”
I laugh, touched.“She missed me?”
“I told her she’s not allowed to lift a finger tonight.She’s family too.”
“And Scarlet?Dusty?Greer?Dad?Nancy?”
“Already confirmed, including the Kings.My whole family as well.”
“So… I’m meeting the family tonight,” I tease.
He chuckles and grabs my waist.“You already met the family.They all know how much I love you.”
I press a kiss to his jaw.“Lucky me.I love you too.”
I head off to shower, dress in something nice, and rejoin him as the doorbell rings.We open the door together, standing side by side.
Each face that walks through lights up when they see us.“Oh, look at youtwo,” Scarlet says.
I laugh, cheeks warm, but I love it.I love him and being with everyone, standing beside him like I belong.
It’s more than a welcome home.
It’s the life I didn’t know I would be lucky enough to receive.
The catering team has set up a cocktail bar under the awning with strings of fairy lights looping overhead.Glassware sparkles in the dusky light, and there’s wine, spirits, mixers… anything people might want.A tray of canapés floats by.Another caterer follows with sliders and little tacos.People are milling around, already laughing, drinks in hand.
Scarlet hooks an arm through mine and pulls me off to the side, where we can see the lawn clearly.
We both watch the kids tear across the grass.Dusty’s chasing Aria while Brant scoops her up, spins her in the air, and makes airplane noises that have her squealing with laughter.
“Look at him,” Scarlet says, smiling.“You and Brant… I can see it.”
“See what?”
“You know.A little one of your own.”
I follow her gaze.Brant is crouched now, letting Dusty “tackle” him.His face is lit up with a full dad-energy glow, and it tugs something in me I hadn’t expected to feel so soon.Something like… readiness.
I smile.“Yeah.I can see it too.”
Scarlet doesn’t look surprised.“He’s just so natural with them.”
“Isn’t he,” I say softly.
“And it doesn’t mean”—she turns to me a little more seriously— “that your kids would have the same heart defect.”
