“He’s somewhere in the house with Josephine. They’ve been playing hide and seek. And well, all the kids started crying at once, so Clay and I weren’t looking when he tripped and bumped his head on the floor.”
“That’s okay, accidents happen. I still think you did a great job,” I tell him softly. Standing, I stretch out my arms toward the baby in his. “Here, let me take over while you go change.”
“Thank you.” He slides a sleeping Parker into my arms, then helps me take a seat onto the couch. “You must be hungry. I’ll ask Marianne to bring you something.” He kisses my head and leaves.
An hour later, the house is in full swing. Ronnie and I have been left on babysitting duty, since I’m pregnant and can’t help much and they don’t want Ronnie working on her own wedding. Silas’s parents arrived a few minutes ago, as well as Emma’s dad and Amanda. They also brought along a few helpers that work for Cecilia and Emma’s foundation and Amanda’s event planning company.
In just half an hour, the backyard is already being transformed into an enchanting scene, with fairy lights being strung up from one end to the other as well as in trees. The boys are all hard at work setting up chairs and tables, while others are placing a wooden platform in one corner as a makeshift dance floor.
Flowers are being set along the walkway, and a wooden arch has been placed at the end, where Ronnie and Gabriel will tie the knot. They really are working at rapid speed. I guess withEm, Cece, and Amanda barking out orders every two seconds, it would make even the slowest man get moving.
The only one not participating in the whole wedding planning is Julian. He’s somehow managed to disappear somewhere in my house and no one has seen him since.
My phone pings with a gate request and I see my parents’ car in the camera. “Our parents are here,” I tell Ronnie as she finishes picking up around the living room.
Josephine has been a Godsend today. She’s been playing with Dante and Gracie to give us a hand, and I can’t thank her enough. Taking care of four babies on top of two toddlers is really hard work, but I think I’ve got this mother thing down now.
My nephews begin to fuss as I finish giving Trinity her bottle while her brother sleeps. “Would you mind greeting them at the door? I’ll take care of these two,” I ask her as I place Trinity in her bouncer and go over to Maddox and Parker.
“Sure.” She exits the room, returning five minutes later with my parents and hers.
I now see where Ronnie gets her looks and complexion from. Her mother has all the same features and tanned skin as Ronnie. She must be the one with the Italian gene. The only differences between them are their hair color, eye color, and height since Ronnie is five-foot-ten and her mother must only be five-foot-four. Her father, on the other hand, is fair-skinned and tall, with salt and pepper hair. He also has the same deep sapphire-colored eyes as his daughter.
Ronnie comes over with an excited smile as I hold both my nephews in my arms. “Aubrey, I’d like you to meet my parents, Lucia and Stephen.” She then looks at them. “Mom, Dad, this is Aubrey, my very best friend. She’s the one who owns this castle.”
I laugh. “Actually, that would be my fiancé. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you both. I’m sorry, I would shake your hands orgreet you better, but my hands are a little busy at the moment.” A small blush forms over my cheeks as I look down at the twins who stare back at me with wonder.
“Yes, we can see that.” Her mother smiles at the boys. “There’s no worry at all.” She then looks down at my belly and back at the twins as her eyes widen. “Wow, you, and your fiancé work fast. I’ve always liked the idea of siblings so close in age.”
My face heats immensely when her implications kick in. “Oh! No, these aren’t mine. They’re my brother’s. I only have the one, still in the womb.” I smile timidly.
My mother steps closer to Lucia, leaning in to whisper over to her. “But they do work fast. Pregnant from their first night together.”
“Oh my…” Lucia gasps as if she’s just heard the gossip of the century.
“Mom!” Now my face is on fire.
“Oh, sweetie. You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Yours and Shane’s love story is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever heard. It should be told,” she says with tenderness in her eyes, then whispers to Lucia, “I’ll tell you all the details later.”
“Oh God,” I mutter to myself, wishing I could hide my face.
“I have a feeling these two are going to become besties by the end of the night.” Ronnie laughs.
“Here, honey. Why don’t you let us take care of the kids while you and Ronnie start getting ready?” My mom looks over to Stephen and my father. “And you gentlemen could go see if they need more hands outside.”
My father kisses me on the head as my mother takes Parker from me and wanders off with Stephen.
“May I?” Lucia asks, gesturing to Maddox.
“Of course.” I hand him over. “Mira should be coming back in soon to help with these two,” I tell my mother, gesturing to the Burkley twins.
“I just fed them not long ago, so they should be down for a little while. Gracie and Dante are in the theater room watching a movie with Josephine. If you need something or they get hungry, just call out for Marianne, she’ll bring you what you need. And—”
“Sweetie.” My mother places her hand on my shoulder. “We’ll be fine. We’ve been through this with you two.” She nods to me and Ronnie. “Now go make yourselves pretty.”
I let out a breath, blushing slightly. “Okay.”
Two hours later, the girls and I are all doing last-minute touches to our hair and makeup while the boys are getting ready in one of the guest rooms upstairs. Amanda just came by five minutes ago, telling us it was soon showtime—she’s taken over to make sure everything will run smoothly during the last-minute wedding.
