Page 325 of Romeo

Gator wandered behind the bar after most of the food had disappeared and lifted a glass toward us. “Night, cousin.”

“Night.”

His gaze moved to Fiona and his grin widened. “Night, cousin.”

Fiona laughed. “Good night, Gator.”

Devlyn smacked him on the shoulder as she passed.

C.C. called across the room, “I don’t want to hear anything through the walls.”

Fiona froze.

I nearly choked laughing.

“Cosette Celine!” Mama snapped.

“What? I said I don’t want to hear it.”

“Girl, you were raised better than that.”

C.C. looked at me. “He wasn’t.”

“Accurate,” Gator called.

Trip caught C.C. around the waist and started steering her away before she could contribute anything worse.

Fiona buried her face against my chest.

“This is your family now,” I murmured.

Her voice came muffled through my shirt. “I’m reconsidering.”

“Too late. Father Benoit made it official.”

She looked up. “Can I return you?”

“No refunds on Cajuns.”

“That seems legally questionable.”

“Should’ve read the fine print.”

Her smile softened as the laughter faded around us.

I looked toward the stairs and she followed my gaze.

For the first time all day, neither of us had somewhere else we needed to be.

“You tired?” I asked.

“Very.”

There was something beneath the answer that had nothing to do with sleep, but I didn’t push it. We had promised each other enough today.

I took her hand.

Before we reached the stairs, Fiona looked back over the Bourbon Bar. Frank sat holding Charlie on his shoulder, pushing a stroller holding his sleeping twins back and forth, while Claudia helped Devlyn clear tables. Georgie had Josie tucked against his side, his earlier threats apparently forgotten for the moment. Granny and Mama were still talking at the table—an alliance I was absolutely going to regret tomorrow.