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Lydia caressed Zann’s arm as they waited their turn, and smiled when Alder and Michael started off, and Kit started singing “The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah…”

“If I get that stupid song stuck in my head…” Zann warned, glaring at Kit over her shoulder.

Kit, being Kit, just started singing the same verse again on repeat, undoubtedly assuring that it would, in fact, get stuck in everyone’s head.

Lydia rolled her eyes and patted Zann’s arm. “We’re up, gorgeous. Walk with me?”

Her stomach did a happy little flutter when Zann kissed her cheek and murmured, “Always.”

Zann caught herself humming under her breath as she looked around the semi-private room at the back of the Italian restaurant in downtown Santa Barbara where they’d gathered after the rehearsal for dinner. She pursed her lips against a wry laugh as she smacked Kit upside the head on her way back to her seat.

Fuck it all to hell, that stupid Ants Go Marching song was catchy.

“Damn, Zee. What was that for?” Kit demanded.

“I’ll give you two guesses.” Zann rolled her eyes when Kit cackled and blew her a kiss, and sighed as she leaned in to kiss Lydia’s ear. “I need a new song to drown this one out of my head…”

Lydia laughed and slid her hand from her knee to her inner thigh as she suggested, with a face full of innocence, possibly the most annoying earworm ever invented. “What about John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt?”

Zann groaned. “You’re not funny.”

“I’m a little funny,” Lydia argued, her cheeks adorably pinked from the wine she’d had with dinner and her dark eyes dancing with mirth as she tickled higher along her inner thigh. “Right?”

“You’re a little something,” Zann chuckled as she grabbed Lydia’s hand and laced their fingers together. She was usually all for a fun little tease, but not when impressionable souls were bounding their way. “Now, behave. Little ears inbound.”

Lydia hummed and kissed her softly. “Pretty sure Kit’s the one who needs that warning.”

Zann made a soft sound that said Lydia wasn’t wrong, but Nash and June were on them before it could be delivered.

“Zee, lookit!” they shouted, triumphantly brandishing the gifts they’d been given for being the ring bearer and flower girl at tomorrow’s festivities.

Zann smiled at their enthusiasm and squeezed Lydia’s hand as she turned to look at them. “What’d you get?” She whistled appreciatively when they showed off their new Switches in what looked like indestructible cases. “Wow.”

“You guys are so lucky!” Lydia agreed. She held out a hand to Nash. “Can I see?” After he proudly handed it over, she made a show of looking at the console before handing it to Zann so she could have a turn ooh-ing and ahh-ing. “That is pretty sweet.”

“Yeah, it is.” Zann arched a brow as she inspected the lightweight, blue and orange hard plastic case with rubberized grips that seemed perfectly sized for a small child’s hands. It didn’t just look indestructible; it felt like it was, too. “I wonder what kind of case this is?”

“Those are Titan exclusives,” Kit shared proudly. “Not available on the market.” When Zann turned to her as she handed Nash back his toy, she added, “I fabricated them in our lab, using our newest polymer and cushioning compound that’s drop-tested to fifty feet. We also put a liquid glass screen protector that Jack’s team has been developing on them.” She grinned. “They’re pretty much bomb-proof.”

“Mine has Pikachu!” Nash shouted, bouncing in place as he turned the screen so they could all see the iconic little yellow character on the screen.

“And that one has Pikachu,” Kit confirmed.

“I have Animal Crossing!” June shared, just as excitedly as her brother, as she held up her console in its green and purple case.

Zann smiled and pointed at June’s Switch. “Are those your favorite colors?”

“Yeah!” June nodded. She pointed at the grown-ups. “What’d you get?”

“We’re about to find out,” Zann said as Aspen and Eve beckoned for them to come up to the front of the room. She stood and held out a hand for Lydia to take. “If you guys want, you can play your games back here where you’re a little further from the noise and everything so you can hear better.”

“Good idea!” June declared as she shoved Nash toward Lydia’s chair.

“Think we’ll get a Switch?” Lydia joked as they started walking with Kit and the rest of the wedding party.

“Doubt it,” Kit said, sounding mildly disappointed. “I was only asked to bomb-proof the two for the kids.”

Zann chuckled. “I mean, we wouldn’t need the super-childproofed cases, right?”