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Ari’s dress rode high enough to reveal the garter settled a couple of inches above her knee. Matt started to laugh when he saw it. “It’s got robots on it.”
Ari nodded. “I had to sew on each one individually.”
Of course, Matt started kissing her again amid their laughter.
Rosie squeezed Gideon’s hand before he could rush the stage to pull them apart. “They’re so good together,” she said. “I love the way they’re always laughing.”
She was right. Matt would go to the ends of the earth to make sure Ari never saw another sad day in her life. “All I ever thought about when I was deployed was making it back to see my sister laugh again.” He spoke without thinking, from deep down in his heart.
There had been so many dark days and nights when he thought he’d never see home again, never leave the endless heat and sand and gnawing hunger, never find Ari.
Thank God he’d made it back to her. And thank God she’d found a man, a family, a group of friends who made her so happy.
As all the emotions rioted through him, Rosie held his hand, giving him so much sweetness, so much comfort. Though he knew he should let her go, he couldn’t help but drink her in. Just for a few precious, stolen moments.
Matt whipped the garter off, holding it up in a victory salute. This was Gideon’s cue to drop Rosie’s hand—after all, now that Matt was done touching Ari’s leg, Gideon didn’t need Rosie to keep him from rushing the guy. But it was a hell of a fight within himself to actually let go.
“Okay,” the DJ said, “all you single guys, get out there and catch that garter.”
There were murmurs through the crowd as men were pushed forward. Daniel entered the fray, soon joined by Sebastian and Evan.
“I hope you have a wedding dress ready if I catch it,” Evan called to Paige, who laughed and blew him a kiss.
Rosie turned to look at Gideon. “You’re single. Shouldn’t you be out there with everyone else?”
“I’m fine here.”
“Come on, Gid.” Jorge grabbed Gideon’s newly freed hand. “I’ll go if you go.”
“Don’t be a fuddy-duddy, Gideon,” Rosie teased. “I did it.”
Gideon might have protested again, but in addition to Jorge’s pleas, Noah was tugging on his other hand. He had to do it for them.
“If I jump high enough,” Noah said, “I hope I can catch it. Those robots are cool. I want ’em bad.”
“If I catch it, we’ll share,” Jorge offered.
“If I catch it,” Gideon told them, “I’ll give it to both of you to share.”
Jeremy joined them. “I want to help catch it for you guys.” Jeremy was always so great with the boys.
“And if I catch it, I’ll turn it over to you.” A newcomer grinned at the boys.
“Uncle Cal!” Noah high-fived him.
Gideon had met Cal Danniger a couple of times in Daniel’s office. He was the business manager for the Maverick Group. From what Gideon could tell, he was a solid guy—not to mention brilliant. Which made it more than a little strange that Daniel was currently glaring at him. What the heck could Cal have done to get on Daniel’s bad side?
With a drumroll from the DJ, Matt started his windup, and Gideon braced himself to catch the garter for Noah and Jorge. It sailed wide and to the left, just out of his reach, but fortunately, Cal Danniger was able to grab it out of the air before it flew past him and into Daniel Spencer’s open palm.
“You’re the winners, boys,” Cal called out as they jumped up, down, and around in a circle, hooting with glee.
Cal was about to hand over the garter when Lyssa stepped into the fray, the bridal bouquet in her hand. “Not so fast.” She looped her arm through Cal’s. “We’ve got to have pictures taken first.” She grinned at Noah and Jorge. “Then it’s all yours, I promise.”
There was a lot of laughter and good-natured ribbing as Lyssa sat in the chair Ari had just vacated, then raised her skirt and stuck out her leg for Cal to do the honors, cameras flashing all around them. Only the five Mavericks—especially Daniel—didn’t look happy. Not in the least. Clearly, deeply protective urges were something Gideon shared in common with them.
Once Cal had slid the garter up Lyssa’s leg, the crowd cheered again.
