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“Yes. That’s what you are to me.”
He cleared his throat and stood straighter. “I just always wanted that.”
“Wanted what?”
He sniffled, trying to stay strong. “A mom.”
Mom smiled. “I always wanted another son for my Aiden, so I think it works out perfectly. Meet Jax and Connor outside for pictures in a minute, okay?” She gave Damian another kiss on the cheek before leaving the room.
I smirked as I looked at my brother.
He grimaced and brushed away his tears. “If you ever mention me crying to anyone, I will punch you in your balls,” he grumbled.
I tossed my hands up in surrender. “Your secret is safe with me.”
He patted my back one more time before leaving the room to join Connor and Jax for photographs, leaving me alone with myself and my thoughts.
I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing out my suit, thinking about how I was minutes away from the biggest moment of my life thus far.
“You look good,” someone said from behind me. I turned to see Karl standing there in his own tuxedo.
“You don’t look that bad yourself.”
“What can I say? This old man knows how to clean up well.” He walked over to me and brushed his thumb against his nose. “Are you nervous?”
“Not at all. Just ready.”
He smiled. “That’s how I felt on my wedding day to Penny. Just ready. When you know you’re marrying your person, there’s a calmness that comes over you.” He glanced at his watch. “I must get to Hailee to get ready to walk her down the aisle, but I wanted to stop in quick and let you know that I couldn’t think of a better man to be marrying my daughter. I’ve seen the way you love her, and that only makes me love you more. It is an honor to be your father-in-law, but if you’d like, you are always more than welcome to call me dad.”
I was seconds away from crying like Damian. Who knew a heart could feel more and more happiness with every passing second?
Karl patted my shoulder before he pulled me into a tight hug. “I love you forever, son.”
He used the saying I’d heard him use with Hailee my whole life growing up. I choked on my words but managed to get them out. “I love you longer than that,” I replied.
Hailee
I hadthe wedding of my dreams with the man of my dreams. I couldn’t imagine a better way to celebrate the love that Aiden and I had for one another. It was a night filled with love, with laughter, with joy. There was something so refreshingly wholesome about watching everyone come around to witness my happily ever after. I’d never felt more loved than I had that evening.
The champagne was poured all night long, leaving everyone in a giggling fit as we sang and danced the night away. Mr. Lee brought a plus-one to the ceremony, his son Lin. Lin was in his mid-sixties and was considering moving to Leeks, Wisconsin to take over his father’s business. He was such a dapper, kind man, and I couldn’t help but take note of the way he’d spent the whole night complimenting Laurie.
As Aiden and I slow danced, I gestured toward Lin and Laurie who’d found their way to the dance floor, too. “What do you think of that?” I asked him.
He looked over to his mother and raised an eyebrow. “Is he hitting on my mom?” he asked, alert. “I’m going to go stop him.”
Before he could pull away, I tightened my grip on him. “You most definitely will not. Look at her. She looks happy.”
Aiden grumbled. “Yeah, she does. But if his hands move any lower, I’m going to rip them off.”
Overprotective son was in full force. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And yet you still married me,” he joked, kissing my nose. “Hey, you want to do something with me? You want to get out of here?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Out of our wedding?”
He nodded. “I bet no one would notice we were gone. Everyone’s too champagne drunk. Besides, I want to go somewhere with you. I think it will be nice. Just say yes?”
I glanced around, took a deep breath and shrugged. “Yes.”
