AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Don’t know why you’re elbowing me. These kids were all raised in barns and have no manners.”
“Like our parents.” Leo raises his beer, and a round of “Here, here” goes up.
Devin’s nose traces the edge of my ear as he draws me close, kissing the ticklish spot beneath my lobe. “Don’t think I won’t be asking around until someone tells me what you and Mari wanted Olle to make.”
I slide a hand up his thigh and squeeze. “There’s not a cousin at this table that doesn’t have something dirty on someone else. If one of us goes down, we all go down.”
Archer raises a glass. “To the best damn left fielder the Sharks will ever have.”
Flutes clink, toasting to the man who deserves all the praise.
I need to use the ladies’ room, so I excuse myself while conversation remains in full swing, flicking Leo’s ear as I leave.
On my way back out of the house, I check the creme brûlée chilling in the fridge. They’re almost set. My only concern is using the kitchen torch. I’ve never used one before, so I might have Olle do the honors and caramelize the sugar to be on the safe side.
Walking down the steps of our back patio, I take in all the people I love most in this world seated around the long tables and smile. Nothing could be more perfect than this night.
“So, what do you say, Hotshot?” I adjust the delicate olive-tree-leaved crown I just fixed on top of my cascading curls. “Think it’s about time you married me?”
A chorus of gasps and exclamations spread, but Devin has all my attention. He meets my eyes with a devilishly handsome grin and scoots back in his chair as I lean between Crew and Cora to snag one of the small centerpieces out of a vase on the table.
“It’s about time you asked.” He steps around the table, meeting me halfway.
Mom darts up, snatching me in a tight hug. “Oh my gosh. What is happening right now?”
“We thought about eloping but figured you all might like to be a part of the big day,” I tease.
She kisses my cheek, pulling away and hooking her arms around Devin. “You couldn’t have planned anything more special.”
In the quiet moments after Mom and Dad left Miami while I recovered from my attack, and Devin had leave from joining Spring Training, Devin and I laid our dreams for our future on the table with abandon. The trips we wanted to take, the kids we wanted to have, the foundation we want to start, his career, and mine. And a wedding. Right away. The urge to be Mrs. Nova Hawthorne was stronger than anything I’d known. Thankfully, Devin agreed on the urgency of making me his wife.
We decided to keep this simple, and I ditched the traditional wedding gown idea and found a cream bohemian-style dress with ivory lace and fell in love. Having been wearing it all night, it’s comfortable enough no one suspected anything, but chic enough to get hitched in.
I’ve done the fancy dress and wedding, and it didn’t mean a long-lasting, happy marriage. I don’t need any of that. After all we’ve been through. I just want Devin.
He takes my free hand and Leo stands, walking toward the corner of our backyard where we placed a slew of neutral-colored boho cushions to sit around, and allow everyone to gather while we say ‘I do’.
“You knew about this?” Mom gives my cousin a gentle shove.
“Well, someone had to officiate.” He smirks. “And get the out-of-town guests on the phone.” He holds up his cell, having connected my cousins and brother—who were given notice of tonight’s true purpose just a few hours ago—on a GroupMeet so they could be a part of our day from afar.
Dad takes hold of me, hugging me close, and jokes, “I feel like I should be upset. I didn’t even get to offer my blessing.”
“Sorry about that.” We laugh. “Keeping it all secret was my idea, and Devin begrudgingly went with it. I knew you’d back us completely.”
“I would’ve said yes before he could’ve asked.”
Reluctantly letting my hand go, Devin makes his way to Leo.
Before Dad can sit, I stop him at the edge of the seating. “Walk me down the aisle, Daddy?” I hold out my elbow.
It’s not much of an aisle, as it is a narrow pathway between the floor pillows.
His eyes glisten, and he blinks, dabbing them at the corners with the backs of his hands. “There’s nothing I’d rather do tonight, baby girl.”
I square my shoulders with a deep breath, my stare finding Devin’s glossy eyes, and I grin.
“You picked a good one, Novie.”
