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“Life is too short for tact!” LeRoy responded.
Ever since he’d had a near-death experience on the operating table a few years ago, LeRoy had approached life with acarpe diemphilosophy.
Wes laughed. “It’s okay, Eugene. We don’t mind. Do we, Beck?”
I was smiling so wide it hurt. “Nope. We’re happy for you. Assuming you’re going to say yes?”
Eugene’s eyes widened, and he turned back to LeRoy. “Yes! Yes, of course! I’ll marry you, LeLe.”
“Thank goodness, muffin,” LeRoy said, then groaned. “Now, can you all help me get up? My old knee is not cooperating.”
Wes darted forward to help LeRoy to his feet and limp to a chair, a beaming Eugene settling beside him.
We finally made it to the front row, where Mom, Dad, Andi, Colton, and a few of the crew members were finding their seats.
Mom rushed over and pulled me into an embrace. “Oh, honey, everything is so beautiful!”
Dad was a few steps behind her, a relaxed contentment to him. Retirement seemed to be suiting him, though he checked in with us every now and then to talk shop. “You really did an amazing job with this park. It makes the perfect setting for a wedding.”
“You both look great too,” Andi said.
My mother had moved on to hugging Wes, sounding weepy as she spoke into his shoulder.
“It’s going to be a beautiful ceremony. I’m so glad you two decided to share this with us.”
Wes patted her back. “Well, we couldn’t rob our mom of a chance to see her sons get married, could we?”
My heart skipped. I’d never heard Wes call her anything but Carol before. It was clear he’d caught my mother by surprise too.
She froze for just a moment and then the biggest smile spread over her face even as her eyes spilled over with tears. She pressed a hand to Wes’s cheek. “Thank you.”
It wasn’t clear if she was thanking him for the wedding itself or calling her mom, or perhaps both.
Dad handed her a handkerchief. “Come on, Carol. If you keep hugging the boys, they’ll never get married.”
He shot us a wink as he guided her into a chair and we continued toward the gazebo.
“You called her Mom,” I said softly. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I did, though,” Wes said. “I got used to calling her Carol, but she’s been my mom in my heart for a long time. It doesn’t mean she’s replacing my mother. I can have more than one.”
“Of course,” I agreed. “I’ve definitely had more than one dad, though I have to admit, this one is a major upgrade.”
Wes laughed. “You finally believe that, huh?”
I smiled sheepishly, knowing that I’d held too much doubt in my heart for far too long. Maybe my insecurities were helped along by Nathan’s original plans to give the business to Wes rather than both of us, but now I could see all the ways he’d shown me his love and support.
“Yeah, I do.”
“Hey, save those words for the altar,” Wes teased. “Speaking of…are you ready to marry me, bro?”
I gazed into his dark eyes full of love and devotion and knew without a doubt that I’d made the right choice to take a risk on this man.
“Eh, well, we’re already married, so it would be kind of awkward to say no now.”
He laughed and bent to whisper in my ear, “You’re gonna pay for that later, brat.”
Anticipation shivered through me as his heavy, intent gaze met mine, promising all sorts of delicious punishment once we were alone.
