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Spoons chiming against wine glasses drew their attention as Gage and Penny stood up.
“We want to thank you for coming tonight.” Gage’s arm was wrapped around Penny’s shoulders, looking down at her with a love that was almost tangible. “Penny and I wanted to do something special for our family and friends, for everyone who has supported us through our first year of marriage. We also wanted you to be the first to know…we’re having a baby!”
A loud cheer rang throughout the restaurant as Penny and Gage kissed.
“Baby Russo will be arriving in August,” Gage added, he and Penny taking off the sweaters they’d been wearing to reveal coordinating T-shirts. Gage’s said “Daddy to Be,” with a computer-loading image that said, “please wait” across his chest. Penny’s was the same, only the words were over her stomach and said “Baby.” Matt had to admit they were perfect for his tech-mad brother and his IT wife.
Conor slapped Matt on the back. “How about that? We’re going to be uncles!”
Matt’s smile mirrored his brother’s. For so many years, their family had felt so small, so fractured, but now, piece by piece, it was growing, mending.
They waited patiently as countless family members hugged the couple, congratulating them before making their way over.
Matt gave Penny a kiss on the cheek, then hugged his brother. “I’m happy for you both.”
“This is great news,” Conor added before tacking on a tease. “But I thought most couples had the big-ass party for the gender reveal.”
Gage smirked at Matt. “That was the original plan, but this guy needed a kick in the pants now. Not a couple months from now.”
Matt frowned. “What does that mean?”
Gage leaned closer, lowering his voice. “Have you pulled your head out of your ass about Liza yet?”
Matt narrowed his eyes. “Are you telling me you had this party just to throw me and Liza together?”
Gage lifted one shoulder casually. “It only took me a week to figure out letting Penny go was the biggest mistake of my life. Crashed her birthday party to tell her so. You’re way more stubborn than me, so I thought I’d better give you two weeks. Plus, if you’re going to be with Liza, you need to get used to being surrounded by Morettis. This way, you can clear the slate in one fell swoop and then the two of you can get on with it.”
Matt shook his head, chuckling. “I swear to God, you must have been dropped on your head as a baby.”
Gage laughed. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
His brother not only wasn’t wrong, he was fucking brilliant. But Matt knew better than to feed that ego, so he crossed his arms. “I’m pleading the Fifth.”
Conor sighed. “Shit. There’ll be no living with the guy now.” Conor raised a finger and pointed it at Gage. “And before you get any wild ideas in your head, I do not want or need you playing matchmaker in my life.”
Gage shrugged. “I make no promises because if you’re fucking up, I will step in. I think interventions and impromptu parties might be my new thing.”
Matt was afraid his brothers were putting the cart before the horse when it came to him and Liza. He started to tell them so, but he didn’t get the chance because Conor, Gage, and Penny were all distracted by something behind Matt.
“I think I’ll go make a plate,” Conor said, walking away without waiting for a response. Then Penny and Gage stepped away, pretending they’d just spotted someone they wanted to talk to.
Matt knew who was behind him. He could smell her perfume.
Taking a deep breath, he turned around.
Liza stood there, looking—fuck him—so gorgeous. She wore skin-tight blue jeans and a dark green sweater that hung off one shoulder. Her hair was down, curling slightly at the ends. He’d been dreaming of her eyes since the last time he saw her, trying to capture them in his sketch of her. Now he knew without a doubt, there was no way he’d ever manage to capture the depth, the emotion, the sheer beauty of them. Liza’s eyes were truly the mirror to her soul.
As always, her gaze held his, his indomitable woman holding her own. The last time he’d seen her, he’d hurt her badly. Yet, here she stood, looking him straight in the eye. And for the first time in days, he managed to take a deep breath. Because she wasn’t looking at him with anger or sadness or that fucking resignation he hated.
Instead, he saw hope. Hope, he could work with.
“I wasn’t sure you’d come,” she said.
“Liza,” he said, reaching for her hand, grateful when she placed hers in his. He lifted it to his lips, kissing her palm. It was a bold move, but the fact she hadn’t ripped it away from him sparked confidence, as did her flushing cheeks and heavy eyelids. “You look beautiful tonight.”
Someone started playing a slow song, so Matt kept hold of her hand. “Dance with me.”
She nodded, and he walked her to the dance floor, pulling her closer as he bent his head until their faces were mere inches apart. They began to sway slowly to Forest Blakk’s “I Choose You.”
