“Hmm, the boat,” she replied. We loved spending time on the boat. Exploring the marinas and inlets. Just us. It wasn’t a big boat, but it was comfortable and was a great escape for us. My need to move still hit me on occasion, and getting out in the boat scratched that itch. Ava loved spending time on the water, and Cash was a huge fan.
She hummed against my mouth as I kissed her again. I would never tire of kissing her. I smiled as I drew back, watching with amusement as she took another piece of bacon. The plate was going down fast. She even had the nerve to narrow her eyes as I took a second piece.
“A year has gone by so fast,” she mused.
“It has. Best year of my life.” I tilted my head. “You were so beautiful on our wedding day. You took my breath away.”
Aiden and Cami hadn’t been happy with our idea of eloping.
“Liam already did that. I want a wedding for my daughter.”
“You had three weddings, Mom,” Ava argued. “Ronan, Paul, and Jeremy all had traditional weddings.”
“You’re my daughter,” Cami stressed. “I want to be the mother of the bride. I want to see your father walk you down the aisle.” Her mouth had quivered, her eyes misty. “You’re my little girl.”
I couldn’t stand seeing her upset. I also saw a flare of something in Ava’s eyes at her mother’s words. She wanted more as well.
We compromised.
We had the wedding by the pool. Just family, which with this group, was a big enough crowd. Cami designed Ava’s dress—a knee-length froth of lace and silk that exploded from her waist and left her neck and shoulders bare. I needed a suit and made the mistake of asking Aiden where to get one. I spent an afternoon with Bentley, Maddox, and my soon-to-be father-in-law in a high-end shop in Toronto being fitted for one. Liam and Ronan arrived not long after we did, and by the time the afternoon was done, I was drunk on whiskey, the owner of not one but three suits, plus shirts, ties, vests, and the oddest socks I had ever seen. The shoes that went with the suits were so shiny, I swore I could see my reflection in them. I had no idea when I would wear the clothes, but I was assured I would need them. The BAM men insisted the clothes were their gift to me, and I swallowed my objections and accepted their generosity.
Our wedding day was bright and sunny. Ava was a vision, with her hair swept up and her dress swirling around her legs as she walked toward me on Aiden’s arm. We said our vows under a huge, canopied tent, festooned with flowers and even a temporary dance floor.
I spoke my vows in a clear voice, Ava’s replies quieter but firm. Once we were declared husband and wife, the party was on, and I was officially welcomed as a member of the family.
And for the first time in my life, I was part of something. A group of people not all related by blood but related by love. There were times I found them overwhelming, but most of the time, I enjoyed being part of the craziness and affection that surrounded the group. I had friends, something I had never allowed myself until I met Ava. I had become especially close to Ronan, Liam, and Aiden. Van was another man I looked up to. All great examples of good husbands, fathers, and friends. I strove to follow their standards.
“It’s been amazing,” Ava agreed, her voice bringing me out of my memories. She tapped the small envelope on the tray.
“What is that?”
With a smirk, I held it out to her. “Your gift.”
She took it eagerly. Ava loved gifts. I loved giving them to her. Small things, like her favorite chocolate bar, flowers, some piece of bric-a-brac that caught her eye. Never anything over the top or expensive. She was amazingly low-maintenance.
I had a feeling she would like this one, though.
She opened the flap and read the words. “Australia? Really?” she squealed.
“Our honeymoon was short, and we never left Canada. I want to take you away from everything.”
She clasped my hand. “I loved our honeymoon.”
It was just us and Cash in the truck, my CDs she’d made me ready to play, and no destination in sight. We stayed at cottages, quaint little motels, and resorts. I showed her places I’d worked, towns I’d discovered, and spots I had been to and loved. I could finally share them with someone. I made sure she napped and slept in every day. We made love as often as possible. The two weeks flew by far too fast.
Now I wanted her to really get away, and she’d mentioned how much she wanted to see the rugged beauty of the outback. The map on our kitchen wall had lots of bright red pegs of places she wanted to see. My goal was to change them all to blue for the destinations we had visited.