Trouble

It’s been a year since he proposed, and I want to say a lot has changed. The truth is, we’ve simply gotten to know each other better, and as a result, we’ve grown deeper in love. Not everybody can say that.

We’ve also established a rule—neither of us can leave without a kiss goodbye.

On Saturday, we’ll be man and wife, and we’re back to the beach with the whole gang turning out to celebrate with us.

The noise of running footsteps precedes a little girl in a pink dress with a fluffy tulle skirt flying across the glossy dance floor. Her blonde hair bounces in curls around her chubby cheeks, and two little boys in matching black suits are hot on her heels.

“Go far, Ironman!” Melody yells just before passing a football to Spencer.

He drops the helmet and catches it with a grunt a half-second before it nails him in the groin, and Daisy’s daughter flies past him, steps ahead of Jesse and Ollie.

“Pass it to me!” Melody screams, now on the other side of the room. “Don’t just hold it!”

“We got you. It’s our ball now.” Ollie holds Spencer’s arm, trying to get the ball from him.

“Throw it to me, Ironman!” Melody’s hands are over her head, and with every jump, her skirt rises and falls like a cloud.

Spencer’s brow lowers. “Who taught her to call me that?”

Ollie makes a guilty face, and Jesse only laughs. “Don’t hold up the game.”

“Football.” Spencer grouses, and my lips press together to hold back a laugh as he tosses it underhanded just short of my little cousin.

It bangs the ground on a corner and flies wildly in the opposite direction, and Melody jams her hands on her hips stomping after it. “He might be a superhero, but he can’t play football.”

Jesse and Oliver take off after it, and she breaks into a run just beating them, scooping the ball into her arms, looking so much like her daddy, and heading across the dance floor in the direction they came.

Spencer looks up at me and holds out his hand. “Will you come down now?”

Exhaling a happy sigh, I step down the ladder, dropping lightly into his arms. My arms go around his neck, and his go around my waist.

“You’ve been a naughty girl, Miss Winthrop.” His tone makes my insides clench. “You need a spanking.”

Leaning closer, I kiss his perfectly straight nose. “Maybe I did it on purpose so you would.”

His eyes flare, and I start to laugh when my cousin slams through the double doors. “Sly, have you seen Melody? She’s going to ruin that dress… Oh!”

We look over to my cousin, who isn’t paying attention to us. Her eyes are lifted to the floral statues I just finished.

“Just look at them.” She whips out her phone and takes a picture while I’m still in Spencer’s arms.

He lowers me to my feet, hugging my back to his chest. “My bride is a genius.”

He kisses the side of my neck, and Daisy watches him, smiling. “It’s so nice to see you so happy, Spence. It’s like a vote of con

fidence in humanity.”

“Your cousin is a kook,” he whispers in my ear, sending chills down my shoulder.

“Melody ran through here with the boys and a football less than a minute ago. They’re probably out at the beach.”

“Your mom said the lady from Karen Willis is here for your final dress fitting. I’ll get the kids, but you’d better get back there.”

Tilting my head to the side, I exhale a sigh. “I guess my spanking has to wait.”

He slides a hand down to my ass, giving it a squeeze. “I’ll take care of you.”

Warmth floods my chest, and I place my palms on his jaw before kissing his lips. “You always do.”