Consolation Prize (Forbidden Men 9)

“What’s that?” Her eyebrows arched as if she thought I was going to say something flirty and funny like I’d always wanted to marry her when I was eight or something.

But what I said was, “I’m kind of glad my real mom sucked ass because it brought me here to you. I liked having you for a mom so much better.”

“Oh… Dammit, Colton,” she muttered, waving a hand in front of her face before she burst into tears. “I promised myself I wasn’t going to get all nostalgic and cry today, but you’ve already ruined that. Come here.”

As soon as she opened her arms for me, I stepped forward and folded her into a huge, encompassing hug. The top of her head fit perfectly under my chin.

Sniffing, she pulled away to look up at me with a sad, but proud smile. “I know I wasn’t always there for you like I wanted to be—”

Stopping her right there, I put my hands over hers and said, “Yes, you were. Even when you were sick”—and thank God she was finally and completely over that phase— “you were always still there, and you were always the best mother I’ve ever had.”

“I love you,” she sobbed, tears spilling down her cheek as she reached up to cup my cheek. “You’ll always be my Colton.”

I smiled back, really feeling the dust clog my throat now. “And you’ll always be my Aspen. I love you too.”

“Hey, what’s all this?” Noel’s voice came from the doorway. “You moving in on my wife, little brother? I thought you were about to get your own today?”

Ignoring his joke, I turned Aspen so that we were both facing him while one of my arms went around her shoulders. “Did I ever thank you for finding this woman right here and roping her into our lives?”

“No,” he murmured thoughtfully. Then he winked at Aspen. “But I know I did good, anyway.”

“Oh,” she muttered, blushing madly as she waved a bashful hand to stop us. “You two.” Easing out from under my arm, she went to Noel to hug him. “I think I’m the lucky one who found you guys.”

I drove to the church not long after that without Noel’s family.

Brandt, my best man, was already there, waiting outside for me.

“About time,” he called as I strolled up the walk to the front doors. “Sarah’s been in there with the rest of them trying to doll your wife up for the past twenty minutes.”

“Hey, I needed to make an entrance,” I told him with a wink, frowning when I spotted the boutonniere pinned to his lapel already. It just didn’t seem right that he got his flower before I did. I hated being second. “Where’d you get that?”

He rolled his eyes but took my arm, leading me inside. “This way.”

Inside, we found the wedding coordinator, and she got me all flowered up only for Julianna’s father to come storming my way.

“Where the hell have you been, kid? We thought you were going to be a no-show.”

I blinked at him, confused, before glancing at my watch. “I’m not even late. Why is everyone else so freaking early?”

“Because we’re antsy and nervous. My baby girl doesn’t get married every day, you know.” He scowled even harder as he examined me from head to toe. “Why the hell are you so calm and collected? You’re about to commit yourself completely to someone else for the rest of your life. Are you sure you realize what all you’re signing up for?”

“Of course I do,” I said, frowning at him. “But I committed myself to her completely a long time ago. Today is just a show for everyone else.”

Juli and I had survived some big shit together, and we’d come out the other end stronger as a couple. I would never tell her this—since she’d spent the last year planning today—but this wedding just wasn’t as big a deal to me as continuing the rest of my life with her was.

Mr. Radcliffe gazed at me a moment before shaking his head and slapping me companionably on the back. “Good answer, son. Good answer.”

And so time progressed. Guests arrived, family and friends filing into the church. My two groomsmen, Ten and Noel, joined me and Brandt, and we were forced to pose for a crap load of pictures in between my big brothers teasing me about becoming an old married man.

When it was time to line up at the front of the church, I finally started to feel my first stirring of nerves. My entire extended family sat on the groom’s side: Pick Ryan, his wife, Eva, and their four children, Brandt’s brother-in-law, Mason, his Reese, and their twins, Knox and Felicity and their two, Asher and Remy and their little tomboy, Quinn (or as Juli still called him: Dr. Melt Me), his wife, Zoey, and their two boys. Then Caroline and Aspen who stood at the back, wai

ting to help their kiddos Teagan and Beau walk up the aisle as flower girl and ring bearer, while Lucy O loudly begged to go with them.

I grinned and winked at Julianna’s grandma Cicely, who’d insisted we add broom-jumping to the ceremony. She winked back, and I knew if she’d been close enough, she would’ve pinched my ass like she did every time I got too close to her.

Sarah was the first bridesmaid to wheel down the aisle. I glanced at Brandt and had to roll my eyes at the lovesick grin on his face. Pathetic. No way did I look that dorky when I saw Juli. No way.

Then Tyla and Sasha made their trip, followed by Beau and Teagan, who had a little too much fun throwing her petals straight up above her and Beau’s heads so they kept raining down on the two of them and causing him to scowl and snap at her to stop.