He left the room, so there were only five of them left. Daniel and Becca’s four brothers. He looked at Gray. The eldest and the spokesman for them all.
“You’ll treat her well?” Gray asked.”
“As if my life depended on it.”
Gray nodded.
“What about kids?” Tanner asked. “Are you planning on having any?”
“Can you shut up about kids?” Gray said, shaking his head. “First of all, that’s their business. And second of all, you haven’t got any yourself yet.”
“I will in a few weeks.” Tanner crossed his arms over his chest, a smug smile breaking out on his lips. “And I’m only asking because I know Becca wants a family.”
“I intend on making Becca very happy. If she wants a family, I’m good with that.”
An image of her pregnant with his child flashed in his mind. She looked all swollen and radiant. He would be more than good with that. He wanted a family with her.
Wanted to be the father he never had.
Logan shrugged. “Anybody who runs head on at a herd of stampeding pigs is good with me.” He gave Daniel a crooked smile. “You have my blessing, for what it’s worth.”
“And mine.” Cam nodded. “Especially if you’re serving whiskey at the wedding.”
“So easily bought.” Tanner shook his head.
“Says the guy who begged Daniel to save him a barrel of the single malt.”
Tanner shrugged. “It’s an investment.” He cleared his throat. “But yeah, you have my blessing, too.”
Daniel looked at Gray, the final brother. “And you?”
“You love her,” Gray said. It wasn’t a question, but Daniel nodded anyway.
“More than anything. And I know how much you all love her. How protective you are of her. But the most amazing thing about Becca is that she doesn’t need our protection. She’s strong enough to protect herself.”
“I can’t believe she’s old enough to be in a relationship,” Gray muttered. “What happened to the little kid who hated me pulling her pigtails?”
Daniel smiled at Gray’s wistful expression. “She grew up into a beautiful woman.”
Gray’s eyes met his. Their gazes held, an unspoken understanding forming between them. Gray had taken care of his siblings all his life, and now he was having to let go.
Having to trust Daniel to be the one to take care of Becca into the future.
Until death do they part.
A slow smile pulled at Gray’s lips. He stood and held his hand out, and Daniel shook it firmly, a rush of warmth speeding through his veins.
“Welcome to the family,” Gray said.
&nbs
p; “She hasn’t said yes yet,” Tanner pointed out.
No, she hadn’t. Maybe that’s why he wasn’t intimidated by her brothers, or their grilling of him when he’d told them he bought an engagement ring. As he’d said to her before, so many months ago, it was her opinion that counted.
In a few hours, he’d find out exactly what that was.
The sun was setting behind the mountains, casting a fiery glow on their peaks. Becca was standing outside Logan’s restaurant, the baby shower over, her family whispering behind her as Daniel suddenly dipped to one knee.