"Nick is full of surprises," she said. "Are you OK?"
"I . . . think so?"
Redheaded children ran in circles everywhere as I slowly ate my burger, lost in thought. Everyone was talking around me, laughing, and getting updates from the hospital.
Sally clapped her hands and did her best Janet impersonation.
“Pose for some pictures!” She smiled. “Janet said so.”
Nick was hovering nearby and pulled me to my feet.
“Lipstick and fluff!” Becky called out before applying some lipgloss to my lips. She fluffed my hair and stood back, looking me over with a critical eye.
“Thank you,” I whispered. “For making me wear Mom’s dress.”
“We knew Meg would love seeing you in it,” Molly said softly as my eyes started to sting.
Angel nodded and gave me a quick sideways hug.
“Your mom would be so happy. I’m sure she’s looking down on you and smiling right now,” she added.
“We’re good!” Becky shouted before stepping away. Suzannah pulled out a cool looking old 35mm camera and started snapping pics of Nick and me. We started posing in the traditional way, but it got silly pretty soon. The guys got involved, making horns behind Nick and then lifting him up. Before I knew it, I was lifted up too.
“Careful,” Nick shouted. I was giggling as I was lowered back to my feet. They really were a family. And now I was one of them.
I couldn’t stop smiling the rest of the day.
Chapter Fifty-One
Nick
“Anytime you want to go,” I grumbled as Lucky cracked open another beer. He gave me a sly smile.
“No place to be.”
“You sure you need another beer?” I asked with a pointed look.
“Why the hell not? Angel is driving tonight.”
The girls were talking quietly at the other side of the patio. I glared at my dumber than fuck friend. He knew I was still suffering from earlier. He had to.
“You’re a fucker, you know that?”
“What? Because I like hanging out with you?”
Everyone else had headed home, with Donnie and Sally going straight to the hospital. Kaylie wasn’t close to giving birth, but they wanted to check in on her. The rest of us would go in the morning, or even earlier if she started labor before then.
“So, think we can get this together in two weeks?” I asked with a sigh.
“The wedding? Or the expansion?”
“The wedding. I want to lay a foundation for a small cabin and a water hookup for the camper at the lake, too.”
“We can do that in two weeks. Ask Janet about the wedding.”
“Already did,” I said. “Actually, she texted me. Kaylie and Jan are planning the party between contractions.”
“The ladies will sort it out. We can get your spot ready for a lakeside honeymoon. Did you pick a plot yet?”
I nodded. Dev and I had picked a small plot that was in a cove, totally private. There was already a road put in around the lake with some utility hookups in place, so it wasn’t going to be too hard to get things set up.
“Yeah? Where?”
“As far from your place as possible,” I grumbled.
“Nothing on Devil’s Lake is that far from anything else. Not too far to keep me from popping by.”
“Oh, God,” I moaned, resting my head in my hands.
“You know you love me.”
“I do love you, you fucker. I just love being alone with my woman a lot fucking more.”
“Haven’t taken the edge off yet, eh?” he asked knowingly.
“Fuck, no. I don’t know if I ever will.”
“I hear that. You’ll get used to the blue balls. Just wait until you have kids. Then it gets really interesting.”
“Yeah?” I asked, suddenly curious. “It’s harder to get alone time?”
“Fuck, yes. But I’m up to the challenge. You just have to be on top of it. Grab any moment you can.”
“That sounds romantic as fuck,” I said with an eye roll. “Angel is a lucky woman.”
Of course, it sailed right over his fat head.
“That she is,” he said smugly. “But not nearly as ‘lucky’ as I am!”
I groaned at his bad pun. The man loved a pun. But thankfully, his wife was more sensitive than he was.
“Time to go, Lucky.”
He nodded placidly and stood, hooking his arm over her shoulder. The bastard was like another man around his woman. He was practically chill.
“Congrats again, you guys.”
Angel gave Melissa a quick hug and a kiss.
“You have fun tonight, kids,” she said with a wink. “We are all so happy you’re officially becoming a part of the family.”
“Thank you. I’m so happy about it, too,” Melissa said sweetly. Goddamn. The girl was too cute for words. She was so tasty, I could hardly wait to eat her up.
And I would. As soon as I got her into that camper . . .
“Come on,” I said the second I heard the car start. I took her hand and practically ran for the camper.
“Nick! We left the candles burning.”