Until Raven accepted the wedding invitation I sent her. She and Flick had promised me there was nothing that could stop them from showing up and being my family. And that was all I needed. The two of them were more than enough, and I couldn’t help loving them even more for doing something so special for me.
Finally, the Vitucci private jet stopped about fifty yards away, and the door opened. Someone stepped out, and I watched as Nova skipped down the stairs. The back door of the limo in front of the one I was sitting in opened, and Ryan got out. Seeing him, Nova took off at full speed and launched herself at the teenager like a rocket, laughing so happily that the sound made me smile.
Theo chuckled and shook his head as he watched the same scene I was. “That never gets old.”
“Yeah,” I murmured. “I love seeing them reunite.”
Turning his gaze on me, he lifted his hand to stroke his thumb down my cheek. “Ready for this?”
I nodded. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous. I speak to her on the phone at least once a week. It’s not like we don’t know what’s going on in each other’s lives at any given time.”
“Because she’s important to you, that’s why. And you’re excited to see her.” Entwining his fingers with mine, he gave a little tug and opened the door. “Come on. Let’s go greet them.”
When we stepped out, there were four goons in suits standing by the first limo. But once Ryan had Nova inside, the goons climbed into the limo, and it drove off. Without Nova’s parents or her brother, who were all now coming down the stairs.
“Not even a ‘See you later, Daddy’ or an ‘I love you, Daddy,’” Jet grumbled as he glared after the limo. “You would think I don’t even exist.”
“When Ryan’s around, no one exists to Nova,” Flick told him with a grin. “You already knew that, babe.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he said with a grunt.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Flick hugged me. “It’s so good to see you, sweetheart,” she murmured.
“I’m so glad you could all make it,” I told her, hugging her back, then accepting one from Jet, who kissed my cheek.
“I want hugs too,” a voice I wasn’t expecting called down.
Looking up, I saw both Monroe and Mila bouncing down the stairs, followed by their brother and parents. Mila’s hair was still dyed darker than her twin’s, but her makeup wasn’t nearly as emo punk rocker as it had once been. In the past few years, I’d noticed the slow change in her style, and I had to say I liked it.
My heart clenched as, one by one, I watched all of the Hannigan men and their wives and children exit behind the Mastersons. Hawk, Colt, and Raider had all become surrogate uncles to me just as Raven said they would, and in the past three years, I’d come to love them all.
Tears choked me as Raven finally appeared at the door and waved down at me. “Hey, kiddo!” she yelled. “Save me some love, would ya?”
I was already being hugged to within an inch of my life by the thickly muscled, burly blond men I called uncles. But as soon as she was in front of me, I was hugging her for all I was worth. “I thought it was only going to be you and Flick,” I half sobbed.
“Couldn’t let your side of the church be empty, now could I?” she murmured. Pulling back, she shook her head at me. “Why you crying, girl? You’re not supposed to start the waterworks until tomorrow when you walk down the aisle.”
“I’m just so happy to see you,” I told her, trying to stop the flow of tears.
“Lexa wanted to come,” she said with a twist of her lips. “But the doctor wouldn’t let her fly since she’s so close to her due date. Which means, unfortunately, I have to head back tomorrow night after the wedding in case she goes into labor early.”
“I understand,” I promised her. “I’m just thankful you could come at all.”
“I wouldn’t have missed this for anything.”
As we were talking, several black SUVs pulled up behind us, and I realized Theo must have known that more than just Flick and Raven were coming. When I glanced at him and he winked, I threw my arms around him, kissing him until I was out of breath. “Thank you,” I whispered, fighting back the lump in my throat.
“Anything to make you happy, krasotka.”