Nate steps inside, beaming, offering me his arm. He’s the one walking me down to the altar and giving me away to Blake, who leaves the room as someone calls his name in the distance.
***
My heart pounds so hard during the ceremony that I have trouble hearing everything the minister and Blake are saying, but of course Beanie sets me straight as soon as my husband speaks his vows, because he kicks like nobody’s business. Even though we’re in a church full of people, and though we’re only supposed to be holding hands during the vows, I place Blake’s palm on my belly so he doesn’t miss all the tap-dancing Beanie’s doing. By the time the ceremony ends and Blake kisses me, we’re both teary-eyed.
The party stretches until the early hours of the morning. The guests leave in small groups, until there’s just very close friends and family left. The sheer number of cousins the Bennetts have is mind-boggling. So far, I’ve been able to chat only with the Connor clan—mostly with Landon—but I can’t wait to get to know the rest better too.
“Well, I think Beanie’s gonna be a tap dancer,” I say, dropping in a seat at one of the large round tables where most of the family gathered. “He’s been active all night.”
“You two still haven’t decided on a name?” Sebastian asks.
“No, but we really don’t need your assistance,” Blake informs him. Then raises a finger in warning toward Logan, who just opened his mouth. “Or you, Logan. You named your son Silas. You don’t have a right to vote.”
“Ours are named Will and Audrey,” Sebastian remarks.
“Don’t think I forgot you wanted to name poor Will, Seamus. I have a good memory, brother.”
“Hey, that’s news to me. And I really, really like that name.” I sit straighter in my chair. Blake whirls to me, eyes hard and determined.
“Babe, we’re not naming any offspring Seamus. Don’t fight me on this.”
Ah, well...I’m going to bide my time. I found over the past few months that the larger my belly becomes, the easier he caves in to my requests. Not about names so far, but I still have two months to work on that.
“Say, how did Caroline and Daniel end up being in charge of giving thank-you gifts to the guests?” Blake asks, taking me out on the dance floor again.
“Ah, a little nudge from your sisters, and me. Thought I’d start officially meddling, now that I’m a Bennett and all that.”
Blake kisses me softly, then pulls back, nodding. “You like to meddle, and you have terrible taste in names. I think you’re more of a Bennett than I am.”
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