Just One Thing (The Alexanders 6)

He stepped next to his brother Elliot and looked in the mirror. He was startled by the transformation. He’d always considered his appearance to be adequate but the guy reflected in the glass was more than just adequate. He looked distinguished. More than that, he looked happy. Bennett leaned closer and observed the flush on his cheeks and the sparkle in his eyes. It wasn’t a surprise since the past year had been the best of his life. Life with Katie was even better than he’d hoped. They had so much fun together.

And today he would make her his wife.

He glanced over at Eli, who was wrestling with his own tie. A lot had happened over the past year. Kaylee had given birth to a beautiful baby girl named Grace Elizabeth. It was so strange that all of his brothers had become fathers before he did. He smiled. Considering the secret Katie had yet to tell him, Bennett figured he only had to wait about seven months before he joined the fatherhood club. He wasn’t going to tell her that he’d figured it out, though. She would want to tell him in her own way and he wanted her to have that.

Eli yanked at his tie again exasperated, and Bennett finally took over, tugging on the fabric gently and repositioning it. "Thank you for allowing us to share your day."

Once he was done, Eli looked in the mirror and smiled.

"It’s no problem. Hell, you were going to be standing up there as my best man, anyway. You might as well get married, too."

Bennett smiled. Once the family had heard about his proposal to Katie last year, his mother in particular had been almost woozy from excitement at the thought of two weddings. It was Kaylee who’d suggested that they share the day to minimize the stress and worry of planning things twice over. Bennett had been unsurprised but thrilled with how completely Katie had blended right into the family. His parents already referred to her as one of their “daughters.”

Suddenly, he just wanted to see her. His mother had banished them to his lab to get ready, since they weren’t supposed to see the brides before the wedding. But Bennett figured they’d broken plenty of rules up to now, what was one more? He pulled out his phone and texted Katie. She responded immediately.

“I’ll be back,” he told Eli.

His brother nodded knowingly. “Tell Katie I said hi. And don’t let Mom see you.”

Bennett snickered. They were two grown men still tiptoeing around their parents like they were worried about being grounded. He hoped they never changed.

Katie was waiting for him on the back porch when he walked across the grounds toward the main house. It was hot outside but she wore a thick robe. Glancing behind her, she stepped off the porch and ran toward him. He grabbed her up, both of them laughing as he dashed back toward his converted barn with her in his arms.

Her face was pressed against his neck so he could feel her laughter.

“Hurry before Julia catches us. She’s been freaking out all morning about something going wrong.”

Bennett carried her into the lab and set her on her feet. Eli was still upstairs in his loft so they were alone.

“This is where it all started,” she commented.

“I know. It’s hard to believe. Now I have everything I’ve ever wanted. You love me and we’re getting married. The only thing that’ll make this better is the day I have a little mini-me or mini-you running around.”

Katie turned to him. The expression in her eyes was one he hadn’t seen before. She placed a hand over her abdomen.

“I wasn’t going to tell you yet but I can’t keep it in. We’ll have that little mini-person next spring. I’m pregnant.” He thought he’d done a good job of playing surprised but Katie narrowed her eyes. “You’d already figured it out, hadn’t you?”

“Maybe. I do notice everything about you. Such as when you’re no longer drinking alcohol and suddenly are even more curvy and beautiful than usual.”

“The perils of having a brilliant husband. I can’t get anything by you.” She sighed happily.

Bennett pulled her into his arms and held her close, resting his hands over her still flat stomach. “Thank you.”

“For what?” She looked up at him, love shining from her eyes.

“Not running away when you found out the real reason I hired you. Having patience when I zone out or get so involved with my research that I forget what day it is or that the trash hasn't been taken out. For reading to me every night and smiling at me every morning.”

“That's no hardship, Bennett. I'm smiling because you make me so happy. I'm smiling because I love you.”

“I know. That's why I'm thanking you. For loving me as I am.”

Katie kissed him softly. “Don’t tell Ridley I said this, but I’m so glad she pushed us together. Otherwise I’d be back at my old house, going to sleep alone every night and wondering if I’d ever love any man again.”

Bennett understood. He’d often had similar thoughts, thinking of how different his life would be if not for one fateful family dinner.

“It may not have been just Ridley’s work that put us together. You know I’m not a religious person. I guess I’ve always been skeptical of things I can’t see or test with the scientific method. But I sent up a wish one night.” He smiled thinking of it. “I felt so guilty doing it.”

“Why?”