by Piper Rayne
“All kissed and made up?”
I elbow him in the ribcage. “Yes.”
“Good to know.” His phone buzzes to life in his pocket.
“For heaven’s sake, Mikey, what the hell is going on? Who do you have to talk to so much?”
“What can I say, I’m popular.” He shrugs.
I roll my eyes. “Uh-huh.”
For the entire meal and through all the speeches, my eyes find Dean from across the room. We share a smile every time we catch one of us looking at the other. He’s the highlight of the evening at table nine based on the fact that the kids are all laughing hysterically and have the other tables giving them dirty looks.
“Seems like it’s not only you he can win over,” Mikey whispers, rising from his chair. “I’m going to the bar.”
“Wish I could join you.”
“See you in nine months.” He laughs stepping off the stage, disappearing to the bar that’s located outside the dining area.
Dean stands and places his napkin on his chair and nods for me to join him outside.
Since all my responsibilities as bridesmaid are over, I follow Mikey out the doors. More people funnel out toward the restroom or the bar, chatting with one another.
By the time I make it to where Dean should be, he’s talking with Mikey and some of his childhood buddies. The guys are all drinking hard alcohol and what I guess is a tonic water is in Dean’s hand.
“Trust me. The single life is not as great as they make it out to sound,” I hear Dean say before I poke my head in their little circle. “I was just telling them, they have no idea what they’re missing out on.” He snakes his arm around my back, pulling me to his side. “I guess you’re on my train for a while? Tonic?” he asks, holding his drink out to me.
“I think I’ll just have water.”
Dean waits for his turn at the bar to grab me a water. A second later I have a glass in my hand.
“Maybe I should put a lemon in it, so people don’t ask,” I whisper so only he can hear.
He sneaks his hand over the table and grabs a lemon, dropping it into my glass.
“What would I do without you?” I say, laying my head on his chest.
After last night I ache to have him hold me.
“Oh, you’re no princess. You’d save yourself before you’d ever need anyone.”
I kiss his strong jaw. “You know me so well.”
He smirks down at me, his lips pressing to my temple. “Excuse us boys, but I need to dance with my girlfriend.”
Mikey and his friends are already chatting about some bar they want to go to afterward and how there are no hot girls at the wedding.
“Or baby mama,” I say.
His free hand covers my stomach. “You’re no baby mama,” he murmurs. “I’ve yet to tell you how excited I am, but tonight I want it to be about us. Okay? Please know as scared as I am about being responsible for someone else’s life, I’m so happy I knocked you up.”
I push away from him, but he grips harder.
“I’m kidding.”
“Yeah, because a baby doesn’t mean you have me forever, mister.”
“Believe me, I know.” He chuckles.
We walk back into the dining room. “Sink In” by Amy Spark starts playing. Dean doesn’t skip a beat as he weaves us through the tables until our feet are on the makeshift wooden dance floor. He holds his hand out and when I accept, he pulls me into his chest.
Slowly our bodies sway, his strong hand on the small of my back making sure I’m as close as possible. My head falls to his shoulder, our joined hands tucked between our bodies.
The smell of his cologne brings me back to the few months I’ve gotten to know him again and a feeling of security envelops me. We get lost in each other as we move around the floor.
“I love you,” he whispers.
I tilt my head up, my lips landing on his neck. “I love you, too.”
When the song ends, all I want is to snatch Dean away from everyone else. I love my cousin, but I don’t want to do the bridal dance, or wait for the cake to be cut.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the bride and groom are going to take the dance floor for their first dance,” the DJ announces and the dance floor clears.
Beckett and Skylar step onto the floor and she spins into his arms. Dean comes up behind me, his arms around my middle, his hand running up and down my stomach. He’s always done that, but I wonder if it means something more now. Has he absorbed the fact that there really is a baby inside me? Have I?
“They make a good couple. He evens her out.”
I laugh, my head falling back against his shoulder. “Is that you saying she’s uptight?”
“You said it, not me.”
For the rest of the night, we dance and mingle. Molly and Caiden join us to become a foursome on the dance floor before I get tired and sit down, watching them instead.
Dean sneaks a look my way. “You okay?” he mouths, and I nod, certain that he’ll be just as great with our kids as he is with Molly and Caiden.
“So, it looks like it all worked out.” Skylar sits down next to me, a bottle of water in front of her.
“Looking that way.”
She stretches her arm out, her hand covering mine. “I’m glad. He’s a better man than he was before.”
“He is.”
“So maybe I’ll be coming to your wedding next?” She raises her eyebrows.
“Not for a while. I refuse to get married until after the baby is born just to piss my mom off.”
She giggles, sipping down her water. “If and when you need me, I’m there.”
“If I carry to term I’ll need you next April.”
She slides closer to me. “You will and if you don’t, I’ll be there, too. Think positive, okay? In our training, they teach us to envision the outcome we want. That’s what you need to do. I know you’ll worry so I won’t tell you not to but remember that it’s different this time. The doctors are aware of your condition and they’re going to watch you closely.”
I nod, stealing her water and taking a sip.
“Don’t contaminate my water!” she screeches.
“Oh, Beckett will have you knocked up in no time, I’m sure.”
She says nothing, and I wonder exactly how soon they plan on having a family.
“The timing has to be right.”
“I hear congratulations are in order?” Beckett comes to join us, bending down and kissing my cheek.
“Yes, they are. I was just telling Sky that she needs to hop on board the baby train.”
Beckett smiles down at his now wife and raises his eyebrows.
They’re having a conversation I’m no part of. I know with her schedule that she needs time to be pregnant, have the baby and get back into shape if she wants to compete at the next Winter Classics. Since they just finished, I’m wondering if this might be the time for them.
We talk about nothing in particular, my eyes veering to the dance floor every once in a while.
After the night draws to a close, Dean holds my hand and leads me out to the parking lot.
“I’d wanted to bring my motorcycle. It’s a great night for a ride.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“But even if I’m a great rider, I’m not risking my two most precious cargo. So, we’re going to cab it.”
He opens up a door to a cab waiting out front of the building and I slide in.
“Whose place are we going to?” My head falls to his shoulder.
“Just close your eyes and let me handle the details.”
I close my eyes and trust him to do exactly as he says.
Chapter Thirty-Four
“Chelsea.” Dean’s soft voice stirs me awake.
I pick up my head, happy it wasn’t a dream—that he came to the wedding and that we’re all good again. Then I inspect our surroundings.
“I thought we were going home?”
“I love that word when you say it.” He opens up his doo
r and holds his hand out for me.
I step out and he guides me to where I was hours earlier.
“I was just here a few hours ago. It’s so much more beautiful at night.”
The array of lights illuminating the water spouting out of the fountain with the dark sky and the skyline in the background is breath taking.
“You were?”
“Pictures.”
“Great location. Maybe we’ll have ours here, too.”
I roll my eyes. “I think we have a bigger obstacle first. Not to mention, I kind of liked Elvis in our pictures.”
He chuckles and at this late hour, there are only a few couples milling around the fountain as they head down to the lakefront.
“Why are we here?” I ask, unable to hold back a yawn.
“I wanted to come here because this is where I first felt like we had a future. It’s where you finally opened up to me about your life and let me in.”
“That’s so funny. I was thinking the same thing when I was here earlier.”
“You were?” His face lights up with a smile, his dark eyes twinkling in the night like one of the stars above us.
“Yeah, it all kind of shifted for me that night.”
He sits me on a park bench, but instead of joining me, he falls to his knee in front of me.
“What are you doing?” I ask, my voice laced with panic. “You don’t have to marry me. I’m perfectly okay with having a child out of wedlock. I don’t need a full-on commitment.”
“Will you please be quiet,” he says, pulling a ring out of his jacket pocket.
My ring. The first one he proposed to me with. His great-grandmother’s ring.
“I refuse to let you feel obligated.” I shake my head.
He rolls his eyes. “You’re ruining the mood.”
“Wait.” I hold my hand up. “Before you continue, tell me if you wanted to do this before you found out about the baby?”
He blows out a big breath and runs a hand through his hair.
“Chelsea, I’ve wanted this ring back on your finger from the moment you took it off. I got clean for myself, but also to be a better man for you. I sought you out and agreed to work for free for the foundation you work for just to be close to you.” He tilts his head. “And to make sure you couldn’t get rid of me. I’ve spent the last few months pushing my way back into your life and you think that I feel obligated to marry you?”
My cheeks heat. “Well, when you put it that way...”
“Now, are you going to let me continue?”
“Yes.” I smile and straighten my back, almost too antsy to sit still.
“I’ve loved you from the first time I saw you. It’s like my heart knew something my mind wasn’t ready for. I would’ve eaten a dozen of those wings for a date with you that night. If you had said no, I would’ve tracked you down anyway. I was stupid and young and a complete moron for letting you slip out of my grasp once. But I learn my lessons because you’ll never slip away again. I promise to love you more every day, although I can’t even fathom it’s possible to love you any deeper than I do now. I promise to take care of you no matter how stubborn you get. Most of all I promise that we do this together. One day at a time for the rest of our lives. For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. No matter what happens.” He glances to my stomach and with a hopeful smile, he holds the ring out to me again. “Will you please be Mrs. Bennett for the second and final time?”
I hold out my left hand. “I’d love nothing more than to be your wife again.”
He slips the ring on my finger and I stand up and wrap my arms around his neck. He squeezes me and swings me around the gravel area and as if on cue the center stream of the fountain bursts out of the top. The fountain dwindles down for the night and the other spectators continue on their way.
Dean sets me on my feet and then falls down to his knees once more, his hands molding to my hips.
“I wanted to make sure we were good. Now I want to take in the fact that I’m going to be a father.” He runs his hand along my stomach. “A part of us is in there?”
I nod.
He presses his lips to my belly. “I have a promise to you too, little Bennett. I promise to keep your mom in line.”
I lightly smack the back of his head.
He chuckles.
“I promise that I’ll love you so fierce you’ll be begging to escape me by the time you’re eighteen. Don’t worry though, I’ll make sure your wings are ready for you to soar. Just keep growing, because I think I can speak for your mom and I both. You’re already so loved.”
He stands to his feet, his hand never leaving my stomach. “Thank you for that, too.”
“Dean, what if—”
He shakes his head, sealing my words with a kiss. “Shh… Enjoy the beginning of our happily ever after, Chelsea.”
Epilogue
Two Weeks Later
“So, let me get this right, the woman just called you out of the blue. Said she heard about your foundation and she wants to make a sizable donation?” I lean back in my chair, no longer into the pastrami sandwich I thought I was dying for when we walked in.
Hannah forks her salad and shrugs. “I can’t very well advertise her company. She has a sex toy company.”
Victoria glances around to make sure there are no small kids around since Hannah obviously hadn’t thought about that as she lays it all out in the small restaurant with the lunchtime crowd.
“She does? What’s the company name?” I ask.
“Hart something. She did the Unicorn Cock thing.”
My eyes light up and even Victoria seems more intrigued. “She did? And she knows about RISE?”
“You act like she’s your heartthrob and you’re thirteen.” Hannah slides the lettuce off the fork.
“Tell me you have a vibrator?” I ask, having the courtesy of leaning forward and lowering my voice.
“I tried one once and eh,” she shrugs.
“Eh?” Victoria asks, her mouth agape like she can’t believe it.
“Sue me if I’m an old school masturbator.”
“You’re missing out, Han.” I lean back. “And the Unicorn Cock one. Holy shit. Dean used it…”
Victoria’s eyes look over my shoulder and she shakes her head. I glance to see a kid with his mom waiting for their sandwiches in line.
“Let’s just say, there are not many substitutions for Dean, but that comes in second every time.”
“Really? A vibrator?” Getting the clue, Hannah whispers. “Now you’re piquing my interest.”
“I’ll buy you one. It saved me during my dry spell until Reed,” Victoria says.
Hannah’s interest definitely looks piqued now and I can’t believe a woman as independent and strong as her, hasn’t taken her orgasms more seriously.
“Not like I really have any other options at the moment,” she says.
“Hannah Crowley?” a dark-haired woman peeks her head in the middle of our table, whispering like Hannah’s name should never be heard.
We all look at the woman who’s dressed in a cute tank top and shorts. Tattoos down each of her arms. Her hair short and sassy. Ten shopping bags hanging off her arms.
“Lennon?” Hannah wipes her mouth and stands, putting her hand out.
The woman stretches her arm out and shakes it. “Guilty as charged.”
Hannah motions to the empty chair at our table. “Please join us. Do you want a sandwich or anything?”
“Well, those pickles look good.” Lennon laughs and we all glance to the jar of full-size pickles floating in juice on top of the counter.
“They’re delicious,” I comment.
She laughs, and points. “I have a feeling we have a lot in common.”
“I take that as a huge compliment since you’re the inventor of the Unicorn Cock. Can you tell me about the name?” I lean forward like I’m a keener in school and can’t get enough.
She sits back, crossing her legs. “Well, truth be told
, it actually came out of my friend Whit’s mouth at first when she was dating her now husband. She was drunk and referred to his cock as magical. I still think it’s hilarious. Anyway, it turned into a joke with my friends.”
“What made you want to invent sex toys?” I ask. I hope I’m not coming off like a desperate fan girl right now, but truth be told I kinda am.
“Let her be,” Hannah urges. “Sorry, this is Chelsea and Victoria. They work at RISE as well.”
She nods and smiles at both of us. “You guys remind me a lot of me and my friends.”
I know I probably look like a complete loon right now because I’m grinning from ear to ear.
“Anyway, I wanted to say how impressed I am with your foundation. My husband is an investment banker and his partner, Drew, was telling me about it. I don’t even know how he found you guys, but I really wanted to help. I have a daughter myself, and I try to teach her to be a strong female. So much so that my husband thinks I’m making her twin brother too submissive to her.” She laughs. “He just hasn’t found his voice yet. Good thing he has an older brother. Brady will show him the ways of the world if he could stop doing the five knuckle shuffle for five minutes. He’s fourteen.”
All of our heads nod in understanding.
“Anyway, here is the check.” She digs into her purse. “I’d love to open up a branch in San Fran. Instead of my company name, we’d do it through my husband’s company. That is if you’re ever game.”
“Expansion already?” I glance to Hannah whose eyes are poised on Lennon.
“I think we could definitely talk more about it. We’re still getting on solid ground right now.”
Lennon smiles and slides the check across the table. Hannah never looks at it and pushes it Victoria’s way. She picks it up, stuffing it in her purse. You’d think we were doing a drug deal here.
“Great. I’m so happy you feel that way,” Lennon says, seeming really sincere.
“Would you like to come to our gala in September?” Hannah asks. “It’s like our coming out party.”
“I do love a good coming out party.” She winks.
As the lunch crowd slows down, there are more empty tables available and Lennon glances over the chalkboard menu. “My husband will be here soon. I’d love for you guys to meet him.”
