“Eh-hu.” Was all the response I got from Finn. Astrid had said it was terrible twos. Fucking hell, if we had the rest of the year to cope with his refusal to do anything, I’d be crawling up the wall.
“Fine. I’ll leave you here and let Grandma deal with you then—”
Suddenly, he flung the covers back and was standing in front of me with the cheesiest grin on his face.
“Like that, is it? You’ve got to work with me, man. It’s Auntie Gwen’s big day. She’s counting on us. You got it?”
“Yes, Daddy. I’m sorry.”
And just like that, I was wrapped around his finger again. Parenting was fucking hard, and Finn knew all my weak spots.
Twenty minutes later, we were both ready. “You like the suit?”
“Eh-hu.”
“That good, hey. Come on. We’re going to be late, and your mother will kill me.” I had the same opinion on the suit. It was cut tight around my biceps and felt like I was being strangled.
I grabbed up all the rest of the stuff I’d been left in charge of and bundled Finn into the car with the corsages and order of service sheets. We were meeting the wedding party at the church.
Astrid was the maid of honour and had been with Gwen since last night. That was something I hadn’t seen coming. Hell, I’d been preparing for a physical fight at one point.
Gwen had chilled out when Astrid moved in with me, and it turned out, the two fiery girls became thick friends. Gwen even helped with the magazine—none of the content, but the online marketing stuff that she did for Mad Gyms. Astrid was doing as well here as she was in London, if not better.
And I’d expanded the gym. We had the second warehouse space now and proper changing facilities. We were even considering opening a second location with Symon running that more permanently and splitting our specialities—me coaching the MMA side, and him concentrating on strength and conditioning.
We arrived at the church, and after ignoring the disapproving looks from Mum at cutting it close, we got everything to the right people in time for Gwen’s big entrance. Finn walked down scattering petals and made a beeline for Grandma in the front pew. He didn’t give me a second look.
Astrid walked down next, looking far too sexy in a skin-tight dress that was slashed way too low in the front. Her skin was on show for everyone to see, and that did nothing for my mood. She looked breathtaking though, and I didn’t miss the coy look she gave me from under that streak of purple and gold in her hair.
Joey was fidgeting like he had something uncomfortable in his boxers, but he stopped all that shit the moment he saw Gwen. Dad walked her down the aisle, and even Finn tugged on Mum’s dress to make her look at Gwen. Nobody had seen her all dressed up before. She looked like a princess.
“Last warning, Joey,” I whispered. “Don’t fuck this up.” I slapped him on the back.
“Never, man. I love her. Now, shut up and let me get married.”
The wedding went off without a hitch. Vows made, I dos said, and everyone was happy for the couple. I was still processing that my little sister was now married.
“I didn’t realise you had so many jobs at a wedding,” I complained to Astrid as she took a seat on my knee. I’d barely seen her all day.
“I’m sorry. But it’s your sister’s big day. You can cope without me for a couple of hours.” She hooked her arms around my neck and offered me a kiss to appease me.
“You look stunning. Maybe the dress is a touch revealing though.” It was cut down to the belly button, and although she looked as sexy as sin, so much skin was a vision for my eyes, not everyone in the building.
“Relax. They’re all looking at the bride. Are you going to dance with me?” Astrid started to pull me up, and I inwardly groaned. But as yet, I hadn’t learnt how to say no to the woman. I loved her, and that seemed to wire me to say yes automatically.
“It’s been a good day,” I offered, despite my displeasure of being stuck on the dance floor.
“Yeah, it has. Was Finn okay?”
“He’s good. He’s with Grandma. He needed some encouragement to get dressed, but now I can’t get him out of the little penguin suit.”
“I’ll speak to him.”
“Leave it. Now I have you, I’m not ready to give you up to our son just yet.” I kissed her to remind her just how much I loved her.
“What was that for?”
“Just a reminder of what might come later? Mum and Dad are having Finn still.”
“Oh, I hadn’t forgotten.” Astrid gave me a look that could have burned the clothes off my back.
“So, what do you say?”
“Say to what?”
“Want to go through this all again? I quite like the idea of you in white.” I kissed her again but pulled back before it got too intense. Besides, I wanted to watch her eyes as she figured out I’d just popped the question.
“Are you asking me to marry you?”
“It appears that I am. I don’t have a ring, but that doesn’t mean I want you as my wife any less. So how about it? Want to be Mrs Walker?” Sure enough, her eyes danced with colours and magic as she searched my own.
“Are you sure?”
“Woman, please. I love you. So fucking much. If I can make us any more permanent than we already are, I’m going to do that. I never want you to doubt how much I love you.” I pulled her hands up to my heart, and we swayed to the music while she mulled over the question again.
“A wedding isn’t going to show me how much you love me. You do that every day. But I would love to be your wife. Thank you for asking me. And thank you for never giving up on us.”
“You’re my everything, Astrid. Never forget that.”
Her eyes shone with tears at my words. But she pushed past the emotion to make her own vow. “Never. I love you right back, Leo.”
If you fell in love with Leo Walker, why not read his origin story in
The Two Halves of my Heart
Also By Rachel De Lune
The Evermore Series
More
Forever More
A Little Something More (Christmas Novelette)
Surrender to More
More Than Desire
Finally More
Standalones
The Two Halves of my Heart
New Tides
Reminiscent Hearts
The Break
The Cane Series
(Co-authored with Charlotte E Hart)
Innocent Eyes
Devious Eyes
Vengeful Eyes
Forbidden Eyes
Tortured Eyes
About Rachel De Lune
Rachel De Lune writes emotionally driven contemporary romance.
She began scribbling her stories in the pages of a notebook several years ago and still can’t resist putting pen to real paper. What ifs are turned into heartfelt stories of love where there will always be a HEA.
Rachel lives in the South West of England and daydreams about shoes with red soles, lingerie and chocolate. If she’s not writing HEAs, she’s probably reading them. She is a wife and has a beautiful daughter.
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Blush: A Strangers-to-Lovers Romance Page 24
