“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.