Hailey was the first to walk down the grand steps, and she took my breath away. She was stunning. I stole a quick glance over at Jack and smiled. The poor bastard had it written all over his face. He may not know it yet, but he was in love with my sister. She winked at him as she walked by and took her place across from me.
Then the music changed, and I saw Emmerson slowly make her way down the steps. When she fully appeared, I nearly felt my legs buckle out from under me.
“She’s so beautiful,” I said softly, trying to remember the right way to breathe.
“Yes, she is,” Noah said from next to me. “You’re a damn lucky man, Landon.”
All I could do was nod as I watched her make her way to me. It was such a short distance, yet it felt like an eternity before she and Malcolm stopped in front of the altar. I didn’t hear anything the preacher said, because all I could do was look into those blue eyes that seemed to sparkle like diamonds.
Malcolm said something and Emmerson turned to face him. He kissed her on the cheek and then placed her hand in mine.
“I wouldn’t trust her with any other man but you, Landon. I trust that you will make my daughter happy and love her as fiercely as her mother and I do.”
I swallowed hard. “I’ll love her until the day I die, sir. With everything I have.”
Malcolm nodded and then quickly turned and walked over to sit next to Paislie, who was wiping tears from her face.
I held Emmerson’s hand and together we walked a few steps closer to the preacher. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Everything about her was breathtaking. The gown that hugged her amazing body like a glove, the way her face lit up when the light touched it a certain way. How her eyes seemed to be catching the flickering candles. And that smile…my God, that smile had always been my weakness. Yet, there was something so different about her. She seemed to have floated down those steps and the aisle, and now that she stood here before me, all I wanted to do was tell her how much I loved her. How much I needed her.
We faced one another, and I lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. “You look beautiful.”
Her cheeks turned pink. “And you look handsome.”
“I love you, Emme.”
Tears built in her eyes as the preacher started to speak. Emmerson held up her finger, motioning for him to wait. Then she leaned in and placed her mouth at my ear.
“Um, Landon?” Emmerson whispered softly. “There’s something I’ve got to tell you.”
My eyes widened, and I drew back to look at her and then at the preacher, who seemed just as lost as I was.
“Right now, Emme?” I asked.
She nodded. “Right now.”
I quickly glanced at the small group of family and close friends who all stared up at us with smiles on their faces.
I focused back on Emmerson. “Okay, what did you need to tell me?”
With a deep inhale, she moved back to my ear, and the warmth of her breath caused my body to shake. “I’m pregnant.”
Taking a step back, I opened my mouth, shut it, opened it, and then smiled like a crazy fool. “Are you serious? That fast?”
She nodded and giggled. “That fast!”
“Holy shit! Oh, sorry, Pastor Scott!” I said, quickly looking at the pastor.
He held up his hands. “No worries.”
Without even thinking, I cupped Emmerson’s face and kissed her. She laughed against my lips as Noah tapped me on the shoulder.
“Can you not go for more than five minutes without kissing her?”
I looked out at everyone and without even thinking, I shouted, “We’re going to have a baby!”
Surprised gasps mixed with cheers, but the only thing I seemed to hear was Malcolm’s booming voice. “For fuck’s sake, can they not just do one thing in the order they’re supposed to?!”
Five Years Later
WHEN I PARKED my truck and got out, two dogs came running at me full speed. Lady got there first, the proud look of a winner on her face, as Tramp, my handsome Vizsla, came in a close second. And behind him was my four-year-old daughter, Macie.
“Daddy!” she cried out as I bent down and quickly gave each dog some attention before Macie reached me and jumped into my arms.
“Hello, my beautiful girl. What did you do today?” I asked, kissing her on the cheek.
“Pwayed with Bwaden.”
“You played with Braden, huh? Are Uncle Noah and Aunt Amy here?”
Noah and Amy had followed in Emmerson’s and my footsteps, with a quick wedding and a baby soon after.
Macie nodded. “Hailwey is here too!”
“Is that right?” I said as I started to jog into the house, pretending I was a galloping horse. Macie laughed and told me to go faster.
Once I got to the front door, I smiled at my stunningly beautiful wife. “Emme, you look lovely.”
She laughed and stretched up to kiss me. “You just saw me a few hours ago, Landon.”
“And a few hours is too long to be away from you.”
After we walked into the house, I set Macie down. She ran off toward the living room, where I could hear a plethora of voices all talking.
“Who all is here?” I asked, leaning down and kissed Emmerson for a bit longer this time. When I drew back, she seemed to be dazed for a moment before she shook her head and spoke.
“Um, Noah and Amy stopped by with Braden. And Hailey and Jack stopped by with Kaitlynn. Macie and Braden don’t understand why Kaitlynn can’t play with them yet.”
I laughed. “Once that baby starts crawling, they better look out. She’ll be wanting to hang out with them all the time.”
My sister and Jack had gotten married two years ago, and they’d had their first baby, a girl, three months ago.
“Why is everyone here?” I asked as I made my way through the house.
“They all stopped by at the same time,” Emmerson said. “It was pure coincidence. Hailey and Jack were at your folks’, and Amy and Noah picked up Braden from my folks’, so they all decided to come here after.”
Right before we got to the living room, Emmerson grabbed my hand and pulled me to a stop. “I have a special night planned for us, so Amy and Noah are going to take Macie home to spend the night with them.”
I wiggled my brows at her. “Is that right? We get the whole night alone?”
Emmerson smiled. “Yes, we do.”
“And what are we going to do with this free night?” I asked.
“Well, I thought we would maybe go out to eat, then come back home and celebrate.”
“Hell yeah, I’m down with celebrating some alone time.”
Her teeth dug into her lower lip, and her cheeks turned pink. “That’s not what we’re celebrating.”
“Then what are we celebrating?”
She handed me a piece of folded-up paper.
“What’s this?”
Rubbing her hands together nervously, she said, “Open it.”
With a slight chuckle, I unfolded the paper and read the note.
Dear Landon,
Are you ready to fill the house with another little Landon or Emmerson? Check yes or no.
I quickly looked up at her—and noticed the pen she held out for me. My heart started to pound in my chest, and I felt the prick of tears at the back of my eyes. I took the pen and checked yes, then folded up the paper and handed it back before I pulled her into my arms and kissed her.