“Then your father is going to love him,” Rayna responded with a wry smile. “You know how he loves DIY projects.”
The back door opened just enough for Emma’s sister-in-law to slip inside. As soon as she saw them lounging leisurely on the sofa and chairs, Alicia shook her head. “I knew I should’ve stayed in here. Look at you, all relaxed while I’ve been running around trying to keep my boys in check.” Sinking down beside her mother, she sighed and regarded Emma. “If some of your pretty wildflowers out there end up trampled, all I can say is I tried.”
Emma grinned. “Don’t worry about it. Children are supposed to run around and play.” And her nephews were four and six years old. She didn’t think sitting still while grown-ups chatted about a wedding would interest them.
Rayna shook her head as she regarded her daughter-in-law. “What are you going to do with three boys on your hands?”
Alicia grinned. “Force their grandparents to babysit more often.”
Emma stared. “Three boys?”
“Oh.” Rayna covered her mouth and looked at Alicia.
Alicia winced. “Sorry about that. This is your day, Emma, so we weren’t going to tell you yet, but”—she patted her tummy—“you’re going to be an aunt. Again. And it’s another boy.”
“Oh my goodness!” Emma exclaimed, grinning as she lunged out of her chair and hugged Alicia. “Congratulations!”
“Thank you.”
Emma reclaimed her seat. “Is that why you didn’t eat much last night?”
Emma and Cliff had opted not to have a rehearsal dinner. Instead, both families had simply gathered here for a nice get-to-know-ya dinner.
Alicia’s pretty features twisted in a grimace as she again patted her stomach, which did not yet sport a baby bump. “Yeah. The morning sickness is pretty bad. Which annoys the crap out of me because I’m probably not going to be able to eat any of that gorgeous wedding cake.”
After Cliff had become human again, Emma had moved the treadmill to the spare bedroom and installed a nice dining table and chairs in the area off the kitchen. That table was now laden with a multitiered, elaborately frosted wedding cake Chris Reordon had sent over.
“By the way,” Alicia added, “do not let the boys in the house alone. If they have to pee, make sure Luke or Dad accompanies them. Otherwise you might turn around and find little fist-sized pieces of cake missing. They’re usually good about not touching things we tell them not to, but that’s a lot of temptation.”
Cynthia nodded somberly. “The same goes for Todd.”
Everyone laughed.
Melanie glanced at the window, then smiled at Emma. “I think it’s time.”
Had Bastien spoken to her? Since Melanie was immortal, her hearing was so acute she’d hear him even if he were whispering on the far side of the meadow.
Emma grinned as excitement shot through her. “Let’s do this.”
It only took her a few minutes to doff her robe and don the wedding dress she’d chosen. It was a simple but elegant off-the-shoulder gown crafted from a white, lightweight satiny fabric that hugged her silhouette and fell to her feet in a relaxed A-line skirt. Once she slipped on the pretty low-heeled bridal shoes she’d chosen (she didn’t want her feet to hurt tonight), she held her arms out, away from her sides. “What do you think?”
Her mother clasped her hands together and smiled, tears welling in her eyes. “You look beautiful, baby.”
The other women nodded.
“You do.”
“So pretty!”
“Absolutely beautiful.”
Emma grinned. “Good. Because Cliff looks freaking gorgeous in his tux.”
The two of them had been through so much in their time together that both had laughed at the notion that seeing each other before the ceremony would bring them bad luck.
Melanie hurried into the spare bedroom, then returned, carrying a lovely bouquet of wildflowers bound with a white ribbon. It was beautiful. “Cliff asked me to give you these.”
Emma’s throat thickened as she took them. “He made this himself, didn’t he?” Just like he had for their first date night. And the night he’d thought he was dying and tried to give her a lasting happy memory.
Melanie nodded. “I wish you could’ve seen how many times he tied and retied the bow, wanting to get the ribbon just right. That man loves you so much.”
Swallowing hard, she nodded. “I love him, too.”
Rayna smiled. “Then let’s go marry him.”
Alicia hurried to the back door. “I’ll go get the boys ready.”
Emma’s nephews would walk down the aisle together, both clad in little black suits that made them look absolutely adorable. The youngest would toss flower petals while the oldest would carry the pillow with the ring tied to it.
Sadie, Melanie, Cynthia, and Rayna slipped outside.
Then Emma’s father entered. “Look at you. So beautiful,” he said with a smile. And Emma thought she saw a little shimmer of moisture in his eyes as he beheld her.
“Thank you.”
“Are you nervous?”
“Hell no.”
He laughed. “That’s exactly what Cliff said when I asked him. I really like that young man.”
“I’m glad, Daddy.”
He offered his arm. “Are you ready?”
She linked her arm through his. “Hell yes.”
He laughed. Opening the back door, he ushered her through it and onto the back deck.
Every chair on the lawn was filled. Off to one side, a string quartet, made up of Jared and three other Immortal Guardians, played lovely music. Beyond them all, Seth stood in the center of the living space Cliff had built, ready to marry them. Ribbons and flowers adorned the pergola above him. On the bride’s side, Alicia and Cynthia waited in their pretty bridesmaid dresses. On the groom’s side, Cliff stood with his father and Bastien.
Emma’s nephews made their way up the aisle, enjoying being the center of attention.
But Emma saw all of it in the periphery because she couldn’t drag her gaze away from Cliff.
His dark suit showcased his broad shoulders and trim physique to perfection. His dreadlocks were drawn back from his face and tied at the nape of his neck, baring his handsome face. And the look in his eyes as they caught and held hers…
Love welled up inside her, matching that which she saw in his expression. This was a day neither one of them had thought they would ever see.
Everyone stood as her father escorted her down the flagstone path, now coated with haphazard piles of flower petals.
Emma’s heart pounded as they drew nearer to Cliff. Cynthia stepped forward and took the bridal bouquet from her while Emma’s father drew Cliff into a hearty hug. Then he hugged Emma.
“Be happy, baby,” he whispered.
“We will be.”
Taking her hand, he placed it in Cliff’s, then moved to join her mother and brother in the front row.
Cliff drew his thumb over her hand in a light caress, then carried it to his lips for a kiss. “Tell me this is real,” he whispered.
Tears welled in her eyes. “It’s real, honey.”
He smiled. “You’re the love of my life, Emma.”
“And you’re mine.”