Without skipping a beat, Joey stood tall, arm around my shoulders like he was proud to be the man next to me and lied through his teeth. “Yes.”
My mom, surprisingly silent through all this, watched the entire thing with an assessing gaze. Perhaps she had enough manners not to berate me in front of everyone. Perhaps, maybe for the first time, she was finally giving me the benefit of the doubt.
Hard to believe, but stranger things have happened.
“Okay then.” Sonya came forward, smiling tentatively but no less graceful than she usually did with her dark hair already styled perfectly this early and dressed to take on the world in a stylish summer wrap dress with fluttered cap sleeves. “Then I’m happy for you.”
She pressed her hands to Joey’s face, tugged him down to kiss his cheek and turned to me.
With the same gentle movements and touch, I practically melted into her as she stepped back, keeping her warm, soft palms against my skin. “Then welcome to the family, Gabby.” She winked playfully. “Such as it is.”
8
Joey
I couldn’t remember if I’d kissed my wife when we got married. I assumed we did the obligatory you may kiss your bride kiss. But was it a peck? Had there been passion? Based on the way I reacted to every touch this morning, I imagined I’d tilted her head back, slid my other hand across her cheek before the pull of her was too strong to withstand. I imagined I took her mouth in a kiss that would have been inappropriate for a church, but wholly appropriate for a Vegas Strip chapel wedding.
With my mom accepting her into the family so easily, the glimmer in Gabby’s eyes, smiling so sweetly at her, I wanted that kiss.
Wanted to hold her in my arms, palm the back of her head with my hand and hold her tight to me, swaying to a song that would become our song. I wanted to hold our clasped hands together at my chest where the beat of my heart would be a rhythmic tune to the passion between us.
I wanted to slip my tongue into the sweet cavern of her mouth, memorize the feel and taste of her. Learn what she loved, what drove her into a frenzy and what would bring her to a slow, torturous boil. I wanted all of it with the beautiful woman next to me, despite lacking memories of how I grew to this place in such a short time.
Who gave a flying fuck. Gabby next to me, loving on my mom and then quickly thereafter being hugged by the rest of the Taylor women with congratulations and gasps of excitement over the ring, was all I needed to see to know I hadn’t fully lied to my mom or Jason.
I was happy. Right then, I was the happiest I could remember being in a very long time—Stanley Cup win included.
And that was all my family had ever wanted for me, particularly over the last year when so much went to shit.
Tepid congratulations cooled further, until eventually, my mom suggested they all head out. Some of my family had flights and I imagined Katie and Jude wanted to get Marissa back to their home and on a regular schedule. Slowly, they began saying their goodbyes and soon, the house was empty save for Garrett, Lizzie, and Rachel. All of whom had been relatively quiet since I told Garrett to back off.
“Be good to her,” he said, coming to me with his hand outstretched.
I arched my brow.
He could squish my hand and break every bone if he wanted to. I took it anyway, preparing for the overly hardened grip that never came. “I will.”
“I still don’t like this. But I’ve got your back. Always.”
“Then have Gabby’s.”
Lizzie shoved Garrett out of the way, earning a playful scowl and she rolled her eyes in exchange. “He’ll get over this. You know how protective you Dubiaks can be.”
Gabby flushed, peered up at me. “It’s possible I wasn’t the nicest when I learned Lizzie was here a few months ago.”
“Not the nicest is putting it the nicest way possible. I thought she was going to climb through the computer screen and strangle me.”
“Until you told me you were pregnant, I might have.” Gabby settled her hands on Lizzie’s stomach and the wariness she carried all day evaporated in a moment. “Make sure you take care of my nephews.”
Lizzie chuckled. “Take care of my own boys, you mean? I think I can manage.”
My heart swelled as Gabby ran her hands gently over Lizzie’s belly. She looked incredible for having twins, and on a normal day I would have complimented her. But today, I was struck by the look on Gabby’s face. Reverent and awed, she loved those babies already.
Unbidden, an image of her swollen the same with my baby inside of her flashed in my mind. She’d be beautiful. Probably cranky. A whole lot sassy but an enormous amount of sexy.
Would she want that? Babies?
It was one of the biggest things Lenora and I could never agree on. I wanted them. She wanted to wait. She couldn’t exactly dance burlesque while expecting and she hadn’t wanted to take time off work, worried she wouldn’t return to the same size afterward.
I’d been okay with it considering my travel schedule. Our entire lives had been a revolving door of one of us coming or going. That wasn’t the stability I wanted for my kids, so I understood to a point.
We’d had time.
But now?
I shook the thought away.
Gabby and I didn’t even remember getting married. We didn’t know if we were going to stay married. Thinking of babies was definitely putting the cart before the horse. Unfortunately, the image didn’t clear as quickly as I wanted.
It lingered there, Gabby’s hand wearing my ring resting her hand atop her own belly, smiling, gorgeous, and happy to be making a family with me.
I wanted that… the family with the kids climbing all over me as soon as I returned from an away game like my brothers and I had done to our dad when we were little.
“You’ll be back?” Gabby asked Garrett. She’d already mentioned him bringing her things over so she could get settled here.
Scowl still firmly in place and deciding to act like I didn’t exist, he nodded, bent to her cheek. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.” Her hand settled on his arm and squeezed. “You two need your privacy and don’t argue with me. We all know it.”
He sighed, shot a glare in my direction that could melt icebergs and took Lizzie’s hand in his. “As soon as we get your things packed, I’ll bring them back over.”
“Thank you.”
Her mom stepped up to her then, wrapped her in her arms. I didn’t miss the way Gabby stiffened first before returning the hug nor the unhappy look still twisting Rachel’s expression. “We love you. Always. No matter what.”
“Thanks Mom.”
She ended the hug and lifted a hand in my direction—huh. No hug for the new son-in-law. Not surprising based on her attitude. Couldn’t really blame her either.
The three of them headed out, and right as Rachel got to the door, holding it open with one hand, she shot her final shot.
“And when this blows up, like I’m certain it will, we’ll be here for you then, too.”
The door slammed, making Gabby jump and she stared at the door like she hoped to set it on fire.
“Bitch,” I muttered. Yeah, it was her mom, but that shit was unnecessary. What mom found some sort of sick enjoyment in making her daughter feel like a shitty loser?