“I mean, Uncle Matthew handcuffed Aunt Karrie to the bed,” Viktor reminds us, and the three of us literally groan.
“What is wrong with you people?” Matty says. “It’s my wedding day; can we not talk about my aunt and uncle having sex?”
“I didn’t say they had sex,” Viktor defends. “You guys are perverts and your minds just went there.”
“How could it not?” Stone shakes his head and walks to the door. “Why else would you use handcuffs?”
“You should see if you can borrow them,” Christopher tells him, “maybe, then Ryleigh will give you the time of day.”
Stone just flips him the bird. “Can we not anger Romeo by talking about his sister dating Stone?”
Matty pleads between clenched teeth.
“They aren’t dating,” Christopher says right before walking out the door. “I think she said, ‘when donkeys help pigs fly.’”
“She changed her tune.” Stone says winking at us.
“Can we just not mess up my wedding?” Matty asks as we walk out of the house.
“No one is going to mess up your wedding,” I reassure him, looking at the house that I want to go back to. Instead, I look over to the side, seeing my family starting to get together.
I start walking to them when I turn to the side and see my father walking toward me. He’s wearing a light-blue suit without a tie. His aviator glasses cover his eyes, but with his face going into a huge smile, I know his eyes are a light brown.
“There he is,” he says when he gets close enough to me as he takes me in a hug. I got my height from my father, for sure. He slaps my back and kisses the side of my head before letting me go. “You look good.”
“You saw me two months ago.” I laugh at him as he puts his arm over my shoulder. “And we FaceTime at least twice a week.”
“It’s different when I see you face-to-face.” He lets his hands drop from my shoulders. “How’ve you been?”
“Okay,” I reply, looking down before I look at him and confess to him what just happened. My father is my biggest supporter. He’s also the one I go to anytime I have a problem, no matter what.
Even when I mess up, and there have been times that I’ve messed up, but instead of telling you “I told you so,” he calmly finds a solution. He and my mother couldn’t be more opposite.
“We need to have a conversation after this,” he advises me, and I literally stop in my tracks. Does he know? Did he meet Avery and know? Is he going to kick my ass for having a kid and deserting her?
He must sense I’m freaking out. “Nothing bad. I met Jenna,” he says, stopping as he puts his hands in his pockets. “Where did you meet her?” he asks me, and my eyebrows go up. “I’m not judging,” he quickly says, “I’m just wondering where the two of you met?”
I look around and see Avery running in the distance with other kids. My heartbeat picks up, going faster and faster, and it was already going faster than normal. “It’s nothing,” I tell my father, because after today, the only thing that will matter to me is my daughter. Which is a strange thought since I don’t think I’ve ever seen myself with a child. I mean, I knew I wanted to get married and start a family, but I never, ever pictured myself with a child. Especially one that was so beautiful like she is.
“I need to tell you something,” I start and then look over to see Matty posing for pictures. “But not here,” I say, not willing to ruin his day, “but tomorrow.”
“Is everything okay?” he asks, the worry filling his voice. I just nod my head because I don’t trust myself to say anything with the lump filling my throat. “Okay,” he agrees, “tomorrow.”
He slaps my shoulder before he walks away, leaving me standing in the middle of the field. My eyes are on my family on one side and my daughter on the other. “Tomorrow,” I repeat before I make
my way to my family.
addison
. . .
T he door closes behind Stefano, and I swear it’s like everything in me just leaves. “Oh my God,” I declare, trying to get to a chair before I collapse on the floor, which will make an even bigger scene.
“Oh my God,” Sofia says, putting the blue box down and looking around the room to make sure no one saw what just happened. All of the women are too busy getting ready to even care what just went down.
I put my face in my hands as the door opens again, and for the second time today, I think my heart stops. I look up expecting to see Stefano storm back in here and make a scene, but instead it’s Clarabella. “Okay, everyone but the bride,” she announces, “it’s time for pictures.” I let out the biggest sigh of relief and literally hang my head when the women slowly trickle out of the room. One of Sofia’s cousins comes over and takes Avery with her, as Presley and Shelby walk into the room and take a look around.