Page 111 of Adoring Delaney

“You look beautiful,” I told her as I pulled her into my arms. “Love seeing you in a dress.”

“Thank you.”

I knew my woman was smiling even if I couldn’t see her face. I could hear it and that made it even better because me not seeing it, meant she was where she belonged—tucked close with her cheek to my chest.

Just like the last time we were here, the backyard was packed. Only this time there was a table piled high with presents.

“Goddamn, I never get that many presents for my birthday,” I grumbled to my dad who’d met us as soon as we’d cleared the back door.

“Swear that gives me flashbacks to you two boys countin’ your Christmas presents.”

Ethan and Jasper were making their way to us and my brother looked happy, Jasper looked happier.

“Hey, brother, Happy Birthday.” I grabbed him in for a hug and pounded his back. “You look better than you sounded last night.”

“Lots to be happy about.”

“Honor agree on a C-section?”

“Fuck no. As long as the doctor says Hudson’s okay, she’s in it for the long haul.”

Jasper was eyeing Delaney and they were sharing a secret smile, but before I could ask what it was about, my brother spoke again, “Hey, come with me a minute, I wanna show you something.”

I turned to Laney, gave her a kiss on her cheek, and reminded her. “Sit and relax.”

“Aye, aye, Lieutenant.”

“Don’t be cute. You’re overdoing it.”

“I’ll sit down in just a minute,” she acquiesced and I narrowed my eyes. “Seriously, honey. Go with your brother. I’m fine.”

I kissed her forehead and turned to my brother. He wasted no time walking across the backyard over to the pond.

“Everything okay?” I asked when he stopped.

“Everything’s perfect.”

“Then why are you acting all weird?”

“Me? Weird? I’m not being weird.”

“Now you totally are. What the hell?”

Ethan didn’t speak, instead he tipped his head, motioning behind me, and my breath caught.

No. That wasn’t right, my heart stopped and I was dizzy.

Jasper was walking Delaney toward me. My dad was right behind them with Emily and my mom on either side of him, and behind them was the rest of our family.

All smiling the same secret smile.

The crowd parted and circled around me and I understood.

Christ. We’d talked about this. I wanted to get married now, she wanted a big wedding after the baby. I gave in and agreed to give her whatever she wanted.

The same Justice of the Peace who had married Tuesday and Jackson stepped around and stopped to face my family.

“Who gives this woman, Delaney Lillian Walker to marry Carter McGrath Lenox?” he asked.

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