Page 36 of Beau & Autumn

“See, you’re getting it,” Blake says as she twirls hers effortlessly.

“Let’s see you, Uncle Beau!” Trinity is pretty good at it considering she’s a tiny little thing with no waist at all.

“Yes, let’s,” I say, with a hand on my hip.

Beau makes a dramatic show of setting up his hoop before he spins it and swirls his hips, keeping it going around and around and around. I’m almost a little mesmerized watching him. It doesn’t even fall down like mine did. He stops it and holds it in place as he gives me a lopsided grin.

“Have you been practicing?” I laugh.

“I think he has,” Blake agrees.

“Let’s all hoop together!” Trinity cries as Daisy tries to grab her hoop in all the excitement.

“Alright, let’s,” Beau says. “Because I think your grandma is just about to serve dinner. So ready… one…two… three.” We all start swirling at the same time, none of us can contain our laughter. And it’s definitely not something I thought I’d be doing when I was getting ready to come here tonight.

I’m not doing too bad until I see Beau, who’s hooping toward me, showing off, then his hoop hits mine and they both fall. “Hey!” I laugh and bend down to pick mine up. Blake loses control of hers and little Trin is the last one standing.

“I win!” she calls out happily, jumping up and down waving her rabbit around.

“What’s all this noise out here?” Brook sticks his head out the door and waggles his eyebrows.

“Trinity is beating us all in hula hooping, Dad.”

“Well, I’ll give you a challenge for the title after dinner, Trin. Grandma wants you kids to wash up, okay?”

They both run off inside with their hoops, the dogs running after them.

“You two alright?” Brook asks, scratching his head while we’re just standing there.

“Fine,” Beau says. “Just entertaining the kids.”

“You two better wash up too.” He gives us a wink and heads back inside.

“That was fun,” I say. “I never knew you could move like that.”

Beau grabs his hoop and starts to walk toward the door and I follow. “I’ve got skills you’ve never seen,” he says with a cheeky smile.

My heart does a little strum… and I feel it somewhere else, too.

Oh, God. Not again.

Luckily I’m quickly snapped out of my momentary lapse on the friends-train when we get back inside. Everyone is taking their places at the table and Patti and Gayle are pouring everyone a champagne.

“Is anyone going to tell us what’s going on?” Gray says as Beau and I both take a seat.

“Can’t we all get together for a family dinner without anything going on?” Gayle says, flashing a grin toward Patti. Yep, something is definitely going down.

“Not when all the fine China, special cutlery, and crystal glasses are out,” Gabe adds.

It’s Callan that coughs and pipes up next. Pushing his chair back to stand, he tings his glass with the teaspoon from one of the bone China cups on the table and everyone looks up at him. Celeste’s beaming from ear to ear… Oh wow. I can tell they have a pretty big announcement, and they’re already engaged, so they’ve either set a date for the wedding or…

“We were going to wait until after dinner,” he says, glancing down at her, she smiles up at him and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “But Celeste and I can’t wait another second. Honey, do you want to tell everyone?”

“Out with it!” Brook hollers through cupped hands and everyone laughs.

“Okay so…ummm.” Celeste pauses, pressing her lips together for a moment. “We wanted to let everyone know that I’m pregnant!” she giggles. And the glow and happiness that spreads over her face brings warmth to my heart.

The whole table makes the same noise at once and Patti, who obviously already knew, is over there hugging Celeste and Callan in a heartbeat. “My first grand baby!” she cries. “Can you all believe it!”

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