Page 41 of The Way We Collide

Use GPS. See you soon.

Raven

I can’t believe you’re springing this on me.

That’s a joke, right?

Now I’m standing in this small, wood-paneled, ancient-looking government room waiting for her to appear.

“We’ll have the both of you stand here to recite your vows.” An older man who looks like he’s worked here since the Reagan years is halfway through his instructions when the door opens and Raven steps through it. “The court secretary and I will serve as witnesses, since you don’t have your own…”

He continues speaking, but I can’t tear my eyes away from the woman who just entered the room. Her eyes hold mine as well, and my lungs tighten as I take in the sight of her.

She’s wearing a simple, knee-length cream dress with lace tiers forming the skirt. The top is a round scoop that shows off her mouth-watering cleavage, and it has quarter-length sleeves ending at her elbows with lace flowing onto her forearms.

She’s not wearing a veil. Instead, a pretty floral wreath is woven into her soft brown hair, which hangs in waves around her shoulders. Her amber eyes are framed in thick, dark lashes,and her pink lips are full and glossy. My hand instinctively rises to my stomach.

Our baby girl is on her hip, but for several moments, I only see Raven.

Haddy’s grumpy fuss breaks my stare, and I see she’s wearing a white dress made from that sheer fabric I always saw on Dylan’s ballet skirts. Tulle, I think? She also has a wreath of flowers in her hair, too, but they’re larger than her mama’s.

They’re also what’s causing her to fuss. A frown twists her small features, and she keeps reaching up to try and lift it off her head.

Raven moves her hands down again, putting a pacifier in her mouth. Axel is tucked under her arm, and when she sees me, everything changes.

She bounces on her mom’s hip. Her little hands reach out, and I laugh at how happy she is. Raven’s full lips curl with a smile, and I don’t know what to make of all these warm and zippy feelings in my stomach.

I’ve known a lot of people, but none have ever reached in and snatched my heart right out of my chest the way this tiny human has.

Jack’s daughter Kimmie always runs and yells when she sees me, but it’s different. We’re close, but she’s a lot more excited to jump on Grizz’s back than to hold her arms out to me.

Haddy, by contrast, seems to know I’m her dad, and she likes it.

The muscles in my shoulders tense. What does a baby girl want from a guy like me? I’m still learning, but whatever it is, I’ll do my best to give it to her.

Hell, if I have anything to do with it, she’ll never have a sad day in her life. Which is pretty much the reason we’re here.

The old man is back, touching my arm. “Ready to begin?”

I glance at Raven, who’s still waiting at the back door. She gives me a little nod, and I give her an encouraging smile.

“We’re ready,” I say.

“Let me turn this on!” The court secretary is an equally old lady with white hair styled in a round pouf around her head.

She scurries over to a side table and presses the button on a black, rectangular-shaped cassette player. With a loud click, it begins playing the wedding march.

The speaker is tinny with not enough bass, but the song is instantly recognizable.

Raven walks in time down the center of the room to where I’m standing, and my baby girl reaches for me. I take her, moving her into the crook of my arm, and she rests her head on my shoulder still sucking her pacifier.

I smile down at her pretty mamma. “You okay?”

My voice is quiet, and she blinks rapidly as she nods.

“You look really nice,” she whispers. “Very handsome.”

“You’re very beautiful.”

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