Page 101 of The Oscar Escape
“No funny business with that plastic lobster,” the judge teased, then joined his wife and the rest of the islanders as the group left the beach.
Oscar sat and guided Aria onto his lap. “That was something.”
“That was definitely something,” she agreed.
“What does it feel like to be therealMrs. Elliott?”
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Probably what it feels like to be therealMr. Paige-Grant.” She gazed over his shoulder at the ocean. “Do you think we should call our families?”
As if on cue, a song blasted from his pocket.
Believe in who you are. Know yourself. Know your heart.
“Is that Ivy?” Aria asked as the ringtone song rang out for a second time.
He pulled his cell from his pocket. “Yeah, it’s a video call. Should I pick up?”
“Yes, of course. What if she needs us?”
Us.
“Okay.” He held up his phone and answered the video call. “Hey, Ives.”
Aria waved to the girl. “Hi, Ivy.”
“Yay! The video works. Guess what?” the little girl chimed.
“What?” he answered, feeling like shit for lying to the kid last they spoke, but she didn’t seem that concerned.
“Everybody is at our house. Say hi,” Ivy said and turned the phone.
It was a sight he’d seen many times over. Smiling faces. Laughter. Everyone was in the kitchen. His dad was at the stove. The other nanny love match men were nearby while his Charlotte sat with her best friends, Penny, Harper, and Libby.
“I’m calling you because Ms. Madelyn got here, and she said she’s going to visit someone close to where you guys are. And then she said she could bring me on her fancy plane to be with you guys, so I can give you your birthday presents. I miss you, Ozzy Bear, and you promised we could have a brother-sister adventure together.”
He had promised her. He grimaced. “Ives, about that—”
Aria took the phone, cutting him off. “What about a brother, sister, and sister-in-law adventure?”
“Sister-in-law?” Ivy repeated. “I don’t have a sister-in-law.”
Oscar eyed his wife and noticed the sly twist to her lips.
“You do now,” Aria announced, holding up her left hand.
That was one way to break the news.
The low murmur of conversation behind Ivy came to a crashing halt.
“Oscar and Aria are married,” Ivy’s raven-haired bestie Tula chirped, popping into the frame.
“Married?” came a chorus of voices behind the little girls.
He shared a look with Aria. “It just sort of happened, but we’re glad it did. I love Aria, and she loves me. I’m the luckiest guy on the planet,” he said, then raised his hand to show off his ring.
“Landon,” Aria’s aunt Harper crooned. Tears streamed down her cheeks as Ivy passed her the phone. “We know a little something about sort of ending up married. Must be a family trait.”
Dammit!If they hadn’t been blindsided by the lobster vows situation, he would have talked to Aria’s aunt and uncle first.
