I grinned, watching Tommy wolf down another burger. He was excelling these past six months, doing summer school and extra credit so he could finish up just one year behind instead of four. He was even playing sports like track and lifting weights, though nothing that involved potential head injuries.
He’d come a long way.
How far we had all come.
Our little family had exploded to include wives and kids and stepkids and brothers. We were all settling down and getting on with life. Our wild and reckless days were behind us.
Well, except for Drake and Mac. Those two were probably trying to find an exit plan so they could get back to the clubhouse and party. Mac was not a player but Drake was a ladies’ man. I was sure he’d be knee deep in club girls by midnight.
I turned my attention back to the drafting papers in front of me. Jack was leaning over the kitchen island like a giant, holding a pencil that looked like a toothpick in his huge hand. Drake, Mac, Whiskey and Cal were all weighing in on the building plans. Dev and Donnie had thoughts too. They were even talking about all of us having houses out here at some point. There was plenty of room for us all.
Devil’s Lake they were calling it. I could almost see it, with all the kids playing together and growing up safe and sound. They’d have all their aunties and uncles nearby. We’d all grow old together and protect each other until the end. It was a really fucking nice thought.
I kept looking out the widow at my Angel, feeling a deep sense of contentment unlike anything I had ever known.
I was trying to decide how many bedrooms the new house needed when my phone dinged.
I let out a whoop when I saw the text. The man I’d been waiting for this whole time had told me to hold onto my hat. He was coming.
“What is it?”
“Preacher is on his way!”
“What’s his ETA?”
“He said by Wednesday.”
“We should give him a day to dry out. He’s salty enough without being hungover on Mezcal.”
“So Thursday.” I grinned. “I’m getting married on Thursday.”
“Might want to check with your woman on that,” Dev said before pulling on his beer. “Trust me on that.”
“Right. Thanks, man.”
I headed out to the deck. I knew what he meant. Dev had nearly lost Kaylie when he tried to rush her into marriage. She claimed now that she was never going to actually break up with him. But he’d been a wreck for days. I’d been abroad so I didn’t see it, but the guys still talked about it sometimes.
Dev never cracked. Except where his woman was involved. I finally understood why. I would totally fall apart if my Angel left me now.
“Angel, how do you feel about a fall wedding?”
All conversation stopped as the women turned to look at me en masse.
“Fall? It’s fall now.”
I nodded.
“Everything is in motion. I just want to make sure it’s okay with you.”
“In motion?”
“I just got an ETA from Preacher.”
“ETA.” She blinked. “You mean estimated time of arrival?”
I nodded.
“That’s nice, sweetheart. I tried to get him here sooner but this was as fast as I could manage the rangy old bastard.”
“Wait, when exactly is this happening?”
I grinned at her stupidly. I was getting hitched. My prayers would be answered. I was marrying my Angel.
“Three days.”
My Angel looked like she might faint from the happiness.
Chapter 34
Kaylie
“All men are idiots,” Janet muttered as we fanned Kirsten’s face. Sally brought a cold washcloth from the house and pressed it against the poor girl’s face. She looked like she was going to throw up. She’d managed to keep it together until her fiancé went back inside, none the wiser that he’d dropped a bomb on his bride-to-be.
Meanwhile, Lucky was getting high fives from our stupid, stupid husbands.
“Stupid men. So stupid.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
“Get her a drink. A real one.”
Molly ran inside and grabbed a bottle of vodka from the freezer. She didn’t bother with cups. She just handed it to Becky. One by one, we passed the bottle around.
Well, except the pregnant and nursing members of our group. Which was pretty much… all of us, from the looks of it. Even Janet demurred and I stared at her. Janet loved vodka.
“Again?”
She rolled her eyes.
“Pretty sure. It’s early so I haven’t told Jack yet. I should probably get a diaphragm after this one.” She stared wistfully at her husband through the window. “Though I’m not sure that would stop them.”
“Them?”
“His super seed. I’m starting to think he could get me pregnant from across the room with a sling shot.”
We all burst out laughing.
I was nursing, so I also had to skip it unless I wanted to pump and dump. Molly and Sally were about to burst. Now Janet was expecting. I stared at Becky as she passed the bottle. She was still breastfeeding but I knew she always produced more than she needed, so she could easily skip a few feedings.