He smirked. “Of course I did.”
“Unlock me! And I’m never talking to you again.”
“Actually...” Nick stepped in front of him as a yellow taxi pulled up to the curb. “I need to ask you for one more favor.”
Chapter 25
We got married by the lake, standing on the very same pebbly shore where the two of us realized, for the first time, that the love between us was real.
James was happy to oblige this favor, because it didn’t involve handcuffs and a crazed sex fiend. When he officiated the ceremony, he did so with his usual gusto, armed with an online certificate he had taken to carrying around in his jacket like a badge of honor. Ferdie and the rest of the lake house staff catered the entire affair, but truth be told, it was a rather small event.
I wore a white dress, and Nick wore a tux. We exchanged vows together in front of a close circle of family and friends, everyone we loved in the entire world, with one notable exception.
“You didn’t invite my father?” Nick said softly, looking around at the end of the ceremony as we stood with James on the lakeshore.
James peered out at the beautiful, twinkling reception on the lawn. “Of course I did,” he scoffed. “I told him it was in Nantucket.”
“James!” I shrieked.
At that moment, we saw Mitchell walking toward us across the grass with a proud gait, subdued yet unbelievably happy, holding a glass of champagne in his hand.
“Then I decided that probably wasn’t my call to make,” James finished. He and Nick shared a swift embrace before James scooped me up and kissed me softly on the head. “Welcome to the family, Abby. It’s a wild ride, but you’ll get used to it.”
“What did I tell you about talking to my girl about wild rides?” Nick scolded playfully.
I giggled as he dropped me unceremoniously and rested a hand on my stomach. He was the only person to do that besides Nick, my doctor, and myself, but I knew there was no use in trying to explain such a boundary to James. To be honest, for him, it didn’t really exist.
“And you...” he whispered, kneeling down, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “We’re going to have lots of fun together, you and I.” He straightened then and looked suddenly serious. “I expect to be named godfather.” Then, without another word, he walked away, leaving Nick and me standing together on the shore.
“You know, he’s right about it being a crazy ride.” Nick tilted up my chin and kissed me softly on the lips, his eyes alight with adventure. “What do you think, Wilder? You up for it?”
A rush of excitement swept through me as I threaded my arms around his waist and gazed out toward the horizon. For the first time, it felt like it was within my reach.
“One way or another, we’re about to find out!”
To be continued...