Chapter 38 #2
“Yep.” She leaned into me, going up on her toes even though she was in heels, and pressed a quick kiss to my cheek. All I could do was shake my head and grin.
While she grabbed her phone, I snatched up the room key, which was a dated brass key.
My mom wanted a small, intimate wedding with just family.
So instead of booking a huge venue, we rented this little cottage-like inn on the outskirts of Toronto.
It held ten rooms on the upper level. The lower level had an indoor ballroom for weddings, parties, or get togethers.
It was the perfect place to get married. Plenty of room for all fourteen of us, kids included, to stay for the weekend and celebrate.
With my hand on Emmie’s lower back, the two of us left the room to go meet everyone else.
As we walked, I marveled at how beautiful the inn was.
Dark wooden beams lined the staircase, the wood warm and polished with small grooves and imperfections.
The flowery wallpaper was old but carefully kept, its colors muted with age but still bright enough to give the space a certain kind of charm.
It gave off the exact vibes my mom wanted.
Familiar voices drifted up the stairs, along with the smell of flowers. I heard Kai’s giggles, followed by a small squeal, which made my lips curve into a smile. Em gave me a reassuring squeeze on my arm before she descended the stairs in front of me.
Today was a big day. Not just for my mom, but the entire family. Steven had been a part of the family for six years, but now it was official. Today, he became more than family in every way that mattered.
We followed the voices down the hallway, coming around the corner to see Trevor, Tasha, Mila, Bryton, and Lydia standing in front of the doorway to the ballroom. Josie was busy helping Evelyn get ready, while Landon and Wyatt did the same thing for Steven.
“There you guys are.” Tasha caught sight of us first. Her purple dress was similar to Em’s but had straps. When she turned, you could barely see her baby bump that was starting to show. She was glowing.
“Sorry we’re late. This one wanted to jump my bones,” I said, wrapping my arm around Em’s waist and tugging her into my side. I grinned when she jammed her elbow into my ribs.
“You are such a liar!”
While everyone chuckled, I caught Mila’s eye across from me.
She laughed along with the others, completely at ease.
It was a change to the solemn look that was on her face the last time she was in Buffalo.
Today, she looked happy and glowing in her off-the shoulder burgundy dress, braided hair falling down her back.
I shot her a soft smile, which she returned.
“Feel free to do what we do and never listen to a word Mateo says,” Lydia said. She wore a beautiful baby blue halter dress, her blonde hair recently cut to her shoulders.
“You love me, don’t deny it.”
“Eh.” Lydia shrugged but shot me a wide smile. She could deny it all she wanted, but she loved me.
I glanced at Trevor and Bryton, clad in the same black and white tux I was in. I almost made a remark about us starting a boy band but held back.
“Where’re the kids and—” Em started to say, but the sound of laughter and footsteps came from inside the ballroom. As a group, we stepped into the room, finding Kai, Wrenley, and Jayden running around the chairs set up for the ceremony. Tucker chased after them, tongue rolling out of his mouth.
I grinned at the sight. From the moment Tucker met the kids, they became best friends. Tucker knew the kids were fragile and knew not to play rough. Anywhere they went, he was right there as their guard.
The kids ran around the corner, Kai and Wrenley in adorable pink and yellow dresses while Jayden was wearing a suit but without the jacket. Give it a few minutes after the ceremony and he’d be crying about wanting to change.
When they came around the back of the chairs, Jayden suddenly fell to his knees, a thud echoing through the room. I winced and stepped forward with Trevor and Bryton, but we all paused when Tucker went up to Jayden, nudging him with his nose.
We stood there and watched as Jayden grabbed Tucker’s side and pulled himself to his feet, still smiling, not a tear in sight. Tucker licked his face, a giggle filling the room. That was all it took for Jayden to run after his sister and cousin, Tucker alongside him.
“Damn, that was the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life,” Trevor said. The others murmured in agreement. I had a feeling there would be tears when we took Tucker back home with us.
“This place looks great,” I commented as I stepped farther into the room. It was fairly large with a huge vaulted ceiling and beautiful wooden support beams. There were also these breathtaking floor-to-ceiling windows that looked straight out into a woodsy area.
Because it was the first week of November, the leaves were changing, a mix of bright yellow and reds, the perfect backdrop to get married to.
The room was beautifully decorated. All different shades of pink flowers lined the outer edges of the room, and chairs were situated in a way that made it seem like they took up more space than they did.
A simple white carpet ran from the start of the doors down to where the altar was situated, fitting perfectly against the red wood floors.
“The flower arch is my favorite,” Tasha gushed to Emmie. The white arch sat back from where mom and Steven would stand, pink and white flowers laced through it.
I was beyond excited for my mom, but all of this felt a bit surreal. Watching her get the kind of love she always deserved felt like watching everything finally fall into place. Pressure built behind my eyes. This was going to be an emotional day.
An arm looped around my neck, pulling me into Trevor’s side. “Come on kid, let's get your mom married.”