“That was lovely, Father. Thank you very much.”

Calder studied Stephanie as she went to Eduardo Valleja-Marquez and wrapped the man in a big hug. He’d known the guy for decades. Forty years, at least. Having a priest in the family wasn’t a bad thing, and in Ed’s case, the joy he felt for God resonated in every single word and deed and rubbed off on the rest of the family in a positive way.

He was also a Marquez—another baby boomer—and possessed a clever wit. His sister, Ashleigh, adored him and remarked frequently that she hit the jackpot with her brother-in-law. Sure, he was a man of the cloth, but he was also fucking hilarious in a tongue-in-cheek way.

“I worked on that blessing, ya know.” The collared priest sniggered. “Maybe for five whole minutes.”

Calder offered a high five that Ed enthusiastically accepted. Their hands slapped as they both chuckled.

His beautiful and very pregnant fiancée crossed her arms and tried to look serious, but all he saw was how her arms rested atop the bump where his son or daughter grew. As anxious as he was—as they both were—to finally hold their baby, he happily admitted to enjoying seeing his woman with child. She was beautiful, radiant, and happy. What could possibly be better?

Stephanie Bennett, soon-to-be Dane, was what he liked to call a raconteur of Southern chark. What was chark? Charm plus snark—with a Southern drawl. And she did it with a dollop of grace that made it better.

“Five whole minutes, shugah?” With a doubtful smirk, she then rubbed her belly. “Although,” Miss Southern Gotcha cooed, “you can do a lot with five minutes.” She shrugged nonchalantly and gave them the eye. “Or four minutes. Maybe even three. Certainly, more than a minute and a half.”

Ed burst out laughing and smacked him on the back. “I think she just called you out.”

He grinned so big his face hurt. “Did you just infer I’m a minuteman?”

Calling on all the Southern chark she could muster, Stephanie smiled and shurugged. “If the cowboy boot fits, darlin’.”

Calder comically gasped and shook his head. “Dude,” he moaned to Ed. “Do you see what I have to put up with?”

Ed made a stern face and shook a finger at them. “That’s what you get for fornicating outside marriage.”

Stephanie, of course, found his statement royally hilarious and cracked up. “Fornicate? Really, shugah?”

“It’s on the list of approved gotcha words,” Ed lazily drawled.

“You couldn’t just say sleeping together?”

Ed stifled a laugh. “Were you sleeping when you made that baby?”

His Duchess screwed up her face with genteel outrage and turned to him. “Tell me again why he’s here?”

“He’s here, darlin’, to remind us that we are just grains of sand in a …”

“Oh, for Pete’s sake, zip it, Moondoggie.” She turned to Ed. “Ash told me what a troublemaker you are, Padre.”

“Well.” He scoffed with a sly wink. “I couldn’t just stand by and let my brother marry a pagan. From California, no less!” Ed shook his head. “Sheesh.”

“He’s joking.” Calder was quick to assure Stephanie when she startled.

It was all kinds of amusing to see her reaction. One by one, he ticked off what he saw on her face. She wasn’t sure where the kidding ended and the church stuff began.

“Please remember when he’s yanking your chain that Ed, Cristián, and my sister—Wendy and Matt, for that matter too—are all card-carrying official members of the sex, drugs, and rock and roll generation. There’s a reason they know every song from 1960 on. Don’t let the collar fool you.”

The world became a perfect place when Father Eduardo Marquez flipped him off. If a distinguished looking priest had never given you the finger, then you hadn’t lived.

“Are there Hail Marys attached to that gesture?” Stephanie asked.

Ed laughed. “I rely on a savings account of Hail Marys. Try to bank as many as possible so that when I experience an infraction of the rules, there are a few on the tally sheet for quick acknowledgment of my grievous fault.”

His soon-to-be wife blinked a few times and stared at Ed. She was trying to figure out if he was serious. In a flash, she turned his way. “Are you sure you want him to marry us?”

They’d been messing around, but all of a sudden, Father Ed got serious in a hurry.

“I shouldn’t joke when the suit is on,” he somberly confessed. “My bad.”

Then he took Stephanie’s hands and led her to the sofa. He sat next to her and waved Calder to an easy chair.

“All kidding aside. I’m proud of how you’re approaching the huge life changes you’re juggling.”

“Really?” The slight tremor of uncertainty in Stephanie’s voice was kind of sweet.

“Absolutely. And as a representative of the church? Guys, for real. I’m fine with the timing.” He patted Stephanie’s knee. “It’s a wonderful thing to be proud of the gift you’ve been blessed with. Holding off to marry until there’d be no hiding your pregnancy? Aw, come on,” he drawled. “God smiles on joy.”

She turned eyes swimming with tears on him and gave a quivering smile.

“And from a family standpoint, let me say this. Some of Alex and Meghan’s touching spirituality surrounding their vows rubbed off on you two. I like how you stepped back after the initial rush of excitement and broke it down.”

He saw a flash in Stephanie’s eyes and rushed to allay her fears once again.

“Duchess, it’s fine. Alex is one hundred percent on board with the changes.”

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yes, honey. It’s all good. Cristián Marquez has been more than a brother-in-law over the years. He’s my hero in a lot of ways. If you need an example of an honorable man, look no further. He’s had my back more times than can be counted.”

“You said it quite eloquently, Calder,” Ed added. “Cris is the epitome of a best man—in the most basic sense of what the term means.” He looked at Stephanie. “And Alex is who you turned to when Victoria was in trouble. He’s the reason you’re here at all. Asking him to give you away honors your long friendship.”

“It’s as it should be, babe. Tori staked her matron-of-honor claim, and Cris stands as my best man and chief supporter while Alex hands you to me.”

“Don’t forget Bella and Daniel.”

“That’s right.” Ed chuckled. “Every small, intimate family wedding needs a precocious six-year-old flower girl and a toddling ring bearer. Sure to be entertaining.”

Calder’s heart pounded when her hand crept out and reached for his. He clutched her fingers and noticed the slightest tremble. Bringing her hand to his mouth, he gently kissed her knuckles.

“I love you, Duchess. I love Victoria, Daniel, and that butthead St. John. I love the baby we made. I love the life we’re making here, and I love how much and how fiercely you love. Thank you, sweetheart. Thank you for taking a chance on a beat-up old surfer with zero relationship experience.”

She smirked at Ed. “You might want to look away or run to the bathroom.”

The affable priest chuckled. “Understood.” And with that, he rose from the sofa and casually walked off toward the half bath behind the kitchen.

Stephanie wasted no time wiggling onto his lap so she could kiss him with more than a little passion.

“We’re having a baby,” she murmured close to his lips.

“And we’re getting married.”

She kissed him again, this time with her fingers getting insistent in his hair. Whispering into his ear, she said, “Hurry the good father on his way, okay?” Then she sucked his earlobe into her mouth and bit it.

He very nearly turfed her ass in his haste to get Ed out of there. Anyone who imagined pregnant sex would be a drag had obviously not had kids. His lady was a rodeo champion and a graceful dancer. She combined both into a sexy penchant for riding his cock. Nobody rode like Stephanie did. Nobody.