“Will everyone be okay with a Christmas wedding?” Ava asked, looking around the table at her family.

Her mother, Reba, nodded. “Honey, I think it would be perfect. No matter when you two decide to become one, your father and I will be there.”

“Daddy?” she asked, looking down the table at him.

“Yes?”

“I know you always said that you could never give me away, because I would always belong to you. And I will, but what are your thoughts? You haven’t shared a word with me about how you feel about Bren and I marrying so quickly.”

Her father, Paul, folded his hands together, resting his elbows on the table. His cherubic red cheeks filled out even more as he smiled. “As long as Bren is going to be my son-in-law, I couldn’t be happier. Every time I thought of this moment, I was always afraid of whom you might choose to be your husband. But, to be honest with you, Ava, I couldn’t have chosen a more perfect match to be by your side throughout your life. Brendan and I have had long discussions on the phone while he was in New York. He made a flight down here the week before he asked you, to ask my permission.”

Ava’s eyebrows furrowed, and then her eyes widened in shock. “When?”

“That Tuesday. Remember the day he was running late to meet you and he told you his flight was late?”

“Yes?”

“Well, it wasn’t. He stopped by here to visit your mom and me first, and then he asked us not to utter a word.”

“And you know, Dad,” Roxanne chimed in. “When you tell him a secret, he’ll keep it safer than Fort Knox.”

“So, how did you get Mom to keep it quiet?” Keith joined in, sending a teasing smile at his mother.

“Oh, hush, you!” Reba said, waving a napkin at her son.

“That was a little harder,” Paul chuckled. “He promised your mother that they would film the next video in our backyard and her prized rosebushes would be a featured part of the video. She sold her silence for a starring role in his video.”

Everyone fell into rounds of laughter, as Reba blushed a warm smile lit her features. “Not just a starring role, but a role for my bushes.”

“This is going to be weird. My sister and my best friend,” Keith said, shaking his head. In the beginning, he hadn’t taken it easy at all. When Brendan had rushed from his home to find Ava after his return from LA, Drew and Roxanne had spilled the entire story to Keith. It took a while to convince him that his best friend had not been preying on his little sister over the years. And then it had taken several more conversations before Keith accepted it.

“Not really. You two have been like brothers all along,” Reba pointed out.

“That’s it precisely. If he’s like a brother, how does my sister marry her own brother?” Keith asked, scratching his thick thatch of brown hair.

“You know what? You’re just weird, not them. It’s you,” Roxanne said, nodding her head.

“Have you two made up your mind where you’re going to live?” Paul asked. She could tell by the tone of his voice he was worried about losing his daughter.

“He’ll still keep the condo in New York, where we will spend our summers. But we’re purchasing a home here in Atlanta.”

“After the wedding?” Keith asked. “Are you two staying at your apartment until then?”

Shaking her head, she pushed her broccoli around on her plate and giggled. “No, we’d never have peace living in that building. We’re going to start looking for a place now. As a matter of fact, I’ve already looked at a few places online and made appointments to view them while he’s in town this weekend. I think we should have it squared away before the wedding.”

“Do you have any idea of where you want to go?” Reba asked.

“We’ve been considering Roswell, Buckhead, Atlanta, and Alpharetta.”

“Well, I have no doubt you’ll know the perfect place when you’ve found it,” Reba replied.

“So, I hear there’s another announcement to be made,” Ava said, grinning at her sister-in-law, effortlessly taking the attention off her for a while.

“And that is?” Paul asked, looking around the table.

Keith reached over and grabbed his wife’s hand. “Mom, Dad, Roxi and I are going to make you grandparents this spring.”

“You’re thinking of having a baby?” Paul asked, his face lighting up with joy.

“We’re having a baby,” Roxanne clarified. “I’m six weeks along.”

Reba jumped up from her chair, making her way around to her daughter-in-law and pulling her out of her chair. Paul followed closely behind and waited for his turn. They kissed her and Keith, rejoicing over the good news going on in their close-knit family.

Ava sat back smiling. Her sister-in-law had shared the news with her two nights ago when Brendan was in town and both couples had shared dinner at Rex’s, an exclusive steakhouse. They had sworn them both to secrecy, because they didn’t want the grandparents to be offended that they weren’t told first.

They sat around, finishing dinner and making small talk a little longer.

Yawning, Ava stood from her chair. “Well, everyone, I have to be up early in the morning for class. I’ll see you all this weekend.”

“Okay, sweetie. Be safe and have a good night,” Reba said, hugging her daughter.

Keith and Roxanne followed her, stating they needed to prepare for the next day, too.

Everyone made small talk about babies and weddings, as the small entourage made their way outside to the cars.

Ava smiled lovingly at Brendan as he watched her show him the eighth floral arrangement of the afternoon. He had flown in to spend the morning with her brother and father, and his brother and grandfather, as they went shopping for tuxedos, and she and her mother and sister-in-law shopped for gowns. Now, he was all hers, and afterward, the two of them would have dinner and then prepare for a day of house-hunting on Sunday.

Ava still had difficulty believing she was marrying the man of her dreams. The one she had been in love with for so long, the one who caused any other men she dated to never have a true chance at her heart.

“Come on, you have to choose one, Bren,” she coaxed lightheartedly.

“Well, you’re going to be the one carrying them. Why do I have to choose?” he asked, his face a complex mask of confusion.

“Because, it’s going to match the boutonniere that you and your groomsmen wear,” she explained good-naturedly.

“Baby, any color you choose will be perfect. We’re making our decision based on what you choose.”

“Bren, I thought you wanted to be a part of this?” Her eyes were light with teasing, but her facial expression was serious.

“Oh, no!” he said, waving his hands in front of him. “You’re not pulling me into this.” He reached out and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her down onto his lap where he sat in the silk brocade chair of the floral shop’s private sitting room.

“Brendan!” she squealed, swatting him on the shoulder.

“What? I said, the only thing I can’t wait to be a part of is this dynamic duo of you and me. As for the rest of this, it’s for you, our friends and family, and—” he broke off, pressing a kiss to her neck.

“And?” she said, tossing her head to the side, exposing more of her neck for his adoration.

“And…my adoring fans,” he said, lifting his head and capturing her lips underneath his.

She sighed against his mouth. “We mustn’t disappoint them, huh?”

“Nope,” he whispered with a laugh. “How many kids do you want?”

Pulling back, she stared at him open-mouthed. “Kids?”

“Yes, you do want kids, don’t you?”

“Of course, I do. But where did that come from?”

Shrugging, he replied, “I don’t know. Maybe all the time I spent around Keith this morning, talking about babies. The only thing I could see in my head were a bunch of little Brendans and Avas running around. Little girls that look just like you, and handsome little fellas looking just like their dad.”

“Sounds like a wonderful fantasy to me, Mr. Powers. I think I’d like three.”

“Three?”

“Yes.”

“Why just three?” Brendan asked.

“Three is the perfect number.”

Looping her arms around his neck, she pulled him in close for another kiss. “I love you so much, Bren. And I’m so thankful that we found each other.”

“Me, too, babe. Me, too. You know, since we’ve been together, I’ve found a new level of inspiration in my songwriting.”

“Is that right?”

“Yep. We’re going into the studio to start recording the new tracks at the beginning of the year. And five of the new songs for our next album release will be ones written by me.”

“That’s awesome!” she squealed, kissing him again. They took their time savoring one another’s kiss, oblivious to the approaching footsteps.

“Mr. Powers, Ms. Cullen, I’m sorry I got pulled away for a moment, have you two—?” the florist broke off when she pulled the curtain back and saw them wrapped up in each other’s embrace. “Um, I’ll give you a little more time to decide,” she said, promptly closing the curtain back and rushing off.

Ava pulled back, wearing a smirk and looking into Brendan’s eyes, and they both fell into a fit of laughter. They were enjoying loving one another. Ava and Brendan were so thankful for Keith and Roxanne’s foresight in throwing the two of them together in a façade of love.