I’d been saving for something for Marcus ever since I went back to work. I hadn’t decided what it was going to be, maybe a ring, maybe a vacation. I’d used some of it on the nursery but still had quite a bit left over. But when Marcus asked me to elope, I knew exactly what I was going to do with the money, and I started making calls immediately. Surprisingly, Joe was my most valuable resource. As much as I wanted to see Marcus, I was grateful for the time and space to make my plans. Mama's doctor gave her a clean bill of health and we went out for a celebratory dinner. She was as excited as I was about my plan, and between calls and texts to Joe and brainstorming with Mama, by the time we boarded the plane the next day, everything was in place. 

A limousine met us at the airport, and we went straight to the house.

I bounded in the house, the dogs announcing my arrival as Marcus pushed himself off the couch to greet me. At twenty weeks, his belly was definitely out there, and I loved the feel of it pressed up against me as I pulled him in for a kiss. "Are you ready to go get married?" I asked him.

"Yes," he said breathlessly. "Let's go now."

"Just let me get changed." I kissed him on the nose.

Marcus pouted. "No one's going to be looking at our clothes, Killian."

Mama came in and gave Marcus a hug and a congratulations as I called back, "I feel travel gross." I quickly switched into a nice button down and slacks.

Marcus's eyes scanned me hungrily when I came out. "Well, now I need to get changed. I'm completely covered in dog hair. I won't have the justice of the peace thinking you're marrying a homeless werewolf."

I had been counting on his sense of style to prompt him to dress up without me having to spoil the surprise, and he hadn't disappointed me. He didn't suspect anything until we stepped out of the house and he saw the limo was waiting.

"Parker... you realize this isn't a fancy wedding, right?"

I shrugged. "I know it's not the fanciest, but we should have some fancy, shouldn't we? I know we've been talking about a wedding at the house, and all kinds of decorations, and this isn't that. And it doesn't have to be. And we can totally have another wedding. But I want any wedding of ours to have a little fancy."

There were tears in his eyes as he kissed my lips. "You're so sweet."

And I wasn't even close to done yet.

But the next step went as expected. We approached the justice of the peace, signed our papers, paid our fee, said "I do"—which even I didn't get through without one tear, and then when we stepped out of the courthouse, there were a couple of street musicians playing, just as planned. It had been Mama's idea, and Joe had known just the right people. The guitar and the violin played a melody I didn't know, something sweet and yearning, something that reminded me of summertime and first love and new beginnings. I held my hand out to Marcus and asked him to dance. 

I folded him in my arms and we swayed back and forth to the music. I had never considered myself a dancer, not like the people I'd seen at the clubs, but I liked this sweet, slow dance, Marcus tucked in tight, his hands around my neck. After they finished their song, Marcus gave them a tip and they wandered away, continuing to play. 

"What now?" I asked Marcus. 

He leaned in to me. "I kinda want to take you home and have married sex."

That sounded amazing. But my plans hadn't quite wrapped up yet. "Mmm... that sounds like it will take energy, and I haven't eaten yet, I was so excited. Mind if we get some food first?"

"Of course!" Marcus looked stricken. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be selfish."

I nuzzled his neck. "I like it when you're selfish. Especially when it involves sex. But I do need some food."

"Food first," Marcus agreed. "Then sex. Lots and lots of sex."

I gave the limo driver the address of our next stop.

"What are we doing h—" Marcus started as we pulled to a stop in front of Café Om. He turned to narrow his eyes at me. "Killian..."

"Come on," I said, wanting him to experience the entirety of my surprise. I think the only reason he followed me without a word was that if he spoke, the tears in his eyes would have brimmed over.

Inside, Mama, Coop, his old boss Abrar, some of his co-workers, Joe, and his brother Parker were waiting for us.

"You guys," Marcus protested as they each came forward to wish us congratulations and embrace us. Parker had Miles and Ariana pulled up on a video chat on his phone, so they got to congratulate us too.

We kept things simple, but there was cake, and there was bubbly apple juice. Marcus kept turning to me, whispering "thank you," but it was only as we were driving home that my final surprise arrived. 

My phone dinged with a message as Marcus leaned sleepily against me, too full of cake and apple juice, and I checked it. The photographer and videographer Joe had recommended had been everything I asked for. I had caught sight of them a couple times throughout the day, but no one else had commented on their presence. I opened the video. It was the rough cut, the email said, but that was all I needed right now.

I handed the phone to Marcus and pressed play.

There we were kissing outside of the car, and then getting in. And then at the courthouse. Dancing. Laughing with our friends. Toasting, clinking our glasses, stuffing cake into each other's mouths. They'd managed to catch so many moments that highlighted the love between us, our family and our friends. 

I could feel Marcus's body shaking as he cried yet again, and I didn't feel bad at all. I didn't mind making him cry, as long as it was tears of happiness, and Marcus was already prone to those before the pregnancy.

"Did I do good?" I whispered in his hair.

"So good," he said. "You get all the sex."

I kissed the top of his head. Sex or no sex, all I had wanted was to make this day special, as long as I had achieved that, as long as Marcus knew how much he was loved, how much I loved him—that was all that mattered.