CHAPTER NINETEEN

One Year Later

“Are you ready?” I asked Jessica, adjusting the ribbon on my fuchsia empire-waist maid of honor dress. “You look stunning.”

She did. She was a beautiful bride, her hair in an updo, her makeup perfect, her body shown to advantage in a strapless princess gown. She had wanted a mermaid style, but out of respect for her father, had gone with something less revealing, in an ivory. She was also walking herself up the aisle, since her dad was officiating her marriage to Riley, and was waiting at the altar.

She gave me a solid nod, with virtually no sign of nerves. “I’m ready.”

I gave the signal to Robin, who started down the aisle, followed by Rory, and Jessica’s cousin. When I went down, I looked for Jonathon, and smiled at him when I spotted him midway. He smiled warmly back. My boyfriend was so cute. Then I looked up at the groomsmen and saw Tyler, standing solid next to his brother as his best man, and Phoenix, whose hair had grown even longer, looking comfortable and confident. Jayden was shifting restlessly next to Tyler, clearly nervous, and Easton, who had grown two inches in the last year, was fiddling with the cuffs of his suit jacket. Riley looked stiff, but very handsome, all the guys in matching black tuxes with black Converse on their feet.

Jessica’s father, who I had known since seventh grade, gave me a wink when I got to the front. He seemed surprisingly okay with the whole marriage thing. Maybe because Riley and Jess had been living together for two years. He had to know it was going to stick at this point, but also he probably preferred them to be legally married instead of just shacking up.

I knew by looking at Riley the second Jessica appeared at the back of the church that this was the real deal. He looked stunned and in the best way possible. He swiped at his eye quickly and my heart melted. I glanced at Jonathon, who was watching me, his expression warm and intense. Then I saw Jessica come down the aisle, beaming, regal.

“She looks beautiful,” Rory murmured to me under her breath.

She did. And her vows were strong, her voice clear as she repeated after her father. Riley’s were, too, his shoulders back, his normally teasing voice solemn. Then without warning he went rogue.

“And I know this isn’t part of the ceremony, but I have to add something. I need you to know that I understand that I’m committing to you, but that you have taken a vow, and a commitment, not just to me, but to my brothers and I want you to know how much that means to me, how much I love and appreciate you for that. I can’t ever . . .” His voice cracked a little. “Repay you for that, but I can promise you that you’ve got me and these guys backing you up for the rest of your life.”

Jessica was swiping at her eyes, trying not to screw up her makeup, and she leaned forward and gave him a kiss. “Thank you.”

Riley gave her father a sheepish look. “Sorry.”

“Emotions are never something to be ashamed of, son. Every woman needs to know she is appreciated. Marriage is a partnership.”

I could feel Jonathon’s eyes on me and as I adjusted my bouquet in front of my baby bump, I met his gaze. I love you, he mouthed.

Grateful there was no recording of the ceremony being done, I mouthed it right back, wanting him to know that I couldn’t wait for the day when it was my turn to stand up there and commit to him.

Not that I hadn’t already.

I had moved to Illinois with him and knew that I would go anywhere on the planet as long as we were together. We were having a baby, despite me going on the pill to ease his anxiety. Because it was meant to be.

It was written in the stars and I would never doubt him or myself again.

*   *   *

Kylie looked tired as I pulled her down onto my lap at the reception, her cheeks flushed from dancing. Resting my hand on her bump, I kissed the back of her head. “How are you doing? Do your feet hurt?” I had wanted her to wear flat shoes, but she had insisted on matching the other bridesmaids.

“They are totally killing me,” she said cheerfully, kicking them off. “Of course, I’ll never be able to get those back on, but whatever.”

“I’ll rub your feet tonight, and anything else you would like rubbed, for that matter.”

“Ooh, yummy.” She shifted and kissed me. “How inappropriate is it that I totally want to do you even though we’re staying at my parents’ house?”

“Not at all,” I assured her. Now that she was in her second trimester, Kylie was eager for sex, and I was eager to take advantage of that fact. “I think your parents know we have sex.”

She laughed. “True. What do you think gave it away?” She pointed with her two index fingers to her belly.

I ran my thumb over her bump, loving the changes to her body, loving that it was our baby growing in there. In defiance of two forms of birth control. Now that was science, though Kylie preferred to call it a miracle. She also didn’t find the onesie I’d bought that said “Made with Love and Science” nearly as entertaining as I did. I’d give her the miracle thing publicly but I wasn’t returning the onesie.

“Your family is being really awesome,” I told her. I had met them during the holidays over the past year and they had been to Evanston once to visit, but we were in Troy for a whole week to celebrate Kylie’s graduation and to be there for all the wedding prep and events for Jessica, and my girlfriend’s family had been great. My mother had come up for the graduation party and she and Kylie’s mom were definitely enjoying bonding over their future grandchild.

Who was a boy. According to the science of ultrasound.

“They’re just glad to have us around.”

We were going to be in Evanston at least two more years so I knew that was hard for them, but Kylie and I both liked it there.

Robin collapsed into a chair at the table with us. “I’m sweating bullets. I can’t dance with Jayden anymore. He’s like Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing. He’s relentless.”

I had to admit Riley’s brothers were entertaining to watch. Easton had already stuck his face in the chocolate fountain, earning him a cussing out from Tyler, and Jayden was chatting up all the ladies.

Kylie laughed. “Totally. Where is Phoenix?”

I was proud of her for being able to forgive Robin and move past all of that. I knew it helped that Robin had been so clearly contrite, and that she had completely changed her life. She and her boyfriend lived an organic lifestyle, even growing their own food, and belonged to an artists’ collaborative down in New Orleans.

“He is running the leftover reception food to the local food bank. It’s something Riley worked out ahead of time. He’ll be back in ten minutes.” She pulled her dark hair off her neck and fanned herself. “By the way, you are like the cutest pregnant person ever.”

“You should have seen me two months ago.”

I nodded. “There was projectile vomiting. It wasn’t pretty.” It seemed Kylie was just going to be one of those women who were prone to aggressive morning sickness. It hadn’t helped that I been on edge, worried about another miscarriage. Kylie had been serene, though, sure that everything was fine. Sometimes I watched her and I was amazed at how instinctively maternal she was, and how much she had blossomed into a mature woman. Or how mature she’d always been. I felt downright neurotic compared to her.

“Thanks, honey.” She made a face at me.

“You’re pretty. Just projectile vomiting isn’t pretty.”

“Quit while you’re ahead.”

“I’m not sure I’m actually ahead at this point.”

She laughed.

Then she reached out and grabbed Jessica’s hand as she came over and sank down into a chair next to us.

“Holy shit, I am having so much fun! And shit, did I just say holy shit?” Jessica asked.

“I didn’t hear it,” I told her as she glanced around guiltily.

“I mean, my father is being pretty awesome. I don’t want to be disrespectful. I mean he didn’t even say anything about you being knocked up, Kylie bug.”

Kylie snorted. “No, he totally didn’t.”

“Hey,” I protested. “It’s not like she’s just knocked up by some random guy.”

Jessica yanked up the bodice of her dress and gave me a look. “This time.”

Ouch. “Point taken.”

“My eggs just want to be fertilized by his sperm,” Kylie told her. “We can’t help it.”

I visualized her eggs with free will and was amused.

“Oh my God,” Jessica said. “I can’t wait for you guys to see our new house. It’s the tits.”

I had to laugh. It seemed the champagne had given her only arbitrary control over her tongue.

“That didn’t sound right, did it? Anyhoo, it was awesome of Dad to give us the down payment to move to Pleasant Ridge. The only reason Riley would accept it was because he said it was a wedding gift, but you know it’s totally because my father hated me living in that area. I’m kind of going to miss the old dump, but at the same time the new house is the cutest little Tudor, and it’s a way better neighborhood for the boys.”

The girls chattered away, offering each other decorating tips as I mostly tuned them out, content to feel Kylie on my lap, her neck enticingly in front of my mouth. I kissed her there, feeling an erection growing. She was sexy pregnant. Her body had swelled in all the right places and she was super responsive to my touch. It was just a perfect package and I had a hard time keeping my hands off her. But I figured it was a wedding and romance was in the air so I could go for it.

She didn’t seem to mind.

“Where is Rory?” Robin asked. “I haven’t seen her in awhile.”

“There she is,” Kylie said. “Coming out of the bridal room. With Tyler.”

“Shut the door,” Jessica said, sounding gleeful. “Did they just bow chicka bow wow at my wedding reception? They totally did! Her hair is a hot mess.”

“Wow, I didn’t know she had it in her,” Kylie said. “You introduce her to a pierced penis and lookie what happens.”

“What?” I asked. “Pierced penis?” Maybe I didn’t actually want to know.

“Never mind, sweetie. You don’t want to know.”

Fine with me.

Riley appeared behind Jessica and put his hands on her shoulders. “What’s that?”

She jumped. “Oh, nothing. We were just commenting on the fact that Tyler and Rory just came out of the bridal room together.”

“Well, they’ve been at Rory’s dad’s with the boys. He’s probably feeling blue balls as much as I am. This has been a long week of celibacy.”

“I am not having sex with you in the bridal room,” Jessica said. “My mother is still not happy with me; I am not going to risk that. We have a hotel tonight. You can wait another two hours.”

“I never even thought about it, though thanks for putting the idea in my head, then nixing it.”

“Who is having sex in the bridal room?” Phoenix asked, sitting down beside Robin and tossing his hair out of his eyes.

“Rory and Tyler,” Kylie said, immediately.

“Don’t sound so happy about it,” I told her, shifting her weight slightly. My leg was falling asleep.

Rory came up and looked around at everyone, her smile for Tyler falling off her face. “What? What are you all talking about?”

“So what have you been up to?” Jessica asked. “Wink, wink.”

“Tyler was giving me a gift for graduation and for getting accepted into med school.”

“You got her to accept sex as a gift?” Riley asked his brother. “I am so jealous.”

“We were not having sex!” Rory shot him a dirty look. “Tyler gave me this necklace.” She leaned forward so her friends could see the diamond pendant dangling down from her neck.

“Ooh, pretty,” Kylie said.

“Love it,” Jessica said. “Though I’m surprised it’s not an engagement ring.”

Riley squeezed her shoulders. “Jess! None of your business, sweetheart.”

“We’re waiting until Rory graduates,” Tyler said. “Then we’ll get married when I go back to school and finish the degree I started nine million years ago. It’s all good.”

“It’s totally working for us,” Rory said.

“You’ve been together the longest,” Robin pointed out. “It’s been two and a half years even if you factor in your breakup. I think you’ve made it past the hump.”

“True,” Jessica said.

“Hey, how do we figure out how long we’ve been together?” Kylie asked me, glancing at me over her shoulder. “Because there’s when we met, then when I told you I was pregnant, then when we started sleeping together again, then when we didn’t talk, then when we were together, and—”

I cut her off. “We’ve been together since the day we met.” I lifted my arm to show her my exposed skin where I had rolled up my dress shirt. “See?”

She traced the numbers of our anniversary tattoo with her finger.

“Maybe not technically.” I touched her chest right above her breast. “But we’ve been together in our hearts since that night.” Then I kissed her.

She sighed. “I love you.”

“Smooth,” was Riley’s opinion.

“And this would be how she’s pregnant,” Tyler commented.

I threw a balled-up napkin in their general direction and I kissed my girlfriend.

Kylie was right. I was a romantic. It happened when you found the one.

Even to me.