“Yes. Do you like it?” A big smile forms on her face, and the sight of it makes it hard to swallow for a moment. She spins around in her Wonder Woman costume, and Hudson groans next to me. “Jeremy dressed up as the Green Lantern. I know they aren’t really together and all, but the costume looks so good on him.”
“I bet it does. We definitely have to take pictures of you guys before you leave later. You look beautiful, honey.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Mira gives me a shy smile, and I elbow Hudson in the ribs when she looks at him expectantly.
He lets out a big breath and walks over to her. “Come here.” He opens his arms for her, and she walks into them without a word. He gives her a kiss on the forehead and lowers his voice. “Jeremy is a lucky guy, you look absolutely stunning. He better keep his hands to himself, though.”
“Daaaad.” She draws out his name in pretend annoyance but cannot hold back her smile.
“Group hug.” I walk over to them with a cheesy grin on my face, making both groan.
“Hey, don’t forget about us, Mom,” someone calls from the hallway, just as our other three little superheroes come running into our bedroom. Jaxon is dressed as The Flash, while the twins, who just turned ten last week, wanted to be Superman and Supergirl.
Jaxon pulls back first, a serious expression on his face. “Uh, guys, Gigi is downstairs opening the champagne, and Grandma said she’s not sure how long she can fend off everyone from the food.”
His comment makes me laugh for several reasons, and he gives me an odd look in return. It’s not necessarily funny to a thirteen-year-old when his great-grandmother Hannah is ready to party. At that age, everything seems to be at odds.
“Well, let’s battle the crowd then, shall we?” Hudson claps his hands.
I nod and push everyone out of the room, watching the kids take off down the stairs.
Hudson catches me around the waist again, pulling me close. “You know I love my family to death, but I can’t wait to have you all to myself later.”
“And you will. All night long.”
He kisses me, and I can taste the promise of a fantastic night.
Just when I consider ditching the crowd for just a little longer, Mo yells for us from downstairs.
After giving Hudson one more quick peck, I take his hand and pull him with me. “Later, babe.”
“All right, all right. Let’s get this party started.”
Bonus Chapter Five
Wedding
Charlie
Monica sighs next to me. “Please tell me Gabe looks at me the same way Jaxon looks at your boobs.”
I chuckle as we both gaze at my little boy who interrupts his meal to grin at us before he goes back to sucking.
Standing up, Monica points at Jaxon. “I mean, look at the pure love and adoration in his gaze. It’s now officially the ultimate goal.”
I shake my head at her antics. “Are we still talking about my boobs here, or . . .”
“Of course we are.”
I bite my lip. “Okay, good. Just checking.”
After blowing out a breath, she walks to the navy-blue dresser where Rebecca put a few snacks and drinks for today. When Monica picks up the champagne bottle and pours herself a glass, I’m one hundred percent sure my soon-to-be mom-in-law put it there for my best friend. Case in point, the sucking infant at my breast. But kudos to Rebecca. Talk about figuring out two very different future daughters-in-law for her.
Monica downs her drink in almost one go before squinting her eyes at me. “Shouldn’t you be more nervous on your wedding day?”
Ah, now we’re getting somewhere. I’ve been wondering what’s going on with her.
Since Monica’s been my best friend for two decades, it wasn’t hard to miss the extra bit of craziness surrounding her.
A chuckle bubbles out of my mouth. “Honestly, I’m probably too tired to be nervous. Having a three-year-old and an almost-one-year-old does that to you.”
She stares at me for a moment and swirls her glass in her hand. “Huh. Maybe.”
When she doesn’t say anything else and eyes the champagne bottle a little too long, I know we have a situation at hand. Monica is not a big recreational drinker. Not with her dance career. Not even when she got injured and couldn’t dance for a long time. She’s also not a huge worrier—except for said injury and her recovery phase. But no one can blame her for that.
Something’s definitely going on. “Plus, I’m ready. More than ready. I’ve been waiting to marry Hudson for what feels like forever. But the more important question is, why are you so nervous, Mo?”
She contorts her face like she just bit into a lemon and starts pacing around. “I don’t know. Everything’s weird. Now that you’re getting married, it means I’m going to get married soon too, and . . . and . . . I don’t know.”
A swirl of something forms in my stomach at her vague admission. “You don’t want to marry Gabe anymore?”
That stops her dead in her tracks, her eyes wide as she stares at me. “What? No. Of course I do.”
After grabbing a handful of snacks, she sits down next to me once more, holding out a chocolate pretzel that I toss into my mouth just as Jaxon pops off my breast with a lazy grin.
I close my robe and grin at him. “Are you all done, sweet boy?”
He continues grinning at me as I trail my fingers gently down his face, tickling his cheek and one of his adorable dimples. He coos at me and wiggles in my arms until some milk runs out of his mouth. I wipe it off with the burp cloth before draping it over my shoulder and propping Jaxon against it to gently rub and pat his back. When I focus back on Monica, she has that wild look in her eyes again and is also chewing on her lip.
“This right here. Can you see me doing this . . . stuff? I’m not a domestic goddess like you are.” She exhales a harsh breath before jumping up and throwing her hands in the air. "I'm chaotic, and loud, and . . . I don't know. Just not typical wife material—especially for someone like Gabe."
Holy wow. I knew something was up, but I didn’t see this coming. Even though I shouldn’t be surprised, this is typical Monica behavior: keeping emotional stuff pushed down as long as possible until she explodes.
I hold out my hand to her. “Come here.”
She comes back, dragging her feet. When she plops down, I pull her into a side hug and rub her arm. After a few moments, she finally sinks against me.
“Now listen to me, Mo. Gabe loves you, your craziness included—or maybe even because of it—and you’ll be an amazing wife. And when the time comes, an amazing mom too. Nothing will change between you two. It’ll just be official on paper, okay?”
She nods. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to have a meltdown on your wedding day.”
“Oh, please. I get it. It’s normal to be nervous. I actually used to be more nervous, but I think having Jaxon before getting married has made me more relaxed. Now it’s excitement more than anything else.” Letting go of Monica, I pull Jaxon off my shoulder. He’s half-asleep in his happy milk slumber, just as I thought he’d be. I look at my best friend and push my baby into her arms. “Here, get some baby-love endorphins. I need to get going.”
She wraps him in her arms and cuddles him against her chest. “He always does make me feel better.”
“Point made.” I kiss her cheek. “You’ll be an amazing wife because you’re an amazing fiancée, after you were an amazing girlfriend. And you’ll also be a fantastic mom, albeit a bit crazy, but since kids are nuts too, you’ll fit right in. And I’ll be right here to help. We all will be. Okay?”
Her eyes are shiny when she looks at me, but thankfully, she nods. “Thank you. I think I might be a bit impatient.”
“We told you guys to get married. There was no reason to wait for us to tie the knot first.”
“No, it wouldn’t have been the same between the pregnancy and having Jaxon. I didn’t want to add to your plate.” She pauses for a moment before the corner of her mouth twitches. “And obviousl
y I also needed you to be in tip-top shape so you can make me the best wedding cake ever.”
“Obviously.” I chuckle and walk toward the bathroom just as a knock comes from the door.
“Is it safe to come inside?” Hannah’s voice is muffled through the wood but unmistakable.
“Safe enough,” I call back after sending a look to a much-calmer Monica.
The door opens, and Hannah and Rebecca walk inside with smiles on their faces.
Rebecca puts a hand to her mouth when she sees Monica and Jaxon and whispers, “Is he sleeping?”
“Dozing.” I smile, unable to keep the silly grin off my face whenever I talk about my baby or when I think about what I’m about to do. I guess my wedding and babies are like my own brand of happy pills. “He just had a little milk snack, so we should probably hurry up.”
Rebecca nods. “Sounds good. Let’s get you in your dress, and then I can take Jaxon with me downstairs.”
After using the bathroom one more time, Rebecca and Hannah help me put on my puffy, white princess dress. Like Monica once said before, this has been my dream dress for as long as I can remember. I fell in love with it the first time I saw it. It has a V-neckline and thin spaghetti straps, completing its princess look with delicate beading and lots of tulle. I brush a hand over my stomach, trying to calm the excited butterflies that seem to want to escape.
My best friend has changed into her pastel-purple bridesmaid’s dress that looks beautiful on her. Even though I couldn’t resist getting a bubblegum-colored one first to prank her. The look of absolute horror on her face is one I’ll never forget. We also made sure to take plenty of photos to refresh our memories whenever we feel like it.
Hannah and Rebecca have both opted for navy blue dresses with lace accents that look exquisite on them. They all stand around me in a half-circle as I stare at myself in the mirror, dumbfounded and so deliriously happy.
Hannah sniffles beside me. “Charlie, you look absolutely perfect. Your grandma would be so happy for you.”
“Thank you.” I smile at her, knowing that my grandmother and sister are both with me today and always will be. We both blink rapidly and chuckle as Monica reprimands us for ruining our makeup.
Just then, the door flies open, and Mira runs inside like the little whirlwind she is. She stops a few feet in front of me and stares at me, trying to take it all in. “Wow. Mommy, you’re a princess. So pretty.”
I bend down as much as my dress allows me and hug her. “Thanks so much, sweetie.” Then, I take her hand and twirl her around in her lilac dress. “And look at you. You look beautiful.”
She giggles and spins a few more times. “Thanks.”
“Are you ready for your big job?”
She stops at my question and nods, her blonde curls bouncing around her cute little face.
“Awesome. I know you’ll do so great. Mo will take you to the backyard and give you the flowers to throw, okay?”
“Okay, Mommy.”
“Thanks, sweetie. I love you.”
“Love you too, Mommy.”
Gabe steps into the room, a little out of breath, his gaze immediately finding Mira. “That little devil just—”
With his mouth wide open, he stares at us. His gaze lingers on Monica for a long time, slowly going up and down before it lands on me. “Holy sh—”
Dragging a hand over his face, he straightens up. “I think I’ll grab a tissue box on the way out. Hudson’s going to need it.” He walks over to me and gives me a gentle hug before looking me up and down one more time. “Stunning, Charlie.”
Heat creeps into my cheeks. “Thank you.”
Monica slaps him on the arm. “Stop it right now, or I’ll start crying after all.”
He turns to her. “You look absolutely breathtaking, Princess.”
“Thanks.” She wrinkles her nose and sniffles. “Now let’s go before this turns ugly.” She makes a shooing motion to Gabe. “You walk in front of me so I can see if the back of this suit looks as good as the front.”
We all chuckle as they leave the room with Mira in tow. After a quick diaper change for Jaxon, Rebecca leaves with him as well.
That leaves only Hannah and me.
She looks at me and nods toward the door. “Shall we see if we can make it through the house with this monstrosity?”
I laugh. “Yes.”
Using one of the rooms downstairs in Rebecca’s house would have been so much easier, but due to me being all sentimental, I wanted to use this nautical-inspired room upstairs. The same one I used after my lake accident with Hudson, which was right before he kissed me for the first time. Sparks tingle in my stomach at the memory. It felt right to go full circle on this by using the same room and by getting married in this very backyard.
Thankfully, Hannah and I make it through the house without any incidents, pausing by the patio doors that lead outside.
Everyone who’s helped with this wedding has absolutely outdone themselves. Rebecca was beside herself when we asked her if we could get married in her backyard. We hired a team of professionals to help her with whatever she needed, and they couldn’t have done a better job.
The place is almost unrecognizable. From the makeshift aisle and rows of white chairs to the flower backdrop behind the ceremony arch. A large tent takes up the other half of the yard, and I know it’ll be nothing but spectacular too.
My gaze lands on Hudson, who can’t see us yet behind the glass, but his gaze is trained on the door like he doesn’t want to miss us coming out. He looks so incredibly handsome in his black three-piece suit, perfected by the bow tie he’s wearing and the lilac boutonnière on his lapel. His dark hair is styled in his usual tousled way, and he looks so incredibly sexy. I can’t wait to get him out of all of those clothes later. But first, I need to get my fill of him in it and enjoy this time with him to celebrate us. To celebrate our love.
Hannah squeezes my arm as she hands me my bouquet. “Are you ready?”
I nod, welcoming my racing heartbeat, and together we open the French doors.
HUDSON
I can’t take my eyes off her. Charlie’s beautiful on a normal day, but today, she’s absolutely breathtaking. Ever since she walked out of the house and down the aisle, arm in arm with my grandma, things have gotten a bit blurry for me. The ceremony, the vows, the smiles, the laughter, and the tears. The kisses I remember because I could never forget those lips pressed against mine.
Thankfully, I also didn’t miss Mira strutting down the aisle with her head held high, throwing the flowers around herself like she was paid a million bucks to do so. I guess Monica’s little speech about pretending to be a Disney princess worked after all.
Speaking of Monica, I painfully tear my gaze away from my wife when her best friend—and my future sister-in-law—stands up and clinks her knife against her glass, a sugar-sweet smile on her face. Charlie squeezes my hand when she sees it. This is Mo we’re talking about, after all. A loyal friend and fun honorary aunt, but sometimes a bit of a loose cannon.
When everyone falls silent to look at her, she clears her throat. “Hudson, congratulations on finding someone you think can put up with you for the rest of your life.” Her eyes twinkle when she pauses to eat up the laughter all around us. She continues with a satisfied smile on her face. “Lucky for you, you couldn’t have found anyone better than Charlie. But you already know that, which is the only reason I didn’t pull my best-friend veto card.”
Monica entertains the crowd for a few more minutes until Charlie has tears running down her face, hiccupping with laughter. “Worst maid of honor speech ever.”
My soon-to-be sister-in-law winks at her and says, “You’re welcome,” before tackling Charlie into a hug. If it wasn’t for Gabe’s steadying hand behind them, they might have toppled over.
He shakes his head at me, and I lift my hands. “Hey, don’t look at me. The crazy one is yours.”
Monica lets go of Charlie and shoots me a glare, but there’s no fi
re behind it. We all know it’s true.
The celebrations continue, and the second Charlie and I are done with our first dance, Mira comes sprinting through the crowd with her arms high in the air. “I want to dance too.”
I lift her up and pull her against my chest where she promptly snuggles in.
We sway and spin, and her giggles are music to my ears. When she demands a family dance with Jaxon, Charlie gets him from my mom. He’s content enough for one song before he starts fussing.
Charlie caresses his face before she kisses his forehead. “Are you a hungry boy?” She glances at me. “I should probably feed him again before he goes to bed.”
I lean closer so no one can hear me. “I can’t wait to go to bed with you.”
She chuckles and shakes her head at me. “Just a little longer, and then we can sneak off and go home, okay?”
I sigh. “Okay.”
Thankfully, my mom agreed to keep the kids for the night so Charlie and I can have our wedding night to ourselves at home without worrying about the kids waking us up at the crack of dawn. Since Charlie’s still nursing Jaxon, that was all she was comfortable with doing for now. We’ll take a nice honeymoon at a later point when I can whisk Charlie away for more than a night.
I last for two more hours until I can’t take it any longer and talk Charlie into saying goodbye to everyone. Half an hour later, we’re finally home.
My wife squeals when I lift her up in my arms and carry her over the threshold. “Oh my gosh, please don’t drop me.”
I pause and stare into her mesmerizing blue eyes. “I’d never do that. Promise. You’re very special cargo.”
And then I kiss her. Hard. Letting all of my pent-up desire and impatience flow into it. I’m rewarded with one of her sexy moans that makes my slacks tight.
The Mitchell Brothers Collection: A Feel-Good Romance Box Set Page 33