by Toni Aleo
She snorts. “I hadn’t thought of that.” The bathroom fills with more laughter. “Shea Boon Hoenes sounds good.”
“I don’t know if I want to name my kid after me.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Let him have his own name.”
She lifts her other leg. “We could mash our names together, like my parents did for Shelli.”
I’d never even realized they did that. Funny. Interesting. Huh. “Poon?”
“Shut up.”
“Bosey?”
“Are you done?”
“No, wait! Boonsey!”
“Okay, I get it. Not a good idea.”
I laugh as I lean on my legs, still unable to look anywhere but at her naked body. “I like Liam for a boy.”
She meets my gaze through the glass. “Aw, that’s a good name. Liam Shea.”
“So, we’re doing Shea, no matter what?”
Posey beams at me through the glass. “I love my daddy.”
I know she does, and he is a good dude. “Okay, I do like Lilly.”
She pushes the door back. “Well, we have months to plan.”
Water drips from her face, and without thinking, I stand up, closing the distance between us. I capture her jaw in my hand before my mouth covers hers. She brings her hand up, holding my wrist as our kiss deepens. She pulls back, her eyes full of heat as I take in a deep breath.
“I don’t want to be late.”
“I don’t give a shit if we’re late.” With that, I unbutton my shirt as her eyes widen.
“No! You’re ready!”
I throw down my shirt despite her complaints, and when my slacks hit the floor, her complaints are gone. She shakes her head as I gather her in my arms under the hot stream.
“I won’t apologize for wanting you.”
Her lips tip up a bit as she wraps her arms around my neck. “Good, because I won’t either.”
Our mouths meet, and we’re going to be late. But there is no one else I want to be late to our impromptu wedding with than her.
My lovely everything.
Everyone is here.
My mom and Wes, even though he didn’t want to come. Posey’s whole family, along with Aiden and Asher, who is here with Ally. I knew damn well they had the hots for each other. I don’t know why they tried to act like they didn’t. They even went and got matching tattoos. Also, they haven’t stopped touching each other since we arrived.
“I thought you two weren’t together,” Wes says, and I choke on my beer. Leave it to my best friend to call it as he sees it. “You’ve touched her everywhere but her boobs since you walked in.”
Asher’s face reddens a bit as all eyes fall on him. “Um, we are,” he says, taking Ally’s hand in his and kissing the back of it. “We’re pretty solid, huh?”
“I’d say so, tattoos and all…” Ally says as if she means to say more.
“And all,” he agrees, kissing her cheek, and I look at Posey, who is beaming.
“You called it.”
“I did,” she reminds me with a wink before reaching for her glass of water. She leans into me with such a satisfied look on her face. I know I put it there from our little shower escapade. And while I really want to marry her, I also really want to take her back home. When she places her lips by my ear, I feel a chill runs down my spine as she says, “They got engaged yesterday too. They haven’t told their parents yet.”
I pull back to look at her. “That’s cool, but we’re better.”
“Of course,” she says, grinning at me, but then I feel someone staring at me.
I don’t have to look far to know that Shea Adler’s gaze is set on me.
I’m not really sure how I messed up. Did we hide our relationship? Sure, but so did Shelli and Aiden. I don’t know what makes me so different from Aiden. I’m a good-looking dude, I am talented, and I love his daughter. So why does he have this permanent look of death on his face whenever it concerns me? When I asked him if I could marry Posey, I did it with a counter and a table between us. Also, with the back door right behind me so I could run out.
What? He’s a scary fucking dude.
I’m pretty sure the only reason he said yes was because Elli was there. He actually didn’t even say it, Elli did, but Shea didn’t disagree with her. I took that and ran with it. I want him to like me, at least. I’m a cool guy, and we both love Posey and hockey. That alone should make us best friends. Alas, we are not. I look down at my empty plate.
I know when we chose the Bluebird Cafe for this dinner, our families were a bit confused. But there is an awesome little park across the road where we can gather for us to be married. It’s going to be amazing. We just gotta make it there.
Without Shea Adler trying to kill me.
From beside me, my mom asks, “How’s the wedding planning going, Shelli? Almost done?”
Shelli beams, wiggling in her seat. Aiden slides his hand across her shoulders to the back of her neck, rubbing her with his thumb. Pretty sure if I did that, Shea would break my thumb, but apparently no one else knows that. “We’re done! Can you believe it? Now, it’s the countdown.”
“Fifty-nine days,” Aiden says on an exhale. “Thank God.”
We all laugh as she smacks him playfully. “We’ll need to finalize some stuff, but really, we’re done.”
My mom smiles at Elli. “I’m sure that’s a load off your shoulders.”
Elli nods. “Yes, especially with the Cup run.”
“But what a blessing. I am so excited to gain a daughter, and you’re gaining two sons.”
Posey’s mom laughs. “We always wanted a huge family!”
Owen, one of Posey’s twin brothers, chuckles. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll bring home a smoking-hot daughter-in-law for you.”
Evan gives him a look. “That would involve you actually taking the time to learn a girl’s name.”
“And normal people do that before getting them naked,” the baby of the family, Quinn, says.
“Lord, help me,” Elli moans as the table explodes with laughter. “Boon’s mom is right there!”
My mom doesn’t care; she just laughs. Owen snorts as he smacks his twin brother playfully. It’s crazy how much the twins look alike, but they are wildly different. They are both huge like Shea and identical, with black hair and ice-blue eyes. Owen is all about fucking and leaving them. He isn’t even ashamed. I don’t see that guy getting married. But knocking someone up? Yeah, he could do that for sure. Evan, though, he’ll find a forever kind of girl and worship her.
“Baby, focus on hockey when you get to Carolina. Please,” Elli urges. The boys were drafted to the IceCats, but they have been playing for their AHL team. They could be called up, but it’s doubtful at this point in the season. I’m sure it’s weird since the IceCats are our opponents right now, but the twins keep saying they’re rooting for the Assassins because if we win, there’ll be open spots for them on the team since a load of the IceCats are free agents. They lose, and the players won’t want to stay with a losing team. That way of thinking isn’t wrong. It’s actually genius, and we will take all the good juju.
“I know what I’ll be buying at Costco,” Shea mutters, and I hold back my laughter.
“Get two boxes, Dad,” Owen calls down the table, but Evan rolls his eyes.
“I don’t need a Costco-size box of condoms, thank you.”
With a straight face, Owen replies, “I know. They’re both for me.”
“God help us,” Elli says, covering her face, and Shea holds out his hand over the table to my mom.
“Welcome to the family.”
Posey is snorting with laughter, as is everyone else. When her laughter subsides, she shakes her head. “I hope you know if you go and ruin the Adler good name, Mom will come kill you,” she reminds the boys. “She doesn’t play that mess.”
“Yup. Ask Aiden and Wes. They’ve all had the ‘Don’t embarrass me with your sleeping around’ talk,” Shelli says with a grin. “Aid
en got it more than once.”
Wes snorts. “Nope. I’ve gotten it six times. Sometimes I feel like she doesn’t like me, but then she makes me fried chicken.”
Elli ignores him before looking across the table at my mom. “Not with Boon, though. He is a gentleman.”
“Hey! I’m a gentleman!” Wes yells, and we all look at him.
“There isn’t a gentle bone in your body, Wes,” Posey says, and he waggles his brows.
“Some girls like that.”
I glare. “Do you want to die?”
Shea points at me. “What he said.”
More laughing, and I love it. Especially with how happy it makes Posey. I know she was nervous coming here, but now, all I see is bliss. When my phone vibrates with a message, I glance down at where it is sitting between my plate and Posey’s. She does the same. It’s the minister, saying he is ready when we are.
Oh shit. This just got really real.
I look up just as she does, our eyes meeting.
My heart is pounding, and I feel like I gotta fart, but still, I grin. “Ready?”
“Always.”
I lean over to her, kissing her hard on the lips before we look out at our families. “We have an announcement.”
I stand just as Posey does, fixing her dress before holding my hand. She looks up at me, and I thought she was going to let me announce it, but then Posey’s speaking. “The dinner is already paid for.”
“Score!” Owen yells. “That Carolina salary hasn’t kicked in yet.”
“And it’ll go straight to your future baby mommas if you don’t wrap it up,” Quinn reminds him.
“Please Lord, talk to your son!” Elli insists, and Shea gives her a blank look.
“Why is it when they’re doing something dumb, they’re mine?”
Yup. I’m marrying into this mayhem.
“Can y’all shut up?” Posey demands, and the boys hold back their laughter as they cover their mouths. Those two are trouble. Shit, everyone at this table is trouble. Posey looks back at me, and I’m on edge, waiting for her to say it.
That she wants to marry me right now.
“We’d love it if you’d join us over at the park across the road. Where we will meet a minister, and he will marry Boon and me.”
We tear our gazes from each other to find our families with their mouths hanging open and complete shock on their faces.
And then I see the true mayhem that is the Adler family.
Chapter Three
Posey
“Wait, what?”
“But I’m supposed to get married first!”
“Why does it matter who gets married first?”
“Dude, seriously? You’re springing this on us like this?”
“Excuse me, wait! What?”
“You aren’t even wearing white!”
“Are you trying to steal my thunder, Posey? You don’t even want a wedding!”
“Our whole family isn’t here!”
“Aunt Harper and Aunt Grace are going to kill you for not having them here.”
“For real, my mom and dad are going to be pissed.”
“But you just got engaged yesterday.”
“I’m still trying to figure this out, so again…wait! What?”
“Oh, Boon. Dad is going to murder you.”
Boon looks at me, and I hold up my hands. “Now, I know this is sudden—”
“Posey, no one is here—” my mom tries, but I hold my hand up to her.
“Everyone who is here is enough for me. I want a small, intimate wedding—”
“Which should include your aunts, by the way,” Ally throws at me. “I mean, I’m all for a small wedding and celebrating y’all, but my mom’s feelings will be hurt.”
My stomach sinks. I knew this, but I wanted to keep it as small as possible for as quickly as Boon and I wanted to make it happen.
“Aunt Grace will legit take you over her knee,” Quinn says, but then he sits back. “But I’m totally excited to see you wed.”
Liar.
“You’re not even wearing white, Posey,” my mom stresses. “And in a park. I know you said small, but don’t you remember Grace’s gazebo? That would be gorgeous and small.”
“But I imagine, since you didn’t invite her, she probably wouldn’t let you use it,” Quinn interjects, and I glare over at him.
“This is really sudden,” Ally says, gawking at me. She moves her hands up and down her body. She’s wearing jeans and a soft tee. “I’m not dressed for your wedding. I should be wearing that dress!”
“And you should be wearing mine since Shelli doesn’t want to,” Mom says, and her tears get me.
“Great, so you’re going to get married before me and wear Mom’s dress. I feel this is an attack.”
Boon groans behind me, and I squeeze my fists together.
Meanwhile, my dad asks once more, “Wait, what?”
“Dad, follow. We want to get married. Now. We don’t want to wait. Shelli, news flash, I don’t give a flying poo about your wedding or beating you or anything like that. I just want to marry the man I love. Tina, I promise I have my life together, and I’m really sorry my family is crazy. It’s mostly my siblings—my parents are wonderful. I knew this would be how everyone handled this, and I’m sorry, but we just thought it would be a fun surprise and exciting since we wanted to wait to tell everyone about the baby—”
What is wrong with me?
More hysteria.
“You’re pregnant!”
“This is not fair! First to get married and have a baby!”
“Dude, you knocked her up before you married her…again.”
“Our dad is going to murder you.”
“Because the first time our dad tried to kill you wasn’t enough?”
“This is a shitshow,” Aiden says, and I can’t help but agree.
“What the hell. And then you’ll be pregnant at my wedding. Did you and Amelia plan this?”
“Is this why you didn’t wear white?”
“Wait, what?”
“Wow,” is all Boon says as he falls into his chair. I feel the same way and want to do the same. But instead, I throw my hands up, tears running down my face.
But before either of us can say anything, my dad yells, “You were just pregnant four months ago!”
I let my shoulders fall. “I know, and we waited the time they said. But I guess I’m supposed to be pregnant, because here I am!” I say, giving everyone jazz hands to lighten the mood, but no one is smiling. “We feel it’s a miracle.”
“Well, of course, all babies are miracles,” Mom says, trying to calm everyone down. But it’s my family. They’re fucking crazy.
Dad whips a glare at my future husband. “And you can’t wrap it up? Can’t afford condoms?”
Boon holds up his hands in defense. “We do. I can.”
“They’re only like 98% effective. He could have seriously strong sperm,” Quinn supplies.
Of course, Boon flicks up his collar, grinning at me. “Hear that? I have strong sperm.”
“Oh, shut up!”
“How do you know you have strong sperm? Dad, do we have strong sperm?” Owen asks. Meanwhile, my mom is beet red, and I wish…I wish we could have a wedding without all this crazy.
“I knocked up your mom with two babies, one shot,” he says proudly. Boon grins over at him, but Dad glares. “We aren’t bonding over strong sperm, buddy.”
I throw up my hands again. “For the love of God. Stop! All of you!”
I look down at Boon for some help, and he just smiles. “Wow.”
“Help?”
He nods. “Of course.”
He stands, taking my hand in his and kissing the back before looking at my family. “Yes, we want to get married. And yes, we are pregnant. She’s nine weeks. She didn’t tell me until last night when I proposed, and yeah, I was surprised too. I don’t want to marry her because of the baby, I want to marry her because I love her more than life itself.
We would really love some support here. If not, you don’t have to cross the road with us.”
Oh. Oh my. I have never been so turned on in my life. I take a deep breath as I wipe my face. “We wanted to do it now, because why not? Why wait? Before remembering Mom’s dress and my aunts and my grandparents—shit, I forgot my grandparents. But really, there was no real reason holding us back—”
“Wait? That’s holding you back?”
Boon’s question runs up my spine. I bite my lip and look over at him. “No, not at all,” I say quickly, pressing my hand to his chest. “See, I knew if I asked my aunt Grace, then Ryan and Amelia would be pissed they weren’t there. I knew inviting Harper would have pissed Grace off more, so I left her out. And I totally ignored calling my grandparents because they’re in Boston. And then I forgot about my mom’s dress. I love her dress,” I say, and when the tears start to gather again, I feel like an idiot. I knew this was a crazy idea, and I made it worse by letting the baby news slip. Well, not slip—I threw that out there like a ref dropping a puck.
Damn it, I want a redo.
“Why didn’t you tell me this?”
I can’t look at him. “I got caught up in it all. I was so excited.”
“I am too, but that’s a lot you held back.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I’m ready. Let’s go,” I say, trying to pull him up, but he doesn’t move.
“I want this to be right. I want it to be everything you want.”
“Can I suggest something?” my mom asks. I tear my gaze from Boon’s, and we both look at my mom. She is rubbing my dad’s back. He looks as white as a sheet, but she is smiling. It calms me, her eyes and her smile. “First, congratulations,” she says softly, her eyes filling with tears. “I still don’t think I’m old enough to be a grandma, but here we go.”
My lip wobbles as Boon cuddles me into his side.
“Neither one of us does,” Tina adds, and when they share a loving look, I don’t hate her as much.
“I am over-the-top excited for you, but please, give me until Monday.”
“Monday?” Boon and I ask together.
“Yes. I can give you a wedding with all the people we love, and it will be perfect.”