Chapter 21

TWENTY-ONE

Maverick

Today is February fourteenth.

Today is also my wedding day.

Is it cliché to get married on the one day a year that was created to celebrate love? Maybe. Do I care? Not in the slightest. What I care about is the fact that Stella is going to be my wife.

“How you feeling, son?” Dad asks.

“Ready to get this show on the road,” I confess.

He nods and grins. He knew the answer before he asked. My dad has always had the ability to read each of us.

“I can still remember the day I married your mother. I was the same way. No nerves, just impatience. I knew she was the one for me.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “It’s right here.” I tap my chest. “I never understood the hype until I met Stel.” I chuckle.

“You wouldn’t,” he concurs. “It’s not something you believe in until you experience it.”

“And being a dad—best thing ever.”

Dad laughs. “Why do you think your mother and I did it so many times?”

“I don’t think I can talk Stel into eight more,” I tell him.

“One of you is bound to have twins. You and Merrick are the most likely candidates since you’re twins.”

“That would be awesome. I hope one of us, any of us, has a set of twins.”

“Yeah.” Dad nods thoughtfully. “That would be cool. Your mother would be thrilled.”

There’s a knock on the door, and Merrick enters. “What’s up?”

“Thanks for coming.” I reach down and pick up the two small, wrapped boxes. “Can you take these to Stel and Ada? Oh, and this.” I reach into the pocket of my jacket and pull out an envelope and hand it to him.

“Do I get to read it?” he asks. He’s joking, but I still give him an “are you fucking kidding me” look. He laughs. “I’m going to stick around while she at least opens these. It’s only fair since I helped pick them out.”

“I don’t care, as long as Stel is okay with it.” I wonder if I can have him record her reaction? Nah, I better not push my luck. No one wants to piss their wife off on their wedding day. Not that she would be mad, but still. I can imagine her face when she opens them, anyway. I don’t need a video to see tears in those big blue eyes.

“Oh, she will be. Your girls love me.”

“They loved me first,” I fire back as his laughter follows him out of the room.

“You know he’s just messing with you,” Dad tells me.

“I know. Just wait until his wedding day. I’m going to double the pain-in-the-ass efforts.”

Dad doesn’t reply. He’s used to our antics.

“I’m proud of you, son.”

“Thanks, Dad. I’m proud of myself too. She’s the best, and Ada, that little bug wormed her way into my heart instantly.”

My phone vibrates. Pulling it out of my pocket, I see a message from my group text with my brothers.

Orrin: Our baby bro is getting married.

Merrick: Hey! Technically, I’m the baby. He was born four minutes before me.

Brooks: Aw, Mer, you’re our baby brother too.

Rushton: You think Stella will notice if I cut the cake? Just a small piece.

Archer: I want cake.

Ryder: You know Mav splurged for steak for dinner, right?

Deacon: I expected nothing but over the top for Maverick.

Sterling: If anyone is getting cake, it’s me. My wife is due to give birth in a week. I need all the cake.

Ryder: Oh, yeah, mine is seven weeks away. I should be behind Sterling for cake.

Me: Fuck you, assholes. It’s my wedding day. Sterling and Archer, stay away from the cake, and Deacon, remember that when you’re sinking your teeth into a juicy rib eye after the ceremony.

Merrick: I’m his twin and errand boy today. I should get first dibs on cake and steak.

Orrin: We love you, brother.

I smile down at my phone. I know what they’re doing. They think I’m nervous, and they’re trying to help. I’m not nervous. I’m excited, eager, and so damn thankful for my girls, but no nerves.

Me: I’m good, fellas. I’m ready to make them mine in all the ways. I appreciate the effort.

My phone pings eight times, and I don’t have to look to see what each message says. I already know.

Love harder.

“All right,” Merrick says, coming into the room like a banshee. “Stella cried and told me it’s your fault if she’s late getting to the altar because she has to fix her makeup. Baby Ada smiled and said ‘pretty.’ I helped her put it on, even though Stella said she was too little.”

“And you’re going to show me the picture you took of my daughter, right? I know you won’t show me Stella.”

“Oh, I took pictures of both, but yeah, you only get to see Ada.” He pulls out his phone and taps at the screen. “Look at her.” He turns his phone so that I can see.

I stare at my little girl. She’s in a white dress with a pink bow around her waist and matching pink shoes. Around her neck is the necklace I bought her to match her mom’s. They’re cheap, nothing over-the-top expensive. I knew Stella would have a fit if I spent too much on something Ada could break or lose. It’s a small K charm. Luckily, she’s not one of those kids who puts everything in her mouth. She will bring you every tiny piece of anything she finds. Rocks, lint, crumbs, you name it. They don’t go in her mouth, but she brings them to you.

Stella’s is made of diamonds to match the key I gave her at Christmas. I know my wife will get the meaning. She has my heart, my forever, and now, my last name. They both do.

“Oh, I took a video.” Merrick pulls his phone back and taps the screen before turning it back to me. “Say hi to Daddy.” His voice fills the room.

“Daddy, pwetty.” Ada points at her necklace.

I’m man enough to admit I have to swallow back my emotions. I couldn’t love that little girl more if it were my blood flowing through her veins.

“Let me see,” Dad says. Merrick shows him the picture and replays the video.

“You can see Stella. She’s hot.”

“Mer,” I warn him. He chuckles and ignores me.

“You have a beautiful family, Maverick.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“I gave her the letter, but I didn’t stick around for her to read it. She did give me this to give you though.” He hands me an envelope.

“Do you want us to step out?” Dad asks.

“No. It’s fine.” I walk to the couch in the room and sit down. Carefully, I open the envelope and pull out the papers. I read them three times to make sure I’m seeing them correctly.

“Mav?” Merrick asks. I feel his hand on my shoulder. It’s that twin thing again. “Tell me.”

I can’t speak. I can’t form the words of what the papers in my hands mean to me. Instead, I shake my head and hand him the papers.

“Damn,” Merrick mutters as he reads them over. He clears his throat, but I can still hear the emotion when he says. “She’s living by that family motto already.”

“What is it?” Dad asks.

I swallow hard. I’m on the verge of letting tears fall. I feel so many emotions. Happiness, gratefulness, elation, and I don’t know how to process each one.

Clearing my throat, I answer him, “Adoption papers.” I look up and see my dad with tears in his eyes. “She’s giving me my little girl.”

I stand as my dad heads my way, and he wraps me up in a tight hug. We don’t say a word as I hold on to the man who taught me how to love. He taught all of us.

“Make room,” Merrick says.

The next thing I know, his arms are around both of us, and we’re all laughing, happiness overflowing in our hearts.

I’m getting married to the love of my life.

I’m Ada’s dad in all the ways that matter.

Today is officially the best day of my life.

I’m standing at the altar with all my brothers and Deacon. I know it’s a lot, but I wanted them all up here with me. Besides, I made a promise to all of them that when I got married, I’d do it up big. I don’t know what’s bigger than all my brothers and Deacon standing up with me.

That made us short a person on Stella’s side, so Piper offered to stand in. Stella was ecstatic. Piper is Palmer and Deacon’s sister. We don’t see much of her anymore. She’s been busy with life and her daughter. Her husband was transferred to the Atlanta Fire Department. It’s only an hour”s drive, but it’s a lot when you have kids, activities, jobs, and everything else that comes with adulting.

The music starts, and the doors open. Did I mention that all my nieces and nephews are in the wedding as well? What can I say? It’s a family affair. When it’s Ada’s turn, she sees me, and takes off running as fast as her little legs will carry her. I bend down and scoop her up into my arms.

“Daddy pwetty,” she says, pointing to her necklace.

“Daddy loves you, Bug.” I kiss her cheek.

“Wub you.”

Damn this kid, she has my heart feeling all soft and squishy inside my chest. I hold her the rest of the time. When Stella appears, she takes my breath away.

“Mommy pwetty!”

Everyone laughs. Not that there’s a lot of people in the audience. They’re all in the wedding.

When Stella reaches me, I try to hand Ada off to Merrick, but she’s not having it. She circles her arms around my neck, and that’s perfectly fine with me. I hold her in one hand and reach out to Stella with the other. She takes it with both of hers.

I don’t remember much about the ceremony. My daughter rests her head on my shoulder like she always does and snuggles close. My gaze never leaves my wife’s. I speak where I’m supposed to, but I don’t really hear anything until I’ve slipped the wedding band on her finger, and I’m told that I can kiss my bride.

“Come here, angel.” I slide my free hand behind her neck and pull her into a kiss. Our first kiss as husband and wife. One I’ll remember for as long as I live.