“Your friend Maddie told us about it, and we asked her for it.”
“Because you knew it belonged to my mom?” I asked.
“Yes,” Denver said at the same time his brother said, “No.”
The twins looked at each other, a little startled to be out of sync. Denver gestured for Austin to go ahead.
“We know it belonged to your mom, so of course you should have it for that reason. But that’s not all it means—at least not to us.” A rush of gratitude washed over me at Austin’s words. Ever since the night he rescued me at the club, our relationship had grown so much stronger. He was still funny, irreverent, and sexy… but he was also content to lie next to me in bed and hold me all night, stroking my hair and whispering sweet things in my ear—whether we had sex or not.
Tonio reached over and took my hand in his. “Let’s get up.” I cradled the veil against my chest as he pulled me to my feet and the men rose, too. We stood in a circle in the middle of the home we shared, and suddenly, it seemed very significant that they were wearing black and I was wearing white.
We stood in a circle. Denver was across from me. “A new year is starting soon, and it’s the first one we’ll experience together. As a team. As a unit. But—those words don’t feel adequate for what we have.”
Tonio took over. “I’m not sure there are words for what we have. Nothing I can think of does it justice. But maybe it doesn’t need a name. Maybe we should just be grateful that it exists.”
“We are,” Knox said and I smiled at him.
“We brought the veil here because we wanted to give you a choice,” Austin began. “That first night we spent together, you said you never wanted to choose between us. We’re not asking you to. We’re just asking if you’re sure you want to choose us—all of us.”
“’Til death do us part,” Denver said. He gestured toward the veil in my hand. “That’s just a symbol, but it’s an important one. It represents what we want… if you want it too.”
My fingers trembled around the veil my mother had worn so many years ago. Had she felt the kind of love I felt right now? I certainly hoped she had—and I was so glad I did. “I do,” I said.
Tonio gave a quick laugh. “Wait, not yet.”
I didn’t know what he meant, but I didn’t really care, because I knew what was in his heart. In all of their hearts.
My hands were no longer shaking as I raised the veil to my head. Small hair clips allowed it to settle in my hair as the soft lace floated around my shoulders and across my back.
“You look beautiful,” Knox said.
At that moment, I felt beautiful. Like a goddess. Not because I was amazing, but because my guys were, and they’d chosen me.
Denver stepped forward and took my hands. “Emma, do you accept that we’re your family and that we love you?”
My eyes teared up. “I do.”
Tonio stepped up. “Do you promise to let us help and support you, even when you think we’re being overprotective?”
I smiled up at this handsome face. “I do.”
Then Austin took his place.
“Wait,” I said. “I need a tissue.”
Knox had anticipated my need and had one at the ready. I dabbed some tears off my cheeks and then looked into Austin’s whiskey-colored eyes.
“Emma,” he said, “Do you accept this as a binding commitment even though it’s not official and we’re all in our underwear?”
I gave a watery laugh. “I do.”
And then Knox was in front of me, and he had a tissue of his own. “Emma,” he began, but he couldn’t go on. The others reached out, patting him on the back or the arm. He took a deep breath and then started again. “Emma, do you know how much we love you?”
Tears filled my eyes as I nodded. “I d-do.” It was hard getting the words out. “You know how I do? Because I love you that much, too.
Austin and Denver flanked me, their arms going around my back as I tried to find the right words. “You four are my family. For a long time, I didn’t have one, and now I do. A wonderful one—and we’re going to do wonderful things with the business we’re starting.”
“Hell yes, we are,” Tonio said, and I smiled at him.
“I love you. All of you. I couldn’t choose between you before, and now I know I never have to again, because this is how we’re supposed to be. A year ago, I didn’t know this was possible, but now… I can’t imagine living my life without the four of you.”
“You don’t have to imagine it without us, because that’s not going to happen.”