I grinned. “I thought about it.”
He blushed. Then he turned to Alyssa. “Come here, my beautiful daisy.”
Alyssa ran up to us and he lifted her up. We did it. We were a family. The realization of it swept over me and the tears came again.
“Oh God, Mama, turn the faucet off,” Alyssa said, rolling her eyes.
Our guests laughed and clapped, and they joined us in a celebration of our marriage. Our reception was along the river, with a large tent, boards set out for a dance floor, and a DJ playing everything from old standards to the latest pop singles.
“Come dance with me, Mrs. Jones,” Wyatt said once the party was in full swing.
“I don’t know how to dance,” I said. Sure, I could sway back and forth, but I didn’t know much about couples dancing.
“I’ll teach you.” He pulled me to his body, taking one hand and pressing his hand on my bare back.
“Where did you learn to dance?” I asked.
“An old general taught me. He said one of the things wrong with today’s generation was that we didn’t know how to dance. He said dance was the first step in the seduction of a woman. Pre-foreplay.”
I grinned. “We don’t usually need that.”
He kissed my cheek. “But there are people here by our tree so this will have to do for now.” For a massive man, he was surprisingly graceful as he led me around the dance floor.
There was a loud whistle. “Wyatt Jones has moves,” I heard my brother call out.
“You could take lessons from him,” Trina responded.
“You want to dance with me, Trina?” My brother’s tone suggested another type of dancing.
“Been there, done that,” she quipped.
Wyatt shook his head. “They really need to get it over with and sleep together.”
“No doubt.”
“Hey, beautiful daisy.” Wyatt called Alyssa over. “Dance with your dad, will ya?”
She blushed and looked just like Wyatt.
“Do you mind if she cuts in?” Wyatt asked me.
“Not at all.” I stepped back and watched Wyatt lift her up and twirl her around the room.
“You’ve got a good one there,” Trina said to me.
“Yes, I do,” I said, not taking my eyes off my perfect man and child.
“You need to name your next child after me since I’m the one that got you two married in the first place,” she said.
“My name is already next on the list,” Ryder said.
“You? Why would they name a child after you?” Trina asked.
“I’m the one that got them real married.”
“I love you both.” I wrapped my arms around both of them.
The song ended and Ryder stepped up to the mic. “Toast time, everyone. Get yourself something to drink. If there’s nothing left, you can grab water from the river.”