Charlie got a grumpy look on his face. “I wasn’t denying it.”
“This is the greatest thing that’s ever happened,” I whispered to Sandy.
“You just got married,” Sandy reminded me.
“Oh. Right. Well, Vince will forgive me.”
“What are we whispering about?” Vince whispered.
“How much I love you.”
“Oh. Cool. I love you too.”
“Charlie’s told me so much about you,” Robert said. “He speaks about all of you often.”
“That’s because we’re amazing,” Corey said.
“There is that,” Robert said. “I’m just happy to finally meet you all. I feel like I know you well already.”
“I don’t talk about them that much,” Charlie said with a scowl.
“You have pictures of them in your wallet,” Robert said, a glint in his eyes. “Don’t you try and deny it.”
The sound that Sandy and I made was not exactly the most masculine thing we’d ever done, but I couldn’t find a reason to give a shit.
“You are going to come to lunch with us one day soon,” I said.
“And we won’t take no for an answer,” Sandy said.
“We should probably get his phone number,” Corey said. “Because of reasons.”
“If you’re thinking of running,” Darren said, “you should know it’s probably already too late.”
“That’s okay,” Robert said. “I don’t run much anymore. The knee, wouldn’t you know.”
“I like it when Paul chases me,” Vince said. “Usually, it means that he’s gonna—mmph.”
“Vince,” I said, pressing my hand over his mouth even harder. “Maybe not in front of Charlie’s boo.”
Charlie groaned. “Please don’t call him that.”
“You brought this upon yourself when you let us love you,” Sandy told him.
“And now that we know you call us your kids, this is only going to get so much worse,” I said.
“You have no one to blame but yourself,” Corey said.
“No, but seriously,” Darren said to Robert. “You’ll never get away now.”
“Mmmmmph,” Vince said.
“Oh, sorry,” I said, dropping my hand. “I just like putting my hands on—”
A cell phone rang.
Robert’s eyes widened as he dug through his pocket. “Excuse me,” he said, sounding regretful. “I’m expecting a phone call. I apologize. It won’t be but a moment.” And before he answered the phone, he pressed a kiss to Charlie’s cheek. Then he put the phone to his ear and walked toward the ballroom again.
We all stared at Charlie.