Every Beat of My Heart (New York Sullivans 0.5) - Bella Andre Page 0,26
Claudia, Max, Mia, and Ford followed them into the house to help with anything they might need during labor.
Rafe and Brooke came dashing up a few minutes later, with Adam and Kerry close behind.
“We heard Grace went into labor.” Brooke looked beyond thrilled by the news.
“Is there anything we can do to help?” her husband, Rafe, asked.
Mary thought Brooke and Rafe were utterly sweet together. They’d grown up spending summers next door to each other on a lake in the Pacific Northwest—two kids who had no idea that one day they’d meet again as adults and fall head over heels in love with each other.
“Everything’s under control,” Mary let them know. “They’ve already got a full crew in Marcus and Nicola’s house, although Dylan would like to have all of you nearby so that you can meet the baby as soon as he or she is born.”
“I’ve been to literally hundreds of weddings,” Kerry Dromoland said, smiling widely with Adam’s arm tight around her waist, “and I have to say this one is now my all-time favorite.”
Kerry was one of the top wedding planners on the West Coast—and though Adam had once sworn he’d never fall in love and get married, Mary knew he’d move mountains for his fiancée.
“Let’s head into the house.” Adam grinned as he added, “Hopefully, there’s still time to convince them to name the new baby after one of us.”
Ethan Sullivan, another of Jack’s brothers, moved beside Mary and William. “You really know how to put on a wedding.” Ethan had settled in Maine several decades ago and had six great kids of his own. Mary’s kids always loved hanging out with their East Coast cousins whenever they could get together.
Mary grinned at Ethan, then William. “I hope both of you are taking notes. Because something tells me you’re both going to be in the thick of it in the not-so-distant future.”
She barely managed to hold back her laughter at the look Jack’s brothers gave each other—something akin to panic on their handsome faces.
“We’re still a long way off,” Ethan said.
“So are we,” William agreed.
This time, Mary didn’t bother to contain her laughter. “Famous last words.”
She turned to look at their big, wonderful family. Sullivans had come from every corner of the world to celebrate today’s double wedding. Mary didn’t know who would be the next to find love. All she knew was that when true love came for each of her nieces and nephews in New York and Maine, even if the road to forever wasn’t always an easy one, finding the person they were meant to be with would definitely change their lives in the best possible ways.
And even though she couldn’t help but tease her brothers-in-law, she knew they’d both do great. Because they loved their children with everything they were.
Lori and Grayson moved into the group. “Isn’t this great?” Lori said. “We’ve never had a baby born at a wedding before.” She smiled at Mary. “I wonder where we’ll be when ours is ready to pop?”
Mary held her breath as she looked from her daughter to her son-in-law. “Are you…”
Lori threw herself into her mother’s arms. “I am!” She was positively glowing as Mary kissed her cheek and then Grayson’s. After William and Ethan did the same, Lori said, “I didn’t want to take the spotlight off anyone else today, but we just can’t keep the news to ourselves anymore.” Grayson put his arms around her from behind and she held on tight to her husband as she said, “I can’t wait to have a little boy or girl in seven months. Or maybe even both, like Soph.”
At last, Mary finally fell apart. She was just so happy. Overjoyed from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. There were more hugs, and more tears of joy, and she’d barely managed to dry her tears when Dylan burst through the patio doors.
“We have a new baby boy!” Cheers went up from the guests as Dylan scooped up Mason from where he was playing jacks with Tatiana and Ian. “Let’s go meet your new brother. His name is Aaron.”
With new tears in her eyes, Mary took William’s and Ethan’s hands. “What do you say we go celebrate on the dance floor?”
New marriages. New life. Family laughing and celebrating together in the Napa Valley sunshine.
It truly had been the best wedding ever.
And, she thought with a smile, she couldn’t wait until the next one…
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~ A special THANK