brother.
“No way,” Parker said.
“Is this because of the baby?” Grace asked.
Matt elbowed his brother. “Did you tell them?”
Erin laughed.
“Oh, please. Like we couldn’t figure it out on our own,” Parker said.
“You can’t elope. Mom and Dad will kill you.”
“Okay, not elope, per se, but we’re thinking a long weekend in Maui. Get everyone on a plane sometime in the next month.” Erin tapped her stomach. “Before it becomes obvious.”
“Nobody is going to care if you get married while you’re pregnant.”
Matt cleared his throat. “No way. Remember what Dad always says. The first baby comes anytime . . . the second one takes nine months.”
Grace laughed until it started to hurt.
An hour later, Dameon had carried her to her parents’ guest room, the room that was once hers, and closed the door behind them.
Grace leaned back against the headboard. “I think I could sleep for a week.”
“You didn’t drink a lot of that wine, did you? The doctor said—”
“One glass, and I’m pretty sure my mom watered it down like I was twelve.”
Dameon smiled. “I like your mom.”
“Was everything okay with you and my dad?”
He slid one shoe off at a time. “I think I might be growing on him.”
“You sure? You were both pretty worked up when you came in.”
“Nawh. I think there’s some solvents open in the garage.”
Grace shook her head. “Yeah, and pollen flies around when it’s raining.”
Dameon slid back against the headboard with her. “Your dad and I are good. He just wanted to talk a little longer. He’s a good man.”
She leaned her head on his shoulder. “I’m so glad you came when you did.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Oh, honey. I am, too. When I think about what could have happened.”
“Yeah, but it didn’t. And Max . . . what the heck was up with that?”
“We didn’t get much of a chance to talk. He told me his dad is sick and the fiancée ditched him.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah. He was out looking at the jobsite and feeling guilty.”
She sighed and felt her eyelids get heavy. “Sometimes bad things remind you of the good things.”
“You can say that again.”
Maybe it was the narcotics, or the watered-down wine . . . “Sometimes bad things remind you of the good things.”
Dameon’s chest rumbled with laughter under her ear. “God, I love you.”
It took a second, but her eyes opened as his words sunk in.
She lifted her head from his chest. “W-what?”
“I. Love. You.” He placed his palm on her cheek. “One hundred percent head over heels.”
“Dameon . . .”
“Sometimes you just know. And that’s where I’m at. If you’re not there yet, it’s okay—”
She shook her head. “Oh, no . . . I’m there. Which is dumb because we haven’t known each other very—”
He didn’t let her finish before kissing her.
Grace pulled away. “I love you, too.”
“C’mere.” And he kissed her again.
EPILOGUE
The soft water of the lagoon lapped in the background of the perfect wedding.
Erin’s sister had stood at her side while Colin took his place by Matt.
There were only thirteen people total in the lot of them, two of which were Erin’s niece and nephew. Everyone was barefoot and wearing white.
And it was beautiful.
Grace cried when her brother vowed to love, honor, and cherish, and completely lost it when Erin started with the waterworks.
The informal reception was brought together with locals playing simple instruments and singing Hawaiian songs.
“Your aunt Beth is going to throw a fit when she learns that we all ran off without inviting her,” Nora reminded them all as they sat around a huge table that was overflowing with food, flowers, and champagne.
Grace turned to Dameon.
The sun had kissed their skin in the few days they’d been on the island. His casual white-on-white silk Hawaiian shirt and casual slacks made him even better looking than when he was dressed in a power suit.
“I haven’t met her yet, right?”
Grace shook her head. “No, but in a way, she’s responsible for the night we met.”
Dameon looked confused.
“She was harping on my state of singlehood at Colin and Parker’s wedding when I needed that cold walk in the hotel garden.”
Dameon slowly started to nod and smile. “I always liked your Aunt Beth,” he teased.
“You say that now,” Parker said. “Wait until she starts harping about Grace’s empty uterus.”
There was laughter all around.
“I’m off the hook there,” Erin said.
Matt leaned over and kissed his new wife.
“By my calculations, this baby is coming around Christmas, right?” Emmitt said.
“Sure, Dad. Or Halloween, give or take a few weeks.” Matt held