Love and Neckties - Lacey Black Page 0,94

went out. Alone.”

She glances my way and smiles, looking as cool as a cucumber. While I feel like my heart is going to explode out of my chest.

“We ended up…doing something,” he adds.

“Doing something?” she asks, glancing back to her son.

“Yeah. We, uh…”

I can tell he’s struggling with how to put this, so I decide to help him out a bit. “We went and got completely schnockered, and then found this all-night wedding chapel place and got hitched.”

She looks surprised. Samuel looks shocked. I shovel a little more dip in my face.

“Freedom,” he sighs. “That’s not exactly how I was going to tell her.”

“Well, you seemed to be struggling finding the right words.”

“Wait, you’re married?” Mary Ann asks, bringing us back to the other issue at hand. The fact we just told his mom that we got married. A month ago. And didn’t tell her.

“We did,” Samuel answers, as he reaches over and grabs my hand.

She glances back and forth between the two of us, and I start to feel a little moisture in the pit area. Is she mad? Happy? Shocked speechless? Finally, her eyes water as a smile crosses her face. “You’re married,” she says again, as if trying it on for size.

“We are,” I confirm.

The scrape of her chair pushing back startles me. Mary Ann gets up, and panic starts to set in. She’s leaving?

But she doesn’t leave. Instead, she stops in front of me, throws her arms around my shoulders, and…cries. “I’m so happy for you two! I can’t believe you’re actually married,” she says, running a motherly hand across my cheek. “You have always been a part of my family, Freedom, and I’m so excited to make it official.”

My vision blurs with my own tears. “Really?”

“Oh, sweet girl, really. You have no idea how happy this makes me. I mean, I’m a little shocked, to be honest. If any of my kids were going to elope in Vegas, Samuel is the last one I’d suspect,” she says with a giggle.

Then, she goes over to her oldest son and hugs him tightly. She places her palm on his cheek as well, and grins up at him. “I’m so thrilled.”

“Well, if you think that’s exciting, just wait for the rest,” he says with a chuckle.

“There’s more?” she asks, her eyes wide with surprise. “Don’t make me wait.”

“Well, Freedom and I would like to renew our vows next month behind the house on the beach. We’d like to invite close family and friends only.”

“And we’d have the entire meal catered, so you don’t have to do a thing,” I add quickly. Even though Mary Ann and Marissa love to cook and bake, I could never expect them to prepare a meal for our wedding.

She holds up her hands. “What if I insist? Marissa and I would love to prepare the meal. I’m not the best baker when it comes to elaborate cakes, but we could whip up so many specialty desserts. I mean, if that’s what you want. You pick what you two want, but just know the offer stands,” Mary Ann says.

“Thanks, Mom. We’ll discuss it later and let you know?”

“Sounds good,” she says with a wide smile. “Wow, I can’t believe it. Married and getting remarried. What a great surprise,” she says, as she takes her seat again and places a little food on her small plate.

“Actually,” Samuel says, struggling to hide his excitement.

Mary Ann’s hand stops halfway to her mouth. “There’s more?”

Samuel glances my way, his eyes so full of love and joy. “You’re going to be a grandma again.”

Well, if I thought Mary Ann was excited with the wedding and renewal of vows part, the scream that fly lets me know this surprise is her favorite of all. She jumps up and throws her arms around her son. “Really?” she asks, glancing my way with more of those pesky tears in her eyes.

“Really,” I confirm with a nod, my hand automatically going to my abdomen.

She hugs me next, rocking us back and forth as she holds me in her arms. When she pulls back, her tears lay, unchecked, on her cheeks. “You, my dear, are glowing. I’ve never seen you look lovelier than you do right now. Thank you for making my son the happiest I’ve ever seen him.”

My throat is too thick to speak, so I just hug her in return. I want to tell her she has it wrong. That it’s the other way around. In fact, it’s her son who makes