I brought the bottle of beer to my lips and chuckled as the screams of children getting into God only knew what echoed from somewhere inside. We had a full house this year, and I couldn't be happier about it, but that didn't mean I didn't need an escape - a few minutes of peace and quiet to break through the pandemonium that came with hosting Thanksgiving with everyone you knew and loved.
Garrett and Janice had flown in from Seattle to spend the long weekend with us. Eliza and Ethan where here with their baby girl, Avery, and their own families. That included Ethan's sister Harlow and her husband Noah, and Eliza's father Derrick and stepmother Chloe, along with both of their brood of rugrats. We had a full house. Lilly's mother had commandeered our kitchen right alongside my mom, Eliza, and Janice. Garrett, Noah, Ethan, and Garrett had set up in front of the TV in our massive family room to watch the football game, and Chloe and Harlow were busy trying to keep the kids in check. From the sounds of something breaking inside, they weren't doing all that good of a job.
But I couldn't seem to care that my house was being torn apart, because I had everyone I loved right here under one roof. There was nothing but goodness and light in my life lately. I turned to face the snow-topped mountains that surrounded our little town in such beauty, thinking how thankful I was.
I was lucky enough to wake up each morning and get to make pancakes for the two most amazing women in my life. It couldn't possibly get any better than that.
The sound of the door opening and closing had me turning to look over my shoulder. The sight of Lilly joining me on the deck had a smile stretching clear across my face, and just like every time since the Spring Showcase, Lilly sucked in a breath at the sight of it. She'd told me not long after that the sight of my smile reaching my eyes was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.
I turned as she made her way in my direction. "What are you doing out here all by yourself?" she asked, as she fitted her chest to mine.
"Enjoying the quiet," I answered, wrapping her in my arms. She nuzzled into my chest and let out a content sigh. "What about you? What brings you out here?"
"They kicked me out of the kitchen," she grumbled, making me burst into laughter.
"You should have known better, baby." I chuckled, as she gave me a playful smack.
"Yeah, well. I thought I had veto power since it is my kitchen."
I smiled against her hair and asked, "You tell Jan and Garrett we're flying out the day after Christmas?"
"Yeah." She giggled. "I thought Janice was going to burst into tears. She's already making an itinerary."
"She likes hosting family," I told her, remembering how much she used to love it when Addy and I would pack Sophie up and come to stay with them for a few days, even though we lived in the same city. Janice was a natural-born hostess.
"Then I'm more than happy to give her that," Lilly whispered. My girl, always giving so much of herself. Luckily, now she was surrounded by people who gave her the very same.
We settled into silence, just holding on to each other, happy to live in the moment.
"You know, I've been thinking," she said a few minutes later, her voice all soft and happy.
"Oh yeah, what about?"
"I think we should change the wedding date."
I lifted my head and she tipped hers up to look into my frowning face. "If you think I'm pushing the wedding date back, you've lost your fucking mind." We'd fought when she informed me she wanted to wait until the following summer to get married. I'd wanted to make her my wife the moment she had my ring on her finger, but she refused to rush, saying a wedding took months to plan.
I'd finally caved, but I wasn't necessarily happy about it. Lilly was mine, but I wanted her tied to me in every way possible.
She smiled, giving me that dimple that drove me crazy. "I was thinking more along the lines of pushing it up."
My brows shot up in confusion. "What?"
"Yeah," she shrugged. "I mean, I wouldn't want to walk down the aisle big and pregnant, now would I?"
Every muscle in my body locked tight as my arms squeezed around her waist. "What?" I repeated on a ragged breath.
"I'm pregnant," she said so softly I barely heard it.
"Are you joking with me right now?"
She shook her head and giggled as my heart expanded in my chest. "No shit. You're really pregnant?"
"No shit," she confirmed. "I'm really pregnant."
I grabbed her hand and jerked her across the deck and back into the house, shouting, "Sophia!" as I pulled her through the kitchen and into the family room. The women saw my frantic motion and quickly followed after us. "Sophia!"