“No, sir.” Blake’s eyes narrowed as Erik continued. “I didn’t know what I had in front of me. I didn’t know that I was married to the most spectacular woman ever. The one with the kiss-me grin and flighty way of life. She may not have it all together and she may change her mind more than she changes her underwear, but together, me, her, and now Dimitri, we have it all, or at least I think we will. If you’ll give me your blessing and she’ll have me, too.”
Erik could see that Blake was still confused and maybe a little mad but that didn’t keep Erik from going on. “I’ve messed up and I intend to make it right. I apologize for the pain I’ve put her through and I promise I’ll never do it again.”
He could see Blake’s hesitation and Erik held his breath as his stomach dropped. He wanted to do right by Piper, and asking for her hand seemed like the right step to take to make things right between them. Not only would it help with her dad, but it would also make her feel like she was special enough to have a man ask for her. Erik meant what he said and he intended to stay true to those words.
They both didn’t have it together, but together they had it all.
Looking back up at Blake, he found him nodding his head as he said, “I have no clue what has been going on, and honestly I don’t want to know. You know, Rowan and I consider you family and we know Piper loves you, so yeah, you have my blessing to marry my daughter again.”
Blake was quick to grin as Cooper laughed beside him, but all Erik could do was try to catch his breath.
One step down, a billion more to go.
“I won’t let you down, either of you,” Erik said earnestly.
Cooper grabbed Erik’s shoulder and smiled. “You haven’t let me down yet.”
They shared a long, loving look and at that moment, Erik’s only wish was that he could be half the man Cooper was, because then Erik knew he would be the best damn dad imaginable, and a devoted husband, too.
He wanted those things.
And he wanted them with Piper.
* * *
“Oh, I can’t wait to have mine,” Audrey gushed as she leaned against Piper, looking down at Dimitri. “I can’t believe you went into labor during my wedding.”
“Who you telling? Erik thought I pissed on myself!” Piper laughed, and soon everyone in the room was laughing.
“That sounds like something that bonehead would think,” Phillip said as he munched on the chips Elli had brought for Piper.
Piper shook her head as he grinned at her and she figured that Phillip was going to be a permanent fixture in her life if things worked out with Erik. So she might as well get used to him.
“How was the delivery? Did Erik pass out or anything?” Fallon asked, cutting a look to Lucas.
Lucas glared as he wrapped his arms around a laughing Fallon. “That was a one-time thing.”
“Okay,” she teased as she giggled.
“No, he was amazing,” Piper said lovingly. “A total lifesaver. I don’t think I could have done it without him.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet,” Audrey gushed as she looked up at Tate. “You should go take notes from Erik, baby!”
Tate smiled as Shea said, “Notes won’t help till you’re in there. It has been different all three times, huh, babe?”
Shea wrapped his arm around Elli as she nodded. “Yup, each time and I had C-sections, which are all pretty much the same, but each time was different than the last. The boys being the worst.”
Piper watched as Shea leaned down and kissed Elli on the lips; she couldn’t help but hope for a love like theirs. She then looked over to see that Tate was looking a little scared, but when Audrey looked up at him, he grinned widely at her. They were so cute and she couldn’t wait to meet their little girl. With a smile she looked back at Elli.
“That reminds me, isn’t it about time for y’all to be pregnant again?”
The room erupted in a roar of laughter as Elli turned deep red. Shea grinned down at her as she said, “We are waiting till the boys are one, thank you.”
“Sure you are,” Harper said with a laugh as she leaned her head against Jakob’s arm. “They are pregnant right now, but don’t want to steal your glory, Piper.”
Everyone started to laugh as Elli shook her head, a grin on her beautiful face as she looked up at her husband lovingly. “Not yet.”
Looking around the room, Piper cherished all of these people; they loved and cared about her and it felt amazing to have them in her life. She smiled as she thought that Dimitri was never going to be alone. He would always have friends and family, and cousins to gush over him and love him.