Jack returned to Grace with Emma as Charity walked up. Emma asked, “How far apart are they, Grace?”
“Six minutes,” Grace replied.
“Five minutes,” Ethan amended, pointing at his watch.
Emma scanned the crowd and beckoned to her men, Duke Rivers and Gage Randall, and said, “As fast as you delivered Rose Marie, honey, we need to get you to the hospital now. Let me get my bag from the car, and somebody grab Eli, if he’s available. I may need his assistance if this little one decides to pick up the pace on the way to the hospital.”
Adam said, “On it. Isn’t that right, Rose Marie?” He looked down at their daughter who clung to his hand.
She gave a big nod and stroked Grace’s tummy. “Yup. On it.” Grace smiled and patted her hand.
“I’ll go pull the SUV around,” Ethan said. “Let Jack help you, Gracie.”
Grace turned to her, an apology obviously on her lips, and Charity said, “Nope. You don’t get to feel bad about having this little guy on my wedding anniversary. That has to be good luck or something, right?”
“But I am sorry about disrupting your reception.”
“Are you kidding? It’ll just make the occasion even more memorable.” She hugged Grace. “Thanks for playing our songs, all of them. Now you go have that baby—but not in the vehicle if you can help it.”
Grace chuckled and then grimaced as another contraction started. “Funny. Ha-ha-ow.”
Charity and her men walked Grace and Jack to the door and applause and well-wishes filtered around the large cabin as they headed outside to the waiting SUV.
Lydia and Maya Warner joined her at the door and Maya said, “Must’ve been all the excitement. I hope she makes it to the hospital okay.”
Charity was glad that they’d decided to stay at the cabin for a long weekend instead of going on a honeymoon. That way she’d be able to visit her sister and brand-new nephew hopefully the next day.
Just then, the DJ cued up the next song, “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. Charity giggled and said, “If Grace was here, she’d say there’s no way anyone could hear this song and not dance.”
Val shook his head. “Sorry, baby, I don’t do ‘peppy.’”
Already bobbing her head and wiggling her ass, Charity said, “No is not an option. Get your fine asses out here with me, my men. We need to celebrate twice as hard now. Turn it up!” Dave the DJ obliged with a smile.
Justin moved with her, grinning at her as she shimmied and boosted her boobs so they threatened to overflow her bodice. “Come on, Val. Can you honestly tell this woman no?”
Val laughed and when Ransome didn’t hesitate to join her and Justin, he finally gave up his super cool persona and began dancing with them, obviously unsure but he gave it his best shot.
Before long the whole cabin was filled with guests dancing and gyrating, even if it was only where they stood.
“Congratulations, Mrs. Connors-Teller-Cross,” Justin said, jokingly as he shimmied with her. “You’re about to become an aunt for the second time and you’ve got your men all eating out of the palm of your hand. You should be twice as happy now.”
She raised her arms and gyrated within their midst. “I’m three times as happy, actually. My nephew is gonna be born on my anniversary, I’m surrounded by friends and family for this day…”
“And?” Justin asked, waiting as she turned in place, rubbing her ass against his groin.
“And because I’m bound to the three of you.”
Justin was the love of her life, there could be no question about it. He’d been steadfast at her side, loving her through good times and bad. But in her heart of hearts, she knew her love for Val and Ransome and their love for her had paralleled that connection with the husband she adored for all those years.
The words she’d shared with Grace several years before, “Seize the day, baby,” echoed in her mind as she and her men, surrounded by all of their friends, did exactly that.
THE END