Matched For Love(68)
Emily nodded. “And why I messed up my plants so that Mr. Cooper would help.”
“Hey!” Lori slapped her hands on her hips. “I was feeling awfully guilty about ruining those plants on the drive over, Emily.”
“Sorry, Mom.” Emily gave Lori a hug, and then Asher did too. “Yeah, sorry Mrs. Went.”
Lori smiled. “It all turned out for the best.”
Deek lifted his hands. “What about me? Don’t I at least get a high five for catching on eventually?”
All three of the ingrates pointed their lasers at him and shot him again.
“Nice.” He stood and pulled out Asher’s last present from his pocket. “I hope your new phone isn’t collateral damage now, Asher.”
“Really?” Asher dropped his weapon and hugged Deek. “A phone? Thanks, Dad!”
Emily joined the hug. “Thanks, Mr. Cooper. Now he can stop stealing mine.”
Lori said, “I guess I better hug you too. Sorry I shot you, Deek. Twice.”
“Way to rub it in.” He gave her a quick kiss. “Hey, guys, why don’t you go turn all the gear in so we can get going.”
After the kids gathered the vests, helmets, and guns and headed out the door, he turned to Lori. “Can you believe they did that? And we didn’t even notice?”
“I’m grateful they did.” Lori took his hand and weaved their fingers together as they walked to the exit.
“Yeah.” He nodded, happier than he’d been in years. “But if we’re not careful, they’ll be planning our wedding behind our backs next. In Disney World, if Asher has a say.”
“It’s a little soon for that. We’re all in, but the kids need a little time to adjust.” Lori smiled. “But just to be safe, maybe we’d better warn them off that idea.”
“Or, we could see what they come up with.” Deek held the door as Lori walked through ahead of him. He was ready to marry Lori anytime she was.
She glanced over her shoulder. “Just to be clear, Deek, I’m not getting married in Disneyworld.”
“A football stadium at halftime? That’d be cool.”
She shook her head. “Hard no.”
“How about Niagara Falls? I’ve never been there.”
“Too cliché. How about we talk about this in a year. That should give everyone time to get used to things.”
“Okay.” They caught up with the kids and started for the car. “So, let’s say a year has passed and I asked you again, where would you say you’d like to get married?”
“My brother and Shelby got married in Italy last summer, and it was the most beautiful ceremony I’ve ever seen.” She slipped her arm through his. “And where would a princess like me live, Deek?”
“A castle, of course. So you prefer the castle at Disneyland, not world, then?” he said just to frustrate her.
She looked up to the sky as if pleading for help above. “What am I getting myself into here?” Then she turned to him and said, “We’ll talk about it next year, okay?”
“Yep.” He opened her car door for her. After she was inside, he leaned down to the kids and whispered, “Who wants to go to Italy this summer? They have really cool castles.”
“I do!” they both said and raised their hands like good little second graders.
Perfect.
“I hear Lori has always wanted to be married there. So it must be a nice place.”
When both the kids’ heads whipped toward each other, and they grinned, his job was done.
Rachel had proved to be sneaky too, so between her and the kids, they should be able to pull it off. And make Lori and Em officially part of the family by the end of the summer.
He smiled as he slid behind the wheel of the car.
It was what he’d always wanted for Asher. A whole family. Not the way he’d planned, but sometimes fate and sneaky kids were more powerful than the best laid plans.