Page 105 of The Home Game

Strange circumstances or not, Matty didn’t have a single regret about going forward with this wedding.

Protecting people he cared about was a good thing.

Reese’s fussing grew louder in the background and Matty let go of Antoni’s hands and held up a finger to Dave. “Uh, sorry. One sec, please.”

He walked over to Enzo and held out his arms. “Let me.”

With a soft smile, Enzo handed Reese over and Matty settled him in the crook of his left arm. “You didn’t want to be left out of the ceremony, huh, little man?” he said as he rejoined Antoni and the officiant.

As Matty took Antoni’s hand again, Reese quieted, resting his head sleepily against Matty’s shoulder, and the look on Antoni’s face made Matty wish for a moment that this was real. Because it was so soft and sweet that it made Matty want to kiss him.

It made him hope that maybe someday, they’d fall in love with each other.

When Dave asked if they were there freely, they both nodded, then repeated a statement declaring that they were no lawful impediments against why they should be married.

And then came the vows.

Matty’s heart beat faster as he looked into Antoni’s beautiful brown eyes and repeated after the officiant, “I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, Matthew James Carlson, do take you, Antonio Giovanni Bianchi, to be my lawful wedded husband.”

Antoni’s voice shook a little as he repeated it but when Matty squeezed his fingers, his tone steadied, his expression growing calm and sure as he said, “I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, Antonio Giovanni Bianchi, do take you, Matthew James Carlson, to be my lawful wedded husband.”

They stared at each other for a long moment and the silence seemed to stretch on and on.

“I do too!” River said, running over and slamming into their legs, arms wrapped around them.

Everyone chuckled.

Still laughing, with a tear trickling down his cheek, Antoni said, “Good job using your words, sweetie. I’m so proud of you.”

He scooped her up into his arms and gave Matty a helpless look as if to say he was sorry for the interruption. But Matty shrugged and reached out to wipe the tear from Antoni’s cheek, his own eyes watering a little.

What did Antoni have to be sorry for? This was their life. This was exactly what Matty was signing up for.

They exchanged rings—a little awkwardly because their arms were full of kids—and then Dave said, “I, David Lloyd, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Marriage Act, do hereby pronounce you, Antonio Giovanni Bianchi and Matthew James Carlson, to be married.”

After they handed the kids back to Antoni’s parents, they signed the marriage license, the marriage register, and the record of solemnization, then the witnesses did the same.

Dave congratulated them and introduced them as a married couple to the handful of people there. He was all smiles as he turned back to Matty and Antoni and said, “You may kiss.”

They both froze, then turned to look at each other. They hadn’t discussed this with each other and the officiant hadn’t asked. Maybe it was assumed that every couple getting married would want to.

Matty searched Antoni’s face for a sign that he wasn’t okay with kissing but he tilted his chin up and wet his lips. Matty curled his fingers around the back of Antoni’s neck and pressed their lips together.

It was soft and gentle, almost platonic.

And then Antoni sighed and opened his mouth a little, the tip of his tongue flicking against Matty’s in a tease that sent a bolt of lightning through Matty’s body where it settled like a low burn in his stomach.

Matty pulled Antoni more tightly to him, never wanting the kiss to end, but one of the kids giggled in the background and Antoni drew back.

They stared at each other for a moment, breathing shallowly, before Matty reluctantly stepped back, letting his hand fall to his side.

They were married now. There was no going back.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Antoni’s heart fluttered as they left the wedding chambers with a cheerful, “Go, Fisher Cats!” from the officiant.

Antoni thought he’d been prepared to marry Matty and for it to be an agreement between friends. Transactional.

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