Page 92 of Tempting

—Nixon’s Secret Thoughts

“I’d like to make a toast.” Dad raises his glass in the air, and looks around the room we have set up for the groomsmen to relax in before the wedding starts. “Love isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it with the right person. That woman that’s going to walk down the aisle in a few minutes has always been the right person for you, son. Salut.”

“Salut,” the guys echo, and get back to their conversation as Dad fixes my tie. “You’re a lucky man to have found her, son. And she’s a lucky woman to be loved by you. Since the day you were born, not a day has passed that I haven’t been proud of you.”

“You cast a big shadow, Dad. And for a long time, I thought that meant I had to fight against it to find my own way. Mac helped me realize that embracing it made me stronger, because being your son is a huge piece of who am I. You lit the way for all of us then embraced it when we went different ways.” I clap his back and lean in. “I hope my kid is as lucky as we were.”

Dad’s eyes widen.

“Not a word to anyone else, old man,” I warn. “Not yet. Not tonight.”

“Love you, kid.” He shakes my hand and pulls me in for a hug.

“I think we should do shots every time Dad hugs someone tonight,” Hendrix announces.

“If you’re drunk for pictures your mother will kill you,” Grandpa warns and Leo takes the glass out of Hendrix’s hand.

Everly pops her head in. “It’s time, Nixon.”

My heart races and my brothers and I walk down the aisle together, with Callen, Cross, and Ares behind us and I wait for the love of my life to meet me under our cherry trees.

Kenzie

“You look incredible, Kenzie.” Easton runs his hands over my bare arms as he stands behind me while I take one last look in the mirror. “Mom would be so proud of you. I hope you know that.”

I wipe my eyes for the hundredth time today, and nod, unable to form words.

“If he ever—” he starts and I stop him.

“He won’t.” He’s been offering to kill Nixon for me for nearly a year, and we’ve somehow found this short hand. Three words from him and two from me, but they’re all that need to be said. Nixon would never purposefully hurt me, and he shows me that with his whole heart, every day.

“Thanks for letting me walk you down the aisle,” Easton manages to say as he hides his emotion behind a cough.

Becket moves in next to Easton and takes my arm in his, dapper as ever in his beautiful black tux. “She asked me first,” Becks teases Easton. “She’s just letting you hold her other arm so she doesn’t have to hear you wine about it forever.”

I look at two of the most important men in my life, only second to Nixon and maybe Gordie if dogs count and laugh. “If either of you trip me, there will be hell to pay. Do you hear me?” I tease.

Juliette moves them both away so she can fix my veil. When she’s satisfied, she steps back and hands me my bouquet. “Feet first, Kenzie,”

“Just like you and Mom,” I whisper back, and kiss her cheek. “Okay is it time to get this show on the road? I’m starving.”

“You’re crazy,” Jules laughs.

“Yeah, but it runs in the family.” But we wouldn’t have it any other way.

The tent set up on the lawn is enormous. Definitely befitting the only ‘daughter’ of Senator Becket Kingston. The band hasn’t stopped playing for hours and the fireworks were just set off over the lake as the girls and I all watched with our husbands from our private dock.

Nixon stands behind me, his arms wrapped around my waist and his lips skimming my ear. “Was it everything you wanted, baby?”

“It was more,” I whisper back completely at peace.

The band announces they’re taking a break and they turn on an old James Bay song that I love and I turn in my husband’s arm. “Dance with me.”

“For the rest of our lives, baby.”

“He still calls her baby,” Everly fake whispers.

“Bet she likes his dick even more now than she used to, too,” Lindy adds and Gracie gasps.

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