Page 53 of Smitten with the Single Dad

“Do we get to come to the wedding?” Jake asked, finally spearing a waffle for himself.

Griffon’s eyes nearly bulged out of his skull. “Is that why you look like you’re going to a party? Are you going to get married?”

Wyatt cleared his throat. “We are.”

“And we don’t get to come?” The pitches of Griffon’s voice continued toclimb with each question.

“We are going to Seattle to pick up the marriage license and get married at city hall. It won’t be a party. Like I told you, Griff, it’s not real.”

Vica hated how every time Wyatt said that, her chest grew tighter.

“Then why are you fancy?”

“Because we need it to look real,” Wyatt replied.

“And you don’t think having your kids there would make it realer?”

“Griffon …”

“Dad …”

Jake lifted his brows as he poured syrup on his waffle. “He has a point, Dad. If you’re trying to make this marriage and wedding look believable, don’t you think we should be there and in the photos? Not having your children at your wedding seems crazy.”

“I mean, we weren’t at the first one because we weren’t alive. But we’re alive now and should be at this one.” Griffon’s brows pinched in the middle as he glared at his father. His gaze tipped to Vica. “Vica, what do you want?”

“I’m not getting in the middle of this,” she said, holding up her hands.

“But you are in the middle,” Jake said. “You are marrying our dad. Don’t you like us?”

“I …” She exhaled and her shoulders rounded. “I love you guys.” Glancing up at Wyatt she twisted her lips. “They do have a point about the pictures.”

His mouth opened and a strangled noise came out.

The boys knew they’d won and beamed at each other across the table.

“What ferry are we catching?” Griffon asked, picking up the pace with which he devoured his breakfast.

“I wanted to be on the ten,” Wyatt said.

Griffon glanced at his Fitbit. “Lots of time. Vica, please pass the whipped cream.”

She was really glad the boys pressed to come to the wedding.

Having them there made it a million times better.

And she had not one, buttwodashing men there to walk her down the aisle.

Griffon stood up for Vica while Jake stood up for Wyatt.

It was real in that it was legal, but she kept having to tell herself that it was all a ruse.

It didn’t feel like a ruse though. It felt more real than anything in her life.

“Now, by the power vested in me by the state of Washington, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride,” the judge that presided over their ceremony said.

Smiling, Wyatt released her hand—which now wore a ring—gripped her gently, but firmly, by the back of the neck and pulled her in for a kiss.

When their lips touched it was like a new star had just formed it the sky. The world seemed brighter, and for the briefest of moments, nothing in Vica’s life didn’t make sense.

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