Page 32 of Alistair

“Good.” Glen drained the drink and set the glass on the bar. “I hope you’ll ask me for permission when the time is right. I’m a traditional guy.”

“I will.”

Glen clapped him on the shoulder and walked away, leaving Alistair to finish his drink. He hadn’t thought much farther in the future than figuring out how to win Maggie’s heart so he could tell her the truth and they could become mates. But marrying her? Hell yes, he wanted to do that.

And he would definitely ask her father for her hand in marriage.

But first? He had to claim her heart.

The wedding was a little on the long side and Maggie was uncomfortable in the hard wooden chairs, but she really lovedseeing Penny get married. Even though she and Alistair had only been dating for a week, she had a pang of longing at theforeverbetween Penny and Brian as they exchanged rings and then kissed, with everyone clapping.

As the music played softly, she and Alistair followed her parents down the aisle and out to greet the new couple before heading into the ballroom.

“Thank you so much for coming,” Penny said as she smiled at Alistair. “I look forward to getting to know you.”

Alistair nodded in agreement, then took Maggie’s hand and followed her to the ballroom. They stopped outside of the room and looked at the seating chart.

“Here we are,” Maggie said. “Table two with my parents, my Uncle Ray, and my Grandma Debbie.” They found their seats and were joined quickly by her family, where she introduced her grandma and uncle to Alistair. Appetizers were served and then the couple and the Maid of Honor and Best Man made their entrance. Champagne was passed out and speeches were made.

As they toasted the newlyweds, Maggie tipped her glass to Alistair’s and it clinked, then she took a sip of the too-sweet bubbly liquid. Setting the glass down, she said, “What did you and my dad talk about?”

“He threatened to kill me if I hurt you.”

“What?”

“I’m kidding,” he said with a chuckle. “He just said he wants the best for you and doesn’t want you to get hurt again.”

She hummed. Her dad was very sweet. She lowered her voice, “He never liked the previous guy. He wanted to run him over with his car when he found out what he did.” He was really the only one in the family that had understood why she broke up with him. Penny and her mom had thought she’d blown things out of proportion.

Alistair lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. “I promise to be careful with your heart, Maggie. I’m really very crazy about you already, even if it has only been a week.”

She was going to tell him she was crazy about him too when their meals were set in front of them so she didn’t have a chance. The choices for the meal had been chicken or steak, and she’d chosen one of each for them both.

“Would you like the steak?” she asked.

“I’m fine with the chicken.”

“We could split them,” she suggested.

“Sure if you’d like, that would be fine with me.”

They both split their entrees in half, then dug into the food. Conversation flowed around the table, with her family asking Alistair questions and sharing old family anecdotes about the “holy terror” that everyone claimed Maggie to be as a child.

“I wasn’t that bad,” she protested with a laugh. “I promise, they’re exaggerating.”

Alistair flashed his sexy smile at her. “I believe you.” He kissed her temple and whispered, “I like knowing that you were a bit of a wild child.”

After the couple’s first dance, the floor was opened to the guests, and Alistair took her out for a spin.

“I’m so glad that you came with me,” she said as they moved together to a slow romantic song.

“Me too. Thanks for inviting me.”

“My family isn’t too crazy for you?”

“Not at all. Plus, I told you, I literally have circus people in my family, so yours is pretty tame, comparatively speaking.”

She had the strangest feeling that someone was staring at her. As she and Alistair turned slowly to the music, she caught Seth’s dark gaze from where he was sitting at a table near the back of the ballroom. She hadn’t seen him during the ceremony and had wondered if he’d decided not to come. She’d evenbreathed a sigh of relief at not seeing him. But he’d shown up for the reception.

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