Page 95 of Perfectly Wedded

I blink for a second, then burst out laughing, because that’s not even a possibility. “Oh,definitelynot. And this time, I’m not hiding anything from you.”

“For a second I thought...” She stops, her face betraying everything. Her hand mirrors mine, resting where the dress stretches tightly over her belly.

“Wait, are you...?” I can’t even say the words.

She blinks and then slowly nods, a smile spreading across her face. “I found out on our Cancun trip. I was going to tell you, but I hadn’t gone to the doctor yet and I wanted to make sure.”

“You’re having a baby?!” I nearly scream, pulling her into my arms.

“Keep it down. It’s still a secret.”

“Who knows about this?” I whisper.

“Other than Brax? Nobody. I hated not telling you sooner. This whole time I felt like I was keeping a secret from you.”

I shake my head. “But you weren’t. It’s just like you said before—you didn’t betray me by keeping this secret or choosing your health. You just couldn’t tell me until it was the right time.”

“Are you sure you’re not mad?” she asks, her eyes filling with happy tears. “I was so worried I’d steal your thunder today. Like, the ultimate sister fail—totally outshining you on your big day.”

“Stop.” I put my hand up. “You didn’t steal anything. Besides, if anyone’s going to outshine me, I’d want it to be you.”

She wipes the corners of her eyes, and her makeup smears, so Ihand her a tissue. This is what sisters do. We fix each other’s mistakes. We keep trying even when we fail. We’ll never do it perfectly, but if we show up when the other person needs us, that fixes ninety-nine percent of the mistakes we make.

She crumples the tissue I gave her and tucks it into her bra.

I snort-laugh.

She shrugs. “In case I get teary during the ceremony. My hormones are raging with this baby!” she says with a laugh. “Now what’s the other surprise you wanted to tell me?”

I glance out the window where Dad paces the sidewalk. This can’t wait, or Dad will lose his nerve. I’m like him that way—or at least, I was.But people change, if you let them.

“How much time do we have?” I ask. “There’s someone you need to talk to.”

She looks at me, wide-eyed. “But the wedding...?”

“It can wait a few more minutes,” I say, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the door. “There’s someone else who definitely needs to hear this news.”

By the time I’m ready to walk down the aisle, I’ve already cried twice, belly laughed a half-dozen times, and hugged my family and the entire hockey team. But it was all worth it, especially after witnessing what just happened between Dad and Jaz. One conversation hasn’t fixed everything—far from it—but it cracked open a door. A door that could possibly lead to something better.

Dad apologized for what happened, for his shortcomings as a father, and the way he left things. He’s been rehearsing this speech since we arrived in the limo, but my guess is that he’s been thinking about it for far longer. When he finished, he hugged her, and she let him. Maybe it’s the new reality of her becoming a parent herself, and realizing just how much that changes things. Sharing that news with him became an unexpected way to try again. As long as we can believe we’re not defined byour mistakes, there’s hope for all of us. Maybe, just maybe, we can still be a family.

Which is why, just before the ceremony begins, I ask my father to walk me down the aisle. Not out of obligation, but because this is how you start over again.

I smooth my skirt, and hook my arm through my father’s as Jaz scrubs the streaks off my face with her tissue.

“Are you sure this is necessary?” I ask. “The Star Reportmight like the scary-bride look.” Brax and Leo already kicked out the journalist after Jaz told him what happened. We can’t stop him from leaking the news now, but I also know it will blow over in time. Especially after people see the video of us kissing at the airport.

“My job is to make you look good. That’s what sisters do.” She wipes my cheek one final time. “Vegas has nothing on today’s party. I want this to be the best wedding you’ve ever had.”

I look at her and smile. “It already is.”

THIRTY-TWO

Vale

“It’s only our third try at a honeymoon if you count Vegas,” I say as we get out of the limo—the same one Sloan stole earlier—and head toward the log cabin buried deep in the Carolina woods. After the wedding, I surprised Sloan with an Airbnb tucked just outside Sully’s Beach in a remote spot where the hockey team won’t be able to track us down—at least not if I can help it. Tonight’s our wedding night, and I’ve waited a long time for this moment. After everything we’ve been through, I don’t wantanyinterruptions.

When we open the door, the soft glow of the cabin welcomes us, and the big picture window frames a gorgeous view of the woods. But honestly, the only thing I want to stare at tonight is my wife. Who needs a view when I’ve got the most beautiful distraction right here?

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