“Flick, I love you. You love me. We’ll be a happy family,” Beth sang.
“Was that a Barney song?” he asked.
She chuckled. “Maybe…”
“So you’ll marry me?” he said.
“Only if we can get married on the Fourth of July. I’ll wear a cute sundress, a flower crown, and sandals. You’ll wear jeans, a shirt, and your cut. We only tell my dad, since he’ll be walking me down the aisle, and Hope and Regina to make sure it happens. I want a relaxing fun day with our wedding, good food, and fireworks. Work for you?” Beth asked.
“Umm, yeah, it does,” he said.
Lilly came over and nudged the picnic basket open.
“No, Lilly. We should eat before the dogs take the food. Then we all go see my dad, Hope, and Regina. I love you, Flick, and I can’t wait to be your wife,” Beth said.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Beth sipped her coffee and watched the mayhem. Kids were being dropped off for what everyone thought was a Fourth of July art project. Beth grinned and wondered what everyone would think when they realized it was a wedding for her and Flick.
Fourth of July was Beth’s favorite holiday. It had the best food, with barbecued ribs, hamburgers, and hot dogs on the grill. It was casual, comfortable dress, and there were fireworks to round out the holiday. When she and Flick had discussed how to start their life together, she’d wanted her family there, and he’d wanted his. She’d found a casual dress with cute sandals, and Flick was wearing jeans, a nice dress shirt, and his cut.
They’d had to bring her dad, Hope, and Regina into the planning so he and Hope could run interference with her sisters and make sure they didn’t add any extra items to the afternoon. Though Remi and Sarah were both overdue, Remi was farther along than Sarah, but Remi’s doctor wanted to wait to induceuntil after the holiday because she wanted more time for the baby’s lungs to develop. Beth called bullshit. She’d done a little research, and the doctor had a huge trip planned with her family for the Fourth of July.
Beth had invited all the kids old enough to do crafts to help her on a secret project. It was a good-sized group because anyone three and over was invited.
Deborah, Slice’s daughter, along with Elijah and Morgan, who were Ellie’s boys, were helping corral the kids and would help the littles make the crafts.
“Okay, so are you all ready to help me with the crafts?” Beth yelled over the din.
Screams ofyesand pounding on the table had her smiling. She let them quiet down before continuing.
“Well, it’s a secret project, and you’re all a part of it because you’re family. I’m getting married today. We’re making flower crowns and flower bracelets for everyone. When it’s time for the wedding, I want all of you to walk in front of me while my daddy walks me down the aisle. What do you say?” Beth asked with a smile.
“Yay, finally, I’m a flower girl! How come Mom and Dad didn’t know there’s a wedding today?” Phoebe yelled.
“She said secret,” David sneered.
“Shut up,” Phoebe said, glaring.
Beth shook her head. Aww, siblings. Anything could be a fight.
Beth had shown her helpers how to make the crowns and bracelets a little earlier.
“It is a secret. My sisters don’t even know yet. We’ll tell them when you all get picked up. Let’s get started,” Beth said and crouched down by Benji to help him. He was her little brother now, and she wasn’t the youngest.
“I thought you boys might want bracelets instead of crowns,” Beth said, helping Benji twine the flowers around the cording she’d bought for the bracelets.
“Yep. So since you’re my big sister now, does that mean you can help me with stuff?” Benji asked.
“Of course,” Beth said, sliding her arm around him and leaning closer. “Is something happening?”
Benji continued braiding the flowers and didn’t say anything.
“He prob’ly wants you to scare those boys at the pool. When we go swimming in town, they’re not nice,” Blake said.
Elijah and Morgan, Ellie and Hennessy’s high school-aged sons, walked over.
“Who is bothering you, Benji?” Morgan asked.