Page 28 of Our Lips Are Sealed
She pulled him down by his shirt, laying a kiss on him. “Thank you.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He kissed her again, a little longer, a little deeper. Ben liked to make every moment count. “You can show me your gratitude later.”
Simone appeared behind them on the stairs, with Annabeth and CeCe trailing her. She sent the girls off to help Evie and the others pack. “Did he put up a fight?”
“I wish I could say yes, but the money is what mattered,” Ben said. “He gave in easily.”
Laura Jean could remember the days when Charlie loved his children more than anything, always excited to get to Haven House to see them. But time often changed people, for good or bad, and the novelty of being a father had worn off years ago.
“Dad!” Selah shouted from the first floor. “We’ve got to go, or we’ll be late.”
Ben said he would see them later, and with one last kiss, he headed downstairs.
“Oh, and I forgot to tell you, the wedding invitations came in yesterday after you left,” Simone told her when she thought Ben was out of earshot. “They’re absolutely gorgeous.”
The sound of Ben’s retreating footsteps halted, and he came jogging back up. “What wedding invitations? It’s supposed to be just us.”
Laura Jean shot Simone a look. “I only ordered a few, mainly for keepsakes, but we need to send one to Trevor and one to your mother.”
“I don’t want them here.”
“But they’re your family.”
Ben shook his head. “No,youand the kids are my family.”
Coming up the rest of the way, he stood in front of her. “I’ll even claim Miranda, too.” He nodded in Simone’s direction. “And maybe that one, when she’s nice to me.”
“I know, but—“
Cupping her face, he laid a soft kiss on her lips. “This day means everything, and I want to marry my woman in peace.”
Hopelessly in love with him, Laura Jean sighed.
Simone snickered. “Benjamin, that has to be the most romantic thing I have ever heard come out of your mouth.”
“That’s nothing.” Laura Jean swatted her shoulder when Ben straightened to glare at them both. “You should hear him when he gets going. God, it’s sexy.”
Covering her mouth with a hand, Simone nodded, her laughing eyes on Ben. “I’m sure it is.”
“I’m leaving,” Ben muttered, heading back downstairs. “We’ll be back in time for the fireworks.”
Laura Jean returned to packing with Simone’s help, and when they were finished, they moved on to the kitchen to begin dinner.
Simone flipped on the sound system, and music filled the lower level, drawing the children in. CeCe and Annabeth came in first, with Livy and Jamison. Evie brought Toby down, and he sat at the kitchen table out of the way while the girls danced as they helped with the food. A cat or two got caught up in the action, meowing loudly as they fled to the top of the cabinets.
When it was time for dinner, Devon stepped in from outside with Abe, bopping along with the girls.
“I found these in Ty’s shed.” Devon held up a batch of fireworks, dancing to the music by wagging his butt at his wife. “We’re shooting them off after dinner.”
Simone lectured him to be careful, and he pulled her into his arms as Laura Jean leaned a hip on the counter, watching them all. These would be the moments she would miss the most. The loud chaos that had reminded her that life was worth living when she first came to Haven House after losing Albie.
Once the food was ready, they all ate together in the kitchen, standing about and chatting excitedly. Ty called in the middle of it, saying the traffic was horrible and that he would meet them in Port Michaelson for the fireworks.
“I hope Ben doesn’t get stuck in that mess,” Laura Jean said while she and Simone loaded the dishwasher, having sent most of the children upstairs to get ready to go. “I don’t want to leave without him and the boys.”
“He’ll be fine,” Devon told her. “He’s coming from the opposite way.”
Simone fed Lestat the cat leftover chicken, and he purred in appreciation, chasing after her for more. “Devon, we don’t have time to gather all of them to watch you shoot those fireworks off, but can you at least take Abe? He needs to burn off some energy.”
