Page 70 of Silver Sanctuary
“No! Mom, Nash is great. He’s so kind, and funny, and I see the way he looks at you. It’s like all the ways the heroes look at their princesses in my books.” Embrie’s lashes fluttered as she held her clasped hands up over her heart.
“But I want you to know that this doesn’t change our relationship. I’m still your mom before anything else, okay? I will never be too busy for you. It’s okay for you to tell me how you really feel—always. I’ll always listen.”
“I’m excited. It’s always been just… us. Now we get a big family. And I have aunts and uncles, and Nanny and Pops will beours, too! We can go to Montana and meet everyone. I can’t wait, Mama. I’m happy.”
Lacy bit her bottom lip, trying her hardest not to cry at the wisdom that just poured out of her nine-year-old.
“You’re the wisest person I know, Embrie. I’m so happy you’re excited for this.”
“I am. I really am. But, do you think…” Embrie’s eyes went wide as she tried to get out the words and Lacy’s mind went into overdrive. Was she actually worried about everything changing? Was she feeling weird about being around Nash now that he would be Lacy’s husband? Was everything overwhelming her?
“Do I think what, honey?”
“Do you think… maybe one day… would it be okay for me to call Nash ‘Dad’? I’ve never had a dad, and he seems like he’ll be a really good one.” Tears flooded Embrie’s eyes, and Lacy pulled her beautiful, smart, incredibly-wise-beyond-her-years daughter into her arms.
“I have a sneaking suspicion,” Lacy whispered through her own tears, “that Nash would love for you to call him ‘dad,’ if and when you are ready for that.”
“Okay,” she cried, her body leaning into Lacy’s. “I’m excited for you to marry him, Mama. I want you to be happy.”
“I am, sweet girl. I’ve always been happy with you by my side.”
“Well, damn.” Lacy looked up to see Mae and Lily both wiping at their eyes, Lily’s arms banded tightly around Sage. “There goes all Lily’s hard work with our makeup.”
“It’s fine! I made sure everything was waterproof.” Lily laughed through her tears. “Come on, I’m sure Nash is ready to see you both. Give us a second to scoot on by, then count to ten and walk in! We’ll make sure he’s ready.”
Lacy nodded, those damn nervous butterflies dancing in her belly like the wedding had alreadystarted.
“You really ready for this?” Hawk patted Nash on the back.
“Yeah—more than ready. You know I would have dragged her down to the courthouse the day she moved into my apartment. I was just waiting for her to be ready.”
“You think she is?” Gunner grunted as he worked on buttoning up his shirt.
“I think a part of her is. I think there’s another part telling her I don’t really mean it—that I won’t really stay.”
“She’ll get there, Wings. Just keep showing that she can count on you to be there.”
“I plan on doing just that.”
“All right, well… couldn’t let today pass by without a toast. To the first of our crew to get married in Texas with all of us in attendance.” Sebastian smiled, his hand going around the back of Gunner’s neck and squeezing. They all loved Lily like she was their sister, but finding out Gunner had married her while he was back home in Connecticut saying goodbye to his dying mother had been a shock, to say the least. And then he’d shown up in Texas with Lily on one arm, and cradling a newborn Sage in the other. It was an adjustment for their group.
“Yeah, yeah. Lily and I are gonna do it right one of these days. Don’t make me start giving you shit about Emma and the five-year-long engagement.”
Cap laughed, handing out glasses of whiskey from his family’s distillery. “This is one of the first bottles my brothers ever distilled. It’s meant for times of celebration—when family comes together and blessings are witnessed. And that’s what today is. Because we aren’t just seeing a friend enter a sacred union with the woman he loves, we’re witnessing our brother gaining his own family—a wife, and a daughter—to love and protect. To laugh and cry with. To share even the secrets wedon’t know about with. Nash, it may have felt like your new life began the day you left the Navy, and in a way, it did. But I believe it was all to bring you right to this moment. The moment where your true forever begins. We’re happy for you, brother—truly happy. May you and Lacy have a beautiful, happy, healthy, lifelong union.”
“Here, here!” Hawk shouted before a sea of “Cheers!” went up from his best friends.
“Oh, here we go!” Gunner picked his phone up off the table. “Looks like it’s time, Wings. Lily said Lacy and Embrie are on their way down. You ready?”
Nash straightened his back, adjusting the way his uniform sat on his shoulders. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Go get ‘em, man. Congratulations.” Gage smiled as Nash turned, walking from the conference room to the reception area of Montgomery Defense. He didn’t have to wait long before the elevator chimed. His heart skipped a beat as movement caught his eye.
“Sorry, handsome.” Mae giggled. “I’m sure you were expecting your girls; they’re right behind us.”
“Thanks for being there for them this morning,” he whispered as they walked by.
And then, Lacy came into view.
