Page 37 of Home for Nathan
“What does that mean?”
Mom shook her head, her gray braid swinging. “Oh, son, you’re a champion. How many skateboarding champions are there at any given time? Nathan is a weaver and an amazing artist. He’s stunning at what he does. How many people are stunning artisanal weavers that do exactly what he does? This isn’t a situation wherein you both need to do it, you know? Together, you can collaborate on all sorts of different things without jealousy. That’s all.”
“Do you like him?”
“Nathan?” She blinked at him. “I do. He’s very different from anybody else that our family has really gotten to know, and I think that’s amazing. But you know what’s best about him?”
Well, Zion had plenty of ideas, actually, about what was best about Nathan, but he wanted to know what Mom thought, so he shook his head.
“He looks at you like you are the single most amazing human being on earth.” Her eyes got a little misty. “That’s all I wanted. I want somebody who loves you as much as I do.”
He swallowed hard. “Do you think I’m going to be a good dad? A good husband?”
“I think you’re a good person. I think you’re going to be an amazing dad because you love her already. I think you’re going to be a great husband because you love him. As long as you both are willing to work, that’s the important part. Marriage is about working together. It’s not necessarily about being in love.” She rolled her eyes when he blinked at her. “Don’t get me wrong, that’s nice, but marriage is about doing the dishes and figuring out, when everybody in the house is sick, who’s going to get up with the baby? Who picks up the dog poop? Who makes supper.”
“Ah romance,” he teased, and she shrugged.
“That’s your dad’s job. Not mine.”
“True.” Not that his dad was prone to huge romantic gestures, but he did bring Zion’s mom flowers…
“Anyway, you’re smiling now, aren’t you?”
“Of course I am. I’m happy. I’m marrying the love of my life.” He glanced over and there was Nathan, big as a house with their Rachel, grinning back at him. Nathan was dressed in a gorgeous white tunic and a pair of loose gauzy pants instead of the tan suit he’d talked about. He looked happy. His hair was down, his eyes were lit up, and he was laughing.
Yeah, Zion was marrying the love of his life. He didn’t have anything not to smile about.
Of course, he was nervous, but only because he wanted this to be the most amazing life Nathan could ever have, not because he was worried about making a mistake.
“Well, let’s get this done then.” That was Kaleb, coming to walk him over to his spot at the bottom of the stairs.
That was absolutely the sign for everyone else to fall into place. His dad stood up with him along with Kaleb. Charlie and Saul were Nathan’s attendees. The big grand piano that sat inthe parlor had been wheeled out so the town librarian’s dad, who was a band teacher, could play the wedding march.
His mom was nodding along, Nathan’s folks beamed from the sidelines, and there was a line of dogs, including Torah and a pair of giant St. Bernards, sitting pretty and watching the proceedings.
That cracked his shit up, and he made the hang ten hand sign at the alpha club, who all stood along the hallway with their kids in tow. Most of the omegas had been working on food, and were watching from the other side, where there was a fake closet which passed through to the kitchens.
He teared up a little when Nathan reached him, handing off a really sweet bundle of flowers and leaves to Saul, then taking his hand.
The ceremony passed in a blur. Zion concentrated on the feel of Nathan’s hand in his. On saying the words. On meaning them. They re-exchanged rings, and he laughed when Mark, who was Saul’s husband and the local chief of police, closed the book he’d been reading the ceremony from.
“I now pronounce you married! You may kiss your groom.”
He leaned down to kiss Nathan’s mouth, and they stared into each other’s eyes, and it was this amazing, perfect moment that seemed to go on and on…
And then there was a rush of liquid that landed on their feet, Nathan’s eyes going wide as people around them made this amazing collective gasping noise.
“Babe?”
Nathan blinked at him. “I think my water just broke.”
Chapter
Fourteen
“No!” Nathan shook his head, horrified. “No way.” He stared into Zion’s eyes. “I want cake!”
“Well, it just so happens your midwife is here.” Devon, who ran the local birth center, bustled over, laughing. “I think we can probably monitor you here. There’s very little risk of infection if you just sit and be social and eat cake. And then we can move down the mountain to the birthing center in a bit.”
