Page 72 of The Sweet Part
“Oh, I’m always going to remember this gift,” May says. “Full of meaning from a car lover’s heart.”
“That’s right.” I turn to her dad. “Now that I’m part of the family, what was your legendary grand gesture?”
Her dad grabs two glasses of champagne from a circulating waiter. “Let’s have a toast to the happy couple!” he says above the noise of the crowd. He hands a glass to his wife. The band leader hands her dad a wireless microphone.
“Smooth,” I say.
“I’ll tell you later,” May whispers in my ear.
After everyone gets champagne, with sparkling water for Sophie, May’s dad lifts his glass. “Liz and I want to welcome Mason to the family. He’s shown himself to be a man after my own heart.”
“Aww,” May’s mom says, leaning toward the mike. “I agree! And now we get to have another son.”
Not to be outdone, my mom yells, “He’s my son!” She drags Dad along with her to stand next to May’s parents.
“He’ll be your son-in-law,” Mom informs them. She lifts her glass for her own toast and gestures for the mike. May’s dad hands it over without complaint. “May and Sophie, welcome to our family. And again, sorry about my unexpected chats, May. You get it.”
Mackenzie and Harper join Mom and Dad. Mackenzie pulls the mike toward her. “We’re also sorry for any weirdness. I hope you liked our apology donuts.”
“You’re all forgiven!” May yells.
Mom smiles and takes the mike back. “I hope we don’t cause more confusion with all theMnames.”
My brothers, Michael, Maddox, and Miles, chuckle.
“Seriously, though,” Mom says. “I’m happy for you two, and especially happy for Sophie, who’s a girl after my own heart. Never lose that fighting spirit, Sophie.”
“I don’t fight,” Sophie says.
“You have spirit,” Mom says. “I’ll teach you how to defend yourself so you don’t have to fight. I’m a black belt.”
“Oh,” Sophie says. She runs up to Mom. “Did you see my necklace?” She holds up the heart pendant to show her.
“To May and Mason,” Dad says while Mom crouches down to look at Sophie’s necklace.
“Cheers!” May’s mom says.
“Cheers!” Sophie says.
May and I circulate so I can introduce her to my family, and she can introduce me to hers. She met a lot of them at Shayla and Owen’s wedding, but as she says, it was a blur of faces that day. This is the first time I’m meeting her extended family. I was surprised to learn her dad’s younger brother married her mom’s younger sister. Way to keep it in the family, brothers marrying sisters.
Her uncle Shane and his wife, Rachel, run Shane’s Sweets and Something’s Brewing Café in town, and Rachel also runs Book It. I’ve seen them before because of their shops, but didn’t realize they were related to May. It makes me wonder why it took so long for May and me to meet since we know a lot of the same people, and I’m in Clover Park regularly.
Aunt Hailey walks over with a tall guy with dark hair and a beard I’ve never seen before. “Congratulations, you two!” She hugs me and then May. “I knew it from the first moment I saw you together.”
“Thank you,” I say.
May glances at me, the look in her eyes saying, how did she know?
“She’s the Love Junkie,” I say.
Aunt Hailey laughs. “Of course I’d love to do your wedding. Just let me know what you want, and I’ll make it happen.”
“Something small,” May and I say in near unison.
“See? A perfect match,” Aunt Hailey says. “This is Cal Davis. He’s taking over Gabe Reynolds’s law practice in town.”
While May and I shake his hand, Aunt Hailey gestures for my cousins Mackenzie and Harper to come over.
