Page 145 of Other Side Of Never
On the altar, Gabe’s little daughter, Dylan twirled in a slow circle.
“Aren’t you a wee doll,” Nan breathed.Kneeling, she fluttered Dylan’s little dress higher, making her laugh.
Gabe jolted, taking two steps forward before forcing himself to step back in place.
Dylan stopped short and slapped her little hands onto her cheeks and squealed, “Mommy, you look like a real-life Barbie!”
The church rang with surprised laughter.
Gabe grinned widely as his eyes lit up.
Shae beamed.
And Nan cried.
I put my arms around her, holding her back to my front so as not to block her view.
She laughed as Shae rolled down that aisle like she’d done it a million times before.
A strangled sound came from Gabe.
His smile faltered as his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat.
Then his dark brows lowered.
“Well, I wouldn’t kick him out of my bed for eating crackers,” Nan confided, eyebrows high.
I snorted out a laugh.
“That’s my priest,” Nan confided.“He’s married with a pile of kids.The girls call him the Pied Piper of Pussy.”
“Nan,” I whispered, scandalized.
She cackled.
Shae was still ten feet away, but, as if he couldn’t wait any longer, Gabe stepped forward.Smiling through his tears, he held out his hand.
He weaved his long fingers through hers and unceremoniously tugged her up beside him.
Nan drifted closer, smoothing her fingers over Shae’s blushing cheek, then stepping back.
Shae threw her arms around Gabe’s neck and laughed.
His eyes smiled into hers.“You love me, Shae-baby?”
She beamed.
And, with her Nan, promised, “Infinitely.”
I returned with a snap of lightning electrifying the length of my spine.“Jesus!What the fuck was that?”Looking around, I saw Him.I winced.“Shit!Sorry about that.”“About what?”His mouth curled into a slight smile.“Taking Your name in vain, You know.”He rolled His lips against His teeth and shook His head.“That’s not quite what that means.”He wagged His head back and forth.“It’s more don’t use that name to manipulate people or situations.For example, God says men are the head of the household, yada yada yada… Using My name to keep women subservient, creating obstacles in their paths.”He snorted.“Truly fucking ironic.”
I gaped at Him, at how much sense He made, and how we were too dense to see it.
Shrugging off His irritation, He pulled the curtain aside.“That’s Kian.”
My eyebrows flew up.“Kian is Aaron’s dad?He’s ripped.”
“He’s in construction.”
