Page 77 of The Princess, the Prick & the Priest (Confessions 4)

Julien walked over, smoothed his fingers down Priest’s lapel, and said, “J’en ai les jambes qui tremblent.”

“Merci,” Priest said, as he took Julien’s hand and stepped back to look him over. “You look devastating. Robert is going to want to run down the aisle when he sees you.”

“Then we better get down there, non?”

“Yes, I suppose we should,” Priest said, looking at the clock. It had just turned twelve forty-five, and the ceremony was set to begin at one. “I imagine most of the guests are already here.”

“Oui, that was what I was just looking at,” Julien said, and he tugged on Priest’s hand, leading him to the doors. “Did you ever think in a million years that we would marry into a family who not only accepts us, but has invited their friends and family to celebrate their son marrying two men?”

As Priest shook his head, they watched Felicity lead Elliot to his seat, and Valerie help Penny down the aisle to a padded one off to the side—poor, still pregnant Penny.

“No,” Priest said, and brought Julien’s hand up to kiss it. “But I can’t say I’m that surprised, considering the kind of man Robert is.”

“Oui. It all makes sense now, doesn’t it? How caring he is. How open with his heart.”

“It does, and it shows. There’s a lot of love down there for him right now.”

“And even more up here in this room,” Julien said, as he looked back to the scene below. Robbie’s sisters and Sofia had created a fall fantasy wedding for the man they all adored, and the only things now missing from it were his grooms. “It’s time we go down there now and join them, don’t you think?”

Priest nodded, and Julien knew that he understood what he meant. For so long, the two of them had been on their own due to circumstances beyond their control. But today they not only joined their lives with Robbie’s, but also with his sisters, his parents, his nonna, and soon a niece.

The man who had burst into their life with his radiant smile and sunny disposition was about to hand over those who made him that way, for them to love as well. That was a gift neither Julien nor Priest would ever be able to repay. But it was one they would deeply cherish and respect for the rest of their lives.

“YOU KNOW, YOU don’t clean up so bad.”

Logan Mitchell’s voice broke through Priest’s thoughts, as he stood to the side of the bustling lawn of the lake house. He’d just finished making his way through all the hellos with Julien to the Bianchis—and the extended Bianchis—and had excused himself to take a moment or three to think about what he was going to say today to Robert.

Priest wasn’t exactly the best when it came to endearing himself to others; having grown up in a situation so far removed from this one, he found that conversing with this crowd was like learning a whole other language. The Bianchis were fun, vibrant, and loved one another fiercely, and Priest wanted to make sure they understood just how much Robert meant to him.

All caught up in his head, Priest hadn’t even seen Logan and Tate arrive, but as Logan held his hand out, Priest shook it, and noted how sharp Logan looked in his grey suit with a tie that matched his blue eyes.

“Thanks,” Priest said, brushing a fallen leaf from his lapel. “You don’t look so bad yourself. Then again, you never do.”

Logan’s lips curved into a smile that rendered most mortals stupid. “I’ll take that, thank you. Your Robert has a nice family here. I just finished talking to his sister, Felicity? I have to admit, I always wondered where he sprang from.”

“They’re extremely nice,” Priest said, and then looked at everyone starting to take their seats. “Very welcoming, too, considering our unusual circumstances.”

“I still can’t believe it myself, to be honest,” Logan said, serious as ever. “The three of you…married? But before you go ahead and do this today, there’s something I really need to talk to you about.”

Priest eyed Logan cautiously, hoping he wasn’t about to start any shit over the three of them again. Priest already had enough on his mind, and that was the last thing he wanted to think about. “What’s that?”

Logan frowned and put a hand on Priest’s shoulder. “Why in the world did you two let Robbie pick out the music for your wedding ceremony today? Felicity just told me. Have you lost your minds?”

Logan’s words were so unexpected that Priest let out a loud laugh, causing several people to look their way.

Logan grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. “I mean, come on,” he said. “This is Robbie. Who knows what he’s going to be skipping down the aisle to?”

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