Declan barely heard the words, though he tried to concentrate, tried to hold on to the moment. He remembered the vows, though. Was there a way to say he’d more than love, intensely cherish, honor her every feeling, and give this woman his heart and soul until he breathed his last breath? Because that was the vow he wanted to give.
When it was Evie’s turn, she stumbled over a word or two, and her hands were damp and trembling when he slid the wedding ring on.
He searched her eyes, silently asking the question, Are you okay?
She silently answered, Barely.
Poor thing. He rubbed the knuckles of her hand, listened to the last prayer, and they finally got pronounced husband and wife.
As he pulled her close for a kiss to seal the deal, she let out the softest moan. “Outside?” she whispered. “I need air.”
“Can you make it through the crowd and out the door?” he whispered.
“Hold me and I will.”
He gave her the support of his arm as they turned, and dozens of overjoyed faces greeted them, cheering, clapping, looking as satisfied and happy as he felt.
But not Evie. She looked…like she might collapse any second. Maybe this no-wait wedding hadn’t been a good idea. The Gloriana House transformation wasn’t done yet, but they’d wanted to get married before Christmas. Before…it was obvious that more than two people stood before that pastor and vowed to become a family.
As they crossed the entry and stepped out into the late afternoon sunshine, Evie sucked in some air and held on to his arm with both hands. “That was rough.”
He laughed. “Not what you expect to hear from your brand-new wife after exchanging vows.”
“Sorry.” She put her hand on her stomach. “I’m better now.”
“Not gonna blow?”
“Not…yet.”
Suddenly, the guests poured out to be with them, his immediate family closest, including Evie’s mother, Dawn, concern on her face.
“Evie.” Dawn scooted closer. “I thought we said you were going to head right into the living room for pictures. It’s freezing out here.”
“In a second, Mom.” She fanned herself. “I need the cold air.”
“Dear lass.” Gramma Finnie took her hand. “You look a wee bit peckish.”
“She looks greener than the leaves in her bouquet,” Yiayia added.
“Which I have right here.” Molly said. “You doin’ okay?”
“I’m fine,” Evie assured everyone, but clung a little tighter to Declan’s arm. “Just…”
“You need water?” Ella asked. “Nerves get you?”
“Nerves and…” Evie laughed a little. “Other things.”
“Other things?” Molly stepped closer.
“What other things?”
“Are you sick?”
“Do you need to sit down?”
“What’s wrong?”
The questions came so fast and furious that Declan held up both hands to rein in the whole lot of them. “Whoa. Back off my wife.” He threw her a grin. “I like the sound of that.”
She gave a tight smile, nodding. “It’s fine, Dec. I just needed air.”
“Just like you, Mom,” Pru said, sidling up to Molly. “And a Christmas wedding, too. Remember how dizzy and hot you were even though it was cold?”
“Because I was preg—” Molly froze.
And so did everyone else.
Except Declan and Evie, who just looked at each other and laughed.
“I’m telling you,” he murmured. “There is no such thing as a secret in this family.”
“Secret?” Ella exclaimed. “Why would you keep that a secret?”
“Because we were waiting for this.” Declan held up Evie’s left hand.
“Oh, nonsense, lad,” Gramma Finnie said. “’Tis a rare woman in this family who does things in that order.”
Trace put his hands over Pru’s ears. “You did not hear that, Umproo.”
“Oh my gosh!” Pru exclaimed. “Really?”
Declan and Evie shared a look and another laugh. “Tell them everything?” she asked.
“Why not?”
“Everything…what?” Colleen inched into the group, between Yiayia and Gramma Finnie.
“The reason…” Evie said, nervously toying with her necklace again. “I’m wearing this.”
“The locket with the baby pictures in it,” Pru said. “Right? Your great-great-grandmother’s locket?”
Evie looked up at Declan, her natural color returning. “There are baby pictures in it, but not Gloriana and Evangeline.” She flipped it open and turned the inside of the locket toward the group so they could see the teeny-tiny ultrasound images Evie and Declan had tucked inside the night before. “Unless our twins are girls and that’s what we name them. It’s too soon to know.”
“Twins?!”
The noise that rose up from the group was loud enough to wake Gloriana and Evangeline, wherever they were buried. Questions got fired, jokes were flying, and more than a few tears flowed as the celebration took on a whole new level of frenzy.
Somehow, they all managed to get back inside, and Pru hurried over with two champagne flutes for Declan and Evie.
“Yours is sparkling cider,” she whispered as she handed the glass to Evie.
“Perfect for making a toast,” Evie said, holding her glass high. “To Declan Joseph Mahoney, my husband, who is…”
“A banana?” he whispered, cracking her up as they got a few strange looks.
“The man of my dreams,” she said. “And that’s no joke.”
He lifted his glass. “To Evangeline May Hewitt Mahoney…” He swallowed as his throat tightened. “My wife, my partner, the mother of my children…” The lump in his throat nearly strangled him. “And my best friend.”
As their crystal glasses dinged softly, he could have sworn that was the sound of a basement door closing and locking, forever.
Christmas is right around the corner in Bitter Bark…and that means it’s time for a holiday novella!
Feliz Naughty Dog
Book Seven in The Dogmothers Series
Pru Kilcannon has one goal when she wakes on Christmas Eve—to perform the most “Random Acts of Christmas Kindness” so she can spread cheer and ensure her high school wins the county-wide “RACK IT UP” contest. But when her friends decide to team up with their boyfriends, the ever-helpful Dogmothers enlist the new kid in school as Pru’s partner for the contest. And that means good-girl Pru has
