Page 63 of Forever King

“It just means good luck,” he says sheepishly.

Eden shakes her head and begins walking down the stairs she’s dreading. “Let’s hope I don’t break anything. If I do, I’m blaming you, Mr. Sutton.”

When she’s already down on the first floor, he and I link arms and follow her. My father asks, “Why does she still call me that? We’re all adults now. She can call me Joe.”

I look over at him and smile. “You’re always going to be Mr. Sutton, my dad, to Eden. It doesn’t matter how old we are. Your friend’s parents are always what we called you as children. I can’t imagine even thinking of calling her mother Janine. It doesn’t sound right.”

He leans close to me and whispers, “I’d be afraid she’d bite your head off and swallow it whole.”

Suppressing a giggle, I try to chastise him, but he’s right. Eden’s mother is more than a little terrifying. I honestly don’t know how Marius deals with her.

When we reach the first floor, I hear the music begin to play. Eden stands at the door to the patio waiting for me to get there, and suddenly, I start to feel nervous. I’m finally getting married. I’m going to be Ava King after today. It’s about time, some people would say, but nothing with Matthias and me has ever happened on a normal timeline.

I’m just so thankful we got through all the hard times to reach this point today.

The moment my father and I step out onto the patio, I see Matthias standing with the minister. My soon-to-be husband looks so handsome in his dark gray suit. It’s his favorite, so I’m not surprised he chose to wear that particular one today. I told him he could show up in a pair of khakis and a comfortable shirt, but he didn’t think that would be respecting the day enough.

He really is just the most wonderful man.

Eden takes her place on the left side of the minister across from Matthias and his best man Marius, and my father and Icontinue walking toward them. I smile at our family and friends here to join us in this big day and see Kate holding Elizabeth with Ronan beside her. Salem and Kellen stand with Elias, along with little Theo and Matty. Too young to be in the wedding, they get to watch their Mommy and Daddy get married on this beautiful, sunny September day.

My father and I stop in front of everyone, and he gives me a kiss before setting my hand in Matthias’s. It’s a little old-fashioned for my taste, but my father asked only that one thing to be included in the ceremony, so I couldn’t say no.

Matthias smiles at me, and I see he looks nervous. He really can be so cute. I wish I could ask him what’s making him feel that way, but the minister has already begun to speak. I feel Matthias gently squeeze my hand, and I know this is real.

We’re getting married.

When the minister says the vows, just as I begin to say, “I do,” our daughter lets out a scream that I think could be heard in the next town. Everyone laughs, lightening the mood, and I turn to Matthias, chuckling.

“Our daughter has something to say about all of this, but I think I do.”

He rolls his eyes. “I’ll have to get her a pony to get her on my good side.”

Then it’s his turn to say his vows, but there’s nothing but his strong voice when it’s time to say, “I do.” Our wedding may not have been the society party of the year, but it’s just what he and I wanted.

Family and friends together to celebrate our big day with us. We couldn’t want anything more.

“By the power vested in me by the State of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss.”

Clapping and cheers erupt all around us, and when we kiss for the first time as a married couple finally, it’s as magical asthat first time we kissed all those years ago on that snowy winter afternoon. We’ve been through a lot since then, but we made it.

Matthias leans over and whispers in my ear when we turn to face our family and friends, “Now you’re stuck with me. No give backs no returns, Mrs. King.”

I wouldn’t trade this man for anything in this world.

KELLEN AND SALEM

23

Kellen

My head throbsafter a long day at the office, so even though I know I should walk over to the cabinet and swallow some Tylenol, I don’t and instead pinch the bridge of my nose in some lame effort to stem this headache. I’m not usually so lazy, but lately, my job has been beating the hell out of me.

For some reason, the idea of how much harder my life would be if Salem and I had a kid, or even worse, kids runs through my mind. I blame my brothers for that. It’s obviously their fault. They keep having them, and I keep seeing them all happy, so my brain equates children with joy.

I know all too well that’s not a math problem that works out that way. Not that I have any issues with my nieces and nephews. They’re great kids. It’s just that one of the things I love most about being an uncle is when we’re done spending time together, I go home to a quiet penthouse with Salem while my brothers remain in their houses full of toys, noise, and dirty diapers.

“Hey, did you hear what I said?”