“Deep down, I know that. I just want someone or something to blame. She’s just a baby. She doesn’t deserve to have to go through so much.”

I shook my head. “While I agree that is unfair that Lucy is going through this, I’m not going to let you beat yourself up. You’re the best mother in the entire world. No one has sacrificed for her children as much as you have.”

“Thank you, Brayden,” she murmured before she leaned forward to kiss me.

“Do you feel better now?”

She shrugged. “Aren’t you scared?”

Taking her hands in mine, I gave her a small smile. “I’m terrified.”

“That makes me feel a little better,” she admitted.

My brows shot up in surprise. “Really? I thought I was always supposed to be the strong as steel man.”

“I like it when you’re strong, but I also like it when I know that you’re struggling just like I am.”

“Just don’t forget for one minute that we’re in this together. You don’t have to go through this alone. I’m here for you.”

“I think I love you more right now that I have our entire time together,” she said, with tears pooling in her eyes.

“I love you, too, baby.” I kissed her once again. “Come on, let’s get some sleep.”

And then I drew her in my arms, and we lay back together. I felt the safest, the securest, and the most loved when I held Lily in my arms.

BRAYDEN

THE PRESENT

It wasn’t long before Lily rejoined us. “Everything okay?” I asked.

She smiled. “Just a minor meltdown due to some of the noises on one of the video games the boys were playing. She’s got her headphones on now and is watching a movie. She’s fine.” Lily turned her attention from me over to Giovanni. “I guess Brayden explained about Lucy in my absence.”

“Yes, he did. As a parent of a five year old, I would have to say that you guys are doing amazing with her, as well as your other children.”

“Thank you. That means a lot.”

“Well, I think that just about wraps it up.” Giovanni put his notepad into his briefcase and rose off the couch. “Once again, I cannot thank you two enough for allowing me to sit down with you. I have such a good feeling about this article. I think the entire issue is going to be a hit.”

Lily flushed a little at his words while I merely laughed. “Here’s hoping our story can sell some copies.”

“Oh, I’m sure it will.” Giovanni glanced between us. “You two still don’t quite understand what an amazing thing you have, do you?”

Taking Lily’s hand in mine, I brought it to my lips. “Trust me, I think we get it.”

Giovanni smiled. “I’m glad to hear that.” As he started over to the door, he said, “Best of luck. I’ll see you tomorrow at the wedding.”

“Thanks again for coming,” Lily said, as she showed him to the door.

When he was gone, I collapsed back onto the sofa. “Oh no, don’t get comfortable. We have exactly forty-five minutes before we have to meet the others for the rehearsal.”

I groaned. “I’d forgot all about that. I’m dying for a nap.”

Lily giggled as she came over to me. “You’re showing your age if you’re needing a nap, Vanderburg.”

“I’d forgo the nap for a quickie,” I replied, wagging my eyebrows.

“Thinking about all our past sexcapades has you hot?”

“Mmm, hmm.”

Nibbling on her lip, I could tell Lily was giving a quickie some serious thought. “Come on. The kids are being looked after, and we have the whole place to ourselves.”

Without taking her eyes off of mine, she started backing up to the bedroom. When she crooked her finger, I was off the couch like a shot.

BRAYDEN

THE PRESENT

I stood at the altar of the awe-inspiring Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Savannah, anxiously awaiting the appearance of the bride. With bated breath, I watched as the precocious Jax and Jules came down the aisle as ring bearer and flower girl. Glancing next to me at Jake, I watched with amusement as he clenched and unclenched his jaw. I’d witnessed firsthand the drama last night when Jax and Jules refused to walk down the aisle. After spending the day at the bridal luncheon, I actually couldn’t blame them for wanting to stay back at the hotel to play with the other kids. Of course, I didn’t voice my opinion on that one. As Jake kept a watchful eye on them, I’m sure he was just waiting for them to throw another tantrum. But they performed like the absolute angels they looked like.

My attention immediately left the twins and went to the breathtakingly beautiful bridesmaid coming up the aisle in a lavender dress. With her hair swept back on the sides with glittering combs, the rest of Lily’s long blonde hair cascaded in waves down her back. It was hard to believe she had just turned thirty four. She looked just as youthful as the day I’d first seen her picking apples. When she met my gaze, she smiled and winked. And after all this time, my heart still did a little shudder and restart.

Just after Lily was Mia and then Abby making their way down the aisle. Because of Allison’s eclectic fashion sense, each bridesmaid wore a different color of dress. Abby was in pink while Mia was in light blue. When Andrea, Allison’s half-sister and matron of honor, came down the aisle, she wore a mint green dress. While she wasn’t standing up in the bridal party, Rhys’s sister, Ellie, wore a pale yellow dress and held the same bouquet as the other bridesmaids in her lap on the front bench.

Gazing over at Rhys, I surveyed how he was doing. He appeared relatively calm, but I knew on the inside he was probably panicking a little. All grooms did no matter how ready they were to get married. I knew there was no one else in the world for Rhys but Allison. He had just wanted to give her a little time to grow up more before they tied the knot. Now at twenty four, Allison was more than ready to take on the role of being his wife.

The music changed from Pachelbel’s Canon in D over to Ave Maria. The doors at the back of the cathedral opened, and Allison appeared on her father’s arm. She certainly was a breathtaking bride. With her dark hair swept back and a glittering tiara on her head, she didn’t look like the little girl I’d met so many years ago. She was a grown woman now.

Lily had told me that Allison’s dress was reminiscent of Grace Kelly’s and Kate Middleton’s. Of course as a self-respecting dude, I had no clue what their dresses looked like. All I knew was that Allison looked elegant and beautiful as she glided down the aisle. Her smile was radiant and focused on one person only—her groom.