I nod my head and a few more tears fall. “I do. Do you promise to come back?”

He ruffles my hair. “Awe Love, you couldn’t keep me away.” When he calls me Love, it makes me remember the first time we met.

Masen chooses that moment to walk up to the table. “Are you making her cry?” he asks, irritated at his brother.

“I’m just weepy. Leave him alone.” My voice is nasally from unshed tears.

Masen opens his arms. “Come here, baby.” I dash as quickly as my sore leg will take me into his chest. My hands curl up under my chin as he hugs me to him. I hide my face in his neck as the tears I was holding fall. The platform heels I wear give the extra height I need to nuzzle under his jaw.

The fancy white dress hangs in my closet. It just didn’t feel right. Mickey helped me braid my hair this afternoon, weaving the blue silken strand I bought for a belt through. The black leatherette leggings and sheer long-sleeved white tunic hide my healing cuts and scrapes much better. The bruising on my face has almost disappeared.

Masen gives me a few minutes to calm down before taking his seat at the table and pulling me onto his lap. I breathe a sigh of relief, touching him makes everything more bearable. The room quiets briefly as everyone else finds their seat. Food is delivered to our table first. The young women seem flustered by Masen’s, Caleb’s who looks more like an older brother rather than a father, and Sniffer’s presence. My being on Masen's lap further stresses her, she can’t figure out where to place the plates. Finally, I take mercy on her and grab Masen’s plate, putting it right in front of him. He smirks and watches as I grab my own and drop it right next to his. The pink prime rib makes my stomach tumble, so I end up pushing it to the other side. “Blah, that looks gross,” I shudder.

He chuckles, and I squirm in his lap. “You picked it, Little One. You said you like it.”

I shake my head. “I usually do. It’s your babies that don’t seem to care for it,” I say dejected.

The whispers start at the first few tables and flow back quickly. It only takes a moment to realize my mistake. I’m not used to people watching and listening. I need to learn to keep quiet. “Well, that’ll give them something to talk about,” I whisper, embarrassed about my error.

He shrugs. “They would have found out soon, anyway.” Masen instructs the awestruck waitress to, “Bring us another plate without the meat.” She rushes off to complete his task without even putting the dish she was holding down.

After we finish eating, Masen, his dad, and Sniffer excuse themselves to go outside where our ceremony will take place. Mickey, Nicole, and Red led me through to the back of the hall. We gather in the empty bar until it’s time to head outside. Red pours four shots and passes them to each of us. I push the small glass back. “Ah, I can’t drink this.”