Holden’s carrying Warren around, showing him the penguins. He keeps clapping like it’s the best thing he’s ever seen, and I have to admit, if only to myself, that this trip is significantly better than the last. But those arenotthe types of thoughts you say out loud. Murphy’s Law of parenting.
“What do you think about that?” Holden asks, pointing out a penguin standing near the edge of the exhibit.
“Bird,” Warren says, pointing a chubby little finger in the same direction as Holden’s pointing.
“It is.” The smile in Holden’s voice nearly brings me to my knees. He’s so damn good with the kids. Not that I ever had any doubts, but I love watching him be a dad. I fall just a little more each day. “It’s a penguin. Can you say that?”
Warren nods, blinking bright blue eyes up at Holden. He attempts the word, but it comes out all garbled and definitely not even close.
“Yes! That’s right. Penguin. What a smart boy.”
Beck comes up behind me, chuckling slightly. I barely spare him a glance. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing, really. Just the googly eyes you’re giving CT.”
I drag my eyes from Holden and Warren to narrow them at Beck. “Sure, sure, Beckett. Because I don’t constantly find you in a state of googly eyes yourself. Lots of room to talk.”
He shrugs. “I’ve never denied it.”
“Well, I’m not either.”
Beck laughs, rolling his eyes. “You knew, didn’t you?” he asks quietly.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what he’s talking about. “Yeah. It wasn’t particularly hard. I knew from the first time you met Wren. When Roman told you no, you acted like you were only kidding, but I could tell you weren’t. I think Eli is a better fit for you than a toddler, though. For what it’s worth.”
“Yeah,” Beck says. “After that show up front with the juice? I’m inclined to agree. Besides, I think Eli was meant to be part of our family. It’ll take time for him to fully trust that, I think, but he’s off to a great start.” He gestures toward Eli. He’s kneeling in front of Wren, smiling at her while she talks his ear off about the different types of penguins.
Yeah, I definitely think he was meant to be part of the family too.
Chapter 13
Holden
“I’m so excited,” Eli says as he taps his feet against the floor in the dressing room of the venue. I swear, half the hospital showed up for this wedding. Turns out, when Beck got Roman back, he stopped being a reclusive asshole and now everyone is obsessed with him. It would almost be annoying if I didn’t love him so much.
“I’m excited too.” I smile at Eli and pick up the eyeshadow brush from the table beside me. Full-blown makeup isn’t really my style, but it looks adorable on Eli, and I’m decent enough at it. “Okay, close your eyes.”
He does, then tilts his face toward me. The makeup I’m doing is understated, just a bit of gold on his lids that really brings out the green in his eyes. Once I’m done with the shadow, I take my time applying mascara. This kid has thelongest eyelashes I’ve ever seen, and when they’re coated in black, they almost touch his eyebrows. I wasn’t kidding when I said I was jealous of them.
When his face makeup is done, I apply a sheer gloss to his lips and hand him a mirror so he can check himself out. The second he sees his face, he gasps, and tears well up in his eyes. “Ugh. I’m going to ruin it already.”
“Nope. Waterproof. Well, not the eyeshadow. But the mascara and liner. I wasn’t taking any chances.”
Eli lets out a little wet laugh. “Kinda crazy that I just met Beck and Roman a few weeks ago and now I’m at their wedding, huh?”
I sit down in the chair across from him. “Why do you say that?”
He shrugs. “It’s just crazy. It feels like a dream.”
“Do you want to know a secret?” I whisper, leaning in close.
Eli nods, his eyes a bit wide. “It feels like a dream for them as well.” The sweet smile on Eli’s face has me smiling too. “So, what did you think of Riley?”
He laughs, his entire face lighting up with joy. “She walked in the front door with her girlfriend and said, ‘Hi, I’m your Aunt Riley.’ She’s kind of amazing.”
“Girlfriend?” I blurt out.
“Yeah? You didn’t know?”
