“Beck,” the officiant says. “Please place your ring on Roman’s finger and repeat after me: ‘With this ring, I take you as my husband.’”
Roman raises a shaky hand in the air, and Beck slides the ring onto his finger with an equally shaky hand, repeating the words.
“Now, Roman. Please place your ring on Beck’s finger and repeat after me: ‘With this ring, I take you as my husband.’”
Roman repeats the phrase and the movement. Both of them are damn near vibrating out of their skin, and I can’t help but smile. “With the power vested in me by the state of Montana, I now pronounce you husbands. Roman?” the officiant says, his lips tilted in a barely contained smile. “You may kiss your groom.”
Roman doesn’t wait for any further instruction. He grabs Beck’s face, pulling him in close, and the second their lips connect, the entire room erupts in cheers and whistles. Their kiss goes on longer than is strictly necessary, but after all that? I can’t even say I blame them. When they finally break apart, they’re both crying again, but this time with huge smiles on their faces.
“It is my honor to present to you for the first time as husbands, Mr. and Mr. Beck and Roman Hart.”
Beck and Roman turn toward the crowd, holding their clasped hands in the air, before taking off down the aisle together. Riley looks back at me with a watery smile, then swoops in, scooping Warren up. He’s been incredibly well-behaved, and I’m honestly a little surprised. “My baby now, Julian,” she says, cackling as she whisks him away, stopping only long enough to hold her hand out to Wren, who takes it with a giggle and a bright smile. Riley may be worse about spoiling the kids than Beck is.
Holden waves Eli on, looping his arm through his the second he gets close enough for Holden to do it, before he turns and holds a hand out to me. I twine our fingers together, and walk back down the aisle, a smile on my face I couldn’t wipe away if I tried.
The reception hall is loud, with music playing and everyone talking over each other. Riley and her new girlfriend are dancing with the kids, and Eli is sitting quietly, taking everything in with wide eyes. I’m not sure where the newlyweds are, but I think it’s time we find out. “Darlin’, wanna go find the grooms withme?”
He nods, standing up. “We’ll be right back, Eli. Are you going to be okay on your own for a second?”
Eli looks toward us, then back to the dance floor. “Yeah. I’ll help keep an eye on the kids.”
He doesn’t really need to do that. Riley is more than capable, but it’s sweet that he wants to. “Okay. Thank you,” I say, giving him a reassuring smile.
I take Holden’s hand in mine as we set off to find the grooms. I push open the door to the suite Beck got ready in earlier, and Beck and Roman jump apart like teenagers being caught by their parents. Holden gasps, covering his face with his hands as Beck adjusts himself, quickly working on tucking his shirt back into his pants. “So, uh—we should. Well—” he stammers.
I can’t help but laugh. “Lord have mercy. You have a whole reception waiting for you.”
Holden makes a small noise. “Yeah, so you should put it all back in your pants and get back to the party.”
Roman’s face is bright red, and he blows out a breath. “Everything is put away, Hold. Jesus. You can uncover your eyes.”
“Nope,” Holden says, popping the p loudly.
I have to bite my lower lip to keep from laughing again. How is he the same person who basically begged me to use him in bed the other day? “Tell you what,” I say, givingBeck and Roman a sideways glance. “I’ll buy you five minutes tofinish up.”
Holden fake gags, interrupting me.
“Anyway,” I continue. “Five minutes. Then you need to get your asses out here. Yeah?”
Beck smirks, mouthingthank youto me, and I all but drag Holden into the hallway. He pulls his hand from his face and locks eyes with me. The corner of his lips quirks up, and then we’re both laughing. I cup his face in my hands and kiss him, savoring the warmth of his skin under my fingers and the plush feel of his lips against mine.
A low moan echoes from the other side of the wall, and Holden pulls back, his eyes wide in alarm. “We havegotto get away from here.”
He’s something else. “Were you this scandalized by sex when you shared a bedroom wall with them?”
Holden glares at me, doing his level best to pull me away from the door. “No. I did get tired of hearing it, though. I don’t have to listen to them now, Jules. We should give them privacy.”
I drop a kiss on his nose. “You stand at that end, and I’ll stand at this end.” I say, pointing first to the far end of the hallway and then gesturing toward the other end.
“Ugh. I hate you for this.”
“One day, darlin’, when it’s our wedding, and they owe us one? You’ll be thankful.”
That stops him dead. He narrows his eyes. “You know what? I’m gonna go stand at this end of the hallway.”
He doesn’t stand around waiting—he just flounces off down the hall, taking off to help me keep people away from the door. When I’m positioned at the other end, I wink at him.
A few minutes later, Beck and Roman step out of the room, both looking flustered and flushed, but mostly put together. I shake my head with a laugh.
