Caleb is dancing on the grass with Brynna. They’re grinning at each other and talking softly amongst themselves. Their daughters, Maddie and Josie, are dancing around them, their pretty white dresses flowing around their legs as they giggle and skip, their dog, Bix, joining in the fun.
Our parents all have their heads together at a long table. My mom is holding Liam, my oldest brother, Isaac’s baby boy, who is drooling profusely and chewing on his fist. My dad is listening to her tell a story to Luke’s parents, smiling at her as if she hung the moon.
And as far as we’re all concerned, she did.
Our family has grown by leaps and bounds in the past few years. Now that Caleb is married off, Dominic and I are the only ones who have managed to stay single, and I don’t plan to change my status any time soon.
Our baby sister, Jules, is rubbing her barely there belly and leaning on her husband of almost a year, Nate. They’re chatting with Natalie, Jules’ longtime friend and who we all consider to be our sister, and her husband, Luke Williams, along with Luke’s sister, Sam, and their younger brother, Mark.
At a nearby table, Will’s fiancée, Meg, is chatting with her brother, Leo, and our oldest brother, Isaac, with his wife, Stacy.
Dominic, a brother we recently discovered we had as a result of a brief affair on our father’s part more than thirty years ago, is talking quietly with Alecia, the event planner who pulled this wedding together at a moment’s notice.
“So you chased off the baker,” Caleb comments as he approaches Will and me. The song is over, and Brynna has returned to chat with Jules and Nat.
“I didn’t chase her off,” I growl.
“How do you know her?” Isaac asks as he also joins us.
“Jesus, don’t you all have anything better to do?”
“Than nose into your personal life?” Will asks and shakes his head as he stuffs some appetizers into his mouth. “No way.”
“She’s just someone I met a few weeks ago.”
“You like her,” Isaac comments.
“What are you, a girl?” I smirk and glance over at Brynna, who is laughing at something Jules just said. “Are we going to talk about our feelings now?”
“This is a wedding, dude,” Will replies. “Feelings are running rampant around here.”
“Well, in that case, now’s as good a time as any to give a toast.”
And get your focus off of me, for fuck’s sake.
I walk to the center of the yard and motion to Alecia, who speaks into her wrist, and magically, the music hushes.
“Okay, everyone, it’s time for a toast,” I announce in a loud voice. Everyone turns to me, and I tuck one hand in my pocket and shift awkwardly.
I’ve never been comfortable being the center of attention. That’s Will’s job.
“First, I want to say congratulations to both of you.” I turn my eyes to Caleb as he stands behind his bride and wraps his arms around her waist with his chin resting on her shoulder. “You each went through your own private hell to get where you are. To find each other. And, honestly, I can’t think of two people who deserve to be happy more than you.”
Brynna’s eyes fill with tears, but I keep going.
“Brynna, you’ve been a part of our family for a while now. I know that I’ve thought of you as a sister for quite some time. Your daughters, despite being little extortionists, are beautiful and wonderful, just like their mother. You have the strength and humor to put up with this sometimes overwhelming family, and we love you. It’s my pleasure to officially welcome you to our family.”
There are whoops and hollers as everyone applauds. When the noise dies, I continue.
“Caleb, you’re not just my little brother. You’re my best friend.”
“Hey!” Will interrupts, but I ignore him and continue.
“You’re here, whole and healthy, thank God, because you were meant to make Brynna and her girls yours. I believe that. I’m just glad you pulled your head out of your ass and realized it yourself.”
“Love you, too, bro,” he replies softly.
“You’re my hero,” I tell him earnestly and with a strong voice. Our brothers and Jules all nod and murmur in agreement. “So, to Brynna and Caleb.” I raise my water, and everyone follows suit. “May you always be as happy as you are today.”
“Here, here!” our father exclaims.
“And now for the gifts!” Jules announces and claps her hands.
Dom steps forward with a grin. It’s still surreal to look at him and know that he’s my brother. Where the rest of us are all fair, with blond to dark blond hair, Dom is dark, with black hair. But he shares our blue eyes.
“You know that I own a villa in Tuscany,” he begins. Brynna’s eyes widen, and Caleb laughs. “I’d like for you to spend two weeks there. Enjoy it. You’ll have Maria, who will come in to cook your meals, but other than that, it’ll just be the two of you.”
“We’re keeping the kids!” Bryn’s dad calls out.
“Is Maria a good cook?” Will asks, earning a punch in the arm by Meg. “What? Maybe we should go there, too.”
“Thank you so much,” Brynna replies and blushes when Dom plants a kiss on her cheek, earning a growl from Caleb.
“That’s not all,” Luke adds. “You’re going to need to get there. We,” he gestures to the rest of the siblings, “have all pitched in to charter a private jet, so you can go whenever it’s convenient for you.”
“You don’t have to—” Caleb begins, but Nate interrupts.
“One thing you know about us, we don’t do anything we don’t want to. We want to.”
“So you just decide when you want to go, and it’s yours,” Dom informs them.
“But until then,” Natalie joins in, a wide smile on her beautiful face, “we’ve reserved a room for you at a bed-and-breakfast at the beach. You can go have as much sex as you want over the next four days.”
“Thank you all, so much,” Brynna replies with tears in her eyes, hugging everyone in turn.
“Let’s dance, sweetheart.” I hold my hand out to her and lead her to the grass where the music has started again. Need You Now by Lady Antebellum.
Appropriate.
I pull Brynna into my arms, and we begin to sway with the music.
“How are you feeling?” I ask her.
“Happy,” she replies with a grin.