Page 101

Liv peeked back over her shoulder then looked back at me. “Sure thing. I’ll give you a few minutes.” She walked past me and left the door open, showing Della sitting in front of the desk where Hayes used to do homework. When I could convince him to do it.
My mind flashed back to my little boy who felt everything so deeply. To my surly teen no one seemed able to reach. To the young man who made a life for himself as a mechanic and business owner. God, it had gone by so fast.
It was hard to believe my son had grown into the man marrying this stunner of a woman.
Today she wore a champagne-colored dress with a full skirt that spilled around the chair she sat in. But the dress paled compared to her. She wore simple makeup, her curly red hair pulled into a loose bun at the base of her neck. “How did my son get so lucky to marry you?” My throat felt tight.
Della smiled, getting up to hug me. “I feel so lucky to be with him and to marry into this family.” She patted my cheek gently. “You should be incredibly proud of yourself for the men you raised. They wouldn’t be who they are without you, Gray.”
A ball of emotion formed in my throat, and I had to swallow it down. “Thought I wouldn’t cry today,” I managed.
Her eyes shone as she smiled. “I got you something just in case...” She walked to the corner of the room where a tote bag sat on the nightstand. Then she reached in and pulled out a folded piece of fabric.
Passing it to me, she said, “A handkerchief for you.”
I took it in my hands, studying the sunflower embroidered in the corner next to a blue heart.
I gave her a watery smile, wishing yet again that my wife could be at her son’s wedding. “Maya would have loved you.”
Now she pressed at her eyes. “Oh, Gray...”
“I know,” I said roughly. “Before we get to the ceremony, I wanted to tell you how grateful I am to have you in our family. You are exactly what Hayes needed. And you’ve made our family so much fuller with your presence, Dell. I can’t wait for you to be a Madigan.”
She smiled up at me and then hugged me, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “Thank you, Gray.”
“Of course,” I replied. “I’ll let you get to it. I’m sure other people want their time with the bride.”
At her wave goodbye, I let myself out to find Liv waiting in the hallway with Della’s parents. We exchanged a few kind words, putting me on the verge of tears again, and then I made my way downstairs to see my son, tucking the handkerchief into my jacket pocket.
It was almost time. And even though I knew Hayes loved Della with his whole heart, part of me worried he would take up his old ways and run.
So I took a deep breath before knocking on my bedroom door, not quite sure what I would find with the seconds ticking down.
“Come in,” Hayes called.
I walked in, seeing Fletcher adjusting the black tie at Hayes’s neck. Hayes wore an all-black suit with a black tie, and it looked damn good on him. Especially when Fletcher stepped back, revealing the perfectly straight tie.
“You look so grown up,” I uttered.
Hayes gave me a pained look. “I’m over thirty, Dad.”
“You’re still my little boy,” I managed, reaching for the handkerchief.
“Oh boy,” Fletcher said, coming to my side and wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “You don’t want to show emotion in front of groomzilla.”
I raised my eyebrows in surprise as I dabbed at my eyes. “Groomzilla?”
Hayes shot him a glare. “Just ‘cause I want Della to have a good fucking day, all of a sudden I’m a groomzilla. Bah.” Hayes turned back to the mirror, adjusting his jacket.
Fletcher leaned closer to my ear. “Turns out the company wanted to send a new limo instead of the vintage one Hayes picked out months ago. Hayes had words for them.”
“Yeah,” Hayes chimed in. “And they’re sending the right fucking one. With free champagne.”
I chuckled. “Atta boy.”
Hayes smiled slightly, and I walked up to him, rubbing his shoulders through the suit jacket. “How are you feeling, son?”
He lifted a shoulder in response, looking at me in the mirror with a weary expression. “I’m thinking I’ll feel a hell of a lot better once Della says ‘I do.’” He turned around to face us. “Why the fuck didn’t we go to Vegas the second she said yes to marrying me?”