Page 37 of Burning Love (Looking For Love #7)

Six Weeks Later

“You look beautiful, Talia,” West said, coming into the room. “You’re sure you want Mom to do this?”

“Yes. I’m not choosing between any of you and I need you as my brother today, not my father.”

West leaned down and gave her a kiss on the forehead, careful not to mess up her hair. “Then that is what you’ll get.”

“You like Jace, right?” she asked shyly.

Not that she needed her brother’s approval, but she desperately craved it

West ran his hand down her arm. “We do. All of us. We would have imagined this all differently, but I guess you’re more like Mom than we all thought.”

Her mother laughed. She’d been sitting in the chair getting the finishing touches of her hair done.

The Friday after Thanksgiving was normally for shopping, but for Talia and Jace, it was both their wedding day and gender reveal party.

Six weeks wasn’t a lot of time to plan for a wedding, let alone find a place. But money talks along with the Carlisle name and they secured a restaurant and had it shut down for the day.

On such short notice, not all of her extended family could make it, but a lot of her cousins lived close by and since it was a long holiday weekend for people, it worked out well.

“Let’s just hope she doesn’t have as many kids as me,” her mother said.

“No,” Talia said. “I’m glad that the morning sickness is gone too.”

“I’m laying bets on the gender,” her mother said.

“Keep quiet, Mom,” she said, grinning and bouncing on her toes. “And go, West. We’re almost ready. I want to get to my groom.”

She looked down at her left hand, at the diamond ring they’d picked out together the day after she’d said yes to him.

She’d been stunned he increased the size of the diamond on the ring and had no idea until it was placed on her hand when they picked it up.

“Stop shaking,” her mother said. “You’re going to jiggle the baby.”

Talia looked down at her belly that wasn’t visible in her gown.

“What a story I’ll have to tell them. I won’t lie like you did.”

“You can’t lie,” Aileen said, rolling her eyes. “You’re sixteen weeks pregnant. I was able to get away with it.”

She laughed. “I’m ready. Are you?”

“Let’s get in place. Talia,” her mother said, battling back the tears, “your father would be so proud. He’d love Jace. He really would. They are so much alike.”

Her eyes teared up some and she looked toward the ceiling to stop their fall. “I feel that in my heart.”

They left the room, the music started and her mother walked Talia down the aisle to her future husband. His father was already standing next to him as the best man, Laken, just a few weeks behind her in her pregnancy walked down before her.

Jace’s eyes locked on hers. Both of them smiled. She was almost giddy, but he was standing at the altar, his hands clasped in front of him. There was a tear in his eye, then he mouthed, “Oh wow.”

“That’s love,” her mother whispered. “Your father said those exact words to me.”

She turned to see her mother tearing up. She joined in. There was no way to stop it.

“Who gives this woman away?” the officiant asked.

“We do,” answered her mother and all her siblings. Talia should have known that would happen too.

Jace reached for her hands and held them quickly, gave them a reassuring squeeze and she returned it.

In the past six weeks, he and his father had been hauling ass to get the upstairs of his house ready and she’d be moving her possessions in once they returned from their honeymoon.

The ceremony was fast and sweet. They chose not to write vows for each other because she knew she’d never get through them without transforming into a puddle of tears on the floor.

“You may kiss your bride,” the officiant said.

Jace framed her face in his hands, put his lips to hers gently and whispered, “I love you. I’ll tell you every day of our lives so you know.”

“I don’t need the words now,” she said. “I feel it in my heart.”

He grabbed her hand and swung it up.

“I now present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Jace Rigby.”

Everyone clapped, his brotherhood of firemen the loudest and most obnoxious, even whistling and chanting, as they’d never thought they’d see this day. Talia and Jace walked back down the aisle and to another room while they waited for their family to go to the reception room.

“Hello, Mrs. Rigby.”

Talia laughed and gave him a loud kiss. “Hello, Mr. Rigby. Do you think they’d notice if we disappeared for ten minutes?”

“I need more than ten minutes to get my fill of you,” he said.

“I’m only talking about the first round,” she said, grabbing his ass.

“They are ready,” the DJ said, coming into the room.

“Dang. Hold that thought for later,” she said. “I think I’m more excited about this.”

“Me too. You’ve made me the happiest man on this earth. I’m not sure I would have ever forgiven my mother without you.”

“You would have gotten there without me,” she said. “I’m positive. But I’m glad I could be a part of it.”

They walked out and heard the music playing, the DJ talking and getting ready to announce them again.

There was no secret to her pregnancy; there’d been no reason to do it.

She had nothing to hide and was deeply in love with the father of her soon-to-be baby.

Their names were called and they walked out holding hands again. Before they could start their first dance, the DJ announced, “If everyone can turn their attention above me for a moment.” They turned and looked where the banner was going to drop. “Let’s count down for one more piece of news.”

Everyone looked confused, but the DJ started counting and their family joined in. Only her mother knew this was happening today.

“Three. Two. One!”

The banner dropped, revealing the words: “It’s a Girl” and under it the name they’d decided.

Stella Samantha Rigby.

“Your mother would be so proud of this moment and you,” she said, wiping the tear from his eye.

“Just like your father would be of you.”

The End!