Page 14 of Home for Nathan (Secret Springs)

Chapter

Thirteen

K aleb and Charlie’s house looked super-dope.

Stunning. Flowers and greenery filled the big hall, a wild arch set up at the end where it met the grand staircase, where he and Nathan would be saying their vows.

Butterflies filled his belly. Zion swallowed hard. God, he was getting married. To Nathan, who was the most amazing person on earth. But then they were going to start off married life by having a baby, which was nuts…

“Are you all right, son?” Mom’s hand landed on his arm, and Zion jumped about a mile into the air.

“What? Yes, of course I’m fine. Why? Do I not look fine?”

“You look terrified.” Mom winked at him. “I know you’re aware, but you do know you don’t have to do this, right?”

He stared at her. “Mom!”

“What? It’s true. You are not required by law to marry this man. So if this is just an I feel sorry for him thing?—”

“It’s not, and I don’t feel sorry for him. I love him. I’m in love with him. Jesus! We named our baby together, Mom.” How could she say that?

“Okay, breathe. I just wanted to make sure.” She gave him a quick hug, and he forced himself to relax.

“I appreciate it, but this is normal nervous, not petrified I’m making a mistake nervous. This is like the same nerves any person feels when they’re getting married, I assume. Surely you had some anxiety?”

Her eyes went comically wide. “I was terrified.”

He grinned at her. “Now, are you trying to suggest that you didn’t know, without a shadow of a doubt, that Dad was perfect for you?”

“To be honest, I have to tell you, I think I was more worried about me being wrong for him. We’re both so competitive.

You know, neither one of us had different hobbies; at least you and Nathan have totally opposite interests.

And he has a career that is not involved in yours, which I think is amazing, for him to have something that isn’t attached to what you do. ”

“What does that mean?”

Mom shook her head, her gray braid swinging.

“Oh, son, you’re a champion. How many skateboarding champions are there at any given time?

Nathan is a weaver and an amazing artist. He’s stunning at what he does.

How many people are stunning artisanal weavers that do exactly what he does?

This isn’t a situation wherein you both need to do it, you know?

Together, you can collaborate on all sorts of different things without jealousy. That’s all.”

“Do you like him?”

“Nathan?” She blinked at him. “I do. He’s very different from anybody else that our family has really gotten to know, and I think that’s amazing. But you know what’s best about him?”

Well, Zion had plenty of ideas, actually, about what was best about Nathan, but he wanted to know what Mom thought, so he shook his head.

“He looks at you like you are the single most amazing human being on earth.” Her eyes got a little misty. “That’s all I wanted. I want somebody who loves you as much as I do.”

He swallowed hard. “Do you think I’m going to be a good dad? A good husband?”

“I think you’re a good person. I think you’re going to be an amazing dad because you love her already.

I think you’re going to be a great husband because you love him.

As long as you both are willing to work, that’s the important part.

Marriage is about working together. It’s not necessarily about being in love.

” She rolled her eyes when he blinked at her.

“Don’t get me wrong, that’s nice, but marriage is about doing the dishes and figuring out, when everybody in the house is sick, who’s going to get up with the baby?

Who picks up the dog poop? Who makes supper. ”

“Ah romance,” he teased, and she shrugged.

“That’s your dad’s job. Not mine.”

“True.” Not that his dad was prone to huge romantic gestures, but he did bring Zion’s mom flowers…

“Anyway, you’re smiling now, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am. I’m happy. I’m marrying the love of my life.

” He glanced over and there was Nathan, big as a house with their Rachel, grinning back at him.

Nathan was dressed in a gorgeous white tunic and a pair of loose gauzy pants instead of the tan suit he’d talked about.

He looked happy. His hair was down, his eyes were lit up, and he was laughing.

Yeah, Zion was marrying the love of his life. He didn’t have anything not to smile about.

Of course, he was nervous, but only because he wanted this to be the most amazing life Nathan could ever have, not because he was worried about making a mistake.

“Well, let’s get this done then.” That was Kaleb, coming to walk him over to his spot at the bottom of the stairs.

That was absolutely the sign for everyone else to fall into place. His dad stood up with him along with Kaleb. Charlie and Saul were Nathan’s attendees. The big grand piano that sat in the parlor had been wheeled out so the town librarian’s dad, who was a band teacher, could play the wedding march.

His mom was nodding along, Nathan’s folks beamed from the sidelines, and there was a line of dogs, including Torah and a pair of giant St. Bernards, sitting pretty and watching the proceedings.

That cracked his shit up, and he made the hang ten hand sign at the alpha club, who all stood along the hallway with their kids in tow. Most of the omegas had been working on food, and were watching from the other side, where there was a fake closet which passed through to the kitchens.

He teared up a little when Nathan reached him, handing off a really sweet bundle of flowers and leaves to Saul, then taking his hand.

The ceremony passed in a blur. Zion concentrated on the feel of Nathan’s hand in his. On saying the words. On meaning them. They re-exchanged rings, and he laughed when Mark, who was Saul’s husband and the local chief of police, closed the book he’d been reading the ceremony from.

“I now pronounce you married! You may kiss your groom.”

He leaned down to kiss Nathan’s mouth, and they stared into each other’s eyes, and it was this amazing, perfect moment that seemed to go on and on…

And then there was a rush of liquid that landed on their feet, Nathan’s eyes going wide as people around them made this amazing collective gasping noise.

“Babe?”

Nathan blinked at him. “I think my water just broke.”