Page 54 of Playboy Husband

CALLUM

Istood with Brody at my side, his little chest puffed out in his tux. He grinned up at me, gap-toothed and proud, and I felt a lump growing in my throat.

My son.

Despite having now known for a couple days that he was mine, I was still struggling to get my head wrapped around it. Unbelievably, it felt like my heart had tripled in size in the time since I’d found out. Looking at him now, I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t seen it immediately.

As he broke eye contact, I looked up too, my gaze darting across the ballroom. Sterling, Mom, and Michelle had done an incredible job with the place. It was breathtaking, with gleaming chandeliers, autumn-colored floral arrangements, and candles flickering on every available surface.

It was supposed to have been an intimate ceremony. So naturally, Mom had invited as many people as she’d thought she could get away with. I didn’t mind, though. Frankly, I wasn’t even seeing any of the guests or much of the decorations right now.

Not once the music swelled and the doors opened, and there she was. Maisie Morgan, my bride. Fuck, I really can’t believe it.

Matthew walked beside her, her arm linked through his. I couldn’t tear my gaze away from her face obscured by a thin, shimmering veil. She looked radiant. Otherworldly. The only thing in this room worth looking at.

Sure, I’d already broken the rule about seeing her in her dress, but this moment was something else entirely. This was her walking toward me. Toward saying yes to being with me forever.

Somehow, she’d managed to put her gleaming, dark hair back together.

Her gown hugged every lean curve like it hadn’t been shoved around her hips less than half an hour ago.

Heat sparked in my blood at the memories and I swallowed hard, knowing this wasn’t the time or place, but shit. How lucky am I?

Sterling leaned closer, his voice a low murmur. “Are you doing okay?”

I couldn’t tear my eyes off her, but I smiled past my hammering pulse and nodded. “I’ve never been better in my life.”

Brody tugged at my sleeve, whispering, “She looks like a princess.”

“She does,” I said, my voice rough. “She always does.”

Maisie’s father gave me a slight grin as he placed her hand in mine. Her fingers slid against my palm, warm and trembling. I knew that whatever mistakes I’d made, whatever years I’d lost with them, I was never letting go again.

She smiled up at me. The officiant began, but all his words about love, commitment, and forever blurred into one.

Judging by the smiles and murmurs among the guests, they were good words.

Probably important ones, but none of them felt strong enough to match what I felt as I held her hands in mine, looking into those green eyes and knowing I was going to be waking up to that beautiful face for the rest of my life.

When it was time for our vows, she went first, smiling with her eyes shining like she might burst into laughter, tears, or both.

“I never thought I’d be standing here, and it’s not only because you’re Callum Westwood and my friends swore I had no chance getting you to settle down,” she began, her voice soft but certain.

A ripple of laughter cut the tension in the room and she flashed a smile at our families before looking back at me.

“It’s because when life got messy, you were the last person I thought would show up and stay. ”

She gave my hands a gentle squeeze, pausing for a beat to inhale when her brow puckered like she was about to start crying.

“But here you are. You showed up for me, Callum. You’ve been showing up for me, and for Brody, and somehow, through all the craziness and the uncertainty, you decided to stay.

You’ve even managed to make me believe I deserve this. Deserve you.”

Her voice cracked and she blew out a slow, measured breath, but her gaze never left mine.

“You’re infuriating and stubborn, but you’re also funny, and warm, and so much better than I think you know.

You are, without a doubt, the love of my life and I cannot wait to spend the rest of it with you.

I honestly can’t believe I’m going to get to. ”

She paused for half a second to regain her composure, then tightened her grip on my hands.

“I love you, Callum. I promise to keep loving you, no matter what. I promise to stay by your side, even when you’re doing ridiculous things like trying to buy a hotel just because there’s been a double-booking.

I promise to cheer for you, even if it’s only a beer league now.

I promise to protect you from getting more black eyes from my brothers and, most importantly, I promise to believe in you.

To trust you, and to be honest with you. I love you so, so much.”

My chest cracked open and I cleared my throat when the officiant nodded at me, but I honestly didn’t remember how to string words together anymore. It took me a few moments, but looking into her eyes, the words finally came. “Well, that’s a tough act to follow, but I’ll do my best.”

That earned another laugh from the room and even Maisie’s lips quirked, but her eyes were wet.

I lifted our joined hands and brought them to my mouth to press a kiss to her knuckles.

“Maisie Morgan, I don’t deserve you. I know it, you know it, and everyone else here probably knows it too, but I’m selfish enough to hold on to you anyway. ”

Sterling snorted and Jameson laughed, another chuckle murmuring through the crowd, but I hadn’t tried to be funny. It was the honest truth. “You’ve given me more than I ever thought I could have, your love, a family, and a chance to live the kind of life I never would’ve dreamed of.”

A grin spread across my lips even as my eyes burned. “You’re beautiful, and fierce, and so much smarter than me. I promise to never stop reminding you how much I love you. Even when you’re mad at me. Even when I screw up. Especially then. Because this is it for me. You’re it.”

The officiant spoke again, presumably moving through the rest of the formalities, but I barely heard him.

Our vows had already bound me tighter than anything he could say.

We slid rings onto each other’s fingers and the cool metal of mine felt foreign against my skin, but I already loved having it there.

When he finally told me I could kiss her though, that I heard.

I leaned in, hooking an arm around her hips to kiss her slowly and reverently.

Our guests clapped and cheered, but I didn’t bother listening to them either.

All I wanted in this moment was my wife.

I smiled against her lips, lingering there for just another moment before we finally had to turn and face the room.

Our mothers were still dabbing their eyes, our fathers wearing matching, beaming grins.

Our brothers swarmed around us, sweeping us up in a massive group hug while Laney and Sadie fussed with Maisie’s train, trying to bend over to straighten it out even though both of their baby bumps were getting in the way.

Jameson clapped me on the shoulder as we all broke apart, smirking as his gaze held mine. “I told you it would work if you just kept trying.”

I laughed, feeling lighter than I probably ever had. “Yeah, I really hate to admit it, but you were right.”

“I know.” He pumped his eyebrows at me before he took Sadie’s hand and led her to the grand hall where the reception was taking place.

Sterling grinned at me. “That was beautiful, man. So heartfelt. I never knew you had it in you.”

I snorted. “Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“Always.” The teasing faded from his features, leaving them sharper and much more familiar. “I really am proud of you, though. We’ll talk sometime, but I suspect I know what was going on, and if I’m right, then we have even more to celebrate today.”

He winked and turned, a hand at the small of Laney’s back as he guided her to the reception, too.

Eventually, once my cheeks hurt from smiling for too many pictures and Maisie looked a little woozy for having been on her feet for so long, I snaked an arm around her waist again and held her close to my side as we entered our party.

The hall had been decked out like something out of a storybook, with long tables, more candles flickering, and laughing echoing around the room. We ate, we danced, and I still felt like I was stuck in a haze, or maybe it was a sweet dream.

I kept glancing at Maisie’s left ring finger, seriously unable to believe that she’d agreed to be my wife. Sterling elbowed me, arching his eyebrows like he expected something. I didn’t know what. He sighed.

“Your wife looks breathtaking. I know that, but you have to give a toast, so snap out of it.”

I shot to my feet, grabbing my glass and wondering if they’d told me about this. I sure as hell didn’t remember being told I would have to give a toast, but I raised my glass up high anyway and grinned out at a sea of mostly unfamiliar faces.

“For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Callum.

I think introductions are in order since, from the guest list, it looks like CC invited half of Europe and many of you have probably never met either of us.

” Laughter rippled through the room. “Look, I know I’m supposed to say something wise, and clever, and funny here, but all I can really say is that marrying Maisie is the best decision I’ll ever make. ”

The guests fell silent and I smiled, turning my attention to her and only her.

“She’s beautiful, but she’s also so strong, and so selfless.

I have a lot of catching up to do in that department, but I plan on being the best husband and father my family ever could’ve hoped for.

So here’s to my wife, Maisie, and to my son, Brody, who have made me happier today than I ever believed I could be. ”

Of course, Brody didn’t know yet that when I said my son, I meant biologically, but we would get there. Just not here or now.

Glasses clinked as people toasted to us. Maisie blinked back tears before wrapping her arms around my neck once I sat down again. “I love you, Callum Westwood. I don’t think even I knew how much until I almost lost you.”

“Never,” I swore quietly, holding her tight as Jameson stood to make his speech.

The evening seemed to drag on forever, but finally, I managed to pull her away.

I just needed a minute with my wife that didn’t involve at least eighty of my mother’s closest European acquaintances.

Once we were far enough away that the sounds of the party were dim and muffled, I wrapped my arms around her and pressed my forehead to hers.

“Hi, Mrs. Westwood,” I whispered.

Her laugh was soft, her eyes shimmering with tears I sure hoped were happy. “Hi, husband.”

As the word came out, she pushed herself up on her toes, her lips found mine, and she wound her arms around my neck. Finally, it was just us and my heart felt like it was about to explode right out of my chest.

“Thank you for saying yes,” I murmured between kisses, holding her so tight I wasn’t even sure she could breathe properly.

She smiled against my lips. “Thank you for asking, and for showing up, and for forgiving me, and for everything else.”

She surged forward and kissed me again. For a moment, it felt like my world was standing still.

Against all odds, Maisie and I had made it, and she, Brody, and I were finally going to be the family I’d never even known I wanted—despite the best efforts of my former self, who had done everything he could to drive her away forever.