Total pages in book: 188
Estimated words: 182255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 911(@200wpm)___ 729(@250wpm)___ 608(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 182255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 911(@200wpm)___ 729(@250wpm)___ 608(@300wpm)
Would it be like that, so seemingly natural and inevitable, if the three of them had a child?
Seth didn’t have the answer, but he exhaled, the weight he’d been carrying for weeks finally lifting.
At least for now.
Heavenly squeezed his hand, her smile soft and proud. “I’m happy for you. For us.”
“Thanks, angel.” He kissed her temple. “Me, too.”
Beck clapped him on the back, grinning. “Congratulations, man.”
Seth turned to Hudson, his throat tight. Their eyes met. God, staring at the kid really was like looking back in time.
A moment passed between them, a deep sense of connection that both soothed and scared the shit out of him. But he pulled his son into a firm, almost desperate hug. “Son.”
“Dad.” Hudson’s voice cracked, barely a whisper.
At the sound of his son’s obvious emotion, Seth nearly broke. He held on a moment longer, blinking hard, then pulled back with a smile.
It was done. And now, no one could take Hudson away.
The soft murmur of voices and the faint scent of lilies filled the church. Seth stood in the vestibule with his mother, watching her fidget with her bouquet. She looked beautiful in her ivory lace dress, her hair swept up in soft curls, and the delicate veil framing her face. She was glowing, radiant in a way he hadn’t seen in years.
“You look beautiful, Mom.” He sent her a soft smile.
Her eyes misted immediately. “Seth… Don’t make me cry before we even start down the aisle.”
He reached for her hand. “I’m happy for you. After everything you’ve been through, raising five boys alone, you deserve nothing but joy.”
She squeezed his hand, her voice trembling. “I never thought I’d get married again. I loved your father with all my heart, and after he died, I couldn’t imagine ever wanting to. But I met Carl and…” She trailed off, shaking her head with a small, disbelieving laugh. “He stole my heart.”
“He seems like a good man. Solid. Kind.” Then Seth sent his mother a teasing stare. “But if he ever hurts you, I promise no one will ever find his body.”
“Seth Michael Cooper!” She swatted his arm playfully. Then her expression turned tender. “I’m so grateful for you. You’ve always been my rock. Even as a boy, you stepped in to help raise your brothers. I don’t say it enough, but I’m so proud of you, of the man you’ve become.”
Seth’s throat tightened. He wanted to hold onto this moment, to freeze it before he turned her world upside down on Monday. Before he shattered her image of him.
But for now, he could give her this.
“I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too.”
The organ music swelled, signaling their cue. Seth offered her his arm, and she took it, fingers trembling as she steadied herself with a deep breath.
“Ready?” he whispered.
“Yes,” she replied without hesitation.
Seth squeezed her hand before they stepped into the sanctuary.
The small crowd rose. As he and his mom began walking down the aisle, he felt a tiny tremor ripple through her. Her hand tightened on his arm. Her chin quivered.
“Breathe,” he whispered. “You got this.”
With a nod, she drew in a bracing breath and steadied herself, smile firmly in place.
Seth saw familiar faces occupying the pews, people he’d known for years. His mom’s friends from church, neighbors, and Dad’s former beat partner, Gene, had all come to see her tie the knot, wearing warm, nostalgic smiles.
Halfway down the aisle, Seth glanced to his left. Beck, Heavenly, and Hudson—who cleaned up nicely in his dark suit—stood. Next to his son, Connor and Jack stood beside Matt. Danny and Maggie, who held a wiggling Anna on her hip, rounded out the row.
On the groom’s side, Carl’s kids, Blake and Cat, were near the front. What Seth presumed were Carl’s friends and co-workers smiled just behind them.
As Seth and his mom approached the front of the church, his gaze locked with Heavenly’s. She watched him, her blue eyes soft and shining. For a moment, the world narrowed to just the two of them. His chest tightened with a swell of emotion so powerful it nearly staggered him.
Beside her, Beck sent him a ghost of a smile and a barely perceptible nod, silently conveying the same sentiment.
Soon, this will be us.
He wanted that—more than life itself. He wanted to stand at the altar beside Beck as Heavenly glided toward them in white. He wanted her between them as they each spoke vows from the heart. He wanted the certainty, the permanence, the forever love they’d built together.
And he wanted to make it official in every way he could.
At the front of the church, Father Heasley stood, hands folded, watching Seth and his mom approach with a calm, steady smile. At the altar, Carl waited, wearing his crisp, dark tux, gaze fixed on his bride as if she was the only person in his whole world.