Legacy by M.A. Foster
New Year’s Day in London
_____________________________
Dylan
“Ican’t believe out of all the venues in Heritage Bay, you dragged us all the way to London,” Liam teases. “You couldn’t elope like the rest of us?”
“Speak for yourself,” Cole chimes in. “Some of us prefer the traditional route.”
“Pretty sure you missed the traditional bus, teen dad,” Aiden quips, prompting Liam and me to laugh out loud.
“Fuck off.” Cole flips him off.
Aiden looks over at me and gestures to Cole. “And you wonder where I get it from.”
“This was Katie’s idea,” I inform them. “I agreed for sentimental reasons. Besides, this place is called Bliss. Is there a more fitting name for a wedding venue?”
“Truth,” Cole agrees.
“I thought the first time you saw Katie was at Splash?” Liam asks.
“But this is where I found her.” I gesture toward the dance floor, where my wife is dancing to “Kiss” with Cam and Emerson’s son, Trace, propped on her hip.
She’s so damn beautiful.
“My wife deserves this.”
She deserves the world.
“You deserve this.” Liam hooks an arm around my neck. “Good to see you happy.”
Steven crosses the room and stops at the deejay booth. I push to my feet. “I’ll be back.”
Katie and I began planning for our wedding almost immediately after I proposed. It didn’t take long for her to decide she wanted to get married at Bliss, in London. Steven and Cooper made all the arrangements. We flew in a few days earlier, did some sightseeing, rang in the new year here at Bliss last night, and this afternoon, we got married.
Katie is still hard at work on the remodel of our house and wrapping up the last-minute details of Legacy, which opens in March. The grand opening has been announced, and the invitations will be going out soon. I took Emerson’s advice and hired Lexi to set up a social media platform for Legacy and start promoting. Alex arranged for Royal Mayhem, LAW, and a new artist who just signed on with King Records to perform opening night. Zach and Jay’s twins will be here by then, and Jay insists she’ll be onstage. Zach says absolutely not, so I guess we’ll see.
I take the steps from the VIP area down to the deejay booth.
Turning his head, Steven notices me approaching and extends his hand. “Dylan.” He grins. “I hope everything is to your liking.”
I gesture to Katie. “As long as she’s happy, I’m happy.” I shove my hands in the front pockets of my tuxedo pants. “Thank you for this.”
“It’s my pleasure. Consider it a wedding gift.” He tips his chin, gesturing toward the dance floor, and I see Katie heading our way. “The club has done quite well since the remodel. I owe that all to Kate.”
Stepping down from the deejay booth, I wrap my arms around my wife and press a kiss to her lips.
Releasing her, she turns to hug Steven. “Thank you for everything.”
“It’s my pleasure, love.”
She looks around the room. “Where’s Amelia? I thought I saw her earlier.”
Amelia is Steven’s wife. Katie and I were invited to their wedding back in September, but declined because we were going to California for the birth of Liam and Vanessa’s baby. Katie told me that Steven and Amelia’s marriage had been arranged by their families. She thought it was romantic. I thought it was fucking weird, but to each their own.
“She wasn’t feeling well,” Steven replies with a roguish grin.
“Is she—”
“With child.” He nods. “It’s all your fault, you know?”
Katie snorts. “How is your wife being pregnant my fault?”
“It’s those romance books. You piqued my interest, so I read a few.” He winks. “You’re a bit of a dirty bird, Miss Bennett.”
“Mrs. Mackenzie,” I remind him, and Katie smiles.
“Right.” He nods.
“They got you laid though,” she quips.
I bark out a laugh, remembering the sex scene Katie read from one of her books.
“Dilly, I’m a pwincess!” Willow yells from the dance floor. “Come dance wif me.” She twirls around, and her fluffy dress fans out around her.
“Excuse me. The little princess wants a dance.” I move toward the dance floor and take Willow’s hand. “You look pretty.”
“I’m a pwincess.” She points to the small tiara on her head.
“You sure are.”
“You getted marwied to Kadee.”
“Yes. Katie is my wife now.”
“My angel mommy say she happy for you.”
My brows pinch. “She did?”
“Mm-hmm.” She nods.
“When did she say that?” I ask, curiously.
“In my dweams.”
“You see your angel mommy in your dreams?”
She nods vehemently. “She say you was her best fwiend and you buyed her the best pwesent ever.”
My heart thunders in my chest, and I exhale a ragged breath. “Your angel mommy gave me the best present when she gave me you.”
“Me, too.” I look up in time to catch Cole swoop Willow into his arms.
He peppers her face with kisses, and she giggles.
“How long has that been going on?” I ask him.
“Couple months. Off and on.” He offers me a sad smile, but I see the worry etched on his face.
“It’s okay.” I tip my chin. “I’m good.”
Cole nods and presses a kiss to the top of Willow’s head. “Come dance with your daddy, princess.”
Katie walks up and steps into my arms. Ed Sheeran’s “Kiss Me” plays as I spin my beautiful wife around the dance floor before dipping her Hollywood style.
Leaning my face to hers, I murmur, “Thank you for letting me love you.”
“Thank you for giving me hope,” she replies with a loving smile. “And for showing me what true love feels like.”
I press another kiss to her lips. “Thank you for giving me the rest of your life.”