Inked Devotion by Carrie Ann Ryan

Chapter 21

Benjamin

This Montgomery Ink family dinner hit a little different. Probably because there weren’t going to be any new announcements from Brenna and me. The family already knew that we were engaged, that we had a child on the way, and we were working on moving her into my house. I had the extra space, and my place was closer to both of our works. It only made sense. We were still trying to figure out if we would sell her place or do what Annabelle and Jacob had done and rent out the house to somebody. Those are decisions that would come soon, but were not the major ones that we had already announced to the family. Today, however, was just about food and wedding planning. Just not ours. No, first up was Beckett and Eliza, Archer and Marc, and then us. I didn’t think we were going to go to something too big, not like the others. No, we had talked about just a small backyard wedding, one possibly a little sooner rather than later, since Brenna wasn’t sure she wanted to go full Grecian gown over a large baby bump.

I didn’t care. As long as Brenna was by my side, that was all that mattered.

I hadn’t been expecting her, but I wasn’t sure you could expect her. She was full of surprises. With every new breath I took, I felt like I was falling harder for this woman, finding unique aspects about her that I wasn’t prepared for.

Part of me thought that perhaps we’d always one day be at this spot, maybe not in this exact way, but we would be together. It might have taken getting my ex-girlfriend pregnant so she could have a baby with her wife to get me here, but that was not the strangest way a family member of mine had fallen in love.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Brenna asked from my side as she wrapped her arm around my waist.

It had been a couple of weeks since the accident, and we were both healed, though the cuts on our faces were going to need a little bit longer before they entirely faded away. One of our cousin’s friends was a plastic surgeon and had come in to help with the stitches in the end.

I wasn’t sure what it said about the Montgomerys that we had a plastic surgeon on hand for accidents, but I’d do whatever it took to make sure Brenna never had to think about almost losing each other again.

I’d never forget, however, as I dreamed about it often, yet waking up to Brenna in my arms helped.

“I was thinking about weddings and how our families exploded over the past year or so.”

She looked up at me and grinned. “You’re right. What’s funny is I felt like I’ve always been here. And I have. I’ve been the best friend of the Montgomerys, and now I’m going to have your last name. That is, if my family lets me change it.”

I snorted, thinking about her family, her parents, brothers, and sisters. “Your sisters changed their last name to their husbands’.”

“They did, but I was the last holdout. And I think they are afraid the Montgomerys will truly take over the rest of the world.”

“It only takes a few more marriages, and then we’ll probably have enough of us in offices and leadership roles around the country. First the US, and then the world. Soon it will just be the United States of Montgomerys.”

She blinked up at me and burst out laughing. “You sounded so serious just then.”

“I am serious. It’s in our doctrine. Soon you’ll learn it. Once you get the tattoo.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ve always wanted the Montgomery Ink Iris. Are we going to go down to Denver or Colorado Springs to get it done?” she asked, speaking of the two tattoo shops that were in our family.

“You make the decision, though there will be a battle over who gets to do it.”

“Really?”

“Pretty much. I think it’s an inside family joke, but Austin Montgomery did mine.”

“Then maybe he should do mine too.”

“That’s a good way to make it work. That way, you don’t have to make a decision.”

“I like the sound of that,” she whispered, and I leaned down and brushed my lips against hers.

“Seriously? Again?” Beckett asked, clearing his throat as he stood beside us.

I looked at my twin and shook my head. “You were just making out with Eliza in the corner.”

Eliza giggled from my twin’s side. “You caught us,” she teased.

“Brenna is my best friend. Just watch where you make out with her,” Beckett replied, a little bit of laughter in his gaze.

“I do think that this group is getting a little too close,” Lee announced as he walked into the room, staring between all of us. “I think I’m officially the last holdout.”

I looked at the only single person in the house and laughed. “Pretty much. Everybody is either married, having children, or in a serious relationship.”

Lee took a sip of his beer. “I’m never settling down. You do realize that, right? It’s a point of pride at this point.”

I met Brenna’s gaze, and she snorted. After all, I was pretty sure both of us had said that at one point or another in the past few months.

I looked around at my family and knew that things were going to change again soon. In a few months, there would be babies and then children laughing and jumping around. Weddings and birthday parties, and other events to bring us together.

We hadn’t always been good about speaking our thoughts or opening up to one another, not as much as our cousins were with their family. We were getting better at it, though.

Beckett and Eliza grinned at each other, whispering secrets that had nothing to do with us. We were only part of their little world. Annabelle was on the couch while her husband rubbed her ankles. Archer and Marc laughed with my parents, Marc smiling softly as he looked at Archer, while Archer waved his hands wildly as they made plans for their engagement party.

Paige and Colton were on the deck, both of them looking serious, but not like they were fighting, so I didn’t say anything. It wasn’t my place, at least for now. Of course, as I looked, Beckett also glanced over at the deck and narrowed his gaze.

It seemed that I wasn’t the only one ready to stand in and protect our little sister, even if she didn’t need any protection.

“Hey, pay attention to me,” Brenna said, grinning up at me.

I kissed her softly. “Yes?”

“Paige is fine. She’s hanging out with her boyfriend. Stop growling.”

“Fine, I’ll try. I can’t help it. She’s my baby sister.”

“And your baby sister can take care of herself,” Lee said from my other side, and I looked over at my friend.

“It is true, but I can’t help it. We’re going to get growly about her. It’s what we do.”

Lee sighed. “On that note, I’m going to go and get another drink. The commitment vibes are so strong here, it’s getting hard to breathe.”

I rolled my eyes as Lee walked away, and then I pulled Brenna closer.

“Did you ever think we’d be here?”

“Honestly, last month I didn’t think we’d be here, and here we are, heading into our second trimester, and you are about to be a daddy two times over.”

I snorted, knowing that while I wasn’t going to be called daddy, yes, my genes were about to make two people.

This wasn’t how I expected my future to be, but it was better than anything I could ever have wanted.

I held Brenna close, kissed her again, and ignored the laughter and warmth and everything else around us.

The Montgomerys would always be there, but for this moment, I just needed Brenna.

The woman I never expected, the friend I had always hidden away from myself.

And my other half.

And the woman I would be forever devoted to, to the end of my days.