At last, the cake had been cut—Ari and Matt loved the robot cake toppers Rosie had found—the last dance had been danced, the limo was waiting to take the newly married couple to the airport, and Rosie and Chi had helped Ari pack up her wedding dress. Doreen, Matt’s driver, would take everything, including the presents, back to their house for when the couple returned from their honeymoon.
Ari was alone in the bride’s tent, changed into traveling clothes—comfy jeans and a top—when Gideon found her wiping tears from her eyes.
His heart seized. “What’s wrong?” Everything was supposed to be perfect. He needed everything to be perfect for his sister, couldn’t bear for anything to mar her special day.
She gave him a wobbly smile. “Oh, nothing. It’s just silly.”
“Did someone say something to you?” He’d find whoever had hurt her and—
She put her hand on his arm. “It’s nothing like that. Matt has never left Noah for two whole weeks. He’s really nervous about it.”
Ah, now he understood. Gently, he asked, “Are you sure Matt’s the only one who can’t bear to leave Noah behind?”
Another tear rolled down her cheek. “I don’t know if I can go,” she admitted. “Two weeks.” She made it sound like two years. “We’re supposed to be a family. He should be coming with us.”
“Oh, honey.” He folded her into his arms, hugged her tight. Gideon rarely felt like he had the right words. Right now, however, he knew exactly what his sister needed. “You are a family. But sometimes you need alone time too, just you and Matt. Especially when you’re celebrating your marriage. There will be so many other times that Noah will be with you, so many trips to Disney World and anywhere else you guys want to take him. You can even take him back to Iceland on a later trip.”
“I know you’re right,” she said, her voice muffled against his tux, “but I keep thinking we should have scheduled just a week, rather than two.”
“It’s your honeymoon.”
She tipped her head up, blinking tears away. “But—”
“I’ll look after Noah as if he’s my own. I’ve got his back. I’ve got your back. Nothing bad will ever happen to Noah when he’s with me, I promise.” He’d once made similar promises to Ari when she was eight years old, that he’d take care of her no matter what. And he’d failed. But he’d never fail her—or Noah—ever again. “I will protect Noah with my life.”
Ari put her hand to his cheek. “I know you will. Thank you for loving him as much as I do.”
“How could I not?”
Finally, she gave him a real smile. The smile of a very happy bride—and the best sister a guy could ever ask for. One who hadn’t given up on him…even after he’d given up on himself. “I love you, Gideon.”
“I love you too, Ari. More than you’ll ever know.”
“I’ve always known,” she said softly.
After they hugged again, and she used his handkerchief to dry her eyes, he wrapped his arm around her and walked her outside the tent to where Matt stood by the limo with Noah in his arms.
“Have a great time.” Gideon shook hands with his new brother-in-law—whoa, it was a helluva thing to realize his little sister was married now—then there was a tearful hug between Dad, Mom, and child.
Finally, Matt put Noah down, and Gideon took his nephew’s hand. “I’ll take good care of him.” He repeated the promise to Matt.
“I know you will.”
“And I’ll take good care of Uncle Gideon,” Noah said with equal solemnity.
“That’s right, kiddo. You’ve got my back.” He held Noah’s hand tight while they all hid their smiles.
After everyone else got in their good-byes and hugs—Susan, Bob, the Mavericks, Jeremy, which took nearly as long as the wedding ceremony had—Gideon stepped back, picking up Noah and hugging him close for the final good-bye waves as the limo pulled away.
Once Ari and Matt were out of sight, Noah slid to the ground and said to Jeremy, “You’ll take good care of my puppy, won’t you?” Gideon’s apartment couldn’t take dogs, so Jeremy, Harper, and Will were going to keep the puppy for the two weeks.
Jeremy nodded so fast and hard that his hair flopped up and down on his forehead. “I sure will. Harper’s going to help me do training and everything. Our puppies are going to be so happy together.” Tasha had given puppies to both Jeremy and Noah from the litter she and Daniel had found abandoned in the mountains.
“Come on, Jeremy.” Harper waved, her other hand held firmly in Will’s. “Time to go.”
“See ya later, alligator,” Jeremy called over his shoulder as he raced off.
“In a while, crocodile,” Noah shouted back. Then he turned to Gideon. “I was thinking, you and me are gonna have so much fun together while I’m staying with you, but I don’t want Jorge to feel left out.”
The kid was good. He knew exactly how to yank Gideon’s heartstrings. “I wouldn’t want that either.” He had no idea how he’d get through seeing Rosie again so soon—especially when all he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and kiss her breathless. “Should we set up some playdates?”
“Yes!” Noah raced to Jorge. “Uncle Gideon says we get to play together while I’m staying with him.”
“I hope that’s okay,” Gideon said to Rosie. She’d mentioned playdates earlier, but they hadn’t actually agreed on anything.
“Of course it is,” she replied. “In fact, Jorge already told me they want to spend every single day together. I didn’t make any promises, but I figure we can play it by ear and see what works for everyone.”
Jorge cut in to ask, “Mom, can we go say good-bye to Henri the peacock? He’s right over there.”
“Okay, but stay where I can see you.”
Gideon was still rolling with shockwaves as Noah and Jorge ran off to see the peacock. He’d thought they’d set up a couple of playdates and he’d be done with it. But seeing Rosie every single day for the next two weeks? He’d go completely mad.
Or worse, he’d kiss her.
But he couldn’t ignore the sad look that had been on Noah’s face as he’d watched Matt and Ari drive away. The image was burned on Gideon’s retinas. So how could he say no when nothing would make Noah happier than to spend the next two weeks with his best friend?
Two weeks in which Gideon would have to chain down his base urges. Yeah, right, that would take a gargantuan effort, considering how close he was to the edge while doing nothing more than standing beside Rosie. She was in his head, mesmerizing him with the scent of her skin, the feel of her body, the softness of her curves.
“I was thinking we could take them some fun places,” she said cheerily, without a clue about all the feelings raging inside him. “Maybe the San Francisco Zoo or some of the museums. What do you think?”
How could he possibly say no when Jorge was doing such a great job of erasing any fear or sadness Noah had been feeling over Matt and Ari’s two-week trip?
“Sounds good to me.” He was committed to two weeks with Rosie. Two weeks where they would be together for the boys. Two weeks of no looking, no touching, no X-rated thoughts about Rosie.
He could do this. He had to do it. For Noah.
Even if he went crazy in the process.
* * *
Matt curled his fingers around Ari’s as the limo pulled onto the freeway, and raised her hand to kiss her knuckles. Reading her mind, he said, “Noah will be fine. He loves spending time with his uncle. And I’m sure there will be plenty of playdates with Jorge and Rosie too.”
They were married. Ari almost couldn’t believe it. Just as she’d told Gideon, it was a dream come true.
“I know Gideon will take good care of him,” she replied. “It’s just…” She loved Noah so much. And she wanted to include him in everything.
“I’ll miss him too. But I’m also really looking forward to fourteen days and nights of wedded bliss with my wife.” Matt pulled her in for a long, luscious kiss, the kind of kiss she’d never get enough of. When he finally released her, he said, “Plus, I think it’s going to be really good for your brother to spend a couple of weeks hanging with Noah.”
She agreed wholeheartedly. “Just before he walked me down the aisle, he told me how proud he was of me. But when I tried to tell him the same thing, he cut me off.” She sighed. “It’s like he can’t hear anything about what a great guy he is.”
“He’s still working through the past,” Matt noted. “Going to war, leaving you behind, not being able to find you. All those things would scar any man, especially one as devoted to family as Gideon is.”
“I just wish I could find a way to make him see that he didn’t fail me, especially when he was only trying to do his best.” Frustration edged her voice. “I mean, what eighteen-year-old kid joins the army to send money home to his family? That alone should prove to him that he has nothing to be sorry for, regardless of what happened after he left. That wasn’t his fault.”
“You’re right. Gideon is a great brother. A great son. A great man, period.” Matt held her tight. “Which is why I completely trust him with Noah.”
Ari had fallen in love with Matt and Noah. But she had fallen for his family just as hard. And she hoped Gideon would one day realize that he was worthy of being part of a family again. Part of her family.
“I love you,” she said to her handsome, sexy, wonderful, insightful husband.
“Forever and ever,” Matt said as his lips touched hers.