She nodded. “Evan’s watching Aurora for me. In fact, I should be getting home to them to make sure she didn’t somehow talk him into letting her destroy the house.”
“I’ll walk you out,” he offered, putting his hand on her shoulder. The words were out of his mouth before he knew they were in his head. The last thing he should be doing is be seen lusting after Gianna in front of the entire town. Willa and the rest of the Beautification Committee would be on them like Mrs. Nordeman and a new erotica novel. After the social media speculation about the two of them, he should be avoiding her like summer school.
“Thanks, but I think you have a family meeting,” Gianna said, pointing at the group approaching them. Summer and Carter led the way down the aisle, followed by a worried looking Phoebe, Franklin, Jax, and Joey.
Beckett tightened his grip on Gianna’s shoulder.
Shit. “Summer’s appointment,” he said half to himself.
Gianna reached up and squeezed his hand. “It’s going to be fine. No matter what it is, she has all of you.”
“Hey,” Carter said, by way of a greeting.
“Hey.” Beckett heard himself respond over the thudding in his chest.
“I should get going,” Gianna said, trying to pull free.
Beckett merely clamped down on her shoulder holding her in place.
“If you have a minute, Gianna, we’ve got some news we wanted to share with everyone,” Summer said. “Including you.”
“Um. Sure.” Gianna darted a glance at Beckett and he squeezed her shoulder.
Carter hauled Summer up against his side.
“So, we got some news from the doctor today and it was a little unexpected,” Summer began.
Beckett felt his heart climb into his throat. If there was anything wrong with Summer he didn’t know what they’d do. It made him feel helpless, useless. The tension hung thick in the air like a fog.
He watched his brother take a deep breath. “We’re pregnant,” Carter announced.
The response was immediate. Beckett was so relieved he doubled over to catch his breath. He felt small Gia’s hand gently stroke his back. His mother gasped in delight and burst into tears. Joey’s jaw dropped.
Jax’s response was the most succinct. “Holy shit.”
“With twins,” Summer added.
“Twins?” Everyone shouted the word at once.
Summer’s face glowed and her eyes gleamed with unshed tears. Carter looked happy and shell-shocked.
“You scared the shit out of all of us,” Joey said, finally regaining her voice.
“Scared? I’m more scared now. We didn’t even know if kids were possible and now twins?” Summer said, the hysteria rising in her voice. She seemed like she couldn’t quite catch her breath. “Oh, my God. Carter! We have to get married.”
Beckett nudged Carter. His brother slyly tapped the front pocket of his jeans.
“I thought you didn’t want to move too quickly,” Carter said innocently.
“Twins, Carter. Twins. Two babies,” Summer yelped. “There’s no slowing down this crazy train.”
“Well, in that case,” Carter began. He shoved his hand into his pocket and started to sink down on one knee.
“What?” Summer gasped. Her hands flew to her cheeks and she shook her head slowly from side to side. “This … I …”
Carter pulled out the ring and held it up. “I bought this weeks ago. The same day that you told me things were moving so fast you just wanted to sit back and enjoy them for a while. But I knew that there was nothing I wanted more than to have you as my wife, my partner.”
Summer pressed her fingers to her mouth.
“I know you wanted to wait, to get comfortable, to figure things out. But honey, the second I saw you, everything fell into place the way it was meant to be. We’re crazy if we put it off a second longer. I may be scared shitless right now, Summer. But there is nothing more that I want in this world than to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to marry you, to have babies with you, to follow dreams with you. Together we can handle it all. Will you be my wife?”
Summer couldn’t answer, she was crying too hard. But so were all the women.
Phoebe was sobbing in utter joy into Franklin’s chest. Joey swiped at a stray tear and didn’t even punch Jax when he leaned in and kissed her on the top of the head. Gia clasped her hands together under her chin and grinned through happy tears as she watched Carter sweep Summer up in his arms.
Thunderous applause rose up and Beckett looked up to see dozens of the town’s residents still standing at the back of the theater.
“We’re getting married!” Carter yelled, gently lowering Summer back to the floor.
“And having twins,” Summer added.
The crowd hooted and hollered all over again.
Carter hyperventilated and doubled over.
“We are so screwed,” Summer grinned, resting her cheek on her fiancé’s heaving back.