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who mattered most.
I took Ella’s hand. She squeezed.
“I have an announcement,” I said. “Dad! Come on. Let Maurice do his
job.”
A few more words passed between them before Ted Crowne gave me
his attention.
“This isn’t my party. I didn’t want to steal my Mom and Dad’s thunder,
but I’m impatient and…” I looked at Ella. “Someone very important to me
thinks it’s wrong to keep secrets.” I turned back to my family. “So we’re
about to be very rude, and tell you all, during this party for my parents’
move back to LA, that this beautiful woman let me marry her.” I put my
arm around my wife and pulled her close.
“What the fuck?” Lyric cried.
“How long—” Olivia was interrupted by Garrett putting his finger up
her nose.
“Holy—” Lyric was beside herself.
Byron took my hand, then pulled me into a hug. By the time he let go,
the Crownes had turned into a swarm of hugs, kisses, and congratulations.
Dad asked why I was keeping her a secret, and I said it happened really fast.
Mom asked where we met, and Ella said Wildwood while I accepted two
flutes of champagne from Uncle Rodney.
Ella took the glass from me, we clicked them together, and I did what
was necessary to convince my family we were real.
I kissed her.
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