Letting out a gruff laugh, I said, “Yeah, that’s for sure. But I don’t regret it at all, Mom. I’ve never been happier in my life. I’m glad Dad did what he did. I know deep down inside why he was doing it. Had he not done it, I might not be marrying Sierra today.”

“That’s true!” my mother said with a smile. “Are you nervous, Aaron?”

My body slumped and I shook my head. “No! Why does everyone keep asking me that?” Sitting up, I felt my heart rate increase at just the thought of making Sierra my wife. “I’m beyond thrilled. To know I’m going to be spending the rest of my life with the woman I love . . . it makes my heart feel like it could explode. Sierra is the reason for my very being.”

Wiping a tear from her eye, my mother wrapped her arm around my waist. “To hear you speak such words just fills my heart with joy. Next it will be grandchildren.”

I let out a laugh and then stopped when my heart fell to the ground and my mouth went instantly dry. What in the hell? Grandchildren.

“Um. Grandchildren? Let us first get married, Mom.”

Resting her head on my shoulder, my mother sighed in contentment as we both sat there in silence and stared out over the creek.

The morning had been spent setting everything up. People were coming and going as chairs were set up. A giant tent was put up with one half of the tent filled with beautifully decorated tables and chairs, and the other half a make-shift dance floor.

Jesus, if this was just for family and close friends, I couldn’t imagine what a wedding with two hundred or more people would be like. We were doing good with the eighty people we had.

Looking across the living room, I saw Sierra’s father. Walking up to him, I remembered Sierra telling me about her dad’s early days working for the Italian mob. Stopping just shy of him, I stuck my hand out.

“Paul, did you get a good sleep last night?” I asked as Sierra’s father glared at me.

Oh for Christ’s sake. That’s the best I could do? I’m fixin’ to marry his daughter and I asked if he got enough sleep.

Nodding his head slowly, he said, “I did. Thank you, Aaron. What about you?”

“Yes, sir. Played poker with my buddies and my father. He took us to the cleaners.”

Paul attempted to hide his smile but failed. “Is that so? You like to play poker?”

Oh shit. Was this a trick question? I still hadn’t learned how to read Sierra’s father. He could just be asking or he could be hinting at a gambling problem.

Fuck. Okay . . . hell I got this. Settle down, Aaron. This is a piece of cake.

“Every now and then it’s fun to get together with my father or a few friends and play some Texas Hold ‘Em. Not much of a real gambler though.”

Narrowing his eyes and tilting his head, Paul eyed me up and down. “So what you’re saying is I wouldn’t ever want to bring you to Vegas. ‘Cause I love Vegas.”

Holding up my hands, I laughed. “Well now, don’t get me wrong, I love Vegas too. Hell, I’ve had some fun times in Vegas and had a few awesome one niii . . . um . . . I um . . . I enjoy Vegas occasionally. I’d rather be home, with Sierra, any day though.”

“Nice recovery, son. I already know of your ways before my daughter.”

Jerking my head back, I asked, “My ways, sir?”

Taking in a breath and pushing it out quickly, Paul shook his head as he looked down and then back into my eyes. “What was before Sierra is just that. Before Sierra. I sowed my wild oats, son, and made plenty of mistakes. One of those mistakes was being unfaithful to my wife.”

Swallowing hard, I wasn’t sure what to say.

“I regretted it the moment it happened. Blamed alcohol and really all it was was my own weakness. She told me if I had truly loved her, even alcohol wouldn’t have played a part in my decision to betray her. I swore to her it would never happen again, and it never did, but every day I walked out the door she would look at me different than before. As if, in her mind she was wondering if I would remain faithful. The day she died, I swore to her I would never let our daughter feel that pain. I failed that promise. But I promise you, I won’t fail again. You ever so much as touch another woman besides your wife, or do anything to hurt my daughter . . . I’ll have you killed.”

Holy freaking shit. I’m pretty sure I just pissed in my pants.

Then it all hit me in one moment. Robert had only been in jail two days before he was beaten so badly he had to be sent to the hospital. “Holy shit. Robert getting beaten up in jail, was that . . . did you . . . I mean—” Leaning in closer, I asked, “Are you still in the . . . you know?”