Adam kept an especially close eye on Bryce as soon as they arrived. He had already gotten through Death By Sing-Along via the twins so that was something. He got roped into one of their childish dares too and didn't seem particularly fazed by his girlfriend offering for both of them to eat bugs if they lost.
But what really convinced him that he truly was in love with Jenna exactly as she was happened the day they went out on the lake. Despite clearly being on the brink of death from lack of kayaking experience during their race, he was a good sport about it even if he was embarrassed.
Evan tried to make him feel better, clearly feeling sorry for him. "There's no need to apologize. It's not your fault you aren't on Jen's level. She's a beast."
Jenna stuck her tongue out at him. "Whatever, Evan. I notice you don't call your wife a beast when she helped you get into second place. This is blatant stereotyping."
Katie snorted. "That's because he knows I would never stand for that."
"And because you actually act like a female, albeit a sporty one. Jen doesn't."
"She acts like a female sometimes," Bryce said loyally.
"…you can still say that after seeing her volunteer both of you to eat bugs yesterday if you had lost the bet? You're truly blinded by love."
"I don't know why everyone always teases her like that," Bryce insisted. "Jenna's just…Jenna. She doesn't have to be into girly things to be one."
Everyone gaped at him. In their entire lives, they had never heard anyone say anything like that about Jenna. Maybe she truly had found The One after all. He was completely smitten to see past everything about her that normally turned people off.
Katie's expression broke first when she grinned at them. "Aww, Jenna! I think you found your soulmate!"
"…excuse me while I flip this kayak and drown myself," she mumbled in embarrassment. "It's been nice knowing you all."
Colton laughed. "Would you really do that and also potentially drown the guy who basically just professed his undying love for you? Not very nice, Jen."
"Shut up!"
"Lay off her, Colton," Adam scolded. "She's overwhelmed enough already."
If she turned any redder, she would be a tomato. Unlike most of his brothers, he knew when to quit teasing.
They weren't quite done yet so Jenna was too embarrassed to talk to any of them for a while but Adam was quiet too because he was thinking that his sister's boyfriend didn't need to be worried about after all.
If he could say something like that in front of everyone and look at her so fondly while she did weird things like her annual synchronized sparkler dance with Jonas, he was in this for the long haul. Maybe, just maybe, Adam could finally stop worrying about her so much.
Bryce had completely assimilated into the family by the time he got the call that they were engaged so he really should have been expecting it but he had just taken a sip of milk and was so shocked that he ended up spewing it directly into Erica's face.
She scowled at him as the kids, who had all seen it, howled with laughter. "Seriously?"
"I'm so sorry! Jen just told me she's engaged so—"
"Was that really shocking enough to spit milk all over me? She's already living with the guy!"
"…I wasn't expecting it."
Erica huffed and went to go take a shower to get the milk out of her hair before it hardened and he was annoyed at Bryce for catching him off guard like this not only because Erica was mad at him but because Jenna had heard that whole thing and now she was laughing at him too.
Adam was still in a bad mood the following morning when he confronted Bryce about it at work. "You dared ask my sister to marry you without talking to any of us about it first?"
"Adam, she knew I wanted to marry her before I knew you guys as anything more than Peter's family. She finally told me she wanted to marry me too so I proposed officially. Don't tell me you weren't aware of my intentions from the start."
"Well, they were completely obvious…Still. You should have given us a little warning. When I heard the news, I spewed milk all over Erica and she wasn't very happy about it. At least the kids thought it was hilarious."
Bryce tried and failed to stifle his laughter. He was just as bad as the rest of Adam's brothers. But he would have to be if he was going to survive in this family.
"Sorry about that."
"Whatever. What's done is done. Have you guys begun discussing wedding plans?"
"Yeah, we were thinking about June. That's far enough away to plan everything and not clash with Peter and Marina's wedding too much."
Adam nodded thoughtfully. "Makes sense. June is a good month to get married. My anniversary is in June too."
"Yeah, it'll be nice," Bryce agreed. "So, did you need anything else or were you here to give me a hard time?"
Yep. He was definitely one of them. Annoyance forgotten, Adam smiled and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "I'm also here to congratulate you. You're marrying one of the best people in the world."
"Oh, I know it! I'm very lucky to have her."
Which was exactly why everyone had accepted him despite the weird way he joined their family. It was plain as day that Jenna was the very air he breathed. Which was exactly as it should be when you loved someone.
"And don't you forget it," Adam said with a wink. "I'm going to get back to work now. Just wanted to unofficially welcome you to the family, future brother-in-law."
Honestly, he had wondered if it was ever going to happen before Bryce's sudden reappearance in his sister's life. Her getting married was even more shocking than Jonas getting a girlfriend again who had actually wanted to meet everyone after hearing stories about them. Who knew? Maybe this one would stick.
Everything was going well for the ones he loved. Adam had absolutely nothing to complain about seeing his siblings happy.
He was emotional at Peter's wedding but perhaps even more so at Jenna's as he danced with her. His baby sister was all grown up and married! He could still remember how she and Jonas used to toddle after him everywhere demanding to be held and how they would laugh when he picked them up upside down from their ankles and beg for him to do it again and again.
"I love you, Jen," he said around the lump in his throat.
Jenna beamed at him. "I love you too."
When the dance ended, she hugged him tightly before bouncing back toward her husband, whose eyes lit up the moment he saw her coming. Adam sat back down next to his wife feeling like he had been hit by the emotional equivalent of a truck. She seemed to understand based on the look on his face alone.
"It's nice seeing her so happy, isn't it?"
"Yeah. It is."
Jenna only seemed happier every time he saw her after that, especially once they announced her pregnancy. Wesley was thrilled but no one's excitement beat Bryce's since he hadn't been there the first time.
Lorelai Fitzgerald was absolutely adorable and Adam had no doubt that she would be doted on just as much as her mom had been. Her dad and brother were already wrapped around her little finger. That kid never got set down as far as Adam could tell.
That wasn't the only happy news in the family either. Jonas shocked everyone by proposing to Cami after singing a karaoke duet—surprisingly romantic coming from him considering that was how they had met—so she had a ring on her finger and the biggest smile Adam had ever seen on her face when she joined them on this year's camping trip.
Adam looked out over the campfire at everyone laughing and talking in their American flag gear and had never felt so at peace. This was how things were supposed to be. With everyone happy and together.
Well, almost everyone. But he was sure his dad was here in spirit and that he would be happy to see his family doing well too.
Erica squeezed his hand and leaned her head against his shoulder and he kissed the top of her head. Life really couldn't get better than this. It had been a long road to get here but his family was doing better than ever and that was all he had ever wanted for them. What he had worked so hard for all those years. It had absolutely been worth it for days like this.