by Anna Durand
They took their places opposite us guys. I stood beside Ollie with Val Silva on my other side.
Any second, Mara would enter the chapel.
The violin music stopped, and for two seconds, we all waited in silence.
An organ began to play the wedding march.
Mara walked through the doors holding a bouquet of daisies and baby's breath, guided down the aisle by her dad. Peter Severins looked like he was fighting back tears, and when I glanced at where Sheryl Severins sat in the first pew, she was doing more than fighting back tears. They streamed down her cheeks. Ollie's mom sat right next to Sheryl, and she was crying too while the moms clasped each other's hands.
Mara looked like an angel in her flowing white dress and lacy veil that draped down her back and covered most of her hair, though it didn't cover her face. She smiled at Ollie with the most beautiful look of pure love on her face as she slowly approached the altar.
Would Heidi ever look at me that way? I glanced at her, and as if fate had inspired us both, she looked at me at the same time. Maybe I was gazing at her the way Mara had gazed at Ollie. I couldn't say for sure, but I felt a strangely good pressure in my chest and a gentle warmth that spread through me from head to toe.
Heidi blinked away tears, or tried to, and sniffled. She kept smiling at me almost the same way Mara had gazed at Ollie.
I hardly noticed the rest of the ceremony. Ollie and Mara said their vows, both of them crying, and promised to love and respect each other from this day forward. I watched them exchange rings. Why did I get choked up when they did that? I'd never been the sentimental type, but to see my best friend marrying the only woman he'd ever really loved, who loved him too… Okay, I got sentimental. I turned my head to the side and wiped my eyes so no one else would see.
Finally, the big moment came—the kiss.
Ollie cradled Mara's face in his hands and pressed his mouth to hers.
Cheers and clapping erupted inside the chapel, echoing off the high ceiling.
Ollie pulled Mara into his arms, still kissing her. They kept kissing for so long that somebody shouted, "Come on, Ollie, we want to eat. You can make out with Mara later."
Who shouted that? Sylvester, of course.
The newly minted husband and wife trotted down the aisle and out the doors, with the rest of us close behind. They raced across the vestibule and out the main doors, then climbed into a waiting limousine.
Another, bigger limo waited to ferry the bridesmaids and groomsmen to the reception venue.
Heidi and I sat beside each other during the ride, holding hands.
Like a real gentleman, Val had offered to be Bailey Jackson's "date" for the reception since the teenager was the only kid in attendance. Eve was his "secondary date," but she didn't mind coming in number two. Bailey was thrilled to be included in the wedding party and to see her brother get hitched. We arrived seconds after the bride and groom, but the party was already in full swing.
Music. Laughter. Dancing. And yeah, food. Sylvester wouldn't starve today.
Everyone was having a great time. Val danced with Bailey and showed her some classy moves, then he danced with Eve. I danced with lots of women but kept missing out on taking Heidi for a whirl since every other guy here wanted to hold the blonde bombshell in his arms. We glimpsed each other on the dance floor, but I'd have to wait awhile longer for my chance.
But it was my turn to dance with Mara.
"You're the most beautiful bride ever," I told her as I took her hand and we assumed the appropriate pose, moving slowly to the music.
"Thank you, Damian. But I'm sure you'll change your mind about that when you and Heidi get married."
Though I kept dancing, her statement stunned me. Maybe it shouldn't have, but then, Heidi and I hadn't been a couple for long.
"Married?" I said. "We're nowhere near that point yet."
"But you're moving toward it faster every day. Aren't you?"
"I don't know. Not thinking about that stuff."
Mara's lips curved upward in a knowing smile. "Oh yes, you are."
"No, I—"
She nodded past my shoulder and stepped back. "Heidi's ready for you."
I glanced over my shoulder and saw Heidi, standing alone at the edge of the dance floor and smiling at me.
"Go," Mara said. "And think about what I said. There's no such thing as too soon when you're with the right person."
Mara kissed my cheek and trotted off to find her husband.
I walked over to Heidi and held out my hand. "May I have this dance?"
"Yes, please." She settled her hand in mine. "I've been waiting for this dance forever."
And I'd been waiting for her forever. I just hadn't realized that until today.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Heidi
Damian guided us around the dance floor, one hand on the small of my back and the other clasping mine. He looked gorgeous in his tuxedo, even better than when he'd worn his black suit. The expression on his face made me feel warm in the sweetest way and made my throat tighten. Was I giving him that same adoring look? I did adore him, so yeah, I must've been gazing at him that way.
The wedding had been beautiful, emotional, perfect. I loved watching Ollie and Mara speak their vows, but I loved dancing with Damian even more. Somehow, I could feel blissfully at peace and so damn horny all at the same time.
He bent his head to whisper in my ear, "Still want to get it on? I saw a closet in the hallway."
"Can you read my mind? I was just thinking about how horny I am." I slid my hand up to his neck and tickled his nape. "You make me feel every kind of good there is. And yes, I'd love to get it on with you in a closet or anywhere."
"Glad to hear it." He led me off the dance floor and toward the double doors that opened into the main hallway of the community center, which tonight served as a wedding reception hall. He glanced around as we exited the room, and the doors swung shut behind us. "You did such an amazing job with the decorations, and it's even more impressive considering how little time you had."
My cheeks warmed up. No one had ever complimented a job I'd done, certainly not the way he just did. "Thank you, but Mara and her mom had already done some of the work."
"They say you did ninety-nine percent of it."
"No, I just—"
He pulled us to a stop in the middle of the vestibule and turned toward me, grasping both my hands. "Don't do that, Heidi."
"What?"
"Don't downplay how much work you put into this. You did it. You." He tugged me closer. "You are an amazing woman. That's why I love you. That's why everyone loves you, but me most of all."
Gazing into his eyes, I knew he meant every word. "Thank you, Damian."
He took hold of a lock of my hair, twining it around his finger. "Marry me, Heidi."
"Huh?" Yeah, that was my response. One grunted syllable. I couldn't make any other sounds, not with him looking at me with so much love and sincerity on his face and in his eyes. My pulse pounded in my ears, my heart thudded in my chest, and the sweetest warmth I'd ever experienced glowed inside me. I loved him. I wanted to marry him. Now, if I could only get those words to come out of my mouth. But again, I could speak only one syllable. "Yes."
He cradled my face in his hands. "Are you sure? 'Huh, yes' isn't the most definitive answer."
"Sorry. I was surprised, that's all." I laid my hands over his, where he still held them on my cheeks. "Yes, Damian, my answer is yes. I love you, and I can't wait to marry you."
He smiled, and though it wasn't a big grin, it conveyed all the emotions he felt for me better than the most exuberant grin could. When he kissed me, he did it with the same heartfelt emotion, pressing his lips to mine but not deepening the kiss. He held his mouth to mine for a moment that seemed to last forever, but only in the best way.
Then he pulled away, his lips curving into another heartfelt smile. "Didn't mean to blurt out the
question like that, but I suddenly couldn't wait."
"I'm glad you blurted it out."
"Maybe we shouldn't tell everyone until later. This is Mara and Ollie's big night."
"Yeah, we should wait." I looped my arms around his neck. "We'll have the best wedding planner ever, huh?"
"Definitely." He linked his hands at the small of my back. "And I'll have the best partner for the rest of my life."
"Me too."
He hugged me tight and kissed me.
The doors to the reception room swung open.
We turned our heads in that direction.
Val and Eve locked the doors in the open position, then finally noticed us. Eve smiled. Val arched one brow and smirked.
"The bride and groom are ready to head out," Eve said. "If you two can press pause on the make-out session for a few minutes."
Damian peeled our bodies apart and straightened his tux jacket.
He and Val opened the main doors and held them, each leaning back against a door. Eve and I stood beside them.
The happy couple walked out of the reception hall hand in hand, grinning and whispering to each other, while their parents and Ollie's sister followed close behind. Once everyone exited through the main doors, the rest of us hurried down the steps after them, heading for the waiting limo. Sunset glowed pink and purple in the western sky, providing just enough light for the big goodbye.
Everyone hugged Mara and Ollie and wished them the best of everything.
When I hugged Mara, she whispered in my ear, "I know you and Damian will be the next to say 'I do,' and it won't be long at all." She drew her head back to aim a knowing smile at me. "Maybe he's already popped the question?"
How did she know? Maybe it showed on my face. "Don't worry about me and Damian. Go, have a fabulous honeymoon. I expect Ollie to be completely exhausted when you guys get home."
Val opened the limo door.
Ollie held out his hand to help Mara into the car.
While the limo drove away, and the ubiquitous tin cans rattled along behind it, I slipped an arm around Damian's waist and leaned my head against his shoulder. My throat went thick. Tears stung my eyes. Ollie and Mara, the two sweetest people on earth, had found their happily ever after, and so had I. Damian gave it to me.
And we were engaged.
Oh. My. God.
Damian kissed the top of my head. "Don't worry. We can get married tomorrow or wait five years. I don't care as long as I have you."
"Let's not wait five years, but tomorrow might be a bit too soon. I need to plan our wedding, you know. Plus, I've got my awesome new job."
"No rush. I'll wait forever for you."
God, I loved him.
After the limo drove out of sight, everyone went back inside to enjoy the party. Damian and I didn't run off to that closet after all. We stayed with our friends to celebrate. I wasn't disappointed at all because, hey, I loved a party. Everybody knew that. Maybe I hadn't let myself really cut loose in way too long, but tonight, I got back to being the old me—the real me. I partied hearty, doing every dance move I could pull off in this dress, and Damian joined me for every single silly thing I wanted to do. He came up with ideas of his own too, like juggling deviled eggs. Seriously, he did that. Damian called it "an old Ludar wedding tradition," but everyone knew he was making that up because he smirked and winked when he issued his proclamation.
That night, Damian and I slept in my room in the guest house.
After that, the days went by so fast. The families hung around for a couple more days to kick back, which gave us more time to spend with the Petrescus. Damian and I debated whether to tell them our happy news yet, but we finally decided they should hear it from us in person. So we took Damian's parents, his brother, his sister-in-law, and their two kids for a nature walk. Once we got well away from the resort, with no one else around, we stopped the group and faced them, hand in hand.
"We have some news," Damian said.
Monica raised her hands in a grand gesture and smiled. "You're engaged."
"Jeez, Mom, you could've at least let us tell you ourselves."
Adrian Petrescu chuckled. "Mothers always know these things."
Monica held two fingers to each of her temples and squinted. "I foresee children. Many children." She smiled and winked at us. "I foresee that happening soon."
Stefan grinned. "Better hope the kids look like Heidi, not my rat-faced brother."
"Uncle Damian is cute," said the niece of the man in question. "That's what my friends keep saying, anyway."
Damian rolled his eyes. "Is anybody going to congratulate us?"
"Of course, dear," Monica said. She threw her arms around both of us. "Congratulations. I knew from the moment I saw you two together that this would happen. You're destined for a long and happy life together. The spirits have assured me of that." Monica kissed Damian's cheek, then mine. "And your union will produce many grandchildren for me to spoil."
Damian half-scowled, half-smiled. "Mom, would you get off the 'many children' prophecy already? You're scaring Heidi."
"No, she's not," I said with a laugh. "Bring on the army of Ludar babies. I can handle it. They'll only be half Ludar, though."
"Nonsense," Monica said, patting my cheek. "You are one of us now. Ludar by desire, if not by blood."
"Thank you, Monica. That's so kind of you to say."
"Call me Mom. You're joining the family, after all."
My throat tightened. She wanted me to call her Mom. How would my actual mother feel about me marrying a gypsy and joining his family? I'd have to tell my parents, but just thinking about that made me slightly nauseous.
Damian's mother hugged me. "Don't worry, dear. Your parents will see the light one day."
The families went home the next day, but we hadn't shared our news with anyone other than Damian's family. When Ollie and Mara came home a week later, we knew it was time to break the news.
Damian being, well, Damian, he decided to make a big splash. He waited until everyone was gathered in the dining hall, including Val, Eve, Mara, and Ollie. We were seated at the same table with them. Our friends had gotten a touch suspicious when Damian insisted we all must eat in the dining hall tonight, but they went along with it.
Now, Damian jumped onto the table and hollered, "May I have your attention, please. Heidi and I have an announcement to make."
Everyone stopped talking. All eyes turned to us.
Damian bent to offer me his hand.
I accepted it and climbed onto the table with him.
He slipped his arm around me and announced, "We're getting married."
Cheers and whoops filled the hall, the noise almost deafening but filled with real joy.
Damian scooped me up in his arms and leaped off the table, landing flat on his feet inches behind the chairs we had occupied thirty seconds earlier. He kissed me, quick and hard. Then he hoisted me above his head. "The Ludar prince has claimed his mate."
When I glanced down at him, he winked at me.
Damian set me down amid even louder cheers and whoops.
At that moment, I knew our wedding would be one wild event. And I couldn't wait for that.
Chapter Thirty
Damian
A few days after we announced our engagement to our friends and a crowd of naturists, Heidi and I got on a plane to go visit her parents. She had suggested it. Though she was keeping up a brave face, I knew she dreaded telling her mom and dad about us, especially since she'd never mentioned me to them. Heidi admitted to me she hadn't spoken to her parents in months, not since they chastised her for dumping that douchebag cheater she'd kept going back to every time he begged her to forgive him. Well, every time until the last time. Heidi had found her inner strength at last.
We had one last hurdle to jump over. I was about to meet her parents.
Heidi had told them she was bringing her new boyfriend, but she'd wanted to ho
ld off on sharing the engagement news until we were there in person to tell them.
Ethan and Janice Mackenzie lived in Omaha, Nebraska, though separately since they were divorced. Janice still lived in the same cookie-cutter house inside the same cookie-cutter gated community where Heidi had grown up. Nothing wrong with that, but I couldn't see Heidi feeling happy and free in a place like this. They had rules for what people could do with their yards, how often they had to mow and prune the bushes, what kind of Christmas lights they could put up, and lots more stuff. No wonder Heidi had needed to escape to the naturist resort.
I knew she'd been living in a small apartment in Omaha for years. She gave up that apartment a few days after we got engaged. Heidi Mackenzie belonged at the resort where everyone loved her, and where she could be herself without fear of offending anyone.
Yeah, I had a feeling her parents would be offended big time when they met me.
Heidi rang the doorbell and started wringing her hands.
I clasped her left hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze, and glanced at the engagement ring sparkling on her finger. Then I kissed her cheek. "Relax. If they act like dicks, you've got backup."
She smiled tightly. "I know. Thank you for coming with me."
"Just think of me as your Ludar knight, ready to defend your honor to the death."
The door opened, and a gray-haired man furrowed his brows at us. "You brought a man with you."
"Yeah, Dad," Heidi said. "I told you Damian was coming."
Ethan Mackenzie grunted. "Guess you better come inside. Not sure how your mother will react. You know she doesn't do well with the sorts of men you like to take up with. Whatever happened to Grant? He was the only good one."
I could see Heidi was clenching her jaw, but she maintained her polite demeanor.
Ethan led us inside and straight to the dining room where the table had been set up with places for four people. If they'd forgotten Heidi was bringing a guest, why had they set the table for us? I guessed Ethan and Janice just liked making their daughter feel as if she'd done something wrong.
