by Tess Oliver
Finley’s room had been transformed into a beauty parlor, dressing room combination. Fortunately, the room was bigger than Nana’s entire house. Some Pig’s snout twitched as we scurried around him with flat irons waving in the air like swords on a pirate ship. A slightly intoxicating aroma of nail polish, perfume and the citrusy mimosas Finley had had the chef whip up for us circled around the room making me feel even more heady.
Cassie, who normally dressed in somber colors and black, floated over in her bridesmaid dress. “Cassie, that pink color is gorgeous on you.”
She glanced down at the perky dress and then peered up at me through her large, black rimmed glasses. She’d decided to leave her contacts out until the last minute. They always irritated her, and she much preferred her glasses. But, as the official wedding photographer, the contacts made things easier. “I do feel sort of girly for a change. I kind of like it. Maybe I’ll add a few spring colors to my wardrobe.” She reached up to help me take the rollers from my hair. Taylor had insisted the dress and flower wreath begged for curls and that a curling iron just wouldn’t do the job right. “I took the sweetest picture of Sophie and Janie helping Some Pig put on his little tux shirt. They haven’t left that pig alone all day, but he doesn’t seem to mind. In fact, he seems to be enjoying the attention.”
“My pig wants to be a little girl’s doll in the next life,” Finley said. “Sophie and Janie, why don’t you walk Some Pig out to the wedding so he can find a seat.” The girls looked like the princesses they dreamed of as they raced out in a flurry of pink satin. Some Pig trotted proudly behind in his custom made tuxedo shirt.
Finley started with the curlers on the back. “Guests are arriving downstairs. My dad is entertaining them all with the sordid, tabloid worthy details of his life.” She laughed. “I swear I saw Nix’s sister cover her son’s ears.” She gathered up an armload of curlers and stepped in front of me. “And Nix looks beyond beautiful in his tux. He also looks a little nervous, which is something I’ve never seen. It’s really cute.”
Taylor carried over the flower wreath and pinned it on my head. “That florist did an awesome job with the flowers. Everything looks beautiful.”
“I’ll have to make sure to let people know about her. She’s trying hard to break into the business, and she deserves to break in big.” I smiled at Cassie. “Maybe when Cass opens up her wedding planning company, she can use her as a florist.”
Cassie shook her head. “One wedding in a lifetime is more than enough.”
“Oh, but I’m hoping you’ll plan mine someday,” Taylor said.
“Well, maybe yours but that’s it.”
“Oh, poo,” Finley said.
“And, maybe yours. It will be a lot of fun because I would imagine the budget would be off the charts. Oh my gosh, we could have you and Rett helicopter in together.”
Finley laughed. “Don’t know about a helicopter, but wouldn’t Rett look hot riding in on a big black horse?”
“Rett could shuffle in on a scooter and still look hot,” Taylor laughed.
“That boy does know how to light up a room,” I said.
“Enough about Rett, your own groom is waiting out there.” Cassie shifted the wreath a tiny bit to the left. “I can tell you, Scottie, he is so damn thrilled to be marrying you.”
The truth was, I was excited about this wedding mostly because I couldn’t wait just to be alone with Nix, in his arms reminiscing and laughing about the day. “Cass, did you see where I left my glass, I think I could use another sip.” I steadied my hands by holding them together. “I think the butterflies are really starting to jump now.”
“It’s on the dresser. I’ll get it.” She stopped and took hold of my hands first. “You’re supposed to be nervous. And you look incredible.”
She hurried away and came back with the drink and the tin box with the garters. “I think it’s time to put these on. You don’t want to forget them.” She lifted her finger and waved it at me. “And no tears. The mascara is waterproof, but you don’t want streaks down your cheeks.”
I took hold of the box and, of course, tears threatened immediately. I took a sip of the drink and then sucked in a deep breath to settle myself down. I sat on the edge of Finley’s bed and Cassie, Taylor and Finley sat down with me. My fingers trembled as I opened the tin box.
“Do you think I should wear my sister’s too?”
“What does your heart tell you to do?” Finley asked.
“It will be like having a tiny piece of Olivia with me up there at the altar.”
Cassie put her hand on my arm. “Then wear it.”
I lifted both garters out of the box. The girls leaned in to get a better look at them. “They are lovely,” Finley said. “What a cool mom.”
“She was the best. And she would have loved this dress,” I smiled at Taylor. “Thank you so much.”
“Thank you for letting me design the wedding dresses.”
Finley glanced over at her. “You need to get some business cards made up. I think there are going to be people asking for it after tonight.”
“I’m glad you and Clutch made up before the wedding,” Cassie said. “I would have hated to take pictures of Clutch glowering down at the camera. He was such a grump while you two were apart.”
“Yeah, I think the little separation ended up being harder on him than on me.”
I took a deep breath. “Taylor, can you help put these on. I don’t want to crinkle my dress.”
She leaned down and slid the garters over my foot. I adjusted them high on my thigh and admired my mom’s loving handiwork. Music started out in the yard. There was a knock on the door.
Eden poked her head inside. “We’re ready.” She pushed inside. “Scotlyn, you are breathtaking.”
I smiled. “I think we’re ready. Group hug everyone, and no smearing makeup on my dress.”
“Yes, I still have to turn it in as homework,” Taylor quipped.
We hugged and laughed. I took a deep breath. Cassie led the way. The bouquets were waiting for us on the kitchen counter. Eden handed each of her little sisters, who were giggling wildly with nerves, a basket with rose petals. “Now remember, just one petal at a time.”
Finley shook her head. “Jeez, I hope Some Pig can control himself when he sees rose petals fluttering down to the ground. They’re like candy to him.”
“I think it would be adorable and a quick way to clean up,” I said. We walked out through the pool area and down the long path of tall boxwood shrubs. On the other side, Nicky King, and the musicians who were backing him up, began to play his famous love song, “Angel’s Tears”. I bit my lip to keep back the tears and hold myself together. My family wasn’t sitting on the other side of the shrubs, but the people who mattered most to me were there, waiting. And Nix.
Cassie winked back at me before she stepped around the shrubs to meet Dray. Eden, who was helping, motioned me forward, and I stepped around the boxwoods. Everyone stood and my fingers shook as I tightened them around my bouquet. Thousands of lights twinkled like stars and a warm California breeze drifted across the lawn. Clutch had left his place up at the altar. His confident smile calmed me some. He held out his arm, and I wrapped my hand around it. “You look beautiful, Scottie,” he said quietly. “You ready?”
“I am.”
We walked forward. Some Pig had, as Finley predicted, jumped off his chair, and he trotted ahead of us vacuuming up the rose petals as he went. Janie ran out and tried to shoo him away, but he was a determined pig. We reached the bottom of the altar, which was just the landing on the steps of the gazebo. The music had gotten Lilly Belle’s attention, and she mooed in the distance. A wave of quiet laughter rolled through the guests.
Clutch leaned down and gave me a kiss on the cheek, and as he moved back to his spot, I got my first real glimpse of Nix. He looked dashing and perfect in his tux. The way he looked at me made my throat ache. There had been a time in my life when I was certain I would never be happy again. Tha
nk goodness I was so wrong.
Chapter 31
Nix
“I memorized my vows, but seeing you in that dress is making it hard to remember my own name.” The guests laughed and it gave me a second to catch my breath. Scotlyn’s smile spurred me on, and I held her hands in mine. “Three years ago, I found your picture at a car meet. It was stuck on the toe of my shoe.” More laughter, including Scotlyn’s. “A girl with amazing blue eyes and incredible lips stared up at me from that picture, and she seemed to be saying, please come find me. Dray laughed when I told him that I’d found a picture of my future wife.” Scotlyn’s eyes watered, and I squeezed her hands. “From the second you walked into my life, you captured my heart and my soul. I am yours…completely. I will try hard not to disappoint you, and I’ll never complain when you use my shirt like a kleenex during a sad movie.” Scotlyn laughed through her tears. I paused for a second to lift her hand and kiss it. “Scotlyn James, I will love, protect and worship you forever.”
Lennon Marley, who’d shed his bright Hawaiian shirt for a tame white one, looked at Scotlyn. “Scotlyn, your vows.”
Scotlyn took a breath. “When I couldn’t speak, you were the first person to hear me. From the moment I met you, I could feel you listening to me with your heart, and I will never forget that. Alexander Nix Pierce, thank you for helping me find my voice. Your kisses turn my knees to jelly. Your smile makes my head spin. And your love and friendship have filled the hole in my heart. I will love you forever. And I promise to remember to bring the box of kleenex when we sit down to a sad movie.”
I reached for her before Mr. Marley had the words ‘kiss the bride’ out of his mouth. Dray and Rett howled loudly and cheers went up as I kissed my bride.
***
After a long photo session with an extremely particular photographer, and three clownish groomsmen, who were like anxious kids waiting to get to the open bar, Scotlyn and I managed to get to our first dance. Nicky King was in full rock star mode singing one of Scotlyn’s favorites, “Run to You” as I pulled her into my arms. I kissed her again. “O.K., there is cool, and there is having Nicky King sing at your wedding cool.”
“Hmm, and I was just thinking there is cool, and there is standing in Nix Pierce’s arms cool.”
“Now I feel like a heel.”
She laughed. “Nope, you’re just honest. That’s one of the things I love most about you.”
“One of the things?”
She fingered the rose on my lapel. “Well, there are many other things, but some aren’t appropriate to list on a dance floor with other people. I’ll tell you about them later. When we’re alone.”
I held her closer. “Alone, why does that word sounds so delicious right now?”
“Because you’re antsy about getting me out of this dress.”
“I do love the dress, but yes, my thoughts are mostly about taking it off.”
We kissed and danced and laughed for the rest of the night.
When it came time for Scotlyn to throw the bouquet, the unmarried women, including the two flower girls, gathered around to catch it. Some Pig stood nearby, obviously deciding it would be as delicious as the rose petals. Dray, Clutch, Rett and I stood in the back, deciding that was where we’d get the best view. A cluster of pink satin bridesmaid dresses rustled in the center of the catch zone.
The bouquet went sailing over the heads of the all the women. Clutch’s high school football instincts surfaced and he reached up and caught it. His eyes went wide and he stared at the flowers as if he’d caught a bouquet of live snakes. As if he was playing a game of Hot Potato, he tossed it straight over to Cassie.
She held it up triumphantly. Taylor scowled at Clutch.
Dray knuckled him hard on the arm. “You did that on purpose.”
“No, I just threw it, and it happened to go straight to Cassie.” He grinned down at Dray. “Almost as if it was supposed to be.”
Dray looked at me. “Do you fucking believe this? I’m not going to hear the end of it now.” As he ranted on, the bouquet smacked his face and dropped to the ground. Cassie was staring at him with her hands on her hips.
Dray picked it up. “I’m just kidding, sweetie pie.” He walked over to Cassie and pulled her into his arms, but still managed a snarly glance at Clutch.
Scotlyn came up next to me and took my arm as the band started up again. “I think this is our song,” she said.
“I didn’t know we had a song.”
“We do now.” She stopped and put her arms around my neck. “I am completely and deliriously happy, Nix Pierce.”
“Me too, Scotlyn James Pierce.” My arms went around her and we kissed.
More Custom Culture Books
Freefall (Custom Culture #1)
Clutch (Custom Culture #2)
Dray (Custom Culture #3)
Rett (Custom Culutre #4)
Read more about Finley, Eden, Jude and Cole in
Strangely Normal.
Tess loves to hear from her readers.
You can email her at [email protected]
Follow Tess on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on specials, new releases, and events.
Stop by her website.
Also, if you haven’t yet, be sure to join Tess Oliver’s Mailing List.
Join HERE to stay up to date on Tess Oliver’s work.
