“What if he follows us? What if he shows up wherever we go?” I asked. And in my head, I wondered whether we would we need to take George with us on our honeymoon.
Parker was silent beside me, his fingers digging into my shoulder. They dug harder and harder with each unanswered question I posed.
“We’ve got a couple of days until your wedding. George and I will come up with a game plan. We’ll take care of him. I don’t want you to worry.”
“Then maybe you shouldn’t have told me,” I said bitterly.
My dad sighed. I had no right to be bitter toward him when he’d finally told me the truth I’d been seeking for so long. It wasn’t really his fault that I didn’t like the truth.
My dad and George left.
“I don’t want you to worry, Jimi,” Parker said later that night as we lay quietly in bed together. It was one of the few nights we didn’t have sex before bed. I needed his closeness, his intimacy, without the sex. I needed to feel his warmth beside me and know his love. But after everything we had been through, my brain simply wasn’t in the right spot for sex.
“I’m worried,” I replied.
He kissed my shoulder. “I know, baby. Me too. But it’s out of our control. The only thing we can do right now is get to our wedding. Tomorrow night’s the rehearsal, and then Saturday will pass in an absolute blur.”
I listened to his quiet voice in the darkness. “Are we moving too quickly?” I finally asked.
“Yeah, we are,” he said. “But it’s right. Every decision I’ve made since the first time I saw you has been with you in mind, and every decision I make for the rest of my life will be with you in mind. Forever. I can’t wait for you to be my wife. I know I haven’t had to wait that long, but I’ve been waiting my entire life.”
I loved when he said the exact right thing that somehow put every single little thing into perspective for me.
“I love you,” I finally said.
The next morning when we awoke, I realized it was the day before my wedding.
Holy shit.
It was the day before my wedding.
I knew that I should feel anxious and nervous and stressed, but I didn’t. Not about the wedding itself, anyway. All of the details were going to work themselves out, and I was just going to enjoy my wedding day.
We were smiling at each other over our coffee cups when Parker voiced what he’d been thinking. “I’d like Kimmy to be a part of our day.”
I nodded. “I think she should be, too. What do you want her to do?”
He shrugged.
“That’s my move,” I chided, earning myself a laugh from my fiancé.
“You decide.”
“She could do a reading,” I suggested.
“I don’t think she’d like that. I mean, she’d be honored, but she’s not much for the spotlight.”
“Something else we have in common.”
Parker nodded, and I took a sip of my coffee.
“Well if we hadn’t already agreed to no wedding party, I would say that she could be my maid of honor.”
“What if we change our minds?”
“You want a wedding party?”
He shrugged again. “I’d be okay with having a best man.”
“You need someone to keep you from running away?”
He shook his head. “You’ve got no worries there, babe. I’m not running anywhere.”
“Damn right you’re not.”
“You’re not, either.”
“Deal. Except maybe up the aisle to get to you.” He chuckled. “So who would be your best man?” I asked, steering our conversation back to the point.
“Fitz.”
“Not Vinnie?”
He laughed. “No. Not Vinnie. For one, I want someone standing next to me who you actually like.”
I giggled.
“And for another thing, Fitz is my best friend. Garrett and Vinnie are two of my best friends, too, but in a group of four, you’re always going to be closer to one person. And for me, that’s Fitz.”
“Is it too late to add a wedding party?”
“It’s our wedding. We can do whatever the hell we want.”
“Then let’s do it.”
“Really?” he asked. His beautiful smile widened, reaching up to his eyes. He looked so handsome and so happy.
And I knew that his happiness was because of me. Because of our impending nuptials, our families coming together, and our love.
twenty-four
We decided to wait until our rehearsal to ask Kimmy and Aaron “Fitz” Fitzgerald to stand up in our wedding.
The plan was to go to my dad’s house at six o’clock for the rehearsal, and then we’d have a small dinner party afterward.
My dad had arranged everything, security included. As we pulled up, we had to stop at two different security checkpoints. We were waved by as soon as the men saw who we were. Clearly they had memorized images of everyone who was allowed access to my dad’s estate.
Plus we were the bride and groom, so I was pretty sure they’d let us by.
I stepped out of Parker’s Jimmy and onto my dad’s circular driveway in my Christian Dior gown. Parker wore a black suit with a black shirt, a black tie, and his black Chucks.
Just looking at him dressed like that was enough to turn me on. He rarely dressed up, but when he did, it was a powerful dance through my senses.
I wanted to rip his suit off with my teeth and let him fuck me in the back of his car, but we had some things to take care of first.
A police officer met us at the door, and he opened it to let us in. The house was immaculate as usual, but the wedding was being held outside. My heart started racing in my chest as we made our way toward my dad’s backyard. It was an oasis that I had always loved, and I couldn’t begin to imagine what sort of transformation had taken place to accommodate a wedding.
Even as I thought about it, I realized how I’d only had five short days to mentally prepare myself for this moment. While I was certain that I wasn’t rushing into things, I saw one benefit of a longer engagement—actual time to get excited.
To be sure, I was excited—thrilled—to be marrying Parker. But part of me thought it would have been nice to have some anticipation leading toward this day.
Every thought in my brain was obliterated when the French doors leading from my dad’s kitchen out to his patio opened before me.
The backyard oasis I had always loved was now a wedding oasis that was truly perfect for us.
White Italian lights were on every tree and bush in the yard, wrapped around the trunks of the palms and fanning out on their branches. Tall tents created a roof overhead to prevent nosy media, although this was all happening so quickly that I was fairly certain they hadn’t figured out what was going on yet. The same Italian lights lined the tops of the tents, and gorgeous white lace fabric formed drapery in different areas of the yard.
Everything in the yard was white. A handful of gray accents made the setting warm, modern, and romantic.
My attention was first drawn to the tables set up on one side of the yard. They were smaller, intimate round tables with seating for six. I counted a total of seventeen tables—enough seating for about a hundred people. Under each table sat a battery-operated lantern, casting a soft glow around the entire yard.
Makeshift tables were suspended from trees behind the eating area. Little chalkboards were suspended above them with different things written on them. Gifts. Cupcakes. Favors. Programs.
I wondered idly how inviting a maid of honor and best man last minute would affect the “Programs” table.
Next my attention focused on the pool. It had been transformed into a dance floor. Some sort of glass covered the water, and lights floated under a glass pool cover, creating beautiful mood lighting in the dusk.
And finally, I looked over to where I would stand as I married the man whose hand was clutching mine.
White chairs were lined up facing a beautiful arbor made out o
f wood. It was covered with draped white lace curtains and white roses. A chandelier was suspended somehow from the top of the tent over where we’d be standing.
Italian lights were strung next to each end chair and ran down the entire aisle, creating a wide and private aisle for me to walk down with my dad.
My breath caught in my throat at the beautiful scene before me.
It was charming and dreamy and romantic and enchanting and perfect for the two of us.
As much as I hadn’t had a hand in planning this day, my father easily knew my preferences to create a day right out of my dreams.
We’d be getting married in just under twenty-four hours.
I felt tears moisten my eyes as I gazed at the romantic setting around me.
It was hard for me to believe that this was all for my wedding day.
Six months earlier, I was dead inside after Damien had left me.
And now I was alive again because Parker had stepped into my life to resuscitate me.
Parker’s hand tightened in mine as we both gazed toward the arbor.
He turned toward me and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Well? What do you think?”
“I can’t think of a single thing that would make it any more perfect.”
“Now that’s what a wedding coordinator wants to hear!” A booming and friendly voice interrupted our private moment, and I recognized her as Delilah, the planner from my dad’s wedding.
“Delilah Adams.” She enthusiastically shook Parker’s hand, and then she pulled me into a hug. She kissed me on the cheek. I felt like we were old friends even though we’d only met one other time.
“Do you have any questions for me?” she asked the two of us as she ushered us over toward the arbor.
Neither of us did, and then we were standing under the arbor.
“Your father arranged for George to officiate. Did he tell you that?”
I shook my head and I felt a fresh wave of tears fill my eyes.
I never would have thought to include George in our day, but Parker had become close to him simply through the task of protecting me from whatever threats Randy posed, and I knew how close my dad and George were. But more importantly, George had become family to me. He’d been with my dad for a long time, and I knew how hard it was for my dad to find people who he really trusted.
It was just another detail that had been arranged that was absolutely perfect.
My dad and George walked toward us, Jadyn following close behind.
“Everything look okay?” my dad asked, and I flew into his arms, hugging him tightly.
“It’s perfect, Dad. Thank you for this. I have no words that could possibly be enough.”
He kissed my cheek and then backed up. “That smile is all I need, CC.”
A flurry of activity sounded suddenly by the patio door, and I flinched as I watched security spring to action from various places in the yard.
“Get your hands off of me!” I heard a woman’s voice, and my flinch turned to a full-on cringe as I recognized it. “As if the timing isn’t bad enough, now you let your barbarians manhandle me, Gideon?”
“Arlene,” my dad said. I heard the fake enthusiasm in his voice through his gritted teeth. Security backed off as soon as my dad spoke her name.
I held back a chuckle at my dad’s tone, but it made me feel good to know at least one person in the yard understood what it was like to deal with my mother.
My mother greeted my dad by kissing the air around both of his cheeks.
“It’s been too long,” my mom said, smiling at my dad. She pulled back to look at me, and I could have sworn I heard my dad say “Never too long” under his breath.
“Darling!” My mother smiled as she turned her attention to me and then rushed toward me.
“Mother!” I said, imitating the inflection in her voice to give her the sense that I was excited to see her.
I wasn’t.
The only thing about her that had really changed since the last time I’d seen her was her hair color. I looked more like my dad than my mom. She had brown eyes and chestnut hair that was now streaked with blonde highlights.
She grabbed me in her arms and air kissed both of my cheeks, too. Overdone make-up and a thick coating of hairspray gave her an air of a tacky imitation of a sophisticated world traveler.
“Where is this boy you’re marrying?” she asked, an accent tinting her American voice. She couldn’t have been in England for more than a few months. I hardly thought she’d actually acquired a British accent.
“He’s a man, mother, and this is Parker.”
He smiled warmly at my mom. His was the only genuine smile in our small circle.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, ma’am,” he said.
Ma’am?
“Please, call me Arlene,” she said, air kissing both of his cheeks, too. “Tell me, Parker, why are you marrying my daughter so fast?” She led him slightly away from our group, as if she wanted to talk to him privately.
I rolled my eyes at my dad, who was stifling a laugh. My eyes met Jadyn’s, and she looked like she was ready to murder my mother.
God, this was awkward.
I was just thankful that getting married was only happening once in my life, because I was certain I couldn’t take my mother in the same room as my dad and his wife again.
Parker and my mom chatted for a few minutes. “Can you get rid of her?” I asked my dad.
He laughed. Loudly. “No, I can’t. I had to fly her in for this. She doesn’t go back until next Wednesday.”
“And she’s staying here with us,” Jadyn said, her sugary smile phonier than any smile I’d ever seen in my life.
Maybe Jadyn and I had finally found something in common.
But I still thought she was somehow involved with Randy. I still thought it had been her who had taken my journal. Somehow she made my dad happy, though, so I was trying my best to put it out of my mind.
Our rehearsal began shortly after my mother’s arrival. I loved her—I had to, because she was my mom—but all she did was get in the fucking way. Between “too much white” and “roses are so blasé” and “Delilah, what about this?” I was ready to put her back on a plane to London myself.
I was pretty sure she was going to give me an ulcer. If I heard her opinion on one more thing, I was going to throw something. More than once during the evening, I felt Parker’s hand tighten over mine. Painfully.
He was making the point that I needed to shut my mouth, because he knew I’d regret it if I said something.
And that was why I was marrying him.
When Kimmy and Fitz arrived, we pulled them into my dad’s office and asked them to stand up in our wedding. They were both honored. Kimmy flat out cried, while Fitz and Parker shared a hug. As Parker introduced his sister to his best friend, my mind switched to matchmaking mode. I saw the way Kimmy’s eyes met Fitz’s, and I wanted to gently nudge—or push—the two of them together.
When we left the office to rejoin the rest of our guests, it was like Parker could read my mind. All he did was shake his head as he directed a smile toward the floor. I took it as a green light to play Cupid to two of the most important people in Parker’s life—and our life together.
twenty-five
Damien and Katie were both there. They were smiling as I walked down the aisle toward Parker.
I wasn’t sure where my dad was. Katie was my maid of honor, and Damien was Parker’s best man.
I was walking down the aisle all by myself.
Where was my dad?
He must have been running late. Everything was fine.
It had to be.
It was my wedding day.
I repeated the mantra in my head: Everything’s fine. Everything’s fine. Everything’s fine.
I smiled at Damien, standing in a tux and looking handsome next to my fiancé.
It was so bright out. Too bright. We were getting married at dusk. It was too early.
May
be Delilah forgot to tell my dad the time changed.
When I looked closer, I saw that Damien was crying.
Only instead of tears falling from his eyes, it was blood.
His nose was dripping blood, too.
It felt like I was in an episode of True Blood, only Damien wasn’t a vampire.
I looked in terror over at Katie. She was crying blood, too.
I looked around for my dad. He was supposed to be walking me down the aisle and I didn’t know where he was.
My mom was in the front row, and she stood.
She was the only guest on either side.
I supposed no one else knew that we’d changed the time of the ceremony.
Why had we changed the time?
The sun was shining, and my mom was wearing all of these sparkles. Rhinestones, crystals, bedazzled beads… she was so bright, she looked like a mirror reflecting the sun.
“Where’s Dad?” I called to her.
She glanced around and shrugged.
I looked at Parker next, and he shrugged, too.
I silently giggled at Parker’s shrug.
That was my move.
I looked toward Damien and then over to Katie.
When they answered my question, they spoke in unison.
“He’s with us.”
twenty-six
I still hadn’t written my vows by the time I’d woken up the morning of my wedding. I had this premonition that I’d magically come up with the words when I needed them, so I figured I had time. I’d gone to sleep the night before hoping I’d wake up with a clear mind, ready to marry the man who’d been assigned to protect me but who ended up being everything I never knew I needed.
But instead of waking with a clear mind, I awoke with the fog of a nightmare hanging over me.
When Parker stayed with me, I slept more soundly. Maybe he somehow protected me from the demons residing in my mind.
But true to tradition, we slept apart the night before the wedding. Neither of us was traditional, yet for some reason we agreed to it.
Vintage Volume Two Page 15
