by Roxie Noir
“Well...” Ellie said, and looked at Garrett. “I’m not supposed to make a six-hour car ride for another week or so, with these.”
She held her arms a few inches off the bed: one was in a full-length cast, and one was in a forearm cast.
“If it suits you, I know a place right outside of Blanding,” Garrett said. “Up in the mountains. It’s got a hot tub, too.”
“As long as it’s got somewhere my mom can sleep, too,” Ellie said.
“She can take the bed, I’ll take the couch,” Garrett offered.
“Sorry that’s not terribly romantic,” Ellie said.
Garrett grinned.
“She can’t watch us all the time,” Garrett said.
Ellie glanced at her casts dolefully.
“And as long as I can get my face between your thighs, we can get up to no good,” he whispered into her ear.
Ellie went bright red, and Garrett laughed, pulling his head back.
“By the way,” he said, reaching into his pocket. “I brought you something else.”
He held a check in front of her for $75,000.
Ellie opened her mouth, but Garrett shushed her.
“Ninety-six hours of overtime, plus expenses, plus medical, plus two weeks convalescence, and Ellie, I do not want to hear you protest.”
“Garrett—”
“What did I just say?” he teased. Then he let his face go serious. “You’re not working right now, and I know hospital bills aren’t cheap. Just take it, Ellie.”
She frowned at the check.
“I’ll take that as acceptance,” he said, then reached behind him and took a single rose from a bouquet.
“Now,” he said, handing it to her. “When can I take you to dinner?”
Ellie laughed.
Epilogue: Ellie
“Seriously, you two, go sit down. I’ve got this,” Seth said.
“I’M AN AIRPLANE!” squealed Violet, arms spread, as she ran full tilt toward Garrett, her ruffled blue dress flouncing.
“And I’m an AIRPLANE MONSTER!” Garrett growled, catching the three-year-old and heaving her over his shoulder until she screamed with delight.
He grinned and winked at Jules and Ellie.
I think I just spontaneously ovulated, Ellie thought.
Behind Seth and Garrett, wearing matching suits, their youngest brother Zach just looked nervous.
“C’mon,” whispered Jules. “You heard the man.”
She and Ellie left the dressing room and sat in the reserved for groom’s family section.
“She’s gonna sleep great tonight, at least,” Jules said. “She hasn’t talked about anything besides how she’s gonna be Uncle Zach’s and Aunt Katrina’s flower girl for a month.”
“It’s ridiculously cute,” Ellie said. “I hope someone still pays attention to poor Katrina.”
Jules laughed.
“I don’t think Katrina minds,” she said. “I think she’s a little tired of having all the attention on her, anyway.”
Before Ellie could say anything, music started playing through the speakers, and a hush fell over the crowd. A few last people hurried into their seats.
They waited.
Then, finally, a small red-haired girl emerged from a door at the far end of the room, beaming.
“C’mon, kiddo,” Jules whispered to herself.
Looking perfectly angelic, Violet walked down the aisle tossing flower petals as the guests cooed and snapped her picture. When she got to the front, she turned around and stood, hands folded over the handle of her basket.
Jules gave her a subtle thumbs up.
“I never know with her,” she whispered to Ellie.
Next down the aisle was Seth, Katrina’s sister on his arm, followed by Garrett escorting Katrina’s best friend. When they got to the front and stood to the side, Violet sidled over to Garrett and whispered something.
He crouched down, very slightly, to give her a high five.
Ellie had a lot of feelings just then, between Garrett looking seriously good in a suit, Garrett being at a wedding, and Garrett being beyond adorable with his niece.
Jules glanced over at Ellie, a smirk on her face.
“Down, girl,” she muttered.
Ellie stuck her tongue out, and then the music kicked up again.
At the end of the aisle, standing next to an older man, was Katrina, wearing a long, strapless white dress and beaming.
After dinner, Ellie wandered outside to clear her head. She’d been dancing for an hour, not to mention the couple of drinks she’d gotten at the open bar.
Okay, and a couple more.
That’s what weddings are for, she thought, taking in a deep breath of the cool night air.
Inside, the DJ had moved from a fast dance song to something much slower. She didn’t recognize it, but she could hear the bass thumping through the glass doors that led out to the patio. Jules sat at the table, talking animatedly to Katrina’s sister, while Seth spun Violet around and around and around on the dance floor.
That kid’s gotta be battery-powered or something, Ellie thought. She’s been cutting a rug nonstop.
The patio doors opened, and Garrett stepped through.
“There you are,” he said.
“Just taking a quick break,” Ellie said.
“Me too,” he said. “I had to escape before Violet demanded another dance.”
Ellie laughed, and he slid his arms around her neck.
“I’m sweaty,” she warned.
“I’m sweaty too,” he said. His sleeves were rolled up, his suit jacket and vest left behind at their table.
“You and Violet are the cutest,” Ellie told him. “I about died when she high-fived you at the ceremony.”
Garrett chuckled, and she could feel the vibration through her back.
“That kid is a live wire,” he said.
They stood like that for a long time, looking out at the night. The song inside ended, and the DJ announced something. Ellie glanced back, past, Garrett.
“I think they’re cutting the cake,” she said. “We should go in.”
She turned around and leaned against the railing, facing him.
“What’s the rush?” he asked, taking her hands.
“No rush,” Ellie said. “But we should be there.”
Garrett flipped her hands over and moved his fingers up her forearm, seeking out the surgery scar where she’d had pins put in her broken arm. It had faded from purple to pink to white months ago, but it was still sensitive when he touched it.
“You know what today is?” he asked.
“What?” Ellie said.
“It’s the first anniversary of when I found your name in the yellow pages,” he said.
“I can’t believe you made a fortune from a tech company and you used the yellow pages,” she said.
Garrett bent down and kissed her, still holding her hands, the kiss slow, sensual, and unhurried.
“Happy anniversary,” he murmured.
“I wasn’t even there,” Ellie murmured back.
They kissed again, and Ellie felt the tingles start. Garrett’s hand moved to the hollow of her lower back.
“Keep it up and this could get inappropriate,” Ellie said.
In the dark, Garrett grinned.
“How inappropriate?” he asked.
“Unfit for children,” Ellie said.
“Nobody’s watching,” Garrett said.
They kissed once more, for a long time, and Ellie felt like the world melted away.
Inside, a cheer went up. Garrett broke the kiss and rested his forehead on hers.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you too,” Ellie said. “Come on, let’s go back to your brother’s wedding.”
Hand in hand, they walked into the celebration.
The End
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