Amplify

by Anne Mercier

  A chair scrapes back and someone walks out of the building, the door closing loudly behind them.

  Ethan whistles. "Damn."

  "That bitch," I say to Lucy and Lucy nods.

  "Throat punching... it’s not just for breakfast anymore."

  I snicker and she grins.

  "Arms up Luciana." I help Spenser put the dress on Lucy and gasp. It’s classically elegant, just as Lucy is.

  "You picked this for her, didn’t you, Spense?" I ask.

  "Damn sure did. Do I know our girl, or what?"

  "It’s perfect. And the hair, the way it’s styled along the front and sides, also classic with the rolled curls. Reminds me of flappers."

  "Dude, slappers are sluts," Xander informs us.

  "Good to know," I tell him. "I said flappers."

  "Oh. I was wondering why rolled curls remind you of sluts and I had a thought but with mama who just snuck in here, I’m not going to say."

  I laugh. "That’s probably for the best."

  "I’d say so," mama tells him with a laugh.

  Spenser puts the finishing touch on Lucy when he pins the pearl and diamond tiara into her hair.

  "You knew," I accuse and Spenser smirks.

  "I know all."

  "Doesn’t surprise me one bit," I say.

  "Are you two ready to get married?" Spenser asks.

  Lucy and I look at each other and nod. I give her a wink and she winks back. Jesse and Cage aren’t the only ones who can come up with surprises.

  Spenser smiles. "Then let’s go get you hitched."

  Cage

  All of Me by Jason Chen and Madilyn Bailey

  Because of You by 98 Degrees

  I STAND UP AT THE ALTAR with Damian, who keeps fidgeting.

  "What’s the problem?" I ask.

  "I’m wearing white," he says as if he’s committed a Cardinal sin.

  "You can change as soon as the ceremonies are over," I remind him.

  "Uh uh, no way man. After this ceremony is done I’m changing."

  I chuckle. "You’re really going to show up at Lucy’s wedding wearing your signature black? Regina will have your hide."

  He curses under his breath and I’m grateful we’re not in a church.

  "Do you have the rings?" the officiant asks.

  Damian nods and pats his pocket. "Damian Black, best man, at your service."

  Regina walks up the aisle with Xander and she frowns. She points to Damian. "You will smile and enjoy this wedding for our Serafina and Cage."

  He shuffles his feet. "Yes, ma’am."

  I nearly laugh, nearly, but I’m afraid he’ll pull his gun on me if I do. It’s ridiculous how uncomfortable he is in white.

  "Why isn’t Joan here?" Damian asks.

  "One of the kids is sick," I tell him and Damian nods grimly.

  "I don’t know how she does it, man. She loses more than she can help save."

  I shrug. "It’s just Joan."

  "Yeah," Damian agrees. "Yeah, that it is."

  The music changes and I look to the wedding planner who just winks.

  When Sera starts singing, I smile.

  "All of Me by Jason Chen and Madilyn Bailey," the officiant tells me with a knowing smile. I nod.

  The words, they stop my breath.

  Then Lucy joins in and Jesse smiles. I nod at him. Our women are pretty amazing.

  "Dude," Damian elbows me. "I didn’t know Sera could reach that high," he says when her voice hits some pretty spectacular high notes.

  "Neither did I, but I’m not sure why we’re surprised."

  Damian nods.

  Lucy walks up the aisle, pretty as a picture, smiling and glowing, then takes her place.

  When Here Comes the Bride starts playing, everyone stands. Then there they are—there she is. She’s beautiful and she steals my breath. Her father walks her down, her dress a beautiful white. I’m not sure how Spenser got the dresses so quickly, but Sera looks breathtaking.

  "Lucky fucker," Damian murmurs under his breath.

  I nod and swallow, not taking my gaze from the woman, my life, walking toward me with a smile that lights up her entire being. Finally, finally my Fee is happy.

  "Who gives this woman to this man?" the officiant asks.

  "Her mother and I do," Anthony answers.

  "And me," Xander chimes in.

  "Me too," Jace adds.

  "Don’t forget me," Ben says.

  "As if we could. Me three," Ethan announces.

  "You’re four, so me five," Kennedy grins.

  "Six," Jesse chuckles.

  "Seven," Trace says with a wink.

  "First, always first," Giovanni declares with a laugh.

  "I guess I don’t have to bother with the objections line," the officiant jokes.

  "Well, this could go on all day," Sera snickers. "Let’s just ignore them all."

  "There is no ignoring Xander Mackenzie."

  I turn and lift a brow. "Maybe not, but there is punching him in the face so he shuts up."

  "Cage, dude. Admit it, you love me."

  I sigh. "Xander, you’re..." I look to Sera, who mouths something, and I have to watch again, then nod. Ah. "You’re awesome, I admit this. But I love Sera more and I’d really like to get married right now. So, if you could..."

  Sera does the key turn of her lips and Xander nods and does the same.

  I turn around and meet Sera’s gaze and we both start laughing. This is our life. It will never be boring. She passes her bouquet to Lucy.

  "Thank you for the lilies," she whispers.

  "They only seemed fitting."

  She nods.

  Anthony takes a seat next to Regina, who’s grinning and crying at the same time. Perfect chaos.

  "We gather here today to celebrate the love between Cage Alexander Nichols and Serafina Rosalie Manzini as they choose to become one. Sera and Cage have chosen to write their own vows. Cage, if you’d like to go first."

  "I didn’t write anything down on paper. Everything I have to say should be said from the heart anyway. Sera, you came into my life at a time when I thought my life was complete, but as soon as I saw you I realized I’d been wandering aimlessly, searching for you—the part of me that’s been missing. When I found you, everything clicked into place. Colors were brighter. Music was clearer. Everything made sense. Then you pretty much told me to take a hike and I knew without a doubt you were the one for me.

  "We became friends, then best friends, and then lovers. You’re the one I trust with everything, the one I know I can go to any time I need advice, to be heard, or just to be held. There will never be a day you can’t do the same with me. You will always be first. You will always be my everything.

  "Now you’re going to be my wife. I’ll fall asleep with you every night and wake up with you every morning. I look forward to growing old with you and, maybe, having a family with you. We’ve already got a little girl who I know really likes hanging out with her grandparents up there where she can run free.

  "I will take care of you. I’ll be there to make sure you’re always happy and, if you’re not, I’ll be there to hold you and find a way to get back there. I will honor you and cherish you and worship you every day for the rest of my life. I will love you without conditions, without judgment, and without ridicule. From this day forward, everything I am is yours."

  Tears stream down Sera’s cheeks and I reach up and wipe them for her.

  "I told you I should have gone first," she says with a laugh and I chuckle.

  "Cage Nichols. The man who changed my life. I was an empty, broken shell when we met but you still managed to see to the heart of me. You brought happiness and laughter into my world. You brought color when everything was gray. You filled my cold, lifeless soul with warmth and hope.

  "Our friendship is what brought us here and I am thankful every day that you ignored me when I told you to take a hike. Loving you has been easy, admitting it is another thing. You’re the most patient man on th
e planet. You’d have to be to put up with my yo-yoing. When most men would have thrown their hands up in the air and given up, you hung on. You saw me... the real me. You saw my fear and understood it. You saw the wall of titanium surrounding my heart and you melted it. You stood by me at my best and my worst and loved me just the same.

  "I love you, Cage Nichols. From the soles of my feet to the top of my head, I am filled with love for you. I will do my best to make you happy and make sure you know every day just how much you mean to me. You’re my best friend, my lover, and almost my husband and it feels like a dream. You made my dreams come true.

  "I will take care of you. I will be there to make sure you’re always happy and, if you’re not, I’ll be there to hold you and find a way to get back there. I will honor and cherish you and worship you every day for the rest of my life. I will love you without conditions, without judgment, and without ridicule. From this day forward, everything I am is yours."

  I reach up and wipe her tears again and she shakes her head.

  The officiant smiles. "Cage, please repeat after me. I, Cage Alexander Nichols, take you, Serafina Rosalie Manzini, to be my lawfully wedded wife."

  I can’t hold back the smile. "I, Cage Alexander Nichols, take you, Serafina Rosalie Manzini, to be my lawfully wedded wife."

  "To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, until death do us part."

  I wink at her and she grins. "To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, until death do us part."

  "Serafina, please repeat after me. I, Serafina Rosalie Manzini, take you, Cage Alexander Nichols, to be my lawfully wedded husband."

  She looks at me and runs her tongue over her teeth. Sassy girl.

  "I, Serafina Rosalie Manzini, take you, Cage Alexander Nichols, to be my lawfully wedded husband."

  "To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, until death do us part."

  "To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, until death do us part."

  "May we have the rings please?" the officiant asks and Damian hands me the one for Sera and Lucy hands Sera the one for me.

  "Cage, please repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed."

  I slip the wedding band on next to the engagement ring and meet her gaze. "With this ring, I thee wed."

  She presses her lips together and blinks rapidly, trying so hard not to cry again.

  "Serafina, please repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed."

  She slides the wedding band onto my finger, then kisses it. She pulls my hand to her heart. "With this ring, I thee wed."

  "With the power vested in me, I now pronounce you, man and wife. You may kiss your bride."

  I pull Fee to me and dip her backwards in a dramatic flare and kiss her deeply and passionately. Everyone’s hooting and hollering. When we break apart we’re both out of breath. I help her stand upright.

  "Wow, that’s some kiss," she murmurs, a bit dazed, and I grin.

  "I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Cage Nichols."

  Everyone claps and cheers, Sera and I look at one another and grin. I shake my head. She’s my wife. God. Finally.

  "Yeah, I’m pretty sure I know what you were just thinking," she tells me.

  "Yeah?" I ask, leading her up the aisle of flower petals.

  "Yup. You were just thinking, ‘finally’."

  I chuckle. "Already my wife is reading my mind."

  She gasps, then laughs a bubbly laugh I’ve never heard from her before. It’s one filled with true happiness.

  "I’m your wife," she tells me with another laugh.

  "You definitely are. And I’m your husband."

  "Now you’re talkin’," she says with a wink. "I got the better end of this deal."

  I slide my hand down over her ass. "Oh, Fee, I really, really have to disagree."

  "Feel free. I’m sure there’ll be lots of that in our future."

  I chuckle. "I’m positive there will."

  Lucy

  All In by Lifehouse

  Never Stop by Safetysuit

  I Knew I Loved You by Savage Garden

  WE RUSH BACK TO THE BUNGALOW to change my dress.

  "Don’t touch it!" Spenser scolds me when I start lifting it, and Sera laughs. "You will not mess up the hair. It’s a masterpiece."

  "Yeah, masterpiece," Sera repeats and I smack her arm. "Pregnancy has made you mean."

  "You have no idea," I tell her as she and Spenser lift off this dress and put on my wedding gown.

  "Oh my God. You’re so beautiful, Luce," Sera sniffles.

  "Don’t go there," I tell her. "It’s going to be hard enough walking down the aisle without sobbing the entire time." And honestly, I’m not feeling all that beautiful. I feel like a big, fat whale. I don’t even know why Jesse wants to marry me.

  "Stop that right now Luciana Antonia Kingston!" Spenser scolds. "You’re wearing a gorgeous white chiffon and lace empire waist A-line dress with a gorgeous sweetheart neck that’s ruched to perfection."

  I sulk.

  "Sweets, without the dress you’re gorgeous and that man of yours loves you beyond reason. He is so hot for you, carrying around his babies, knowing he knocked you up without trying. I’ve seen him strutting around, don’t even think I haven’t," Spenser teases.

  I snicker. "He might have a little."

  "Please," Sera tells me. "The man is crazy in love with you. You have a freaking celeb nickname! You’re Jucy!"

  "That sounds so kinky. That’s why I love it," Spenser admits with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

  "Did you ever think this would come true when you were drawing those Jesse plus Lucy hearts on your notebook?" Sera asks.

  I shake my head. "Not even in my wildest dreams."

  She nods.

  "Your turn Sera," Spenser tells her and lifts the dress over her head only to quickly replace it with another.

  "Bouquets," he says.

  "Aww, he got you daisies," Sera tells me.

  I nod and think how amazing my husband is.

  "And Cage got you lilies. That was so sweet."

  She nods and I watch as it sinks in. "Holy shit!" she blurts out.

  "What is it?" I ask, already knowing.

  "I’m married! I. Am. Married!"

  "Yes, yes you are, and to that sexy ass Cage Nichols, too. I’m fifty shades of jealous," Spenser tells Sera.

  "Well, you know I came here for a modeling job, right? Well, you’ll never guess who the photographer’s assistant was," she sing-songs.

  Spenser gasps. "No fucking way."

  "Way. And he told me to tell you to give him a call."

  He huffs. "That’d work out better if I had his phone number."

  "I have it," she tells him. "In my wallet. I’ll give it to you after the ceremony."

  "No need," he tells her. "I’ll have found it by then. I hope you don’t mind me digging through your purse, but girl, that man is all kinds of fine and if there’s a chance he’s still here, I’m going to ride the big D tonight."

  Sera and I burst into laughter. Truthfully, Spenser deserves some good lovin’, if not some really great sexin’.

  "Alright ladies, we need to get a move on. We’re running a little behind." Spenser pauses. "Ha! No pun intended."

  Sera snorts and I snicker.

  "Such a bad, bad boy, Spenser Clarity," Sera tells him.

  "Mhmm, you know it and tonight I’m going to be even badder," he says with a wink as we approach the Jucy wedding location. I honestly don’t know how we became this couple, but I love every minute of it.

  "Are you ready?" Sera asks and I smile, the amazement of this feeling flowing through me, warming me, making me happier than I’ve ever been.

  "Yes," I nod.

  "Then let’s sing and get you married," she tells me with a wink.

  She grabs her guitar—the new one I got for her after her anguished outburst at CFD—and starts strumming the cho
rds to All In by Lifehouse. That’s a Jucy signature—we’re "all in".

  When I start singing, I see Jesse’s face light up like a tree on Christmas.

  "I’m all in for life," I sing and I’ve never meant anything more in my life. Before long I realize Xander is drumming on the chair in front of him. I shake my head, trying not to laugh when Sera starts snickering.

  And when the last chord is strummed, Sera sets her guitar aside and picks up her bouquet of daisies then slowly makes her way to the altar.

  "Button," my daddy says, "I am so happy you found such a good man who loves you so deeply. I know without a doubt he will take care of you and those little ones in there." He places his palm on my tummy. This dress is cut in just a way you wouldn’t know I was pregnant unless you were looking, but I don’t care if everyone sees or not. I’m proud.

  I put my arm through my dad’s and we get set to walk down the aisle.

  Jesse

  HERE COMES THE BRIDE starts playing and I stand up straighter. My heart is beating a mile a minute. Not because I’m nervous, because I’m not. It’s because this woman is going to marry me. Granted we’re married, but both of us only remember bits and pieces of that ceremony and she deserves the fairytale. I’m not sure how I ended up being her Prince Charming, but I thank fuck every day that I am.

  A collective gasp goes out when Lucy steps out with her father. Slowly they make their way down the aisle of daisy and rose petals, her smile so bright, her happiness shines through. I am so fucking lucky. I know it. I try hard every day to let her know that I know it.

  God she’s beautiful. Watching her walk toward me, knowing she’s going to be vowing to be my wife while her body is round with our babies, that caveman is beating the fuck out of his chest right now and yelling like Tarzan.

  She reaches me and I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face.

  "Who gives this woman to this man?" the officiant asks.

  "Her mother and I do," Anthony says. He hugs Lucy and kisses her on the cheek before placing her hand into mine. He meets my gaze, squeezes my hand and nods. Approval. All this time I didn’t know I wanted it but now that I have it, I feel relief. Lucy hands her bouquet to Sera and I lace my fingers with hers.