Everything I want: Will Alfie and Lily's love survive?...

by K. L. Shandwick

  Elle and I spent the morning working out all the material and colors for her wedding. I couldn’t believe how lacking confidence and indecisive she was. I half wondered if it was my taste or hers that was coming to the fore, but she eventually settled on stuff we both agreed would work well.

  Delicate, pink-colored satin with this gorgeous chiffon overlay was the choice for the bridesmaids. It was perfect, in fact, it’s something I would have liked for my own wedding, but if I couldn’t have it, at least I’d be wearing it in Elle’s.

  She spoke to Leanne on the phone, and they started to cut the fabric from the measurements we’d all had taken the day before I left the Crakt Soundzz tour.

  The menu was easy, because we both had the same taste in food, and the chicken in parma ham was delicious. We’d tasted that when it was sent to us in Paris. We achieved a lot before I got tired and had to nap again.

  Elle had an appointment for that afternoon at the bridal store, where she had narrowed her dress down to four different ones and just wanted my opinion for the final say.

  After napping for an hour, my mom made us lunch. Alfie had Henry take us to the store in the limo. He didn’t feel I should really be out, but knew how important it was to get this part done.

  Poor Elle had waited for me to help her choose, and she must have been getting more and more nervous with every passing day she didn’t have a dress to wear to her own wedding.

  The four dresses Elle had short listed were incredible. Elle looked stunning in all the dresses. The first one she tried was a bit fussy, and I told her so. She wasn’t sure whether she wanted a full ball gown type or a figure hugging one. The one I liked the most was cut in a flattering empire line style with an organza underlay and beautiful georgette silk material.

  It was a strapless dress. The bodice was heart shaped with soft pleating that narrowed at the waist and drew my eyes down the length of the dress. There were silk and lace sleeves that came from the bodice that were finished like the petals of a flower at the wrists.

  The silk material was formed into graduated organza with graduated waterfall ruffles at the front falling away from the center at each side, and it had a very small train at the back. Under the bodice there was a simple band of crystals and some handmade crystal flowers. I fell in love with it on sight. It was the perfect wedding dress. When I saw it on Elle, I wasn’t so sure though.

  We narrowed it down to two choices, and both were amazing dresses, any bride would have loved them. Elle was torn between an empire line and a traditional style dress with a twist. It was vintage inspired, but very elegant and modern.

  With the second dress, I loved the romantic feathered skirt that was draped over the bodice. The bodice was silk but had straps, with soft bows and delicate crystal flowers on the top of each strap. It looked perfect on her and suited her frame more than the one that was my favorite.

  I explained to Elle my reasons for thinking the feathered one was more suited to her. With her tall, slender frame, and smaller bust, it was much more flattering, but she couldn’t make up her mind.

  She even asked me to try them on since she wanted to see them on someone else, to see the movement of the dress from the back, and how they flowed without being in them.

  I humored her by doing this. Wearing them confirmed to me even more that the dress for her was the romantic, feathered one. I had tried this one on first, and pointed out how it clung tightly and would have been wrong for someone with my body type. I had too much in the boob department to carry this one off.

  When I put my favorite dress on, it suited my body type more than hers because of my fuller bust. Elle could see from how the dresses hung that she wanted to go with the romantically styled one. Secretly, I was pleased, because when I got married, I’d probably love a dress like this one, and I wouldn’t have wanted to copy her.

  Henry dropped me home and took Elle back to her parent’s place. Alfie was home with my parents when I arrived. I walked into the kitchen and Alfie was instantly by my side hugging me. “Hey,” he cooed, and pulled a chair out sitting me down, while my dad poured me some tea.

  I tried to tell Alfie about the dresses, but he was so disinterested and changed the subject twice so I let it drop. I supposed it wasn’t really of interest to men.

  My dad went to help my mom load some research papers into her car; she was doing some kind or medical trial that she tried to explain to me, but the concept just made my head hurt.

  Alfie saw the tired look on my face. “You need to lie down, honey, you’re wiped out.” I was, so I let him guide me to my bedroom and lay on the bed.

  Alfie unbuckled his belt, pulling the belt through the loops, and tugged his sweater off. He climbed on the bed beside me, scooping me in his arms and kissing my lips softly. He murmured against my mouth, “I missed you every single second today.” His words instantly reassured me, and a small smile formed on my lips.

  “Me too…you I mean.”

  He chuckled. “Go to sleep.” He kissed my temple and stroked my hair. I really felt that no matter what, Alfie and I would spend the rest of our lives together, but we had a lot to iron out before that happened.

  In the following two weeks Elle and I put the finishing touches on her wedding, and we had met several times with the wedding planner to finish the seating plans with Drew and Alfie, as well as ensure that we had our practice run for our makeup and hairdos.

  Elle wanted all her bridesmaids’ hair to be left down, curled and with flowers in it. I preferred this as well, for me that just meant natural, with the exception of the flowers.

  Seeing my bandmates again was fabulous. Lennon and Cody stayed in London and were spending time with my dad. Digs and Shawn made a quick trip home before arriving back a day before the wedding.

  I had been attending intensive physical therapy, and my arm was getting stronger by the day. Still weak, though, and I couldn’t play my guitar for more than a few minutes without a sharp persistent pain in my wrist and bicep. The doctors assured me that my arm would gain its original strength, as long as I kept doing the exercises, and slowly building up my playing time.

  When we went to the wedding rehearsal it was quite comical, both Elle and Drew were nervous and kept going to the toilet. As it was a civil service, the registrar was only able to spend an hour to help them prepare for the ceremony itself.

  So when Elle went to the toilet, I had to step in with Drew, while she ran through the proceedings with him, and Alfie did the same with Elle, when Drew was almost taken short. The registrar was very patient with them all things considered.

  We were conscious we hadn’t even given Elle a bachelorette party, but because she refused to have one without me, and by the time I got home there just hadn’t been the opportunity to go to the spa Alfie had arranged. Drew surprised us by giving us a pamper session at The Sanctuary Spa in Covent Garden. He’d hired the entire spa, and it was closed to everyone except the wedding party. Layla and Connie came over as well, at first I was surprised, but I supposed that Layla was as important as Alfie in Drew’s eyes.

  All the band guys’ moms from Crakt Soundzz and XrAid came along as well. So, by the time we added the immediate wedding party, and Elle’s, mine, and Jack’s mom, there was enough of us to make our presence felt.

  We kept the beauty therapists on their toes with the various treatments we all had. All of us were preened within an inch of our lives by the time we left and more than a little tipsy when we got back to the huge suite in the Dorchester, which was a wedding present to Elle from the guys of Crakt Soundzz.

  We sat up quite a lot of the night, drinking champagne, and talking about Elle’s life to date. I shared more than a few funny anecdotes about her. We eventually decided we’d better get some sleep, or else Elle was going to look exhausted on her big day.

  Fortunately for us, Elle didn’t protest. I think she was becoming overwhelmed. I
kept catching her looking at me, and I wondered if she was thinking about all the times we’d shared as young girls. I was full of admiration for her as well, wondering if I would be half as calm as she was the night before my wedding.

  As she was settling down my cell rang, SEXPERT ID flashed. I smiled and swiped to answer. “Hey,” he cooed. “How did your night go?”

  I smiled at the sound of his voice. “Apart from missing you, I had a good time.”

  “You missed me?” I could hear the smile in his voice. “Sure I did, I hate being apart from you.” I sincerely meant it too. After everything that had happened, I couldn’t stand to think of being away from him ever again. Yet we still had to work out what we’d do about playing in our bands.

  “Okay, you can stop that right now.” I didn’t realize I’d stopped talking and was thinking. Alfie had broken into my thoughts. “Huh?”

  Alfie snickered down the line at me. “I could practically hear you thinking, if we’re together, how can we both be in our bands.”

  I swallowed hard. “Yeah, I was,” I replied honestly, because it was something that we really needed to discuss and make decisions about.

  I heard Alfie exhale, and I imagined he was making himself comfortable on his bed. “Well, what about this…we both stay in our bands. I respect that you still want to make your own music.”

  I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. “Yeah,” I mumbled, thinking how in the hell we would work that part out.

  “It isn’t as hard as it first appears, Lily. Both bands are with the same record company. We’re only going to tour for a maximum of three months a year now. Drew’s getting married, and we’re going to at some point, right?”

  I nodded still not really believing I was actually going to marry Alfie. “So, we will want time to be with our wives and to spend quality time with them.” I smiled at that thought.

  “Now, XrAid and Crakt Soundzz can either tour together, or at separate times of the year. That way I can tour with you, and you can come with me. We’ll get the label to schedule studio time at the same time, in the same place, so apart from the occasional promotions, we’d spend all our time together. What do you think?”

  I was grinning widely at him, he had really thought about this. He was a huge rock star, so could actually dictate his own terms now, and although we didn’t have as much clout, he could use his to influence our schedules too.

  “Alfie, if you could work that out, I’d marry you tomorrow.” I giggled, feeling that there was a distinct possibility that I could really have everything I want with him.

  “Okay, honey, you need your beauty sleep, if I’m going to be seen with you at a wedding. I mean you have some serious competition tomorrow, I look completely hot in my tuxedo and pink cummerbund and tie.”

  The mental image he gave me made my heart speed up. “Oh great, now I have to try and sleep with that image of you looking all masterful like that,” I mumbled.

  Alfie chuckled, and we started to say good night, with several I love you declarations between us, until Elle crossed the room and swiped my phone from me.

  “Alfie, it’s almost midnight, you need to let her sleep now so that she can focus tomorrow. Look after my hot man for me… and make sure you’re both there on time tomorrow.”

  Elle smirked and touched the red ‘end’ button on my cell throwing it back at me. “Bed, Lily, or we’ll both look like shit tomorrow.”

  She grinned wickedly at me as we crawled into bed, and after about ten minutes of Holly singing with Mandy, we all settled down and eventually fell asleep.

  Chapter 37 – Okay I’m impressed

  Why didn’t someone remind me not to share the bed with Elle? I spent the night being flicked by her leg, her elbows digging into me, and at one point she had her hands on my back pushing me toward the edge of the bed.

  Elle must have been dreaming that she was dancing in one of her shows from the way she was rolling around in the bed. Drew must really love her. I struggled lying beside her for one night, and he’d have to do that for the rest of his life.

  “Morning,” Elle croaked, one eye peering vacantly at me. “What time is it?”

  It was still dark outside but someone had gone to the bathroom in the night and left the light on, so we could see each other. “Five forty-five,” I whispered. All of the others were still asleep. Elle slipped out of bed and gestured to me to come in the direction of the bathroom. There was a huge Jacuzzi bath, a hot tub, and a sauna in it.

  Elle began filling the hot tub and Jacuzzi bath and disappeared back into the bedroom. She returned with a bowl of fruit, chocolate strawberries, and a bottle of Krystal.

  I raised my eyebrow. “It’s not even six am Elle…” I was whispering, but she cut me off, “And it’s not every day a girl gets married either, Lily.”

  I smirked. “True, but I don’t want to be drunk and let you down in my duties.”

  She gave me a sly glance. “Nothing you did would ever truly disappoint me, Lily. Just don’t fall over and rip the dress, and it’ll be all good.”

  Elle grinned. “Who’d have thought this time last year we’d be sitting here with me, the blushing bride, and you, my maid of honor.” She giggled. “Am I going to be your maid of honor, Lily?”

  I smiled widely. “Sure, but I you might have to share that honor with Jack.” Elle laughed loudly, nodding. “He’d be completely up for that too.”

  Elle’s easy going manner and relaxed tone left me in awe. It was her wedding day, yet there were no nerves. I was only going to be the maid of honor, and I felt nervous.

  Settling ourselves in the hot tub we lay back chatting about memories from our past, and what had happened in the last few years. Elle was really excited that we’d be living near each other again, once the dust had settled from her wedding.

  She told me she’d chosen, ‘A Thousand Years’ by Christina Perri as their first dance song, and for her, it was the perfect choice, because it was playing the first time she danced with Drew.

  “What would you choose?” I didn’t hesitate. ‘Insatiable.’ She smiled. “Alfie was writing it the day I met him, and I gave him the line, ‘Music is the sound of feelings and she listened to what he felt’, and it’s about making love, and how fiercely the guy felt about the girl he was making love to.”

  Elle was smiling wistfully. “Yeah, why did I even need to ask that question?” She smiled, then leaned over and hugged me. “We’re going to a wedding today, Lily,” Elle exclaimed, wiggling her legs and splashing in the hot tub.

  After about forty-five minutes, we crawled out of the hot tub looking like prunes, leaving the rest of the girls, who were now awake and had joined us, soaking in it.

  Room service arrived with breakfast, but we didn’t eat much. After that the room slowly filled with people, as a makeup girl and hair stylists arrived to make us look pretty.

  Elle had treated everyone to some French lingerie and silk stockings; she’d thought about everything. Mine was made of white satin and delicate lace and all very sexy.

  Bridesmaid dresses were all lined up hanging in huge carriers, with name labels on the front. Once our hair and makeup was done, Elle unveiled the dresses to us girls. Each was designed slightly different in the same material. Leanne was doing a great job when I saw it at the one fitting I had, so I was excited to see what it looked like since it had been finished.

  Elle was in charge, pulling each dress off of the hangers, one by one, after calling the name on the label. She looked visibly distressed when mine was missing. Her eyes met mine, and they flitted away in the direction of her mom. In hushed tones, Elle and her mom discussed my missing dress. Maggie, Elle’s mom, left the room to track down the missing garment.

  Concentrating on Elle, I helped her into the beautiful wedding gown. It took my mind off my missing dress. I was careful not to show my concern, because I didn’t
want anything to spoil the day for her.

  Gasping at the visual effect of Elle in her dress and makeup, I hugged her tightly and fought back my tears. I was speechless and had a huge lump in my throat. Elle was a beautiful, elegant-looking woman, but dressed in her gown, with her hair like that, she looked absolutely stunning. I didn’t think I’d ever seen a more beautiful bride.

  Holly and Mandy came over, because I had dressed Elle behind a screen. They were full of wonderful compliments, and Elle had a permanent smile and looked radiantly happy.

  Rosie headed out to make sure the flowers had arrived and they were set up outside the wedding suite, ready for everyone to pick up. This should have been my job, but as I was still semi-naked, she had volunteered to do this for me.

  Elle’s mom and mine pushed into the room, both carrying the missing garment bag. The way they were carrying it between them, anyone would have thought it weighed a ton.

  Elle smirked at me. “Come here, Lily, I want a little chat with you while we’re both still single.” I giggled and went over to the bedroom area, which was separated from the living area for our little moment together.

  “Nervous?” I searched Elle’s face for signs, but she looked completely happy and relaxed. “Nope. Not at all. Not with my best friend with me all the way.” I was really touched by her comment and felt privileged to have a friend like her. She’d always been so confident and encouraging to me.

  “There’s something I have to give you, and you need to have it now.” She took a deep breath, and it was the first sign of nerves I had seen in her all day. I knew it was traditional to have a small gift from the bride. I was glad she was giving it to me privately, because it was an emotional moment, and I felt close to tears.

  Elle handed me an envelope, and I could see the apprehension on her face. Her nerves were definitely getting to her.

  Tentatively, I tore the envelope open, and there were a bunch of papers inside. My eyes flicked up at hers in confusion, and back to the papers I’d been unfolding while looking at her.