by Hazel Kelly
“Damn,” Ben said. “She is wearing that dress.”
“No shit,” I said. “Like she was poured into it. I can see his eyes hanging out from here.”
“Gotta admire his energy, though,” Ben said. “The guy’s an eternal optimist.”
“Hey, handsome,” Jolie said, sliding a hand onto my shoulder and setting a fresh whiskey down in front of me.
“Please tell me you accept tips,” I said, pulling her arm down into the chair beside me.
“Here’s a tip,” Ben said. “Take him home already.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Why don’t you go check on your own fiancée?”
“Now that’s a good tip,” he said, topping up his glass and heading across the room.
“How’s it going?” Jolie asked, her eyes as sparkly as her earrings.
“Pretty well,” I said. “I’ve got a good buzz going, and I’m going to marry the love of my life tomorrow.”
“She must be a special lady to deserve the affection of a man as charming as yourself.”
“She is,” I said, fixing my eyes on her. “She’s everything a man could want and more.”
“What’s the more?”
My mouth curled into a smile. “I’m hoping she shows me after we say I do.”
She blushed. “Challenge accepted.”
“And you?” I asked. “You seem like you’re in a good mood.”
“Of course.”
“Care to explain?” I asked.
“It’s simple, really,” she said. “When I was a little girl, I taught a handsome boy how to fly a kite.”
“I remember.”
She smiled. “And I’ve been high ever since.”
Chapter 45: Jolie
I was afraid I wouldn’t recognize myself when I put on the dress, but that wasn’t the case at all.
Not only did I look like a bride from head to toe, but I felt like one, too, from my white satin shoes to the tips of my French manicure. Best of all, I felt like a bride where it counted most- in my heart.
And while I couldn’t stop the thoughts looping through my mind about all the things that could go wrong, there was one thing I wasn’t worried about, and that was whether or not he was the right guy.
About that, I sincerely had no doubts.
So as much as I was looking forward to enjoying the day surrounded by our family and friends, it was tomorrow I was looking forward to most, a tomorrow where we would wake up for the first time as husband and wife and start our lives together.
I looked over my shoulder when I heard a knock at the door.
Gia came in a second later and put her large purse down on the bed.
“Well?” I asked, turning around carefully so as not to step on my dress.
She clasped her hands together. “Everything is going according to plan so far.”
“Go on.”
“Ben and Adam are enjoying mimosas.”
My mouth fell open.
“Ours are on their way.”
I relaxed my shoulders again.
“There was a minor hiccup with the ring bearer.”
I tilted an ear towards her. “Meaning?”
She scrunched her face. “The flower girl pushed him into the pool.”
“What? Why were they even anywhere near-”
“Don’t worry,” she said. “He didn’t have the ring on him, and he’s going to swap clothes with his brother. Well, not swap because his suit is all wet but-”
“Where’s my mom?”
“She said she couldn’t come back because she just redid her makeup, and she doesn’t want to get emotional again.”
“But-”
“Trust me,” Gia said. “It’s the right call. I told her how beautiful you looked in your dress, and the thought alone was enough to set her off.”
“Shit.”
“My mom’s plowing her with tissues as we speak.”
I dropped my head.
“But I have good news, too.”
I lifted my head in time to see her pull a mahogany urn out of her purse. “Is that-?”
“Your mom said she was never good with this kind of thing.” She plopped the urn down on my makeup table. “But she said your dad would know just what to say.”
“Fuck,” I said, my voice squeaking. “Now I’m going to cry.”
“Don’t you dare,” she said, raising a finger at me. “We don’t have time to redo your face, which is glowing by the way.”
I looked up and blinked back the tears.
“And I’m not going to say how much I wish your dad were here to see you now, but-”
“Gia!”
She gave me an awkward hug that would’ve been nicer if we weren’t both so desperately trying to keep our faces from touching anything.
“Hurry up and tell me something happy so my eyes aren’t puffy when I go out there,” I said, trying not to think about my dad.
“Ben said he’s never seen Adam happier.”
I smiled. “Really?”
She nodded. “He said the guy’s on cloud nine, and that all he’s been doing this morning is asking how you are.”
“And drinking mimosas.”
“Ben said they haven’t even gone through a bottle yet.”
My eyes popped open. “A bottle?! What the hell? What about us?”
“I told you, ours is coming.”
I sighed.
“Also, I slept with Christophe last night.”
I flinched. “What?”
“We stayed up all night, and I’m covered in the weirdest hickies ever.”
“All night?!”
“Don’t worry,” she said. “I had three Five Hour Energy’s this morning so I’m good until-” She squinted at the ceiling.
“Later?”
“Yeah,” she said. “Later.”
“Well, I’m glad you had a fun night.”
“Like so much fun I can’t wear white on my own wedding day now.”
I burst out laughing and couldn’t stop. It was like the stress had turned to giggles. “Oh my god I can’t breathe.”
She started laughing, too, and the room was suddenly filled with such a blissful lightness I was convinced someone was pumping laughing gas through the vents.
Fortunately, a knock came a moment later and – confident it was the mimosas- we collected ourselves.
But when Gia pulled the door open, Adam’s mom was standing there with her hands folded around the strap of her beaded clutch.
“Mrs. Darling,” I said. “Come in.”
Gia craned her neck down the hallway and gestured for someone to hurry up.
“Hello, Jolie,” Mrs. Darling said as she crossed the room.
Carrie’s favorite busboy wheeled in a trolley a moment later, and it was everything I could do to ignore Gia pouring champagne in the background.
“What can I do for you?” I asked, focusing on Adam’s mom.
“Nothing at all,” she said. “I’m actually here because I’d like to do something for you.”
I swallowed.
She reached in her purse and pulled out a diamond and coral brooch.
When I realized it was a seahorse, my lips fell apart.
“I didn’t know if you had your something old yet,” she said. “But this has been in our family since the nineteenth century, since before we even came to this country.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“Adam told me you liked seahorses.”
I nodded. “I have a seahorse tattoo.”
She blushed. “He didn’t tell me that.”
I pressed my lips together.
“Anyway, I have lots of little knickknacks like this.”
I couldn’t believe I was about to marry someone whose mother would describe a diamond covered antique as a knickknack.
“And stories to go with them,” she said.
“I bet.”
She handed it to me. “And I’m looking forward to having a daughter to share them with.�
�
“Thanks, Mrs. Darling. That really means a lot.”
“You’re welcome,” she said. “And please call me Annette.”
“Sure.”
“I thought maybe you could pin it to your bouquet or something.”
“That’s a great idea,” I said, dragging my fingers over the pink coral fins.
“And I want to apologize for the first impression you must have of me,” she said. “I was reluctant to give you a chance because I had my own ideas of what I wanted for Adam, but I’m very proud that he’s followed his heart.”
My eyes smiled.
“Maybe I didn’t spoil him too rotten after all.”
“No,” I said. “I think he turned out pretty well.”
“Thank you.”
I searched her cloudy eyes.
“Anyway,” she continued. “I know he loves you very much, and if you have half as much class as this wedding you’ve put together, then my family is very lucky to have you.”
“I really appreciate that, Annette.”
“Care to stay for a mimosa, Mrs. D?” Gia asked.
“No,” she said, heading towards the door. “I’ll leave you girls to it.”
I thanked her again and followed her out.
Gia had a mimosa at the ready as soon as I closed the door. “That was pretty cool.”
“Yeah,” I said. “It was.”
“How about the look on her face when you said you had a tattoo?”
My eyes flashed. “I know. Just as well I didn’t mention the belly button ring.”
She smiled. “Maybe you can be the trashy unpredictable one at the Darling family get-togethers?”
“I’m sure Adam would love that.”
She cocked her head. “He probably would. He’s so sprung I’m sure he’d love anything you do.”
“I suppose being the wild one would probably be easier than fitting in.”
“Totally,” she said. “Besides, I always thought not fitting in was kind of your superpower.”
“Thanks, Gia. I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
“You should,” she said. “You’re my hero.”
“And you’re the baddest bitch of honor a girl could ask for.”
“Damn straight,” she said with a smile. “And don’t you forget it.”
I raised my glass and clinked it against hers. “Let’s get this party started.”
Chapter 46: Jolie
The reception had been at peak dance party for hours and showed no signs of abating, so when Adam asked if I wanted to get some fresh air, I jumped at the chance.
“You dance pretty well in that dress,” he said, staying between me and the low tide.
“It was tough in the beginning,” I said. “But after a few whiskey sours, I didn’t notice anymore.”
He smiled. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”
“Only in front of all our friends and family, but that doesn’t mean I’m sick of hearing it.”
“Good,” he said.
“Your mom seemed to be having a good time.”
He raised his eyebrows. “You told her about your tattoo.”
I scrunched my face. “She was shocked, wasn’t she?”
“She’s from a different generation.”
“Gia seems a bit taken with Christophe.”
He laughed. “Taken is one word for it. I didn’t think our wedding was going to feature that kind of dancing.”
“Something for everyone, I guess.”
“There was,” he said. “You did a great job.”
“Thanks,” I said, scrunching the damp sand between my toes. “What did you think of the wedding cake?”
“I thought it was delicious. I didn’t know you could get cake that was all crushed cookies surrounded by chocolate icing.”
“Too rich for you?”
“Not at all. I love to eat a year’s worth of sugar in one go. You know that.”
I scoffed. “Good thing it was our wedding. A real celebrity probably wouldn’t have gone near it.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s pure fat.”
“You should eat more of it then.”
I furrowed my brow. “Why? So I balloon?”
“More of you to love,” he said, swinging my hand in his.
“If that isn’t proof that sometimes the sweet things you say are absolute bull-”
“It’s not bull,” he said. “I mean it. From now on, I want you to do whatever makes you happy.”
“Is that right?”
“Yep,” he said. “There’s only one condition.”
“Which is?”
“I get to be around for it.”
“Deal,” I said. “In that case, cake for breakfast.”
“Make it brunch and you’ve got a deal.”
“Are we going to our spot?” I asked when he turned up the beach.
“Seems only right, doesn’t it?”
It wasn’t easy trudging through the soft sand in my heavy dress so I was delighted when we finally came to a stop. “God what a crazy day,” I said, dropping my hem.
Adam sat right down in his tux and laid on his back.
“What are you doing?”
“It’s my party, and I’ll lay in the sand if I want to,” he said, patting the space beside him before clasping his hands behind his head.
I lowered myself down carefully and leaned back on my elbows.
“You know the first time we came here, you told me to close my eyes and listen to the sea oats.”
I smiled. “Yeah.”
“It’s still my second favorite sound.”
“What’s your first favorite,” I asked. “The ocean?”
He shook his head. “Nope.”
“Rain?”
“Nope.”
“Dexy’s Midnight Runners?”
He laughed. “No. Though I do love some good sax.”
“So what is it?” I asked.
“That little moan you do when I-”
I groaned. “I get it.”
He smiled at me, clearly amused with himself.
“For such a class act, you sure are filthy.”
“It’s hard not to be with you around,” he said. “So hard.”
I laughed and laid back in the sand, folding my hands behind my head. “I guess I better learn to love your filth.”
“That’s right,” he said. “You’re stuck with me for good now.”
I smiled and let my eyes trace shapes between the stars overhead. “I could’ve done worse.”
He laughed. “Way to big a guy up.”
After that we were quiet for a while, just me and the love of my life, listening to the waves and the sea oats as we laid in the sand in our fancy clothes. It was a moment I never could’ve predicted any more than I ever could’ve forgotten it.
“I have a confession,” he said after a while.
“We need to work on your timing.”
“It’s about the boat.”
I rolled my head towards him.
“It doesn’t exactly belong to a friend.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “What does that mean?”
“It means it’s my boat.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
I shook my head. “Unbelievable.”
“Surprise.”
I sighed. “You know, a normal person would lie about having a boat and then not have one.”
“I guess I got mixed up.”
“Why on Earth would you pretend it wasn’t yours?” I asked.
“I guess I didn’t want you to like me for my big boat,” he said. “I’d rather you like me for my big-”
“Very funny,” I said. “Why are you telling me this now?”
“Because I had to tell you it was my boat before I tell you this next part.”
“I’m listening.”
“It’s about our honeymoon,” he said.
“Go on.”
“You
know how I said I wanted to take you to the Caribbean?”
I rolled onto my side. “Yeah.”
“Well, what I’d really like to do is sail us there.”
“Seriously?”
He nodded. “And once we’re there, I think we should island hop until we’re absolutely positive that we’ve tried every single cocktail that can be served in a coconut.”
“I do like to have a mission.”
“So what do you say?” he asked.
“I feel like yes isn’t a strong enough word.”
“Excellent.”
“Wow,” I said. “Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly look forward to one more thing.”
“Married life is great, huh?”
“The best,” I said, rolling onto my back again.
A few minutes later, a streak of light zoomed across the sky.
“Oh my god did you see that?” I asked.
“The shooting star?”
I turned my face towards his. “Yeah.”
“I did.”
“Did you make a wish?” I asked.
“Of course.”
“Me too,” I said. “Even though it’s already come true.”
He turned onto his side and propped his head up on his hand. “What did you wish for?”
“I’ll tell you if you tell me.”
“Deal,” he said, fixing his eyes on mine.
I smiled. “I wished for us.”
“That’s funny,” he said. “I wished for you.”
Note from the Author
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Happy Reading,
Xo Hazel
Ps- If you enjoyed this book, don’t forget to check out the other books in the Soulmates Series.
Roommates
My Best Friend’s Brother
The Boy Next Door
