by S. E. Babin
Katie hopped to do her bidding and they waited in silence for their food.
Afterward, the decimated remains of their lunch lay on the room service cart like a hurricane had blown through it.
“I have corsets,” Katie finally said.
“Thank God.” Mel groaned. She checked her watch. “What time is everyone supposed to be here?”
“Not sure. I’d expect any minute. Can you do my hair?”
Mel nodded. “Yup. Get your dress on, hussy.”
Katie dug through her suitcase and pulled out two white corsets. “First things first.” She tossed one to Mel and stepped into the bathroom to slip into the other. When she came back out, she motioned to Mel. “Make it hurt.”
* * * *
Katie was sprayed and shellacked within an inch of her life, but she’d never looked better. Piper and Sherry put the finishing touches on her makeup and stepped away, allowing her to get the first glance of herself in the mirror. She was a highly polished version of herself.
She glanced at her bridesmaids, all looking resplendent in their gowns. “Thank you for being here with me today.”
Mel smiled sadly. “That’s what friends are for.”
Katie pulled up her skirts and flounced onto the bed. “Any word from Leo?”
Mel’s eyes flickered, but before Katie could question her, she said, “I think he’s getting dressed.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God. I was beginning to think he wasn’t going to show up!”
“Ha,” Mel said and then turned away. “He’ll be here, that’s for sure.”
Katie glanced at her watch. “We need to go! Hustle, hustle, before we’re late. Don’t worry about all this stuff, we can grab it later.”
Everyone grabbed their shawls and matching purses and headed out the door. The white limo awaited them outside and everyone piled in. Katie’s heart was beginning to pound in anticipation. Only a half hour before she walked down the aisle. She looked over at Mel, and noticed the worry etched on her face.
She reached over and socked her lightly in the arm. “Chin up! This isn’t a funeral; it’s a wedding!”
Mel laughed weakly, and as Katie looked around, she noticed all of her bridesmaids wearing the same expression of worry Mel was. Suspecting something was up, Katie speared Sherry with a glance. “Spill it. What’s going on?”
Sherry’s neck flushed and she swallowed. “Nothing at all. We’re just so happy for you!”
She could smell the lie drifting on the air. Katie turned to Piper. “Pipes? Care to share?”
Piper shook her head once and cast her eyes toward her lap. Mel’s lips pressed together. “Fine, I’ll drag it out of Candace when we see her at the church.”
The rest of the cab ride was filled with tension, although no one spoke much. When they arrived at the church, Katie flung herself out of the limo and into the chapel, desperate to find Candace before Mel did. She heard the sound of heels behind her and Mel’s voice yelling at her to stop. She turned, barely noticing the serene beauty of the chapel she’d chosen, and glared at her best friend. Leo stood beside her, not dressed for their wedding, with a somber expression on his face. The sound of voices from inside the ceremony room drifted out to her. Her guests were here—friends, co-workers for her and Leo. There weren’t that many, but they still showed up.
Piper, Candace and Sherry all trailed behind them, apprehension in every step they took. “What the hell is going on, guys? You act like someone died!”
“No one died, Katie,” Mel said. “I just want to make sure we’re still going to be friends in a few minutes.”
“Unless you’re running off with my fiancé, I’d say yes. Can someone please explain why we’re all at least not pretending to be excited about this wedding?” Her voice was raised in a screech by now and she waved her hands wildly.
“I can tell you why.” The soft drawl came from behind her. Mel smiled at Katie, wide brown eyes filling with tears.
She spun around and saw Will leaning against one of the walls, his hands tucked into his pockets and a sheepish expression on his face. “Will?” Katie asked in shock, her heart beating too fast in her chest.
“In the flesh.” He walked toward her with that lean-hipped swagger she missed so much. Katie turned back to her friends and saw them all gathered together watching her. There was no surprise on any of their faces.
She turned back to Will. “I don’t understand.”
He took both of her hands. “You’re standing in a chapel ready to marry the wrong man, Katie.”
She took her hands back. “It’s my wedding day.” But the words sounded weak. She let her head drop. “How can you be here on my wedding day? I’ve tried so hard to forget you.”
“Sometimes you aren’t meant to forget someone. Leo made me realize that last night.” At those words, Leo came to stand beside Will—a sight she’d never thought she would see.
Leo’s amber eyes were soft and filled with emotion. “I’m flawed, Katie, but I don’t want you to ever think I didn’t love you. Because I did and I still do. But that love is nothing like the one that exists between you two. I might not be completely human, but I’d have to be an idiot not to see it. I’m a computer…not an idiot. I tried to ignore it. I tried to ignore my flaws. I tried to ignore—” His voice choked. “I tried to ignore Mel because it was so much easier than realizing a difficult truth. But I stand here today to tell you that I won’t allow you to make this mistake.”
Katie’s hands fell to her side. Tears fell freely down her face, probably running tracks through the makeup Piper had spent hours applying. Leo’s mop of blond hair fell across one eye. “I found Will because I knew I could no longer keep you away from each other. It was hurting you. And when you hurt, I do, too. The tattoo brought it all home for me.”
Katie tried to choke out another apology, but Leo smiled. “Don’t apologize. My data told me people do the most honest things when they’re intoxicated. And even though it said Farewell, you were still thinking about him. How can I keep you from your happiness when I was sent here to ensure it?”
Will cleared his throat. “Speaking of that tattoo, we’ll be fixing that soon.” Katie stared into his gorgeous topaz eyes. She still couldn’t speak. “I tried everything to forget you, Katie. Some of the things I did to try to get you out of my head I’m not so proud of. I couldn’t. And I’m here now, with obviously terrible timing, to tell you that I don’t want to forget you. I want you. I want all of you. I want you to take my last name and I want to hold our children in our arms. You are it for me. You are my always. And if you’ll have me, I’d be the luckiest man in the world.”
Katie’s shoulders shook and her sobs rang out through the chapel. She turned to Leo. “Thank you, Leo.” She looked behind her and motioned for Mel. She stepped up and Katie placed Mel’s hand into Leo’s. “I knew it all along. I just couldn’t face how much of a complicated wreck my life had become.”
With her free hand, Mel pulled her closer. “I love you. I can’t wait to see the eye color on those babies of yours,” she whispered. Katie choked out another sob and turned to face Will.
“It’s always been you, Will. From the second you didn’t help me with my groceries, you consumed my thoughts. I tried everything to scrub your memory from my brain.” Katie stepped into his arms and felt them close around her. They were a perfect fit. She tilted her head up, saw his eyes sparkle with love and tenderness and, although she knew it was the weirdest things to ever happen to her, she kissed Will right in front of her ex-fiancé and the rest of her former wedding party.
Cheers rang out through the foyer of the chapel. Mel squeezed her arm. “Excuse me. I’m going to have to go and cancel a wedding.”
Will grinned and swept Katie up in his arms. She allowed herself to be snuggled against his chest and prayed he’d take her away from everyone. This time, and with this man, she knew full well it was for real.
Epilogue
Eighteen month
s later…
Katie and Will stood in their now joint backyard, underneath an arch covered in red and white roses. After much deliberation, they’d chosen to tear down both of their houses and build one large enough to accommodate both of them right on the land they’d met on. The lawn, of course, was meticulous, and Katie, of course, was barefoot and wearing another nerdy T-shirt and a cut-off pair of blue jean shorts. The tattoo she’d gotten in a drunken haze had been modified, the sad reminder gone and replaced with a brilliant array of vines, roses and lilies adorning her ankle. Katie was the only one who knew both of their names were intertwined in one of the numerous vines on the inside of her ankle. Every time she looked at it, happy tears filled her eyes.
Will, sans baseball cap, was dressed casually in one of his T-shirts and a pair of khaki shorts. He was also barefoot. Leo stood in front of them both, dressed in a vivid green T-shirt and white shorts, the glint of a golden wedding band glimmering on his left hand. He shifted the Bible in his hands and smiled broadly at both of them.
“Ladies and gentleman,” he began.
Katie groaned. “Seriously, Leo,” she whispered. “Do the one we talked about. None of that traditional crap. And put the Bible down for now.”
Leo rolled his eyes. “Fine,” he said in exasperated patience. He cleared his throat to speak to the audience of their friends and family. Will’s family sat interspersed with all of Katie’s friends and family. Charlie sat between a beaming Candace and stoic Piper. Albert, the cheerful elderly Russian stripper, had a place of honor next to Sherry. Fortunately, he had left the goggles and leather overalls at home this time and was dressed quite respectably today. Katie decided to overlook the flashing button he was wearing that said, I’m great at parties! Hire me! Mel sat next to them, dressed in a white sundress, and looking more gorgeous than Katie had ever seen. Her hands were splayed over the small mound on her stomach, and her eyes were filled with love as she looked at Leo. Katie caught her eye, and Mel winked at her while making a hurry up motion with her hand.
Katie grinned and turned back to Will. His black hair curled against his neck and she longed to run her fingers through it. He touched her cheek and leaned forward until Leo stuck his arm in between them. “Not yet,” he said with impatience. “You two have zero willpower.”
He cleared his throat again. “Katie, do you promise to give Will free rein on Thursday for massive amounts of lawn care and gardening?”
Katie snorted, surprised. “I do,” she said, her mouth twitching.
“And do you, Will, promise to forgive Katie for making up handsome, buff, intelligent, highly-capable android men and then writing in glee about them?” Will glared at Leo who merely stood there with a smirk on his face and amusement glittering in his eyes.
Laughter rang out through the guests, even though some of them probably had no idea what Leo was talking about. “Seriously, though,” Leo continued. “Do you both promise to lay aside your stubbornness, to love each other even when neither of you might deserve it?”
They both nodded. “And do you promise to spend the rest of your days together? To raise children in a happy home and to never walk away when things get tough?”
“We do,” Katie and Will said.
“About damn time,” Leo said, causing uproarious laughter. “Will, do you have your ring?”
He nodded and slipped a pale platinum band studded with emeralds on Katie’s left hand. She beamed at him, wishing she could drag him into the house by his hair and ravish him.
“And, Katie, do you have your ring?” She nodded and placed the simple platinum band on his hand. Will squeezed her hand and pulled her closer. She fell into his arms. Leo tried to step in between them again, but at Will’s glare, he laughed and ended the ceremony with, “You may now kiss Katie with all of your heart and soul.”
And he did.
The End
About S.E. Babin
S.E. Babin has a passion for writing romance, urban fantasy, and mystery novels with a paranormal twist. Regardless of what type of book she’s working on, she enjoys turning the norm into the extraordinary. She loves quirky female characters and handsome heroes and likes it even more when they end up together! She lives in Texas with her family and a passive aggressive dachshund.
