I was thinking that exact thought when we opened a door at the end of a hallway to a room full of people. There were probably 100 people in the room, and they looked like they had already been partying for a little while. I looked up at Angel, feeling confused. Just as I did, my cousin Steven came up to us.
"Where've y'all been?" he asked.
My aunt Candice and Uncle Alan came up beside him. "Yeah, we're missing the bride and groom too."
I was utterly confused. I honestly thought it was just going to be Tom, his boys, and us girls for the wedding, and the number of people had me feeling dazed. Not to mention, they seemed like they were waiting on us.
Just then, Rory and Megan walked in. Megan looked up at him with the same surprised expression I wore when we first walked in. Addie and Drake came in right behind them, and again, I could tell the party was a surprise to her. The boys didn't seem as surprised, or maybe they just weren't showing it.
I made eye contact with Megan and Addie and the thought that crossed my mind was to wonder if each of us had a similar experience for the last two and a half hours. I had to think we all experienced something different, but it was obvious we were all surprised by the wedding party.
Both couples began approaching the place where I was standing with Megan's parents and brother. "I was just about to tell the Richies that our boat just got here," Angel said. His brothers smiled and nodded their agreement and all of the girls tried to go along with it as best we could.
Tom and Blake walked in a minute later, and I got to watch as she took in the faces of the guests at her wedding. It was a surprise to her as well, and tears sprang to her eyes as she scanned the crowd. I couldn’t help but cry with her.
"Did she not know we were coming?" my aunt Candice asked.
"No, honey, remember? It was a surprise. That's why we couldn’t tell Megan we were coming."
"Oh yeah," she said. "I've never heard of a surprise wedding, so it didn't register."
"She knew she was getting married," I said. "That wasn't a surprise. She just didn't know how many would be here."
Tom held Blake's hand and came to where we were standing. "I assume you all found your rooms on your way here," he said with a sly smile.
"I can't believe y'all get to stay here. This place is so fuckin' sick," Steven said.
Just then, the lighting changed, and uniformed ushers came into the room and began telling everyone to file into the next room. It was set up like a restaurant with tables and chairs covering the floor. Everyone was told to locate his or her name on a place card and have a seat.
"We're up here, "Angel said, tugging me along. There was a long table that sat up higher than everyone else, sort of like the place the king would sit with his honored guests. Angel showed me where to sit.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"Tom's getting married."
"I know that, but—" I was cut off by the lights dimming again. People gasped. "That," I whispered. "What's happening?"
"Shhhh, just relax. Dad said we just have to sit here and watch." He helped me into my chair.
For the next two hours, we were part of an elaborately planned show, which included magicians, acrobats, singers, and dancers. Somewhere during the whole thing, Tom and Blake took their vows, but it was so very entertaining, you could hardly call it a wedding.
It ended with everyone being served a meal, then of course the ceremonial cutting of the cake. Blake was completely surprised by everything Tom planned, but she played along willingly, as he knew she would. It was the perfect wedding, and I sat back and watched, thinking how cool it was that I got to be surprised by everything as well.
I overheard enough conversations to figure out we were in West Palm in the beautiful estate of one of Tom's close friends. I thought about all the places I guessed we were going and smiled, thinking West Palm definitely wasn't on the list. By car, it was only an hour up the coast, and I couldn't believe it took us so long to travel to there by boat. I wondered if we came straight here or wandered around in the ocean a little bit, but I didn't ask.
I enjoyed the evening for what it was—which happened to quite possibly be the coolest wedding ever. It was a carefully orchestrated event with the feel of a dinner theater. I just sat next to Angel and enjoyed the ride. At the end of it all, Tom made a long speech that was funny and heartfelt and just as entertaining as the rest of the evening had been. He thanked everyone for coming but said we should all disappear now since he was going off the grid with his new bride for the next few days.
By 9PM the party guests were either gone or on their way out. Tom and Blake vanished, leaving Angel and I, along with Rory, Megan, Addie and Drake as the last ones there.
"Dad told me there was gonna be a magician, but I didn’t believe him." Drake said.
"I did," Rory said. "He loves that shite."
"Did you guys know we were getting there late?" Megan asked, just remembering the circumstances of our entrance. She narrowed her eyes at Rory.
He smiled and lifted his hands in surrender. "Dad told us he wasn't showing up until six when the wedding started, so we all decided to do the same thing."
"He didn't tell us everyone else was getting there at five," Angel said. "That part we had to figure out on our own."
"That's just like him, too," Drake said. "He was entertained by watching all of us."
"Speaking of entertaining, I need to put my arse in the hot tub," Rory said.
"We should check out the hot tub for sure," Drake said. "They just got a new one, and Dad said we shouldn't leave this place without using it."
Angel looked at me and pulled me by the fabric of my dress so I teetered toward him and fell off balance into his arms. "I think I'm feeling like testing out that hot tub too, especially with this one sitting on my lap."
I gasped and slapped his chest as if he should be ashamed of himself for saying that in front of everyone.
"It's all right, Charlotte," Rory said, rolling his R's. "I think we're all expecting the same thing."
"Oh yeah, that's happening," Drake said. "What else is there to do in a hot tub?" The guys all looked at each other as if it were reasonable for them to assume such a thing, causing us to laugh as we took off in the direction of our bedrooms.
"What are we gonna do with them?" Addie asked.
"Probably sit on their laps in the freaking hot tub just like they expect us to," I said, as if they weren't right there walking with us.
"Yeah, but it'll only be because we want to," Megan added.
"So it was basically our idea," I said.
Chapter 22
The following weeks brought significant change. Blake and Tom's wedding was in September, and it was now nearly December. I decided earlier in the fall that I would hold off on pursuing my teaching certificate, and now I was so happy I made that call. Blake knew someone who was directing an indie film, and she got me the job doing the costumes.
When you added up the hours, I wouldn't make nearly as much on the film as I did at Maison Blanc, but hey, it was a start, and hopefully I could work up to more high-profile jobs. It certainly beat settling for teaching when I had no desire whatsoever to do that. Besides, Angel had been true to his word when he said he'd pay for my tattoos. I had a standing appointment every three weeks with my tattooer, and my skin was coming along beautifully. Angel absolutely loved it, and not in a, you can be my side girl way, but in a, I want to marry you and have babies with you way.
Anyway, getting back to my new job…
I met with the director several times during the previous month so we could discuss what he wanted. Blake helped me with all the logistics of planning costumes, including meeting with the cast to take measurements. It was a small operation, but I was super excited about it and thankful for the opportunity. We were scheduled to start shooting in the morning, and I was so nervous I could barely contain myself.
Thankfully, Megan gave me something to do.
Addie had been at Tom's s
ince I first moved to Miami, and I moved in a few months ago, but Megan was the last of us to move in. She and Thor just about lived there anyway, but now it was official. After today, she'd be out of her parents' guesthouse, which finally freed it up for Steven.
Angel and I actually considered moving into the upstairs at Magpie when Blake moved in with Tom after the wedding. She wanted to let us live there rent free, and we thought about it quite a bit, but ultimately decided to stay at Tom's. Blake and Tom said that would be ideal for them, and she was just offering us the other house in case we wanted the privacy. Drake and Addie, and Rory and Megan were all given the option after we said no, but they too, opted to stay at Tom's.
There was plenty of room for all of us to have privacy, while having the option to be together if we wanted to. Megan was officially a member of the compound now, and she needed help moving the rest of her things, so we all went over there with Tom's truck to help her make a load.
"Why didn't y'all bring Tom?" Steven asked when we all came into the guesthouse. Megan was leaving most of the furniture, and Steven was lounging on it as if he already lived there.
"There's already six of us, Steven, we didn't need Tom."
"Where's Thor?" he asked.
"He's at the other house in his kennel."
"Why couldn't you just leave him," he asked, with an overly disappointed scowl on his face. "Steven, we're just gonna be right there," Megan said, pointing to the backyard, at the border her parents' property shared with Tom's. "Plus, you wanted this place."
"Why don't y'all mofuckers just ask Tom and Mama Blake if I can move back there witchy'all."
"What'd he say?" Addie asked, truly not understanding Steven's words.
"He said he's gonna miss his sister," Rory said, reaching for Steven to mess up his hair.
We all helped haul boxes. There really weren't that many, so we mostly just talked and goofed off.
"Daaaymm, girl, you're getting all tatted up," Steven said as we made a trip to the truck. He must have been noticing my legs, which we'd been working on during the last few sessions.
"You like?" I asked.
"Hell yeah, you look like a fuckin' rock star."
"I got a rock star job doing costumes for a movie."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, we start shooting tomorrow."
"That's awesome, Charlotte. You're gonna get famous and shit."
I shrugged and smirked like it was no big deal, and he laughed.
"I told you about Charlotte starting that job the other day when you were working out," Angel said to Steven as he took his box from him and stacked it in the truck bed.
"I just smile and nod when you talk to me, dawg. I can barely breathe, much less understand what you're saying."
"But, you're seeing results, right?" Angel asked.
"Hell yeah, dude, I got all the bitches wantin' to see me wit my shirt off."
Angel high fived him and I rolled my eyes at them. "My bitch likes seeing me with my shirt off too," Angel said.
Steven gave Angel a totally serious gangsta face as he nodded.
"My bitch does too," Drake said, walking past us to set his box in the truck.
"Who's your bitch, Drake? Are you talking about me?" Addie said, opening the door.
"I don't even know what they're talking about," Drake said. "I just thought I heard someone say their bitch liked something, and I said mine did too." He paused. "And yes, to answer your question, you're definitely my bitch. But I'm the only one who can call you that."
"What were you guys talking about?" Addie asked, looking our way as we walked toward the house.
"Steven said the bitches liked his six-pack, and I told him my bitch likes mine too."
"Oh yeah," Drake said, "then I was right when I said mine does too."
"That should be on your business card," Steven said. "Megan can design them for you." Steven stared into space with a faraway look as if he was envisioning the perfect business card. "You could say, train with Angel and get all the bitches you can handle."
"Steven, I don't even want to know what you're saying about handling bitches," Megan said, joining the conversation for the first time as she came outside carrying a box.
"He had a real classy idea for a business card for Angel," I said. "We'll tell you all about it when you design them for us."
Steven gave Megan a little nod, and I thought perhaps he might have really thought we'd follow through with the idea. It would be pretty hilarious, actually, and I made a mental note to make one up even if it was to joke with Angel one day.
Steven ended up weaseling his way into going to Tom's house. He drove separate and carried a few boxes we couldn't fit into Tom's truck. He hung out at the house for a few hours, which served as good, clean entertainment on a night when I was nervous about my new job.
***
As is usually the case with worry, it doesn't turn out to be as bad as you imagine. I felt instantly at home on set of the film, and found it easy to get along with the cast and crew. Unlike teaching, it was a job where my tattoos were not just accepted, they were respected.
By the time I'd been on the job for two weeks, I'd really gotten into a rhythm. That rhythm was broken when we started shooting a scene that was outdoors and at night. It was way out on the outskirts of town in a little back-woods dive bar. The scene was shot partially in the bar and partially in the parking lot, and we had plans to work out there for a week. This meant a change of hours for me, which obviously cut into my time with Angel.
It was for this reason that he often came on set to hang out with me during breaks in shooting. He was busy with his new business, and had to devote a lot of time to making it successful, but most nights, he came by to at least say 'hi'. I missed him and asked him to try to as often as he could. The director didn't mind at all as long as I got my job done, and that was easy to do with Angel there.
It was our fourth night of shooting. We were taking a break, and I was in the middle of having a picnic with Angel when I stared into the distance, unable to believe who I saw.
Our director, whose name was Chad Thomas, was walking down a path with none other than Connor Newman.
"Is that—"
"Yes," I said, knowing what Angel was about to ask.
The two of them walked up smiling and laughing like a couple of old friends, and Angel and I stood as they came near. I wasn't going to stand, but I followed Angel's lead, dusting myself off to occupy my hands.
"What are you doing here, Charlotte?" Connor asked, looking straight at me and completely ignoring Angel. His eyes roamed over my body. "I see your tattoos are coming along."
"I didn't realize you two knew each other," Chad said, looking back and forth between Connor and I.
"Charlotte and I know each other well," Connor said. Then right after he said it, he had the nerve to wink at me. He smiled and closed one eye while the other stayed open. It was an official wink, and blood rose to my cheeks out of sheer anger.
"I'm gonna let you two catch up then," Chad said, shaking Connor's hand. "I've got to get back to my trailer."
"Sure Chad, it was wonderful meeting you," Connor said, with a broad smile and a firm handshake. "Just let me know if you need anything from our end."
"Will do," Chad said. He turned and headed away, and I was left standing there wondering if Connor just winked at me in front of Angel.
"Asshole," Connor said, rolling his eyes in Chad's direction.
I gave him a questioning scowl, and he shrugged and smiled a little. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so harsh, but he was sort of a dick. Are you working for him?"
"Yes, and I like him," I said.
Connor smiled as if my willingness to disagree with him was a turn on. He raised his eyebrow suggestively as he glanced in Angel's direction for the first time.
"Are you hitting this?" he asked, nodding in my direction. "She's a feisty one."
Angel clutched his hands in front of his chest and looked up. "
Lord," he said, "I have asked that if it is your will that I kick this guy's ass," he continued in his adorable Spanish accent, "to please, Lord, put him in my path and let words such as these come from his mouth. I give thanks to you, dear Lord, in this moment when you have put him in front of me and let him say these things, and I will give you the glory when I have taught this man a lesson. Amen."
Angel made the sign of the cross as he opened his eyes. He stared at Connor with a slight smile that was most definitely menacing. Connor and I were both stunned for a second until he realized what was about to happen.
"Don't you dare, motherfucker," Connor said, with a fearful expression and a finger extended in Angel's direction.
That warning and outstretched finger was no defense for the way Angel advanced on him. He moved forward more easily than Connor moved backward, and within a few paces, there was barely a gap between them. Angel jabbed him twice with his lead hand, causing Connor's head to snap back, but otherwise no real harm.
Connor recovered easily and even let out a little half-smile as if he thought that was all Angel was bringing. In the next instant, Angel's right hand connected with Connor's jaw in a crushing blow. Angel leaned forward with the effort of that punch, and as he stood, he brought a left hook to Connor's stomach. The right hand to the jaw was enough to take care of Connor, but the body shot was so deserved that Angel couldn’t resist. It was all he could do to stop after throwing those punches, but Connor fell into a limp heap, and Angel couldn’t let himself beat the guy to a bloody pulp in front of me, even though I could tell he really, really, wanted to.
I didn't realize until after it was over that I'd been watching the whole thing through cracks in my fingers. I dropped my hands and continued to look on as Angel calmly stooped to talk to Connor, who was groaning.
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