Table of Contents
A Happy Endings Wedding
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Epilogue
About the Author
A Happy Endings Wedding
Happy Endings Book Club Series, Book 11
© 2019 Kylie Gilmore
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Hailey Adams and Josh Campbell are finally tying the knot! Not only are they launching the new destination-wedding venue on Villroy Island, two major bridal magazines are documenting every detail. Hailey, an up-and-coming wedding planner, is determined to make her wedding the perfect wedding right down to coordinating her canine fur-babies’ outfits.
Except there seems to be a teensy problem with the wedding gown—there isn’t one.
And the rings have disappeared.
And somehow the wedding venue was double-booked.
Things go horribly downhill from there. With Hailey and the wedding falling apart at the seams, it’s up to Josh to put it all back together. What does a gruff former soldier know about weddings? Hailey is about to find out.
Author’s Note
The Happy Endings Book Club was inspired by my own wish for a romance book club. Now that all of the club members have found their happy-ever-after, and Hailey and Josh have finally admitted they’re madly in love with each other, it’s all smooth sailing from here! Or not. Catch up with the whole Happy Endings Book Club crew one year later. Read on and join the club!
Hidden Hollywood (Book 1)
Inviting Trouble (Book 2)
So Revealing (Book 3)
Formal Arrangement (Book 4)
Bad Boy Done Wrong (Book 5)
Mess With Me (Book 6)
Resisting Fate (Book 7)
Chance of Romance (Book 8)
Wicked Flirt (Book 9)
An Inconvenient Plan (Book 10)
A Happy Endings Wedding (Book 11)
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Chapter One
Destination wedding to die for? Check.
Top bridal magazines Luxury Weddings and Bride Special covering the event of the century? Check. Eep!
Tying the knot with the gorgeous romantic love of her life? Triple check.
Hailey Adams dabbed at the joyful tears leaking from her eyes, careful not to ruin her eye makeup. Geez, she’d been so emotional lately. Thank goodness it was nearly the end of her workday on a Friday. It wouldn’t do to meet a client while looking a mess.
She supposed her emotional state was to be expected now that she was finally the bride. She was a wedding planner and wanted her wedding to be the shining example, the wedding to top all weddings. She’d put heart and soul and so-o-o much time—a whole year—into planning it, and now it was almost here. In three weeks she’d be married on Villroy Island, a royal kingdom off the coast of France. Their wedding would be the inaugural wedding to launch Villroy as a premiere destination-wedding locale, saving the struggling island’s economy and preserving their long proud history. No pressure.
She let out a shuddering breath and then laughed a little as her dog Rose, a white terrier-Chihuahua mix, went up on her hind legs from Hailey’s lap, rested her paws on Hailey’s shoulders and licked her tears. Max, a black shih tzu-Chihuahua mix, dropped his chew toy and ran over, standing on Hailey’s leg, wanting in on the action. She scooped him up and cuddled them both close. Rose and Max loved each other and her. And they were crazy for Josh, who always had some special treat or toy for them.
She arranged them both on her lap and sighed. Her business partner, Ally, was out shopping for some items for an unusual Halloween wedding, so it was just Hailey in their shared office. She and Ally were now equal partners in Clover Park’s premier wedding planning service, Love Junkies. They attracted die-hard romantics looking for a traditional wedding (Hailey’s specialty) and unconventional brides looking for something a little different (Ally’s specialty). Ally also pitched a special add-on, a sologamy ceremony (women committing to themselves) as a female bonding and empowerment event. It was a tremendously satisfying joint venture. And now Hailey had more free time to enjoy being engaged to the most wonderful man in the world.
The phone rang. She shifted to get both dogs off her lap, and then she smiled as she picked up the phone, because people could hear a smile in your voice. “Love Junkies, Hailey Adams speaking.”
“Hi, Hailey. It’s Camille from JH Bridal.” Camille was one of the top wedding gown designers in New York City. The one-of-a-kind gown had been a gift from Hailey’s friend, movie star Claire Jordan.
“Yes, hi, Camille! How’re you?” She had an appointment to pick up her gown tomorrow. Maybe they had some last-minute fabulous detail they wanted to add. The gown was already incredible from the satin and lace bodice to the hand-sewn seed pearls to the beautiful long train. Camille had gone beyond Hailey’s wildest fantasies, which said a lot because Hailey was intimately familiar with gorgeous wedding gowns in her line of work.
“Not so good. Hailey, I’m so sorry to bring you this news, but there was a fire, and I’m afraid your dress is ruined.”
She froze, gripping the phone tighter. “A fire,” she echoed. “Is everyone okay?”
“Yes, thank you. We put it out quickly, but I’m afraid the smoke has damaged your gown beyond repair.”
She stared blankly in complete shock. No gown! But she was leaving in only two weeks! She and Josh had planned to arrive a week before their wedding to visit Paris. She stood and paced the office. This could not be happening. No gown for the inaugural wedding to be featured in Luxury Weddings and Bride Special? She couldn’t just pick up something off the rack! It had to be spectacular. It had to be perfect. She’d been planning for a year so that every single thing was perfect. She’d never considered a fire. Why hadn’t she considered it? She should’ve planned for every eventuality.
Major fail. She halted abruptly, pressing a hand to her forehead and closing her eyes.
“Hailey, did you hear what I said? You’re welcome to come in tomorrow and look at the remaining inventory. It won’t be an original design, but I’m sure we can find something you’ll like. We’ll get it fitted for you on an expedited basis.”
“Thank you, Camille. I appreciate that. Good night.”
She hung up and burst into tears. The dogs rushed her legs, their little paws lifting to be picked up. She looked down at them, the black fur of Max and the white fur of Rose swimming in front of her eyes. She needed Josh. He was her rock—steady and stable and strong. It was what she loved most about him. She craved that kind of stability after her unstable childhood with her single flaky mom unexpectedly left them homeless. Twice.
She clipped the leashes on the dogs and locked up for the night, walking briskly out the door, across the street, and down the sidewalk to the Happy Endings bar. Josh owned the bar and had named it for her, based on her Happy Endings Book Club and her own obsession with finding everyone a happy ending. And now what kind of happy ending was this wedding going to be without the dress of her dreams?
She scooped up both dogs in her arms before entering the busy bar and restaurant. Her fur babies were both certified
as therapy dogs, which meant they could go just about anywhere, but she was mindful not to let them run loose. The dining area to her right was filled with families enjoying dinner, the bar straight ahead filled with chatting people blowing off steam after the long work week. Friday night was the busiest time for the bar, along with Saturday night, especially now that Josh had built an addition on the back with a dance floor, an old-fashioned jukebox, and two pool tables. She’d spent many a happy time here with him and her friends. Hot tears stung her eyes again.
Stop that. You are a warrior. You will move forward with a solution, and this will still be the wedding of the century.
Josh always called her his warrior princess, which meant a lot because he was an actual warrior. He’d spent years as a paratrooper in the army, engaged in hand-to-hand combat. He loved her fighting spirit, and she fully claimed her badassery now.
She pushed through the crowd at the bar and called to Josh, who was working as bartender. He turned, a slow smile lighting up his gorgeous face, his brown eyes crinkling at the corners. His dark brown hair was close-cropped on the sides, longer on top and sexily rumpled. He was wearing the new black T-shirt she’d bought him. He lived in T-shirts and jeans, but some of them were so old they were falling apart.
“Do you have a minute?” she asked, her voice cracking under the strain of being a warrior princess with a serious wedding gown problem.
He stopped smiling, nodded once, and pulled out his phone. He was calling for backup. A moment later, Brian came out of the kitchen and took over for Josh.
She met Josh at the end of the bar, where he set a warm hand on the small of her back and led her through the kitchen to his back office. As soon as he shut the door behind them, she put the dogs down, and they immediately rushed to a box of dog toys Josh left in the corner for them.
He smoothed a lock of her hair behind her ear. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
Her throat closed at the sweet term of endearment. Her gruff and tough former soldier used sweet words very sparingly, though she never doubted his love. “I just wanted to let you know…” Her voice broke. She took in a shuddering breath. “There’s been a small hiccup.” Tears leaked out, and she dashed at them with her fist. “Sorry, I’ve been so emotional lately with the wedding coming up so soon.”
He pulled her into his arms. “Yeah, I’ve noticed. I’m not sure it’s the wedding.”
Her head shot up to look at him. “Of course it’s the wedding. It’s my first time as a bride. There’s a lot of pressure with the magazine coverage and launching Villroy’s new venue.”
He slid a hand under her long hair, cupping the back of her neck and drawing her close for his kiss. “Hailey, love.”
She choked on a small sob at love, another unusually sweet term of endearment. He must be using all these sweet words because she looked like she was about to lose it. She was about to lose it. “What?” she asked in a strained voice. “You’re wonderful.”
He smiled against her lips. “You’re wonderful too. Remember when we celebrated the one-year anniversary of our engagement four weeks ago?” What a silly question. Of course she remembered. She’d planned the whole thing. They’d retraced their courtship from a pretend fight at Happy Endings bar to a clandestine passionate meeting in this very office, finishing with a romantic dinner at home. He’d done his part cooking a gourmet dinner, giving her roses, and texting her earlier in the week, letting her know how much he was looking forward to everything. He’d even made liberal use of exclamation points in his texts to show his enthusiasm, which he knew she loved.
She smiled through watery eyes. “Yes, it was awesome.”
He picked her up by the waist and set her on his desk. She didn’t even let out a squeak. Josh often manhandled her body and she quite enjoyed it. He pushed her dress up by her hips, spread her legs, and stood between them. She went damp in anticipation as his fingers gripped her hair, tilting her head up, his eyes heated and locked on hers. Her lips parted, all of her focus on him, her earlier distress temporarily forgotten.
A breathless moment of charged silence passed before his mouth sealed over hers in a deep, hungry kiss as he slowly lowered her to the desk. She wrapped her arms around his neck, losing herself in the delicious heat. The kiss turned carnal as he ground against her, and she moaned against his mouth. They were animals, igniting at every touch, passion and deep love binding them together. She loved it. She always wanted what he could give.
She wrapped her legs around him, lifting her hips for more. His lips shifted to her ear, his teeth giving her earlobe a tug before he whispered, “You remember this part of our anniversary? How we got carried away? So hot you couldn’t wait. You begged me, Hailey. And what did I say?”
Her eyes flew open. It had been exactly like this during their engagement anniversary courtship reenactment—her on the desk; Josh on top of her. The conversation flooded back to her all at once.
Josh’s breath had been harsh in her ear. “I don’t have a condom here. We have to wait.”
“Fuck it,” she’d said. “No one gets pregnant the first time they try.” Then she’d kissed him roughly, and he’d groaned into her mouth, his hands caressing her, his hard body pressing against her. Fire, she was on fire for the man she loved more every day.
He broke the kiss, breathing hard, his forehead resting on hers. “It can happen. How you think I got so many siblings so fast?”
She undid his jeans, sliding her hand in to hold his throbbing hard length. “Please, Josh, I need you so badly.” She’d been away for a week at a bridal expo and had missed him so much. Then she’d freed him, spread her legs, and guided him right where she wanted him.
He took her in one hard thrust and then stilled, deep inside her, cradling her face with one big hand. He spoke between kisses. “It’s fine.” Kiss. “We’re getting married next month.” Kiss. Thrust. “And we both want kids.”
“Yes,” she breathed.
He pulled almost all the way out and slid back in. “Hailey,” he said on a groan.
She sank her teeth into his lower lip. His response was immediate, surging within her, his hand fisting in her hair.
He pounded into her. Again and again and again.
Everything in her coiled hot and tight.
Yes, yes, yes.
Their gazes locked and the intensity ratcheted up as his hand slid under her hip, tilting her at just the right angle as he thrust. She gasped, her nails digging into his shoulders, hanging on for a wild exhilarating ride.
Hot. Hard. Rough.
No holding back.
Need like she’d never felt before clawed at her. She greedily took all he gave, her body clenching around him with every deep thrust. On and on and on, higher and higher. Her breath caught as her release slammed into her, a shockwave of pleasure so powerful her vision dimmed. She panted, her heart pounding in her ears, as he took her further, more pleasure arcing through her with every hard thrust, and then she went over again, a soft cry ripping from her throat. His breath was harsh in her ear as he pumped into her for his own release and let go with a long guttural groan.
He gave her his weight; their bodies slick with sweat, joined in a way they’d never been before, no barrier between them. She held him tight to her, overwhelmed with all she felt for him.
She blinked, flushed with the hot memory, and focused on him again. “I remember.”
He pulled her upright and stroked her hair back from her face. “We haven’t stopped having sex since then. You’ve been all over me for weeks, no break.”
She pouted. “You wanted a break from me?”
He nipped her lower lip. “I fucking loved it. I’m making a point. After that time here, I used a condom, but I’m starting to think maybe I didn’t need to. You’ve been emotional, crying at the drop of a hat, and I counted and I think we have to consider the possibility—”
“Are you saying I’m pregnant?” She’d forgotten to track her cycle with all the wedding stuff.
>
“It’s possible.”
She shoved his hands away. “I can’t be accidentally pregnant! I was an accidental pregnancy. I would never allow that to happen.”
Josh just looked at her, waiting patiently in his solid, stable way.
She folded her hands in her lap and stared at them, saying quietly, “I allowed that to happen.”
He sat next to her and took her hand. “It’s not like it was when you were the surprise pregnancy. You and I are about to be married. We said we were going to start trying on the honeymoon. You know I want kids. I can’t wait and, if it’s true, it’ll be the best wedding present you could give me.”
Her lower lip wobbled. “I can’t be a pregnant bride!”
“No one would know. You won’t show by then.” He cupped her jaw and turned her toward him. “I love you so damn much. Nothing would make me happier than to have a family with you. That’s why I let you have your way with me on our engagement anniversary.” He kissed her. “Be happy with me on this.”
“I am happy,” she said, tears leaking out. “You’ll be a great dad. You’re so wonderful.” She broke down in tears.
Josh pulled her close for a moment, her head pressed against his chest. Then he kissed the top of her head and stood, walking around to the other side of his desk.
She wiped her tears and took a moment of deep breathing to compose herself before announcing, “And in other news, I have no wedding gown.” She stared straight ahead, fighting to remain calm. “But it’s okay. There always has to be one thing that goes wrong with a wedding, and it’s best to get it out of the way. So I’ll just quickly find another one-of-a-kind designer original in my size in only two weeks and everything will…” She trailed off as Josh placed a plastic bag in her hand. She opened it and found a bright pink box. A pregnancy test. She swallowed hard.
“I picked it up today,” he said gently. “It says to do the test in the morning, so do it tomorrow morning and we’ll go from there, okay?”
She bit her lip and nodded.
He held her by the chin. “And don’t worry about the gown, okay? I’ll make sure you have one and protect it with my life.”
A Happy Endings Wedding (Happy Endings Book Club, Book 11) Page 1
