To Me I Wed

by K. M. Jackson

  Lily had to laugh over how Mama Dee had taken her wedding-for-one commitment and used it to turn herself into a local legend. It was perfectly Mama Dee.

  She was catching a breather from her family. Her sisters had just filed out. They all looked beautiful and went with her suggestion of different dresses, but instead of ivory they decided at the last minute to go for different shades of purple, Mama Dee’s favorite color, and Lily couldn’t be happier. The control freak in her would usually lose it over a last-minute change like that, but that was not what this day was about. This day was about love and acceptance, and for the first time she was starting to truly accept that. Her mother came in and gave her a warm smile. “You are so beautiful. This is a day I didn’t think I’d ever see.”

  Lily raised a brow. “What, Mom, this ceremony or me looking beautiful?”

  Her mother shook her head. “Don’t start. You know exactly what I’m talking about. Now, here.” She handed Lily a box.

  “What is this?”

  “Just open it and see.”

  Inside was a thin gold band twisted into countless infinity symbols. Lily picked up the band. It was lovely in its delicateness and symbolism. “Thank you, Mom. It’s beautiful and probably more than I deserve.”

  “Well, I didn’t know if you’d gone and gotten a ring, so I thought that maybe this could be your something old and take two places. And as for more than you deserve”—she shook her head and Lily saw tears threaten the tips of her lashes—“this is nothing. You deserve every good thing in the world. It’s all I’ve ever wanted and ever want for you.”

  Lily blinked quickly. She could take a lot, but she couldn’t take her tough mother getting mushy and crying over her. And worse yet, being accepting of her wishes and dreams. It was almost too much.

  Lily looked down at the pretty band. She hadn’t gotten a ring. She’d talked to her friend, Fran, who was officiating the ceremony, and had decided to skip over the ring part mainly because she just didn’t have it in her to shop for it alone, as wimpy as that sounded. Lily looked to her mother. “How old is it?”

  Her mom smiled. “Older than you. I got it for myself as a birthday present back when I was eighteen. Bought with money from my summer job, and I was excited to wear it as I headed off to college.” Lily looked at her mother confused. She didn’t go to college. Lily hadn’t known that she’d made it in or wanted to. Her mother never shared that. Her mother had her when she was nineteen.

  “Oh, Ma.” Lily gave her a hug. “I’m so proud of you. Of all of you girls. Live and live in your dream. I don’t know if you can have it all, but promise me you won’t give up on trying.”

  “I won’t,” Lily said as the image of Vin jumped into her mind.

  * * *

  He was the first person she saw when she slipped into the back loading area of Canela. They paused at the same time and stared at each other. It was as if the world stopped for a moment just so they could have this time to take each other in.

  Vin looked fantastic in his dark suit, white shirt, and black tie. Breathtaking really. He was freshly shaven and his beard was trimmed, but she could see by the slight shadows under his eyes that he’d not gotten a lot of sleep. They’d talked for a few minutes the night he’d come to the hospital. She’d thanked him and he’d explained that he’d heard about Mama Dee, that he knew how much she meant to Lily, and that he was worried.

  But it went no further than that. Lily hadn’t been ready to face all Mama Dee said, she was also still curious over the whole Lacy thing. Seeing him in his suit, though, with tired eyes, caused all her feelings to bubble up. She let out a deep breath before she greeted him.

  “Hi,” she whispered.

  “Hi,” he answered, his voice like rough bark.

  He looked at her then, long and hard. Taking in her dress and the white flowers in her pinned-up hair. He cleared his throat. “You look even more beautiful than I thought you would.”

  Lilly frowned. “Thought?”

  “Not thought, well, imagined. Come on, Lil, you know what I mean.”

  She smiled. Putting him on the defensive wasn’t fair, but it strangely calmed her nerves. “Yeah, I do. And thanks.”

  A car drove past where they were standing, and Vin frowned. “Come on, you should go to my office until the ceremony. People shouldn’t see the bride before the wedding.”

  Lily watched as Vin peeked around the corner and slipped her off to his office behind the kitchen. On the way she saw Manny, who gave her a smile and a wave. When she got to the small office she turned to Vin. “Thank you for everything. I know today will go well and it’s all because of you and your place.”

  He shook his head. “You don’t have to thank me.”

  She stared at him, seeing the weariness in his eyes as he struggled to meet hers. Lily could hear laughter and lots of talking as folks started to fill the outside patio set for the ceremony. She swallowed. This was not the time to say what she wanted to say. To ask what she wanted to ask. There were guests. She had to get through her ceremony.

  Vin started to turn to walk away. “Well, I’d better go. I’m sure everything will be starting soon.”

  She nodded as he started to leave, but then her mouth just came open. “Did you sleep with Lacy Colten?”

  Vin turned slowly, and the look he gave her almost burned her from her toes on up. “Are you freaking serious with this?”

  Lily instantly got mad. “Why would I not be? I saw the way she hung on you, and I saw you leaving a club with her the night of my party.”

  Vin raked his hand over his head in frustration. “I swear, you drive me insane. First, that you’d think I’d be one to sleep with someone like Lacy. No. And second, that you’d think I’d go from your bed straight to another’s. Don’t you get how I feel about you at all? Can’t you tell when someone is in love with you?”

  Lily stepped back as if punched, and in that instant he might as well have knocked her out cold. Love? What the hell. “You’re telling me now that you love me right when I’m about to walk down the aisle?”

  He looked at her dumbfounded. “What the hell difference does it make? It’s not The Graduate. It’s not like I’m stopping you from marrying the wrong guy. I can’t keep you from yourself, though God I wish at times I could.”

  Vin threw up his hands and shook his head just as Tori and Bobbi came around the corner. “It’s time,” Tori said, but her words died out when she saw Vin.

  “Thank goodness,” he said, riled up. “Get this woman hitched, why don’t you.” He started to walk away leaving the three women looking dumbstruck, but then he turned back and came straight for Lily. “But first I’d like to kiss the bride.”

  She looked at him hard. “Vin. Don’t. My makeup.”

  He strode right up to her and pulled her to him, capturing her mouth and kissing her with all he had before pulling back and straightening his tie. “Fuck your makeup.” He nodded to Bobbi and Tori. “Ladies. I’ll see you out there.”

  Chapter 26

  Vin couldn’t deny that Lily was a vision as he looked at her from where he stood off to the side of the patio. He knew that he had screwed up royally with his declaration of love, but there it was. He loved her, and if this would be the day he lost her because he’d taken a chance and said so, then so be it. At least he went all in. His mother would be proud. Now only if he could slow his heartrate down and get back to some form of normalcy, a hint of his old cool, then just maybe he could find a way to get through this day.

  But trying was futile since in that moment Vin felt like he was standing outside of himself. A spectator looking in on his own life.

  He let out a breath. One then another. He loved her. He said it to himself once again and astonishingly, this time, his heartrate did seem to slow down as the declaration brought with it a sense of warmth and calm. Like whatever the outcome he’d somehow make it through and it would be all right. He watched the scene of all the guests seated on the patio on top of a rente
d wooden extension that led out to the sand on the beach. Lily had thought of everything, and that included the guests not getting beach sand in their shoes but still having the effect of a beach wedding. There were ghost chairs flanking each side of a white runner that led to a beautiful rose-covered archway that had the Atlantic as its backdrop.

  Somehow in that moment Vin knew that she was his future as she appeared with her father at the back of the patio to the sound of lyrical harp music. Her dad kissed her hand, spun her like an angel, and then passed her off to her sister Sylvie as the music changed to a more up-tempo beat and the guests cheered as the sisters danced to a song about the power of women and the bond of sisterly love. Next came Sophie and Audrey, who showered her with rose petals as she joined in on the dance. Peggy joined them next and then Violet as they made their way down the aisle with the crowd cheering and dancing along all the way with the beautiful Perry sisters.

  Vin was shocked to find himself swaying along, for the life of him not able to put a cynical spin on the beautiful display of love before him with Lily at the center. The music died down as the officiant asked, “Who gives this woman away?” and up popped Mama Dee from her seat with a loud “I do.” Everyone clapped. All were happy to see her grandmother fully recovered from her hospital scare. Mama Dee then turned to the crowd. “We all do. Freely and with love.”

  Lily came forward and kissed her grandmother lovingly. Tears slid down all their cheeks as she climbed the few steps to the raised dais flanked by her mother, grandmother, and her sisters before the assembled crowd and the officiant began.

  “Dear friends, we are gathered here today in celebration of the commitment of the life and love of Lilian Annalise Perry.”

  Everyone cheered with whoops and hollers, and Vin found himself raising his fist. This was Lil’s day. There was no hate from the people here. Only love for what she was doing.

  The officiant spoke again. “Lily has now prepared vows she’d like to share with all of you.”

  Lily turned then, and Vin could see that despite the outpouring of love, she was slightly nervous. She nibbled lightly at her bottom lip, and for a moment he thought he saw her hand quiver. But in true Lily fashion she steeled her back and let out a breath, and she smiled. Big and wide. Brave and strong.

  Vin pushed back against his base instinct. More than anything he wanted to sweep her up in his arms and cover her with protection she didn’t need and didn’t ask for. She turned and looked at the gathered crowd. Her gaze locked with his for a moment, and she gave him a reassuring smile that warmed his heart. Her gaze then moved from his to the rest of the crowd of friends and family, and she smiled wider. “Thank you all so much for being here today. You have truly made this day extraspecial.” She looked at each of her sisters and then, with a nod, began.

  “Today I’m here to declare that I vow to love and cherish myself always. To be a friend to myself, to be patient, to be kind, and to most of all be forgiving, because even when I am weak, I am still more than enough. I vow not to be judgmental”—with that Sophie smirked and Lily laughed before continuing—“or”—and she looked at Mama Dee—“too cautious.” Lily smiled at her mother, who to her surprise pulled out a thin gold band with one perfect pearl as its ornament and slid it on Lily’s right hand finger and kissed her cheek. “To live my life to the fullest,” she said while choking back tears of joy. Lily turned back to the crowd, and her eyes hit Vin’s once again. “To love fearlessly until I can’t love anymore. Because above all I am worth it.”

  Once again up went a cheer.

  Lily beamed then and turned back to the officiate. “And, in this wonderfully nontraditional commitment ceremony, I now pronounce you Lily Perry, as you always were and always will be, perfect just as you are. And all you ever need or needed to be. Amen.”

  Lily turned and whispered something to the officiant, who frowned but then smiled as the crowd looked on expectantly.

  Vin frowned too and his heartbeat sped up as he wondered what else Lily had up her sleeve now. This ceremony was being held on his property, but he half expected surprise doves to come out of nowhere. Fireworks, maybe?

  “Okay,” the officiant said to Lily, “this is your show.” She then addressed the assembled guests. “Lily would like to know if anybody would like to kiss the bride.”

  Suddenly no less than four men in the group raised their hands all at once in a jumbled chorus of “I do,” “Pick me,” and “I’ve got next.”

  Lily laughed, looking past them all and straight at Vin, and gave him a wink. Then she turned to the officiant. “I think I know someone who’s got that covered.”

  Lifting the hem of her dress, she walked back down the aisle and over to Vin. When she got close to him she dropped her hem and tripped, once again her shoe getting caught just like it had at Sophie’s wedding, and she practically fell right into his waiting arms.

  Vin laughed. “Why do I feel like we’ve been here before?”

  Lily shook her head and looked up at him with a wide grin. “Because we have.” She pushed a wayward hair back behind her ear and licked at her top lip. That damned tantalizing tongue of hers was about to send this perfect family function up a rating. “So you going to congratulate the bride or what?” she asked.

  Vin leaned in close as he put his arms around her and pulled her in tight.

  “Tell me this is what you want,” he said.

  Lily looked him in the eyes. “You are exactly what I want,” she said. “Now and always.”

  Vin grinned, his heart damn near bursting with joy. “Then, my love, I’m going to congratulate you so good that you’re not going to remember your name.”

  Lily looked at him with a spark in her eye. “Oh, I’ll remember it all right. Let’s see how well you remember yours.”

  As they kissed, this time it was to the cheer of friends and family and, for the first time that Lily or Vin could think of, it was without fear of the future or thoughts of the past, only hope for all the joy that was to come.

  Vin’s laugh came free and unbidden when he finally came up for air and looked once again into her eyes. “Miss Perry, you can call me whatever you want. Vin, Vincent, Caro, hey you, or even Mr. Perry, if I’m lucky. Just as long as you never stop calling me, I’ll forever be a happy man.”

  COLLECT THEM ALL

  The Unconventional Bride Series

  Insert Groom Here

  Eva Ward has won a lavish wedding on the nation’s hottest morning show and can’t wait to kick off her happily-ever-after in style. Too bad her fiancé backs out on the air. The only way Eva can save face and keep her perfect nuptial plans on track is to star in a new “find-a-groom” reality segment. But finding Mr. Right in eight weeks means ignoring Aidan Walker—her handsome new producer—and getting their instant, exasperating attraction out of her system . . .

  Click here to get your copy!

  The Betting Vow

  Leila Darling’s got the talent to be a serious actress, but the industry sees her as a high-maintenance, impulsive party girl with a reputation for leaving men in the dust. TV producer Carter Bain’s had his eye on Leila for years, so when a bet gives him a chance to get close to her, he accepts. With the goal of getting Leila the image makeover she needs and Carter the star he desires, the game in on. But as their “I do” turns up all kinds of heat, Leila and Carter find they have more in common than they ever imagined . . .

  Click here to get your copy!

  Enjoy the following excerpt from Insert Groom Here . . .

  Chapter 1

  “I can’t marry you.”

  Eva Ward knew words were being murmured over her shoulder, but for the life of her she couldn’t quite make them out. The red light above the camera transfixed her, and Kevin’s voice sounded like it came from somewhere far away, as if from down a long corridor. To top things off, she was fighting a chill. The temperature in the blasted television studio had to be set at fifty degrees at the highest. Eva thought about the frigid air a
moment and hoped the cold didn’t show on her face—or, lord help her—anywhere else on her anatomy. That would be all she needed, for her nipples to make a surprise appearance on national morning television. Eva pushed back a frown as she brought her thoughts back to that blasted red light and Kevin. Okay, focus time. What is he going on about?

  “I can’t marry you,” Kevin repeated, and Eva blinked.

  Wait. What?

  “Wait. What?!” Jim Bauer, The Morning Show’s co-host, took Eva’s confused thoughts and echoed them out loud, punctuated with his usual everyman laugh. But this was a bad time to laugh. In fact, it was the absolute worst time to laugh. “I don’t think we heard you correctly, Kevin. It sounded for a moment like you were calling off the wedding.”

  Eva fought to keep her smile in place as Kevin turned from her to Jim. “That’s right, Jim. I am.”

  She blinked again as the words really begin to sink in. He is calling off what? Anger bubbled up, heating Eva more quickly than could possibly be safe. She caught another glimpse of the red light and forced herself to push it back down. Hold on there. This is not the time to go off the rails, Eva told herself. She could do this. She’d practiced being on live TV, and she’d been put on the spot plenty of times. She was trained for these moments. Media relations was her job, for chrissake.

  Eva pulled her attention away from the maddening red light that reminded her millions of people were watching this debacle over their morning coffee and toast. Instead, she plastered on a well-trained smile and focused on what her fiancé, Kevin, and the talk show’s co-hosts were now saying. But try as she might, she couldn’t wrap her head around the words as they trickled toward her in dribs and drabs.

  Something about being “confused,” Kevin said. “Just not the right time,” he went on. And wait, did she really hear the words “moving too fast”?