by Daphne Slade
“You know, in my day, the bride always had a moment with her maid of honor just before the wedding. Alone. I think that’s a fine tradition, don’t you?” She rises up from her seat and eyes first my mother, then Vanessa. “Why don’t the rest of us head on downstairs and see what those boys of Noah are up to? Make sure they aren’t going too crazy with that bottle of whiskey my son bought.”
I eye her in the mirror, mouthing a silent “thank you.” She smiles and shoots me a conspiratorial wink.
Her no-nonsense tone is something even Dr. Arlington can’t contend with, much less Vanessa, who easily caves underneath the power of authority.
“I’m game,” Eliza says, grabbing the neck of the Crystal as she pops up from her seat.
Vanessa makes sure to throw in an aggrieved sigh as she exits. My mother purses her lips but follows.
Noah’s mother is the last to go, but not before walking over to take both my hands and face me.
“You look beautiful, Grace. My son is lucky to have you. Hell, we’re all lucky to have you.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Donahue,” I say even more gratefully.
“You just relax and breathe. This is your day, yours and Noah’s—no one else’s. Remember that.”
I flash another grateful smile, thanking her before she leaves.
“Okay, I’m calling dibs on your mother-in-law,” Erin says as soon as they’re gone.
I laugh. “Oh come on, Clark’s mother is sweet.”
“Too sweet. Where’s the challenge? The woman sends us three kinds of bread every other week just because. I didn’t even know white chocolate pumpkin was a thing. I think she’s trying to fatten me up for grandkids or something.”
“Feel free to forward that blueberry lemon next time she sends it.”
“Oh, now you’ve gone and declared war,” Erin says, giving me a hard stare in the mirror.
I stare back at her until we both laugh.
“Okay, enough about everyone else, including your crazy-ass family. How’s my girl doing? No breakdowns on the horizon?”
“I’m doing great, despite it all. Eliza’s probably going to tipsily stumble down the aisle. Vanessa will be taking notes of every flaw to bring up at Thanksgiving dinners for the next twenty years. Mom still hates the fact that I made her fly to Milwaukee of all places. Who knows what kind of wringer my Dad is currently putting my future husband through as we speak. But…I’m good.”
“Well, that’s a refreshing change from the Grace I once knew.”
“Yeah, I feel like I should be having a meltdown or something but, honestly, I’m just so happy this day is finally here.”
“After how many years of missed opportunity? You and Noah deserve this.”
“More like we earned it. In retrospect, think those three years of miscommunication have made us even more solid. Now, I at least appreciate what I have in Noah. Maybe I should be thanking—“
“Oh no you don’t!” Erin warns. “We promised, no mentioning his name! In fact, let’s toast with some of this champagne to get his name out of your mouth.”
I smile as she grabs a new bottle of Crystal and pops it open, then pours us both a glass.
“So, to what are we toasting? Please don’t make it boring.”
“To,” I pause, feeling a wicked grin form on my face. “Agent Provocateur.”
Erin coughs out a laugh. “What? Wait…Oh my god, you didn’t!”
“I did.”
“I thought you were fucking with me!”
“Erin, never,” I admonish.
“Show me!” she squeals.
I flash another wicked grin, then lift the side of my gown to reveal a pair of thigh-high stockings that have every flavor of sexual provocation stitched along the back seam.
“My ‘something old’ for today.” My something new is this dress. Something borrowed are the pearl earrings Noah’s mother lent me. My something blue is Noah’s eyes, eyes that are only for me, as he so often tells me.
The fact that I’ve managed to make my friend’s jaw drop makes this little addition even more worth it. I can’t wait to see Noah’s face; he has no idea.
“I say, here’s to getting marriage off on the right foot.”
“In the most devilish way possible,” I say, tapping my glass to hers.
“That’s my girl.”
I’m finally with Dad, who is in an agreeable mood thanks to Noah’s bottle of whiskey.
“You look beautiful, Grace.”
Yep, definitely loosened up. Getting a bona fide compliment out of him is usually like pulling teeth. I secretly thank Noah for this.
“Thank you, Dad,” I say graciously, feeling a sentimental smile come to my mouth as I help him with his boutineer.
“I have to say, I wasn’t entirely sold on this Noah to begin with.”
“I remember.”
“He’s…well, he’s a lot more intelligent than I originally gave him credit for. Though I suppose going to Devington, I should have known. And it seems this hockey thing has taken off.”
“Yes, it has.” I temper the laugh that threatens to erupt, turning it into a mild chuckle instead. Though I never told any of my family exactly how much it was, Noah’s signing bonus alone was eye-popping. The ring he got me when he proposed was enough to give them a clue.
I love teaching more than I thought I would. I teach high school freshman English, catching kids before they can become jaded, even with the classics. It’s so much fun turning the standard literature curriculum into something more than “required reading.”
“Money is the number one cause of divorce after all. I don’t know why your Noah didn’t insist on a prenuptial contract. Then again, you being my daughter, I suppose I should be grateful for that.”
“He knows I’d never hurt him or do anything to make him want to leave me. And I know, even through our ups and downs, he’ll always respect and honor me. We love each other, Dad. More importantly, he makes me happy, and I hope I do the same for him.”
By now, we’ve experienced some of those ups and downs and had arguments and limits tested. Our little ship has sailed through it all with barely a scratch. I know we’ll last.
“Considering the way he stares at you when he thinks you aren’t looking, I imagine that’s the case.” Dad’s mouth turns down with a frown as though the idea of showing that much emotion is untoward. I feel my heart begin to swell enough to burst. It still blows my mind that Noah wants me, and only me, after all these years.
“I suppose I should do him the honor of marrying him,” I hint with a smile.
Dad gives me a thoughtful look. “I suppose you should.”
Noah
I’m surprised at how nervous I am when I hear the wedding march finally fill the air, announcing the bride’s arrival. Everyone stands. All I can think about is how much I’ve wanted this day to come. That, and whether or not I’m worthy of Grace.
Then, I see her walk down the aisle.
Even behind all that lace and fluff, her smile shines like the Hope Diamond. That’s all I need to reassure me that she’s all mine.
Next to me, my best man, Evan chuckles as though he knows exactly what’s going through my head.
Yes, I’m the first of all my friends to take the plunge. But when you know, you know.
And it isn’t as though they aren’t all already thinking along the same lines with their girlfriends, all of whom are now standing to watch Grace walk down the aisle.
Her father lifts her veil, revealing her smile in all its glory, then kisses her on the cheek. There was some balking at “traditions” but as with all families, we compromised here and there. For the Arlingtons, we dismissed with the actual wording of “giving” Grace away.
But Grace is now mine.
Which she makes clear as she turns to walk the last few steps and focus all her attention on me.
This is it, exactly what I’ve been waiting for, probably since the first moment I laid eyes on her. I think back to t
hat first day in class when she turned around to look at me. This moment is like looking at a photograph of that day, long neck, big brown eyes, wide smile.
The music has gone silent, but Grace and I communicate with our eyes. Before the pastor has yet to say a word, we’ve already answered the question.
I do.
Vows have been exchanged.
Rings have been placed.
A kiss has sealed the deal.
Now, we’re at The Atrium, celebrating. After months of planning, it’s all come together mostly without a hitch. Evan was my best man. I know for a fact, his speech had input from my other groomsmen, Cole and Reid, being that it was both poignant and hilarious.
Now, Grace and I are together for our first dance, Elvis Presley’s “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You.”
“How does it feel to officially be Mrs. Donahue?”
“Have I sprouted wings yet? Because I kind of feel like I’m in heaven.”
“Ohh…” I groan with a wince. “I like it salty, not corny.”
Grace laughs. “And I like it sweet, so you have to pretend to think that was brilliantly poetic for my sake.”
“I guess it’s because I’ve been in heaven this whole time, even if you can’t see my wings.”
“Aww, there it is. My sugary sweet husband.”
“Just wait until tonight, you’ll see how bad I can be.
“There’s the Devil I know and love.”
“I’m already thinking of ways to put pieces of that ice sculpture to use.”
Grace coughs out a very ungraceful laugh that sends a curious titter through the audience.
“Look at you, already corrupting your poor bride.”
“This? I’m just getting started.”
“Don’t wear yourself out. We kind of have the rest of our lives to be bad.”
Hearing her say it out loud sounds anything but daunting. Forever.
I’ll take it.
The song winds down and everyone cheers as we come to a stop and take a bow. That signals the official start of the fun and everyone rushes to the dance floor to join us.
By most wedding standards, ours is relatively small: family, my former teammates, a few of my new teammates, a few of Grace’s fellow teachers, friends from Devington, including Heidi and Josh, which was a surprise—though not so much now that I think about it.
Somewhere in all the madness, the Devils get together to toast with Devil’s Kisses.
“Congratulations, Noah,” Cole says with his trademark thoughtful smile. “Grace is amazing.”
Tell me something I don’t know.
“You sure you have enough whips and chains for France?” Reid asks, his face a mockery of concern about our honeymoon, which is a two-week tour of that country.
I give him the requisite middle finger and a grin.
“Congrats on making us all look bad by being first as usual,” Evan says, clapping me on the back.
“I had to do something to inspire you all,” I say. Not that any of them need it based on what I’ve seen.
I knew Evan had found his match the first time I saw them together.
Cole was the most surprising, falling in love with the yin to his yang, or more like the bull to his china cabinet. But he’s probably met the only woman who could shake that facade of quietude and leave him wanting more.
Reid also found his match, someone to both challenge his craziness and match it with a bit of her own. It wasn’t easy for either of them, but the fact that they lasted says something.
“Here’s to marriage,” I say, tapping my glass to theirs before we throw them back.
After swallowing, I give each of them a grin in turn. “So, which of you is next?”
Continue for a Preview Chapter of Speak of the Devil…
Preview Chapter for Speak of the Devil
Evan
I chuckle to myself as I get dressed in the locker room.
For someone who was so quick to get undressed in front of a perfect stranger, June was awfully bashful about me possibly dropping my towel.
Not that I have anything to be ashamed about.
Her mouth may have protested, but I saw the way the rest of her body reacted. That brings a grin to my face as I finish tying the laces of my shoes, then head back out into the hallway.
“Ready?” I say, causing her to snap away from the wall and stand at attention. Her eyes flick down to where my towel was just barely situated a few minutes ago. When they come back up to meet mine, I already have a shit-eating grin on my face.
June rolls her eyes.
“Let’s go,” I say, leading the way.
Coach Egler is behind his desk with the usual scowl on his face. He’s got a thick mane of pure white hair and the ruddy complexion of a man who is always one step away from bursting a blood vessel out of aggravation rather than drink. His body is a testament to discipline, which is why, at sixty-two, he still looks like he could go one on one with some of the players on the team.
“Coach?” I ask, knocking on his permanently open door. He has an open-door policy so that any of his players can come to him or the other coaches with literally anything. “This is June, who I was telling you about?”
His eyes roll up from the papers on his desk. The only greeting we get is him beckoning us in with his fingers.
I take one seat and June takes another.
We both wait while he takes a second to finish reading something, then he gives us his full attention.
“June Meadows, correct?”
She nods. “Yes.”
“Pete Egler, but you can call me Coach or Coach Egler—not Mr. Egler.”
“Got it.”
“So, you worked with Victoria Fitzroy before this?” he asks, peering closely at her.
There’s a pause before she answers, which I get. Though, I certainly didn’t tell Coach about the circumstances of June’s dismissal.
“I did.”
Coach Egler grunts out a laugh. “That must have been fun.”
She exhales something that sounds like a snort.
Coach Egler’s brow rises with interest.
June’s cheeks color with embarrassment. “I—I didn’t mean that. She was a fine woman and a joy to work for.”
“Rule number one if you’re going to work with me, no lying. We all know what a pain in the ass she is. Spare me the false singing of her praises.”
June’s eyes go wide with surprise. I suppress a snort of my own. She’s probably shocked at his frankness about Victoria, especially when her stepson is right here in the room.
“So, what I need is someone to take notes for me during practice and games. You’ll also handle all the bullshit that I’d rather not deal with when it comes to the university. I’m a coach, not a damn diplomat.”
“Not a problem,” June says, looking especially pleased for some reason. Frankly, it sounds like hell to me.
“You okay working with my boys? I’m not going to have them pussyfooting around you just because you’re a female.”
“Would you fire me if I gave them the middle finger?”
That manages to get a rare laugh out of him. “It seems you’ll do just fine on that front. And you have my permission to do far worse.”
A satisfied smile comes to June’s face.
When I heard some of the comments in the locker room I got a pretty good idea of what it was like in the hallway for June before I arrived. I had to lay down the law pretty hard, backed up by our captain, Noah, of course.
I tell myself that it’s to maintain a congenial working relationship with her if she gets the job, which is looking promising so far. After all, I’m the one who got her this gig, it’s only natural I’d feel responsible for her well-being.
Which is bullshit.
The truth is, I don’t like people fucking with what’s mine. My eyes slide toward June in that outfit which is almost as appealing as that pretty dress I first saw her in.
What the hell was I thi
nking, suggesting her for this position?
“Speaking of giving it right back to my boys,” Coach Egler says, his hard gaze falling on me, as though reading my mind. “No fraternization.”
I just raise my brow as though I have no idea what he’s talking about.
A hint of a cynical smirk touches his lips and he turns to June. “I don’t need that kind of drama getting in the way of the game. Frankly, we’ve had enough with relationship issues messing up the team this year. Once is enough. That problem resolved itself in a way I’d rather it hadn’t, but no more of that shit.”
June turns a cool gaze to me, then back to Coach. “That is something you don’t have to worry about.”
He seems almost convinced. “So you and Huntington are…?”
“I wouldn’t even call us friends,” she says in a blithe tone. I’m amused enough to crack a smile. “He’s like the annoying boy next door. But not the kind you have a crush on, the kind you wish would just move out of the neighborhood already.”
A begrudging smile comes to Coach’s face. He slides his gaze to me. “And you?”
“Me? I think of June kind of like the neighbor’s dog, the one who yaps a lot and never lets you pet them, not that you’d want to.”
I feel her irritated gaze on me. However Coach seems slightly bemused at our apparent disinterest in one another, one eyebrow raised as he eyes us. He settles his gaze on June. “If you feel like retaliating, you have my full permission.”
She smiles sweetly and shoots me the middle finger.
“Okay, okay,” Coach says, waving a hand to dismiss this nonsense. “I’ll take you on for a trial basis. Frankly, I’m in a bind and I don’t have time for a hundred interviews when I should be focusing on hockey. If you work out and still want the job after that, it’s yours.”
