The Wedding Party (Hollywood & Vine #2.5)

by Olivia Evans

  “Jesus Christ,” he exhaled, his mouth dry. He’d never seen anyone or anything more beautiful than the woman walking toward him. The moment their eyes connected, it was like all of the oxygen had been sucked out of the atmosphere. The hairs stood on the back of his neck, and a feeling of euphoria washed over him like he was floating. No person on earth had ever made him feel the way he did in that moment.

  The officiant spoke, but it was like Anders was underwater, the voices around him garbled and indistinct. All he could see was Josie. His Ivy. Then she was standing next to him, and the air felt electrified. He reached out and cradled her jaw, his thumb sweeping across her cheek.

  “Josie,” he whispered, stepping closer, the world around them melting away.

  “Hi,” she breathed, her eyes glistening, her smile wide.

  His entire body relaxed at her single word. He smiled back, the world slowly coming into focus. “Hey,” he chuckled. “You’re so beautiful.”

  “You don’t look so bad yourself.” Josie clutched her flowers to her chest and sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. “You ready to do this?”

  “Abso-fucking-lutely.”

  “Anders!” Josie giggled, her eyes cutting to the officiant, who didn’t seem the least bit surprised. After a moment, the officiant cleared his throat and looked between the pair before speaking.

  “Welcome, family and friends. We are here today to celebrate the union of Anders and Josie. Each of you is here to offer your love and support to them along their journey through life together. Marriage is a commitment of the highest level, and your presence today, your blessing, encouragement, and lifelong support for their union means the world to them.

  “Anders, Josie, marriage is the promise between two people who love each other, trust

  that love, and honor one another as individuals. It enables two separate souls to share desires, dreams, joys, and sorrows. It’s having a partner by your side through the uncertainties of life. A strong marriage allows you to maintain your unique identity and grow in your own way through the years ahead. It is a haven for each of you to become your best self, while together, you become better than you ever could be alone.

  “Anders and Josie, please join hands, look at one another now, and remember this moment. When days are hard, when you feel you’ve reached the end of your rope, or time and complacency make you forget, think about this moment. Breathe in the emotions you feel right now. Remember the love, the fullness of your heart, the completeness of your soul standing next to each other, and hold on to that. Don’t let it go. Remember, marriage is more than feelings. It’s a decision. A promise. A lifelong commitment.

  “Anders and Josie have written their own vows. Josie, you may say yours now.”

  “Okay,” Josie exhaled, her voice breaking. “Anders, for the longest time, I thought there was something wrong with me. I remember thinking the reason I’d never felt any kind of spark with another person was because I was broken. Then I met you, and I realized there wasn’t anything wrong with me—I was just waiting for you. You turned a spark into a raging inferno. You set me on fire in the best way. You make me feel things I never imagined. I promise to love you above all else. I promise to be there for you through the good and the bad. But most of all, I promise I will never break your heart. I will love you until my last breath, and even after that.” The sweetest smile spread across her face as she blew out a heavy breath.

  “Anders,” the officiant said.

  Anders licked his lips and shifted his weight. “Josie. Ivy,” he said with a smile. “I look back on the last ten years of my life, the mistakes and bad decisions I’ve made, and I still can’t believe where I am today. I never expected to change. Then I met you, and you turned my world upside down. Everything I thought I knew, everything I believed, was all wrong. You loved me for who I was, all my flaws, all my faults. You made me want to be a better man. You made me want to be worthy of your love. You made me love again when I never thought that would be possible. I’m not perfect, and I’m sure I’ll do stuff that makes you want to bury me in the desert. But I promise to spend every day of the rest of my life making sure you know what you mean to me. I will love you until my last breath, and even after that.”

  Josie let out a breathy laugh when Anders winked. “Copycat,” she mouthed. Anders shrugged. She wasn’t the only one who could profess her undying love, dammit.

  “Anders, do you take Josie to be your wife?”

  “I do.” Taking the ring from Holden, Anders slipped the gold band onto Josie’s finger before lifting her hand and pressing a soft kiss just below the ring.

  “Josie, do you take Anders to be your husband?”

  “I do.” With shaking hands, Josie slipped the wedding band onto Anders’s finger as tears tracked down her cheeks. Anders felt like there was an iron vise around his lungs.

  “Anders and Josie, you have come here today of your own free will and in the presence of family and friends to declare your love and commitment. You have given and received rings as the symbol of your promises. By the power of your love and commitment to each other, and by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

  Anders smiled and stepped forward, cradling Josie’s jaw and winding his fingers into her hair as he kissed her until they were breathless. Catcalls and cheers erupted from their friends and family as the pair broke apart. “Don’t cry,” Anders whispered, wiping a tear from under her eye.

  “I’m just really happy.”

  “Me too, Ivy. I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  “Friends and family, I now present to you Anders and Josie Ellis. Give them a hand!” Their friends and family continued to cheer as Anders and Josie rested their foreheads against one another, lost in each other’s eyes.

  Chapter Ten

  Hand in hand, Anders and Josie walked into the same room where they’d gathered three days earlier. This time, however, it was as husband and wife. Everyone cheered as they made their entrance, none louder than Walker.

  “I see Walker is getting the party started early,” Josie said with a smile.

  Anders shook his head. “I don’t think Walker’s party ever stopped.”

  “Congrats, you two,” Greer said, handing the pair glasses of champagne then looking at Anders. “You give hope to the rest of us sad assholes that we might get our shit together one day.”

  “Are you talking about anyone specifically, or is this a general statement?” Josie asked with a sly smile.

  Greer narrowed his eyes. “You girls have been acting stranger than usual these last few days. What exactly is it you think you know?”

  “Oh no,” Anders said, pulling Josie’s hand. “We are not having this conversation on my wedding day. Greer, thanks for the drink. But if you want answers, you’d better get them from someone else. Not today. No.”

  Josie let out a loud laugh as Anders dragged her away from a very confused Greer. “He’s so clueless,” Josie sighed.

  “Can’t say I don’t get it. You did a real number on me.”

  Josie shrugged. “All I wanted was hot wall sex. You’re the one who had to go and make this a lifetime commitment. You really messed up that whole one-night stand thing.”

  Anders pulled Josie against his chest, his expression disapproving. “Are you really going to bust my balls on our wedding day?”

  Josie laughed. “Of course I am. Who do you think you’re dealing with?”

  Anders pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. “So basically, everything is exactly the same as before, except you have a new ring and last name?”

  Josie pretended to think about it before nodding. “Yeah. I guess so.”

  “As weird as it sounds, that makes me really fucking happy.”

  “Of course, it does,” Josie said with a light laugh. “You’d be bored to tears if I didn’t give you shit all the time.”

  “We’re perfect for each other. You know that, right? There i
s no other person on this planet who would put up with either of our shit.”

  “That’s what I’m counting on,” Josie whispered. “Me and you forever and always.”

  “I couldn’t imagine a single day of my life without you.”

  “Me either,” Josie whispered before rolling up onto the balls of her feet and placing a soft kiss against Anders’s cheek.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” Holden said, his face apologetic. “But these drinks are really strong, and Dad is worried he won’t get his father-daughter dance if you guys don’t do it now.”

  Josie and Anders looked around at their friends, their eyes widening as they realized just how drunk everyone was. “Jesus, we weren’t gone that long taking pictures,” Josie said. “What happened?”

  Holden shrugged. “I have no idea, but I’ve switched to water and I still feel fucked up. Go have your dance so we can do the cake and shit.”

  “Got it,” Josie laughed. The music changed, and Keith held out his hand to Josie as the familiar intro to “She’s a Rainbow” by the Rolling Stones came on. “Dad,” Josie laughed as he spun her around the dance floor.

  “You’re like a rainbow to me,” Keith said with a smile. “Besides, your mother plans on having the mother-son dance with Anders. So we agreed to keep the songs upbeat, so she didn’t act inappropriately.”

  “Oh my God,” Josie giggled. “I hope Anders and I have the kind of relationship you guys have. You always have so much fun.”

  “She’s my best friend, baby girl. Feelings ebb and flow where love is concerned, but friendship, well, that lasts forever. That’s how we make things work. That’s why I know you and Anders are going to make it. You have more than love. You have friendship.”

  “Thanks, Dad,” Josie said, her eyes filling with tears.

  “None of that now,” he whispered, spinning her around. “You mother is about to drag Anders onto the dance floor. You need to be able to see this.”

  “Jesus,” Josie laughed. “Does he even know?”

  Keith looked to where Sonya was dragging a protesting Anders onto the dance floor. “He does now,” he chuckled. As their song ended, Josie and her dad moved to the side as Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” began to play.

  Josie lost it. “Mom chose a song about pot?”

  “I can’t control your mother. How have you not figured this out yet?”

  Anders laughed and twirled Sonya around the dance floor, their friends dancing alongside them. Everyone clapped and cheered until the final note of the harmonica ended. Anders gave Sonya a kiss on the cheek and turned toward Josie.

  He walked to her with purpose, extending his hand to her. “Are you ready for our dance?”

  “Yeah. Did you pick it?”

  “I did,” he whispered, pulling her close as the opening of “Madness” by Muse flooded the speakers.

  “You didn’t,” Josie exhaled with a smile.

  “Can you think of a song that better fits us?”

  “Not a one.”

  “Then dance with me.”

  They swayed to the hypnotic rhythms of the beat and the smooth sound of the lyrics. Anders brushed his thumb over Josie’s cheek, the side of his mouth lifting into a soft smile when their eyes locked. “We really fucking did it.”

  Josie laughed and cupped her hand over his. “Having regrets already?”

  “Fuck no,” he answered before taking a slow look around the room. Everyone was completely hammered. “Why did we invite these people?”

  Josie giggled. “Because they’re our friends.”

  Anders quirked his brow. “Really? In the four days we’ve been here, I’ve been bruised, violated, almost set on fire, and exposed to things that even therapy can’t help me cope with. All of this courtesy of our so-called friends.”

  Josie clamped her hand over her mouth, her shoulders shaking with silent laughter. Anders narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips. “Go on, laugh it up.”

  Josie burst into a fit of giggles, the sound making Anders’s chest tighten, even if her laughter was at his expense. “I’m sorry,” she gasped, wiping under her eyes. “But aren’t you exaggerating just a little bit?”

  Anders blinked, his expression devoid of emotion. “Am I?”

  Josie bit the inside of her cheek, a thoughtful expression taking over her features before she released a soft chuckle. “Okay, maybe you’re not, but at least you didn’t have to see that thing with Chloe’s mom this morning. That was traumatic.”

  Anders grinned and pulled Josie against his chest as they continued to dance. “Aside from the trauma and almost dying, I guess it could’ve been worse.”

  “Really?”

  “No,” Anders conceded with a shake of his head. “It was a complete shitshow.”

  “It was the best.”

  Josie’s stomach rumbled, and she looked toward their table. “Are you hungry?”

  Anders smiled and held her in place even though the song had ended. “We have one more song.”

  “What—” Josie’s words died in her throat as Reid and Chloe stepped onto the small stage.

  “If I could have everyone’s attention?” Reid asked, positioning his guitar as Chloe adjusted her violin. Neither looked all that steady on their feet. “We’d like to play a song we wrote for Anders and Josie.”

  “Did you know about this?” Josie asked, her eyes wide.

  “Yeah, he played it for me today.”

  “I’ve read the lyrics, but I can’t wait to hear it out loud.”

  “They did good.”

  Reid strummed his guitar, his eyes closed. After a moment, his voice floated across the room.

  In the city of angels lives a devil with no disguise

  He plays the game, puts it all on the line

  No smoke and mirrors, he has nothing to hide

  Until Hollywood meets Vine

  Chloe played alongside him, their music in perfect harmony. When she began to sing, Josie’s eyes filled with tears.

  She wants him in ways she can’t understand

  He sets her on fire with the touch of his hand

  But she knows his rules, how he can be cruel

  And she won’t be taken for just another fool

  Reid took over again, his voice filled with emotions Anders understood all too well.

  Different from the rest, she puts him to the test

  Won’t let her in, won’t let her go

  Thinks he running the show

  Little does he know, the whole thing is about to blow

  Together, Reid and Chloe sang the final verses, their voices rough and gentle, heavy and light. A perfect mixture of the love between Anders and Josie.

  Love in the dark, lies in the light

  There are no winners in this fight

  When she walks away, they’ll never be the same

  What starts as a game catches aflame

  And what they feel suddenly has a name

  They can’t let go, can’t move on

  Their lives intertwined, they no longer hide

  Hollywood and Vine

  She holds him close, chases away the ghosts

  He loves her like he should

  Changes in ways he never thought he could

  Their fate is sealed, it's a done deal

  It’s Hollywood and Vine, a love you can’t define

  Tears streamed down Josie’s face as she hugged Anders close, lost in the final notes of their song. Reid and Chloe stepped off the stage to cheers and hugs as they made their way toward Anders and Josie.

  “That was beautiful,” Josie whispered, hugging Chloe then Reid.

  “I’m glad you liked it,” Chloe said, stumbling a bit.

  Josie looked at Reid and narrowed her eyes. He had a ridiculous smile on his face and appeared to be hanging on to Chloe to keep his balance. “What the hell is wrong with you guys?”

  Before Reid could respond, Abigail grabbed him and Chloe in a tight hug. “I’m so proud of you two,” she g
ushed, causing Josie to take a step back.

  “Oh boy,” Josie whispered, taking Anders by the hand. “Let’s go sit at our table. We should eat something before we end up like the rest of them.” They made their way to the table as the music changed and everyone crowded onto the dance floor. Their friends moved in ways that made Josie cover her eyes.

  “This won’t end well,” Anders said. Josie peeked through her fingers toward the dance floor.

  Walker was dancing with Inky, his hands sliding toward her ass. Anders and Josie were amazed she hadn’t punched him in the dick.

  “Here we go,” Josie said, gripping Anders’s hand. “At least the pictures are done.” Greer walked to where Walker was groping Inky, but instead of Greer decking him as they’d both expected, Inky went airborne as Greer threw her over his shoulder and carried her out of the room, her angry words tempered by her fit of giggles.

  “They’ve all lost their minds.” Anders shook his head and reached for his glass, pausing when he noticed an old-looking bottle with a grass ribbon tied around the neck. “What’s that?” Anders had a bad feeling.

  “I don’t know.” Josie grabbed the small note taped to the mostly empty bottle, her brows drawing together as she read the note. “‘Enjoy the special kava.’ What does that mean?”

  “Oh my fucking God,” Anders whispered. “They did it again.”

  “Who did what? What are you talking about?”

  Anders grabbed the bottle of liquid and walked to the window, pouring out the contents. “Remember the village by the cave? What happened there?”

  Understanding washed over Josie’s face. “No…”

  “Yes. All these fuckers are tripping on shrooms. On the bright side, they’ll be fine in about three hours.”

  “Anders, why would they do this?”

  “Do you guys like my surprise?” Walker asked, his smile a million miles wide.

  Anders narrowed his eyes. “What did you do?”

  “I got a bottle of booze from the village we visited. I thought you’d like it.”

  “What exactly did you ask for?” Anders asked through clenched teeth.