Lush & Lovely (Big & Beautiful Book 2)

by Mary E Thompson

  Aidan laughed and turned toward town in search of steaks, beer, and enough fuel for the night.

  Twenty-Two

  We slept in the next morning just like Aidan wanted. Not that I was complaining. Aidan woke me up in his own special way, which was definitely becoming my favorite way to start a day. After a quick breakfast we hit the road for Las Vegas.

  Driving down The Strip was an experience in and of itself. It was the middle of the day but the lights were still bright and beautiful. I’d imagined Vegas being garish and cheesy, and there was definitely some of that, but it was also beautiful and stylish. Each hotel competed with the ones around it for the most stunning, from the displays out front to the adornments on top to the actual hotel. If there was that much detail put into the outside I could only imagine what the insides looked like.

  Aidan found Cirque du Soleil tickets online the night before so we were able to park at The Mirage for the day. Just stepping into the hotel I knew we could spend our entire day there. Between the aquarium in the lobby, the atrium that felt like a real rainforest, and the restaurants, shopping, and casino, I understood getting lost without ever leaving one place.

  With stars in our eyes, Aidan and I headed into the casino to play a few slots and maybe some other games. We cashed in a bit of money and headed to the nickel slots. We won and lost but eventually decided we’d broken close enough to even. Aidan wanted to try his hand at blackjack so I followed him to a table.

  He sat at a ten dollar table with three others. He handed over his chip and got his cards, waiting for the game to turn to him. I pouted when Aidan wouldn’t show me his cards. He took one card then waited for the game to finish. He flipped his cards over and had 19, beating the dealer, but not the player to his right.

  After a few more hands Aidan gave up, thankfully. I worried he was going to lose our downpayment if he kept going much longer. “Get me out of the casino before I get sucked in too deep,” he said as he took my hand. We cashed in our measly chips and headed for the too bright sunshine of the Vegas strip.

  One hotel after another beckoned to us as we walked. Somehow we’d managed to spend two hours in The Mirage, maybe it was a trick of the hotel, and were starving. Aidan insisted on eating lunch at a different hotel and going back to The Mirage for dinner before the show.

  Narrowing down our choices was tough but we finally settled on New York, New York for lunch. Aidan chose the Italian restaurant and we tucked into a delicious lunch that threatened my ability to walk. I was glad I’d worn a maxi dress and flip flops for the day.

  We stumbled out of lunch and went in search of something else to do. There wasn’t any shortage of opportunities, but we were trying not to spend all our money. Another show would have cost more than we wanted to spend and without a room at one of the hotels we couldn’t use the amenities, like the amazing pools they all had.

  The heat and the sun started to get to me and I whined that Aidan needed to find something with air conditioning for me to at least go in and rest. He stopped and grinned at me then nodded his head to the place we were standing in front of. “Why don’t we go in here?”

  I looked up and realized he’d stopped in front of one of the wedding chapels that were almost as abundant as casinos in Las Vegas. I shook my head at him and rolled my eyes. “Someone is probably in there getting married. They’ll think we want to get married if we go in there.”

  “Well,” he said with a shrug, “we do. Come on baby, let’s get married. Right now. You’re in the lavender dress you said you wanted to wear, it’s just the two of us, and we can have that party in a few months when we get settled in the new house. It’s perfect.”

  “Aidan, this isn’t funny. I know you’re just joking about getting married like this and it hurts my feelings that you think our marriage is something to joke about.”

  He took my hands and crouched low to look into my eyes. “I’m not joking sweetheart. I’ve never been more serious. I don’t want to wait another second to say you’re my wife. If you don’t want this, I’m okay with that. I just want to marry you and it doesn’t matter to me if it’s in Vegas right now or in a month in our backyard or in a year in a church. The sooner the better for me because I love you. I told you I would never pressure you into anything and I won’t, but you need to know I’m being completely serious right now. I’ll marry you instantly if you’ll have me.”

  I gawked at him, unsure of what to say. Marrying him was all I wanted, but did I really want a Vegas wedding? I paced back and forth on the sidewalk in front of the chapel. All my thoughts bounced around in my head.

  Did I want to get married without my family?

  Or my friends?

  Was I ready to be married?

  Did I feel like Aidan was pressuring me?

  Was I ready for the changes?

  What did I really want?

  When I stopped pacing I looked up at Aidan. He was standing on the sidewalk watching me. He didn’t look stressed out in the least. He looked calm and content.

  “What are you thinking right now?” I needed to know.

  “I’m praying you don’t change your mind and say you don’t really want to marry me at all,” he answered without hesitation.

  I froze. Did he really think I didn’t want him? That I would ever change my mind about him?

  “How could you think that?”

  “I’ve been in this a lot longer than you have, honey. I’ve been in love with you for years, wanting you, loving you any way I could. For you, this is all pretty new. I guess part of me worries you’re not ready to get married and I’ve overwhelmed you with all this.”

  “Wow, seriously? If anything I’ve been waiting for you to run out. I’ve felt like I’ve been living in a fairy tale with you. But you haven’t been alone for years. I’ve fallen for you, too. This isn’t new for me, and I’m just as in this as you are. Getting married right now seems crazy, but I think it’s right. I don’t want to wait to have you as my husband. Let’s go inside.”

  “Are you serious?” Aidan asked as he stepped toward me. I nodded as his arms wrapped around my waist and he lifted me into the air and spun me around. We laughed together like a couple of crazy people on the sidewalk on the Las Vegas strip. Aidan finally lowered me to the ground again and cupped my cheeks with his strong hands.

  Aidan brought his lips down to mine and we kissed softly. His tongue teased my lips briefly before he pulled back. “Come on. The next time I kiss you, you’re going to be Mrs. Claire Matthews.”

  I grabbed his hand and we went into the chapel.

  “Hello, can I help you today?” a sweet voice asked when we got inside.

  We turned and saw a tall woman in her 50’s approaching us. She was wearing a gray suit with a pink blouse underneath. She looked professional and very kind. Aidan squeezed my hand and I knew he was thinking the same thing I was. We’d stumbled on a good place.

  “Hi, we’d like to get married. As soon as possible,” Aidan said as he stepped toward her.

  “Well, you’ve come to the right place. We’re finishing up a ceremony right now but have the rest of the day open. Will that work for you?”

  “Yes, that’s perfect,” Aidan told her.

  “Okay, I’ll need identification for both of you and you’ll need to answer a few questions so we know you’re here on your own and not under the influence of alcohol or being forced into this. If you’ll follow me we can get started.”

  An hour later Aidan and I were approved to be married in the chapel. It wasn’t what I expected from a Las Vegas wedding, but we assumed we found a place that was a bit better than the rest.

  “Would you like to look through our dresses? We have wedding dresses available for you to wear if you would like,” Marilyn said. She’d been helping us from the beginning and we learned she would be the one doing the ceremony for us.

  “She said she wanted to get married in a lavender dress to match her ring so I think she’s perfect,” Aidan said before I h
ad a chance to reply. I grinned and him and pulled him down to me for a quick kiss. He nuzzled against my ear and whispered, “That’s cheating. I wanted our next kiss to be as husband and wife.”

  “I couldn’t stop myself. Plus, I’ve only gotten to enjoy kissing my fiancé for a day.”

  He leaned back into me for another kiss then squeezed my hand before he disappeared through the door Marilyn indicated. She took me through another door where I could select a bouquet of flowers to carry then a bathroom so I could fix my hair and make-up. When I emerged Marilyn had a tiara for me to wear, if I chose, which I did, and she said we were ready.

  Nerves threatened to overwhelm me. I was getting married! To Aidan. In my wildest dreams I never imagined I’d be standing in a chapel in Las Vegas about to marry Aidan Matthews.

  After a few minutes the door in front of me opened and I stepped into the small chapel. Aidan stood at the front near the altar, his garnet t-shirt and tan shorts looking out of place in the white flowered room. There were a handful of pews in the chapel, but, of course, they were empty. I looked around at them and almost regretted not having our family and friends there. I could envision Mandy standing next to the altar waiting for me as my maid of honor. I could feel my dad’s arm through mine as I walked up the aisle.

  My step faltered as I thought about all the things we were missing. I paused in the middle of the aisle and Aidan’s face fell. He nodded, knowing exactly what I was feeling and thinking.

  With a glance toward Marilyn, Aidan stepped down from the altar and came to me. She nodded to the person in the corner playing music and the romantic tones were turned down, still drifting around us softly.

  “You don’t want to do this, do you?” Aidan asked as he reached my side.

  I shrugged and looked up into his soft brown eyes. I saw such love there and my breath caught. “I don’t know. I want to marry you, yes, but I feel like our family and friends should be here. I almost feel like we’re doing something wrong by not including them in this. Like we’re sneaking around or something.”

  Aidan pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to me. “Call them. Call whoever you want and tell them what’s going on. Ask if they’re going to be mad or if you’re doing the wrong thing. Talk as long as you want. I told you earlier I will wait as long as I have to to marry you. If you want to walk out of here right now, we will. This has to be right.”

  “Aren’t you upset that your parents aren’t here? Or your friends? Don’t you wish you were sharing this with them?” I asked, trying to get a grasp on the crazy that was tying a knot around my throat.

  Aidan kissed me sweetly. “The only person I need to share this with is you. I understand your desire to have others around, but I just need you. One way or another I’m going to marry you, whether it’s today or some other day, as long as I marry you, I’ll be happy.”

  I looked down at his phone in my hand and realized he was right. I was freaking out because I thought my family and friends would be upset that they weren’t there. But getting married had nothing to do with them. It was about me and Aidan.

  He was right though. He knew me better than I perhaps knew myself. I needed to talk to my parents and Mandy, to tell them what we were doing. To explain before it happened in case there were hard feelings.

  I dialed my parents phone number first. My mom answered on the second ring, “Hello?”

  “Hi Mom, it’s me.”

  “Claire, honey. How are you? How’s the trip?”

  “It’s great Mom. We’re having a wonderful time.”

  “Oh, good honey. Your dad and I are so jealous that you’re out there, but we’re glad you’re having fun. Aidan is such a nice man. He’ll be a great husband too.”

  I’d called them the night before to tell them about the engagement and my parents confessed that they already knew. Aidan had gone to them before we left and filled them in on his plan to propose at the Grand Canyon. They were beyond ecstatic that he would be joining our family.

  “He will, and actually that’s part of why I’m calling. We took a trip today. I wanted to see a Cirque du Soleil show so we’re in Vegas. We are thinking of getting married. Um, right now.”

  Mom was silent for a moment and I heard Dad’s voice in the background asking her what’s going on. Finally she spoke, but I heard the tears in her voice. “Oh, honey that’s wonderful. I wish your dad and I could be there, but I understand not wanting to wait any longer to get married. Can we have a reception sometime after you get home?”

  “You’re not mad, Mom?” I asked, shocked and amazed.

  “I would never be mad. You and Rebecca were raised to make your own decisions. If this is what’s right for you, then be happy and enjoy it. Weddings can be more trouble than they’re worth, but the marriage is what really matters. Be happy, sweetheart.”

  Tears streamed down my face and I nodded. “Thanks Mom. Can I talk to Dad?”

  “I love you, Claire. Congratulations honey,” she said.

  I thanked her and heard the shuffle of the phone between my parents before my dad’s voice boomed over the line, “Congratulations baby girl.”

  “Thanks Dad. I wish you guys were here.”

  “Well, if Aidan had filled us in on this part of the plan we would have hopped on a flight.”

  I laughed. “It wasn’t planned, Dad. We just didn’t want to wait. I mean, not like that, just…”

  “It’s okay, sweetheart. Your dad has no fantasies about you or your sister having waited until marriage to love your husband. I didn’t want to wait to marry your mom either. We loved each other so much that we were ready to go to the Justice of the Peace, but you know your grandmothers.”

  I laughed as I imagined my grandmothers simultaneously throwing a fit about my parents not having a big wedding. “I imagine that wouldn’t have gone over so well.”

  “Not even a bit. Listen, honey, this might not be the right time, but your mom and I have money set aside for your wedding. We wanted to help you out like we did Rebecca, but since you’re doing things a bit different, maybe you’ll want to use the money for the house. It’s up to you and Aidan, but I wanted you to know about it. You guys can talk over the next few days and see what you think.”

  “Wow, Dad, thanks. Are you sure?”

  “Yes, baby girl. We had that money for you. Listen can I speak to Aidan for a minute?”

  I looked at my soon to be husband and said goodbye to my dad before handing over the phone. I desperately tried to eavesdrop on their conversation, but it just wasn’t working. Aidan agreed with whatever my dad was telling him and after a minute he hung up.

  “What was that about?”

  “He wanted to make sure I wasn’t forcing you into this. And he wanted to welcome me to the family. Are you ready?”

  I looked up at Aidan and knew I’d never been more ready for anything in my life. “Absolutely.”

  Twenty-Three

  Aidan went back to his place at the altar. The music started all over again and I held my head up high as I walked the rest of the way down the short aisle.

  “Are we all set?” Marilyn asked when Aidan took my hand. We stood in front of her, a united front, and nodded our heads.

  “Good, then we can begin. We are gathered here today to unite these two people. Aidan and Claire are the sort of love we enjoy seeing around here. Theirs is a love that is true and pure, a love that shows in every look, touch, and word between them. From the moment you two walked in, I knew you were special, but I didn’t truly know how special until just a few moments ago when Aidan was willing to walk away from this if it was what you, Claire, wanted. And watching Aidan give you exactly what you needed in order to have the confidence to go through with this shows me how well you two know each other and how deep your trust, love, and respect is for each other.”

  Aidan and I looked at each other and he winked at me. I squeezed his hands. Warmth flooded me looking into the eyes of my groom, the man I would spend the rest of my
life with. I was so filled with happiness at that moment that I worried I would bust.

  “You’ve both prepared vows you want to share and I invite you to say them now. Aidan, you first please.”

  He smiled at Marilyn then focused back on me. “Claire, I’ve loved you for years. I’ve told you all the reasons I love you, but what I haven’t told you is about the first time I saw you. It was your first day at work and you were following Jenn around. When I walked in to the meeting room you were pouring a cup of coffee. I couldn’t see your face, but I heard you laughing at something Jenn said and the sound of your laugh filled my heart. I wanted to throw you over my shoulder and drag you away from everyone and everything at that moment. I watched your hands as they added cream and sugar to your cup and imagined your delicate touch on me. When you turned around and our eyes met I thought someone had vacuumed all the air from the room. You were, and still are, the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I told my parents that night that one way or another I was going to find a way to have you in my life, for as long as you’d have me. I vow, today, to stand by that word. I will cherish you, love you, worship you, all the days of my life. I will stand by your side and slay your demons, fight off your attackers, and defend you against anyone who dares to question you. I will spend the rest of my days, the good ones and the bad ones, thanking God for bringing you into my life and trying to live up to the man you see when you look at me. I love you so much, Claire.”

  Tears streamed down my cheeks as I listened to his words. My heart beat rapidly in my chest, remembering the same day he was describing. I thought he was a crazy person for the way he was staring at me. It was one of the reasons I didn’t want to get to know him. Hearing he wanted me from that first moment was the single biggest shock of my life.

  “I remember that day. I’ve loved you for years also, you know that. Today, and every day from now on, I vow to make your life as difficult as possible. I vow to challenge you to live every day with passion. I vow to push you to chase your dreams. I vow to argue with you when you’re not being true to yourself. I also vow to make your life better every day. I vow to be your partner in every decision. I vow to support you even if I don’t know why. I vow to be brave enough to take chances with you. I vow to tackle life together. I vow to love you with all my heart. Now and forever, I’m yours Aidan.”