I blame watching TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress for my mini-panic attack on the way here. I was so overwhelmed as I stood in front of the wall where all the dresses hung. I loved them all, and didn’t know how I’d ever decide on which one to wear for our big day.
I was relieved when I slipped on the lace wedding dress. It has thin lace straps that come together in the back forming an open oval that starts at my shoulder blades and ends at the small of my back. It reminds me of a Victorian Era wedding dress with a modern day twist; making it beautiful, elegant and sexy all at the same time. It helps that my boobs look great in it, too! There’s a long sheer train covered in gorgeous beading that shimmers in the sunlight. I cannot wait to walk down the aisle on the beach in Galveston in this dress.
“There, we’re all set. You can place the dress back on the hanger and leave it in the fitting room. I’ll prepare it for the seamstress.” Mimi says, as she picks up the supplies she used to pin my dress.
Just as I’m about to head into the dressing room to throw my sundress back on, my mother comes running into the parlor with a veil in tow. Brooklyn runs in just behind her with another.
“Wait! Don’t take your dress off yet.” My mother yells, as she climbs up behind me. “I want to see these veils on with your dress.”
After trying both on we all unanimously agreed on the second one. It’s a three foot veil that stops just below my waist. It’s the same sheer material as my train, with similar bead detailing, but has lace trim around the edges, and attaches to my hair with two rhinestone detailed hair pins. It’s delicate and absolutely beautiful.
I quickly change out of my dress, and slip my sundress and wedge heels back on.
“Ready for the spa?” My mother asks, as we make our way out to her black Audi Q5.
“Yes. I am in desperate need of a full body massage. My back is full of knots after all the stress from yesterday; pampering is exactly what I need.”
Getting into the car, Brooklyn leans between the two front seats, resting her chin in the palm of her hand and burrows her eyes into me, “So. How’s Kayden holding up after the shit Victor pulled last night? I didn’t want to pry last night since he was glued to your damn hip for the remainder of the evening.”
I let out a small laugh and roll my eyes at her, “You are so damn dramatic, it’s a good thing you picked acting as your career. Kayden had a rough day yesterday; so yes, I stayed by his side for the remainder of the party to make sure he was okay. He seemed fine this morning before he went golfing with Dad and Dixon.”
Brooklyn’s features soften, “I still can’t believe they would even bother showing up. They should’ve known Kayden would react the way he did. I mean, did they really expect it to go well?”
Digging in my purse for my lip gloss, I apply a thin coat. I let out small groan, responding to Brooklyn as I rub my lips together, “I wish all they would’ve done is just show up last night, instead of spewing the crap that they did. I still can’t believe they would sink so low as to say the things they did to him last night, especially throwing Melody in his face. Kayden used great restraint in not beating his dad to a bloody pulp. Victor’s lucky he walked away with just a broken nose. And, don’t get me started on Luanne getting in my face and putting her hands on Kayden.”
Snorting, Brooklyn leans back in the seat and gives me a who are you kidding? look as she tells me, “I am more shocked you didn’t beat Luanne’s ass last night. That bitch needs to be knocked down a few pegs.”
My mother shakes her head as she listens to the conversation between us. “I just want to let you know, honey, how proud I am of you for how you conducted yourself last night. You let everyone see you were the bigger person. My heart broke for Kayden, but seeing how you were with him last night made me so proud. Anyone with eyes can see how much you two love one another. I’m honored to call you my daughter, and Kayden my future son-in-law.”
Hearing my mother speak about Kayden this way is amazing. They’ve opened their hearts up to him, “Thanks Mom. He truly appreciates everything you and dad have done for us. Even with everything that happened yesterday, we still had a good time.” Pausing, I twist the cap off of my water and take a sip before continuing, “I have not told you the depths of this sordid story, which is Kayden’s to tell, but Victor and Luanne did the unthinkable…unforgivable to Kayden. There was no way to avoid what happened last night. As bad as it was, it could have been worse.”
She’s quiet for a few moments, I can tell she wants to say something but is questioning if she should or not, “I know with everything that’s happened with Logan, you were hesitant to open yourself up to another man; then to have the God awful Giselle and Logan pay that girl to lie about being with Kayden in an attempt to break you two up. I know it really shook you to your core, and I understand why you came back to L.A. for a short period of time. But I want you to understand, with the life we live, it’s bound to happen again. You just need to remember Kayden loves you; I see the way he looks at you Savannah. That boy has it bad for you. I don’t believe he would ever do anything to jeopardize what you two have. I don’t know if you realize it, but you are soul mates. It was destined and you will have that bond in this life and after”
Running my fingers through my hair, I stare out the window as my mother’s words sink in, tears threatening to flow.
I hate thinking back to February, and that awful time in our lives. I hate myself for doubting Kayden, and the guilt still eats away at me. I hate Logan for doing this to me, for damaging me so badly that I would think even for a second that Kayden did, in fact, cheat on me. When in reality, I should’ve known from the minute I saw that tabloid it was nothing but lies.
“I know. Kayden and I have talked about it a lot. I now know that if anything like that happens again, we stick together and fight the lies the tabloids try to sell. I love him and he loves me. That’s all that matters.”
We spend the next fifteen minutes doing nothing but singing along to the radio as we make our way through traffic. Talking about Kayden has me missing him, so I decide to quickly text him. Scrolling through my phone contacts I click on Kayden and fire off a message,
Me:
Hey babe. Heading 2 the spa. I miss u ;) hope you’re not kickin’ my dad’s ass too badly…
I can’t stop smiling as I read Kayden’s response, God I love him.
Kayden:
Miss u 2 babe. I’m kickin’ his ass and everyone else’s, but I promised them all a round of beers at the club after the 18th hole lol. C U 2night, I can’t wait to run my mouth all over your silky skin after ur spa treatment ;)
Blushing I quickly type in a response:
Me:
;) I am looking forward to that <3 u
My phone vibrates almost instantly after pressing send as Kayden texts me back,
Kayden:
I’m getting hard just thinking about it. This boner will affect my swing. I g2g <3 u 2
“Whatever he’s writing you, it sure is making you turn crimson.” My mother teases, as she glances at me out of the corner of her eye.
Snapping my eyes from my phone to my mother, my mouth falls open, but I quickly snap it closed. “Mom!” I let out a nervous laugh, “I was just telling Kayden that we’re on our way to the spa and wanted see how golfing was going.”
Brooklyn mumbling in the back seat decides to put her two cents in, “You and Knox can never just keep your texts PG, and you take sexting to a whole new level.”
Oh. My. God. Shoot me now…she just said the word sexting in front of my mother. That’s wrong on so many levels.
“Brooklyn, seriously!” I shout, spinning back around to face her. Finding this amusing, she just laughs harder. I swear I could kill her right now.
Turning back around, I shove my phone into my bag, and continue to stare out the window.
Just as I think this conversation is over my mother pats my leg and gives me a sympathetic smile, “Relax, you act like I’ve never heard about sexting
before. I’m not that old Savannah. Your father and I send texts to each other all the time and they get pretty hot. It keeps the flame going, ya know.”
I let out a puff of air and smack my hand onto my forehead, “I think you just scarred me for life.” I spit out with shock; disgust lacing in my words.
“Oh my, this is priceless; your mom’s a freak!” Holding her stomach from laughing so hard, Brooklyn wipes away a stray tear from the corner of her eye as she watches the Paisley and Savannah Dysfunctional Show unfold before her.
I’m so happy to see the spa as we round the corner and pull up to the valet. I need to get out of this car and get onto a massage table ASAP.
Chapter Fifteen
It’s been three months since our engagement party and so much has happened over that time. Between work and wedding planning, I’ve been running non-stop trying to get everything done before our big day. Eloise was nice enough to give me the last two weeks of August off to get ready for our wedding and another week for our honeymoon.
Mya and Braxton’s wedding was beautiful, watching them say their vows to one another made me emotional. All I could think about the entire time was that in a matter of a few months it would be Kayden and me. It’s crazy to think back when Brooklyn and I first met Mya in December; we had no idea what to expect and now she’s one of our best friends.
With my parents traveling all over Europe for their tour, we didn’t have our annual Fourth of July Bar-B-Q at our house in Memphis, but I told my mom not to stress since we’ll have everyone together soon enough for the wedding. We’re going to do a huge party at our house in Sugar Land for our reception. It’ll be nice to have everyone together again and no drama this time…I hope.
We haven’t heard a word from Victor or Luanne since the altercation the night of our engagement party. I was grateful when Kayden’s father willingly signed over his half of Knox Hotels refusing payment. Kayden didn’t fight him on it since Kayden’s been running the business for years. I looked at it as Victor trying to buy his forgiveness by doing an act of kindness, but I think he finally realized there is no hope for reconciliation.
Last week I had a doctor’s appointment with my OBGYN in Los Angeles. I was in L.A. for my last week of work before my vacation, so I squeezed in my yearly exam while I was there to kill two birds with one stone. Dr. O’Donnell asked if I was renewing my birth control for the next twelve months. Normally my answer was yes, but for the first time ever it was no.
The other night, while lying on the couch with Kayden watching a movie, I brought up the topic of babies, and if he wanted me to get another years’ worth of birth control. I wanted to see where he stood on kids. I know we both want them; I just didn’t know how soon Kayden wanted to start a family after getting married.
While I was with Logan I had always said no kids before I was thirty. I wanted to focus on my career. Since meeting Kayden, he’s changed all of that. For the first time, I can actually see myself pregnant and even putting my career on hold for a little while to raise our kids in Sugar Land.
When Kayden told me he would love nothing more than to start trying for a baby as soon as we can, I was over the moon. I was nervous he’d want to wait a year or two, so I was thrilled to know we were on the same page.
My doctor said it could take up to a year to get pregnant, so if I don’t get pregnant right away she said there’s no need to worry. I guess it can take a few months for my cycle to regulate after stopping the pill since I’ve been on it for so many years.
So for the time being we’re having fun trying, and if it happens it happens. We’re not going to go all crazy and do the whole ovulation and temperature things. I’m leaving it in God’s hands.
~~~
We’re officially ten days away from our big day. Kayden and the guys are jetting off to Vegas, and my girlfriends and I are on our way to the Big Apple. Kayden sent us girls on the other Beaumont Industries’ jet so we can fly in style. We’ll be staying in New York for two days for our girls’ weekend and to have a bachelorette party. It’s starting to feel real now; I am actually going to be getting married in ten days!
“Who’s ready to tear it up in the city that never sleeps!?” Rebecca asks bursting with excitement.
Mya and Brooklyn are sitting next to her, drinking the signature drink for the weekend; one of our favorites, Cherry Hookers.
Spinning around and sitting on her knees with a Cheshire cat grin on her face, Mya looks from me to Brooklyn, “Soooo, are we going to have strippers at the bachelorette party, Brooklyn?”
God! Knowing my best friend, I can only imagine what she has planned.
Grinning from ear to ear, Brooklyn takes a sip from her Cherry Hooker, and drags her gaze to me momentarily before back to Mya. “Maybe…” She says in a sing-song tone.
Rebecca and Mya are immediately bursting with excitement and giggling like school girls. Brooklyn, Rebecca and I all went to a bachelorette party for a co-worker a few years back, and it got pretty wild. Brooklyn was pulling the strippers G-string away from his crotch with her teeth, hell bent on proving her theory of “sock-stuffing”, while Rebecca shoved, yes, shoved hundred dollar bills into them.
“If you hired strippers Brooklyn, I am officially scared for them. Let’s try to remember you’re a married woman now.” I know her all too well; married or not she won’t be able to behave herself.
Standing, Brooklyn makes her way across the jet and sits down beside me. Resting her arm behind my head, she leans in to me, flashing a smile at Rebecca and Mya before turning her eyes back onto me, “Oh bestie, you know there’s no way in hell I’m keeping my hands off a fine-ass-man who will willingly strip for me. As long as I don’t kiss or fuck him, it isn’t cheating.”
~~~
We landed at JFK around three. Kayden had a chauffeur waiting for us on the runway to take us to Knox Hotel in Manhattan Lower East Side. After having our bags brought up to the penthouse suite, we went and explored Times Square. We all took turns taking pictures with the Naked Cowboy.
I tweeted the picture and my feed instantly filled up with tweets from others who’ve met him; some sent me the pictures they took. It’s hilarious to me that someone can make a career out of walking down the street in tighty whities, a cowboy hat and cowboy boots while holding a guitar.
It was almost eight by the time we made it to Broadway to watch Mary Poppins. Every time I’m in New York I have to watch Mary Poppins; I absolutely love that show!
Even though I’m missing Kayden like crazy, it’s great getting away with my friends for a weekend. Between work, boyfriends, and just plain ol’ life, we barely have time to all get together.
Heading back to the hotel, I shoot Kayden a quick text letting him know I’m having a blast and missing him tons. I can’t control my goofy grin as I read the text he sent back telling me he loves me and misses me like crazy. I laughed out loud at his text telling me if Brooklyn gets our asses tossed in jail he has his staff ready to bail us out when needed.
He knows my crazy, balls to the wall best friend too well. Poor Dixon…wait, what am I saying? Dixon is just as fuckin’ crazy as she is, so I guess they’ll either equal each other out or drive each other completely insane. I’ll go with the latter.
He sent me a picture of him and the guys at a strip club with the hashtag #AllDixonsIdea.
~~~
Today has been amazing! Since we did the whole tourist thing yesterday, we decided on a spa day today. It felt amazing to be pampered. We got mani’s and pedi’s done along with full body massages.
After we finished up in the spa, we headed to the salon down the street to get our hair done by one of the world’s top hair stylists for the who’s who of the Celebrities. Pierre Leloir is almost impossible to get an appointment with, but as a pre-wedding gift, Quinn called him up and was able to get us in this afternoon.
Around seven, we headed to Pearl & Ash on the Lower East Side. They are a new restaurant and out of all of the places to dine in Ma
nhattan, they have one of the finest selections of wine. The food and wine were unbelievable; I’ll have to come back with Kayden the next time we’re in New York.
Now…on to the party!
Our limo pulls up to Club Vertigo, Kayden’s New York City club, dropping us off at almost a quarter after ten. The club is closed for the night, which is a huge thing on a Saturday night because it’s the busiest night of the week. We have the entire place to ourselves for my bachelorette party.
Walking into the club, I take in our surroundings. This club has an edgy- contemporary feel to it, unlike the ones in L.A. and Houston which is themed on each City’s most popular features. The entire place has neon colored walls and art work with stark white furniture that contrasts with all the eclectic art pieces.
The bartender flashes us all a welcoming smile as he pours us shots to start our evening. You can’t start a party without Jack Daniels.
We’re all wearing the rhinestone tops I bought for us to wear tonight. My pink tank top says Bride, Rebecca and Mya’s say Bridesmaid, and Brooklyn’s Matron of Honor.
Holding their shot glasses up the air, all three smile at me and shout, “To Savannah and Kayden!”
After taking our shots and getting us Cherry Hooker’s, I head over to the table that’s covered in my favorite selection of cupcakes from Crave Cupcakes. They all have little tiny fruit punch Jack Daniels bottles on top of them. I quickly snap a picture with my cell and tweet tagging Kayden. Brooklyn did an amazing job setting this up.
A smile stretches across my face as I spot a platter of chocolate covered strawberries with a small note card lying beside them. Picking it up, I open the card and like I thought, it’s from Kayden.
Hope you’re having the time of your life baby. I can’t wait, only nine more days and I can finally call you Savannah Elizabeth Knox. I love how your name sounds with Knox on the end of it.
I would love nothing more than to hand feed you each and every one of these strawberries, but since I can’t, you better snap a picture of you enjoying one of them and send it to me. Hope you enjoy your bachelorette party; just don’t enjoy it too much… Love you,
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