Kate held her hands in front of her in prayer. She'd done a lot in a few days to pull the quickie wedding of the century off. The idea that she might have to tell all those people it’s off I'm sure had her up all night.
I felt a little bad.
"Yes." I nodded. "I'm not calling off the wedding.
Kate gasped, but stopped when I help up my hand.
"We need to make a few changes." I pointed next to my sister." Sit.
Kate sat next to Dani.
"What ever you want." she flipped her blonde hair over he shoulder. Her hands rested on her thighs.
"I know I told you to pull off a miracle and you have." I sipped my coffee and sat on the bench by the window. "It just bothered me because I didn't see any of me in the wedding. It was more of what you both imagined I would like, but you don't really know me. Neither of you do.”
“I’m your sister, I think I know you.”
“If you know me, then why am I wearing that?” A fluffy lacy thing from one of Dani’s designers hung in the armoire. “Why is my hair slicked back and straight.”
I held my hand out.
“I’m a professional writer, and I'm the one actually in the relationship,” I shook my head. “Why would I allow anyone else to write my vows?”
“They were just suggestions.” Kate pouted.
“I don't want dad walking me down the aisle and giving me away.” I shuddered. “The idea is misogynistic and archaic.”
“So, we are going for modern romantic feminism.” Dani said.
“If a theme helps.” I waved her off. “I just want it to be about Noah and me. And y'all can watch.”
“Thanks for that,” Dani said.
“Shouldn't you be writing this down?” I pointed at Dani.
She bit her tongue as her face went flush.
“No best man, no maid of honor.” I stood up, “My family stands up for me, Noah’s family stands up for him.” I slap my hands together, “our families join into one.”
“Okay.” Kate stands up. “I like it.”
“I will say some words, Noah will say some words, and 10 minutes, we are on to the reception.”
“Ten minutes,” they said in unison.
I nod and grin, “maybe 15. And one more thing. Nip and Val are coming to the wedding.”
I pointed at Dani before she could finish her eye roll.
“Can I talk to Kate for a minute alone?” I ask Dani.
She nods and stands up.
“Can I at least give my speech?” Dani asked. “I already wrote it.”
“At the reception.” I pushed her toward the door.
I join Kate on the bed.
“I'm sorry.” She said. “I just wanted to make it special …”
She wasn't saying something.
“Go ahead. Say what you were going to say.”
“So,” she shifted on the bed to face me. “I thought I needed to create this fantasy wedding, like one worthy of someone so creative and well, fantasy driven. I mean I thought that’s what was missing. Why you were having doubts about being with Noah.”
I narrowed my eyes. She was kind of proving my point. She didn’t know me at all.
“That doesn’t make sense.” I rubbed my forehead. The headache had decreased considerably. I couldn’t blame this one on the concussion. “I wasn’t having doubts. I love Noah and I want to marry him. I just wanted to make sure he was ready to marry me.”
“What do you mean? He asked you didn’t he?” She scratched her head.
“Yeah, but I kind of think he asked me because he was bored.”
Kate narrowed his eyes.
“I was wrong. Obviously I was wrong,” I shifted on to the bed. “At your wedding, Noah, his behavior, bothered me.”
“That weekend was stressful for everyone.”
“He was the best man, not the groom.” I shook my head. “He didn’t have anything to be stressed about. Instead, he projected all his issues on me and I just watched him transform in front of my face into this person I didn’t really know.”
“I didn’t realize.”
“And then we get back home and I kind of did the same thing to him. Projected my insecurity about our relationship onto him. I felt like I was keeping him from doing stuff he’d normally do in the off season because I was stuck in New York with school.” I picked at the comforter.
“All of your lives are so glamorous and exciting and full of …stuff. I thought maybe Noah needed someone more like that in his life.”
“It’s not like this all the time.” Kate waved her hand. “Stuff like this is still cool to me. I didn’t grow up like this.”
“I know. I get that.” I stared at her. “That’s what I discovered when I was on the side of the mountain. He didn’t ask me because he was bored. I mean, come on, who does that.”
Kate gave me a no duh face.
I giggled.
“He asked me because he loved our life and he wanted to make sure it continued.” I shook my head. “I thought we weren’t communicating, but really, I wasn’t’ listening.”
“So … falling off a mountain knocked some sense in you,” Kate said.
“Maybe. I don’t know. I woke up and saw his face and the worry in his eyes and I realized how much I wanted to be with him.” I shrugged. “I think we still have stuff to work on, but I know that I want to build a life with him because he knows me, better than anyone. He knows me better than I know myself.”
“So, we’re good.” Kate stood up.
“Not quite.” I patted the bed. “Sit down.”
Kate frowned and sat down.
“Our guys have been friends for years, but we’ve known each other for four months. I want to have more in common than our men.”
“Oh, me too.”
“So, I’ve been in a position lately with starting school, I have to learn how to make friends and one of the things I’ve learned is if there is something you don’t know about a person, ask.” I took her hand. “Understand.”
“Okay. I get it.” She squeezed my hand. “And, if I’m too much all you have to do is let me know. I can take it.” Kate giggled.
“Another tip.” I stood up. “I can’t have the first time I meet Justin Timberlake to be at my wedding. It would be so inappropriate for me to be fantasying about another man while standing at the alter.”
“Good point.” Kate headed toward the door. “Aren’t you glad I’m not the narcissistic, self absorbed actress type like you thought.”
I stood with my mouth open.
“I can’t believe he told you I said that.” I rolled my eyes.
“No worries. We all make assumptions.” She waved it off. “Same goes for me. If you want to know something about me, just ask.”
“I have a questions.” I raised my hand. “How did you expect me to walk down a hiking trail in four inch heels?"
“Callie, you are not wearing your old Chuck Taylor's at you wedding.” Kate stomped.
“Something in between maybe.” I nodded.
“I’ll bring you some options.” Kate nodded back.
“And when this is all over.”
Kate looked back.
“Can I write an article on how Oscar winning Actress, Kate Stone, planned my wedding?”
“Absolutely.” Kate left the room.
I heard her giggle as she walked down the hall.
Twenty-Two
Noah
I agreed with Callie.
Kate and Dani had taken to impromptu wedding planning like it was a new reality show competition worth a billion dollars. I was fine with most of it, except for the sleeping apart the night before the wedding. I mean, I could understand if we were virgins or saving ourselves for the wedding night, but I had my tongue, among other things all up in her last night.
She was in a naughty mood, so the innocent and pure act the night before the wedding didn’t make sense.
“Dude.” Preston hit me on the shoulder. “Stop moping. It’s o
ne night. Play your card.”
Preston, my dad, Callie’s dad and Corey, Dani’s husband sat around the dining room playing cards and drinking cognac.
“Leave him alone.” My dad reached out and pinched my cheek. “He’s in love.”
I pushed his hand away.
Malcolm the chef cooked us a steak dinner, with lobster mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. We dusted off a couple of bottles of red wine and now the climax of my bachelor party, losing at poker.
“I fold.” I threw my cards down.
The last time I saw Callie was this afternoon.
We woke up this morning and I helped her wash her hair. I redressed her wound and she redressed mine. We talked and laughed and made love, I did all I could to distract her and keep that smile on her face. We all took a walk out to the deck, and I held Callie close as she peered over the edge to see if she could see the rock that took her out.
Nip wasn’t as enthusiastic about the wedding venue. He was afraid someone was going to tie him to the edge again.
We made it back to the house by lunch and an hour later, the ladies were all packed up and heading to the hotel in town.
“Read them and weep, gentleman.” Callie’s dad laid down a full house.
“No one is that lucky.” Preston threw his cards on the table.
“Gentleman, just tell me when you’re ready for me to stop taking your money.” He took a sip of his cognac and continued to count his chips.
“My deal.” Preston said as the swiped the cards in his direction.
“Deal me out.” I stood up and wandered into the kitchen. The staff milled around working on preparing the place for tomorrow.
I would avoid the million plus wedding price tag, but for as hard as these people worked to pull it together at the last minute, I owed them a big ass tip.
I couldn’t even call Callie. I got her a phone, but I didn’t want to give it to her yet. My only instructions to Kate and Dani, make sure Callie stayed off the internet. If she had access then she would check her blog and if she checked her blog, she’d see the posts and the comments.
“Hey,” Preston walked in the kitchen. He stole a carrot off the tray one of the staff was working on. “You want in on the next hand.”
“Naw.” I hit him in the chest. “I think I’m going to turn in.”
“It’s ten o’clock.” He looked at his watch.
“I know. I’m tired.”
“I’m sure Callie is fine.”
“I know.” I rubbed my face.
Preston hit me in the chest. “Come on.” He waved for me to follow.
We crossed the kitchen into the mudroom that lead to the garage. On the wall hung two sets of keys. Preston snagged one and headed outside.
“What are you doing?” I whispered. “We can’t steal their car.”
“Steal.” Preston hit the unlock button and the SUV furthest away beeped. “I paid for that car.”
“Preston.”
He climbed into the driver seat. I walked around the back of the car.
Preston took off. He skidded to a stop halfway down the driveway.
As he lowered the window, his booming laugh echoed in the crisp cold air.
I jogged to the truck and slid in the passenger seat.
“You are an idiot.” I shook my head and buckled my seatbelt.
“You want to see your girl or not?”
“Kate’s gonna be pissed.”
“Yeah, well, I can handle my woman.” Preston said with his chest puffed up.
We both laughed. The truth was our woman handle us and we were fine with it. I held on as he sped down the winding highway toward town.
Preston knocked on the hotel room door.
“Ms. Stone. I have a special delivery for the bride.”
“Maybe it’s something from Noah.” Kate said as she opened the door looking. When she turned, her face dropped. “Preston Carter.”
Preston swooped in and grabbed Kate around the waist and kissed her neck. “Kate, baby.” He laid a loud kiss on her neck. “I missed my girl.”
Kate swatted him on the shoulder, but melted into his arms. He had her giggling in two seconds flat; it was a record.
I stepped inside the door of the suite.
“What is …”Callie came out of a hallway, and pulled the ties on her short white terrycloth robe tight around her waist.
When she spotted me, her face lit up my world. Damn. I love the way she looks at me.
She ran and leaped into my arms. She wrapped her legs around me.
I squeezed her ass with my good hand and wrapped my other arm firmly around her waist.
“What are you doing here?” She asked as she laid kisses on my neck.
“It’s my last night of freedom,” I walked back toward the hall she came from. “I wanted to spend my last bachelor moments fucking the hottest chick in the world.”
Callie gripped the wall and stopped my momentum.
“My mother is back there.”
I looked over her shoulder.
“Hi Mrs. Blake.” I yelled.
“Hello Noah.” Her mom yelled from the room and giggled.
Callie covered her mouth and laughed.
“Y'all can have my room,” Kate said.
“And what room are we going to use?” Preston huffed.
“Oh, we’re already married.” She pulled him toward the couch. “We can cuddle.”
“Ugh.” Preston grabbed his head. “Dude, you sure you want to go through with it. This is what happens.” He pointed at Kate.
“Oh please.” Kate grabbed his hand. “Sexually deprived is not something you can claim.”
“Thanks Kate.” I said and laughed. “Love you guys.”
“We love you too.” Kate sang out. “It’s okay that you f’ed up my ..." she placed her hand on her chest, "our plan.” I stopped.
“If I remember correctly, you two spent your wedding eve together,” I said.
Kate’s eyes grew wide.
“No we didn’t.” Kate sat up. “We went in my room and played cards.”
Preston stood behind her make obscene finger gestures and mouthing, “No we did not.”
Callie’s face turned red. We laughed as I carried her down the other hall and into the bedroom.
Needless to say, Callie and I didn’t play cards either.
Twenty-Three
Noah
“I guess that’s my cue.” Preston adjusted his jacket and stepped around me. He held a small black leather bound bible in his hand. It was the same bible he carried with him since I’d known him. Hidden in his suitcase on away games, on his night stand when we were home.
His mother gave it to him. I thought of my mom.
Nip barked a warning.
“I’m with Nip.” Callie shielded her eyes. “What’s going on?”
Preston reached into his suit pocket, unfolded the piece of paper he printed off the internet certifying his was ordained to perform wedding ceremonies.
“What did you do?” Kate asked.
Callie read the note.
“You’re going to marry us?” Callie read the note over again.
“I love it.” Callie squealed, jumped and hugged Preston around the neck.
“Whoa.” Preston absorbed the hug, but leaned back.
I grabbed him to make sure they both didn’t go tumbling down off the mountain.
Callie let go and ran her hands down the front of her dress. It was a perfect fit, a perfect dress, for the perfect woman.
The emerald pendant made her eyes sing and the green ribbon that pushed her breasts up made me sing.
“We ready to do this?” Preston pulled on the cuffs of his sleeves.
“Yes,” Callie grinned.
I nodded.
Preston cleared his throat.
“Callie,” Preston winked at my girl. “Noah.” He held out his fist and I dabbed it. “Family.”
The whole crowd of six nodded.
“We are here,
in this beautiful place, with this incredible view, to join my two favorite people,” he leaned toward us. “Besides my wife.”
“Thanks babe.” Kate said and giggled.
“Can’t forget about you, Babe.” He winked. “In wedded bliss.”
Kate blew him a kiss.
Preston grinned.
"The couple has prepared their own vows.” Preston turned toward me. “Noah.”
I took my phone out of my back pocket.
I peeked at Callie.
She narrowed her eyes.
“So, I’ve been stressing a bit about what I wanted to say, the sentiments I wanted to convey during this special moment. Everyone has been telling me I’m not good with words.” I nodded my head. “I agree. I may not always know the right thing to say, but I knew what I feel for you and I know it’s real.”
I scrolled through the screen.
“So, I wrote something for you.” I looked up to make sure she was with me. “Full disclosure, I had some help. I asked the people who know us. I hijacked your social media, too. This is what we came up with.”
“Oh my god.” Callie whispered. She rubbed her eyes.
I retrieved my handkerchief out of my pocket and handed it to her.
She whimpered.
“My Caliente. It took a glimpse of your red hair and you sparkling green eyes for me to know I wanted to get to know you. I was lost, literally and figuratively when we met and one moment in your presence and I found home. I didn’t know at that time what loving you would do to me. It calmed me, it tamed me, it made me who I knew I wanted to be, but didn’t know how to get there.”
She whimpered again. Val joined her.
“We explored the world, we explored each other, we fought, and we made up. We raised a couple of puppies together and our bond grew tighter, but that pressure still threatened our future.”
“Noah.”
“Hold on. I have a point.” I held up a hand. “The pressure turned out to be good for us, too. It sharpened us. It smoothed out the edges and it shined bright and clear. It changed us and made us stronger and it taught us a valuable lesson. Pressure doesn’t have to break us. It just reminds us to hold on tighter and ride it out until we shine again.”
I looked around. My audience was riveted. Preston stood slack jawed and speechless. I put the phone back in my pocket and took Callie’s hand.
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