by Lynne, Donya
In less than two months, they’d pulled it off. Everything was done. Everyone had pitched in to make their wedding possible, but Daniel and Zach had outdone themselves. The flowers, which she’d gotten a sneak peek at earlier, were beyond gorgeous. And the cakes—yes, cakes . . . plural—were amazing. She’d only seen pictures, but words couldn’t do justice to the masterpieces she and Mark would be cutting into in less than twenty-four hours. The wedding cake was five tiers, each of varying height, with pale-peach roses wrapped in a strand around the cake. The groom’s cake was three layers of chocolate upon chocolate, with pale-peach roses made of icing spilling down one side.
But Daniel and Zach hadn’t stopped there. They’d gone all out, ordering a variety of confections in shades of blush and chocolate. Chocolate cake pops dipped in ganache and decorated with pale-pink and white ruffles made of icing. A miniature cupcake tower with a pink and white peony and cream-colored hydrangea topper. Chocolate macaroons filled with strawberry filling.
The guests would go into sugar shock just looking at all the treats.
And flowers, flowers everywhere. Daniel was a flower whore and had spent over a thousand dollars on the centerpieces alone. It was all a bit overwhelming, but in a fairy tale princess kind of way.
“Don’t worry,” he’d said. “I’ll be at the reception hall in the morning, making sure everything is set up just right. You won’t have to worry about a thing.”
When she’d seen the bridal bouquet, she’d fallen speechless. It was beautiful. Every pink and peach flower known to man was bundled into the bouquet with enough white to make the arrangement pop but not take away from her dress.
After all, a wedding was all about the dress.
As dinner wound up, she lightly tapped her spoon on the side of her glass. Mark joined her as they stood, holding hands.
“I want to thank everyone for helping us for the past two months,” she said. “None of this would be possible without all of you stepping in and lending a hand.” She met Mark’s eyes and smiled. Tomorrow he would be her husband. “We’re just blown away and so grateful.”
Mark lifted his glass in his free hand. “More grateful than words can express,” he added with a chuckle, exchanging glances with her. “Two months ago, we had no idea just how much we’d bitten off when we chose tomorrow to get married, but with each and every one of you coming to our rescue when napkins were delivered in the wrong color, or when invitations needed to be addressed, or when tiny boxes needed to be filled with chocolate ”—everyone laughed—“Karma and I owe you each a special thanks.”
She smiled at him then let go of his hand as she reached under the table for the bag of gifts they’d bought for everyone. Mikimoto pearl bracelets for the ladies and gold, engraved money clips for the men.
Spirits were high as they passed out presents and expressed their appreciation.
Everyone finished dessert, and then it was time to head home.
Mark pulled her aside, eyes filled with love.
“I’m not going to sleep a wink tonight,” he said, brushing his fingers down her cheek.
“Are you nervous?”
“No. I’m excited. And you’re not going to be home to distract me.” He pulled her closer.
They’d agreed she would spend the night at her parents’ and he, Rob, Daniel, and Zach would stay at their house.
“It was your idea that we not spend the night together before the wedding,” she reminded him.
He uttered a soft, frustrated growl.
“And,” she added, “to abstain.”
They hadn’t made love for two weeks, and it was damn near driving them both mad.
“Don’t remind me,” he said softly, nuzzling her neck. Then he whispered, “I’ve been hard for days.”
“Have you now?”
He nodded, kissing the tender skin below her ear.
“Well, your wait is almost over. Twenty-four more hours.”
He growled again. “I don’t know if I can make it.”
“I’ll make it worth your wait.” And she meant it. She had one extra special wedding present to give him tomorrow night.
He pulled away, a devilish grin revealing his thoughts.
As for tomorrow, everything was set. All the arrangements made. The only thing left was to say, “I do.”
Rob eased up beside them. “You about ready to go, groom-to-be?”
“Yeah, just give me one more minute with my fiancée.”
Rob nodded and joined the others by the door.
When they were alone again, Mark said, “Just think, the next time we see each other, you’ll be walking down that aisle for real, and we’ll be getting married.”
“And you’re okay? You’re not nervous or—”
“Panicking?”
He’d taken the word right out of her mouth.
“Yes.”
He shook his head. “My heart’s racing, but it’s not because I’m panicking.” He leaned forward and kissed her ear then whispered, “It’s because I know that tomorrow night I’ll be making love to my wife for the first time. And I can’t wait to know what that feels like. I can’t wait to be your husband.”
She smiled and dipped the side of her head against his cheek, knowing that the night would be even more special than he realized since she’d started on birth control over a month ago. What would it feel like to have sex without a condom separating them?
“And I can’t wait to be your wife.”
He hugged her, kissed her, and then sighed as he released her. “Good night, Miss Mason.” A sparkle lit in his eyes, and she didn’t need him to tell her what he was thinking.
This was the last time he would call her Miss Mason.
Because tomorrow she would be Mrs. Strong.
Chapter 42
I’m looking forward to the future, and feeling grateful for the past.
-Mike Rowe
Mark applied the last chocolate petal to the chocolate-covered strawberry rose he was making then carefully set it in the vase with the other five. Six down, six more to go.
“Hey, what are you still doing up?” Rob shuffled into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes.
“Couldn’t sleep. What about you? Why are you up?”
Rob plopped onto one of the barstools. “I never sleep well when Holly’s not with me.”
Mark rolled a small ball of chocolate between his palms and placed it on a piece of parchment paper. “I know the feeling.” He rolled out another small ball then puffed out a derisive breath. “Look at us. Two years ago, we were both contentedly single. Now, neither of us can sleep without the women we love next to us in bed.”
Rob snorted and peeled himself off the barstool to head to the fridge. “Yeah, I never saw this day coming. But, you know . . .” He grabbed the milk and set it on the counter. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Mark placed a second sheet of parchment over his five chocolate balls and one chocolate snake then grabbed the rolling pin. “Neither would I.” He flattened the chocolate then carefully peeled away the top sheet of parchment while Rob poured a glass of milk then grabbed a bag of Chips Ahoy cookies from the cabinet and returned to his seat.
“Are these for tomorrow?” Rob pointed at the vase of chocolate roses with his pinky as he bit into a cookie.
“Yep.” He dipped a cake pop stick in melted white chocolate, pushed it into the center of the strawberry from the bottom, rolled the strawberry in the white chocolate, and then set it aside so he could roll his flattened milk chocolate snake in a coil around the top of the berry.
Rob dipped his cookie in his milk and quietly watched him mold the round discs of milk chocolate into petals around the strawberry, turning out the tops to make it seem like the rosebud was beginning to open.
Mark smirked as Rob dipped another cookie.
“What?” Rob said innocently.
“You still dip your cookies in milk? Really? What are you, nine?”
Rob flipped him off, his m
outh full.
Mark chuckled, finishing the chocolate rose then carefully adding it to the vase with the others.
“You know,” Rob said, chugging a swallow of milk, “maybe you should open a restaurant.”
“A restaurant?” Mark stole a cookie for himself.
Rob’s hand dove into the bag and dragged out another. “Yeah. You’ve been trying to figure out for years what you want to be when you grow up.” He chomped half the cookie in one bite. “You’ve been guarding your inheritance like a dragon guards its hoard of gold, saying that someday you’ll start your own business and use the money to fund it.”
“Yeah, but a restaurant?” Mark dusted off his hands and started on rose number eight. “I don’t know the first thing about running a restaurant.”
Rob pushed the bag of cookies aside. “You learn, man. I mean, Mark, you’ve got to admit, you know food. You love cooking. I’ve eaten your homemade spaghetti and meatballs, which is better than any spaghetti and meatballs I’ve eaten anywhere, whether in a restaurant or out of a can. And, dude, most people simply use spaghetti from a box. But you? Noooo, you have to make your own. You could make a killing if you opened an Italian bistro.”
Mark contemplated Rob’s words as he flattened his chocolate petals for the next flower. He did love cooking. And how did that saying go? If you do what you love, you’ll never work another day in your life. Maybe Rob was onto something.
“Good idea, huh?” Rob said, obviously seeing Mark’s wheels turning.
“It’s got potential.” Mark dipped another cake pop stick in the white chocolate. “I’ll look into it, but right now, my mind’s focused on tomorrow.”
“You nervous?”
“No.”
“You sure? I know how you get with churches and weddings.”
Mark pushed the stick into the bottom of a strawberry. “That was before Carol and I talked. Now, though? Everything’s different now.” He rolled the strawberry in the melted white chocolate. “All that shit from before is gone.”
“I told you it would work. You just needed to bury the hatchet with Carol. You two never did that before.”
“What can I say? You’re always right.”
“Damn straight I am.” Rob drained his glass of milk and plunked it back on the counter. “So . . . you’re okay? No panic attacks? I don’t need to bring the Valium?”
Mark chuckled, his fingers busily coiling a chocolate snake on top of the berry. “No, buddy. I’m good.”
Rob closed the bag of cookies and hopped off the barstool. “Well, I’m going to head back up and try to get some sleep.” He put the cookies away then rinsed his glass and set it beside the sink. “You should try to do the same.”
“I will. I’ve got to make four more of these, and then I’ll head up.” If he slept at all, he’d be grateful. As excited as he was about tomorrow, though, he’d be lucky if he slept more than a couple hours.
“Night.” Rob headed out of the kitchen toward the stairs.
Alone again, Mark continued making his dozen special roses for his very special bride. The last time he’d made these for her, he was getting ready to whisk her away to Saint Lucia. Just like now. She didn’t know it, yet, but that was where he was taking her for their honeymoon.
And this time, no secrets stood between them. His slate was clean.
For the first time ever, he felt whole.
And he couldn’t stop smiling.
* * *
Karma sat in the living room of her parents’ house, watching some cheesy late-night movie. The rest of the house was dark and quiet, but she couldn’t sleep. She imagined Mark was suffering the same fate. Maybe even watching the same movie in their bedroom.
“Hey, pumpkin.”
She jumped at the sound of her dad’s voice then settled back, laughing at herself. “Dad, you startled me. I thought you were asleep.”
“Sorry.” He pulled his robe more securely around him then clicked on the lamp on the end table before taking a seat in his chair. “Just thought I’d check on you. You all right?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just can’t sleep.”
“You nervous?”
She smiled as she recalled how Mark had answered that same question just a few hours ago. “I’m excited. Too excited to sleep.”
“I can see that. You are pretty smitten with that boy.”
“He’s not a boy, Dad. He’s—”
“I know, he’s a man. I remember you telling me that a time or two.” He grinned.
“Yeah, once or twice.” She smiled. “You know, I’m still getting used to you being so nice to him.”
He sat back and gently rocked his chair a couple of times. “Well, he’s a good man. Any fool can see that.”
“Are you calling yourself a fool?” She folded her forearms over the arm of the couch and laid her chin on her hand.
“Never.” He grinned and gave her a wink.
They held each other’s gazes for a few seconds.
“Are you ready for tomorrow?” she said. “It’s a big day for you, too.”
“Don’t remind me. I’m already worried I’ll mess up my line.”
She laughed. “All you have to do is say ‘I do’ when the minister asks who’s giving me away.”
“I know. Can you see why I’m worried?”
They laughed together then Karma said, “You’ll do fine, Dad.”
“You know, when I had my heart attack, I was afraid I wouldn’t make it to this day.”
“Is that why you changed your mind about Mark?”
He shook his head. “I’d already started to change my mind about him. The heart attack just helped hurry me along.”
“I’m glad. And I’m glad you and Johnny are getting along better, too.”
“Me, too. It seems my heart attack woke us both up.”
A lot had changed in the last two years, especially in the last couple months. She felt closer to her brother than she ever had, and for the first time, the three of them had discussed taking a fishing trip together later this summer. It would be nice to spend time with her dad and her brother and not feel like she was in the middle of a war zone.
“Well, honey . . .” Her dad rose. “I’m heading back to bed. And you need to try and get some sleep, too. We’ll be getting up in less than seven hours to get ready.”
“I know. Maybe I’ll get lucky and fall asleep on the couch.” If she tried to sleep in her bedroom, her mind would just fire back to life with a million random thoughts about tomorrow. Or today. After all, it was after midnight. First would be a trip to the salon to get her hair and makeup done, and then back to her parents’ house to get dressed. Then off to the park in the limo they’d rented to get pictures taken after Mark and the groomsmen finished with theirs.
And then . . . the wedding.
Finally.
It had been a long time in the making—over two years, in fact—but their big day had finally come.
Chapter 43
Every love story is beautiful, but ours is my favorite.
-Xuan Ta
Mark stood at the front of the church, hands clasped in front of him, as Sonya, Holly, and Lisa slowly walked up the aisle in their pale-pink dresses.
“You doing okay?” Rob whispered beside him.
Mark nodded without taking his eyes off the back of the church. “Yes. Stop distracting me.” If he turned away for only a second and missed his first glimpse of Karma in her dress, he would never forgive his best friend, who seemed intent on checking on him every ten seconds.
“Just making sure you’re not going to pass out.”
“I told you, I’m fine.” He was better than fine. He was about to see his bride in her wedding dress for the first time. Not a shred of fear remained in his heart, which held nothing but love and hope for their future.
What they’d been able to pull off in only two months was nothing short of a miracle. His first attempt at a wedding had taken over eight months to plan, and it had been noth
ing like the extravagance he and Karma had managed with the help of their friends. The church was a beautiful display of flowers, ribbons, and candles. Daniel and Zach had done well.
If the reception hall looked anything like the church, they were in for a fairytale evening.
The wedding march started, and all the guests rose. He squared his shoulders and straightened his back, gaze locked on the back of the church. In the vestibule, just outside his line of sight, she was waiting with her dad. He could see their shadows moving on the floor.
“You still doing okay?” Rob whispered.
“I’m fine, Rob. Stop asking.”
He’d taken such a long, hard journey to get here. For so long, he’d had no interest in falling in love, and then he met Karma. She had changed everything. She’d made him want to love again, take chances, break free from his fear.
He couldn’t imagine two people could love each other more than they did. After tonight, they would finally be one. His name would be hers, her heart his.
The shadows crossed the floor beyond the entryway, and he fought not to crane his neck to see her.
And then she was there, and Mark could hardly breathe.
“My God . . .” he whispered.
“You okay?” Rob said.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her as she began the long, agonizingly slow walk toward him. “I’m perfect,” he whispered.
Beneath the veil, she smiled shyly, and he knew she was blushing. He smiled back, their gazes locked one to the other. It was as if those in attendance disappeared. This was their day. His and Karma’s.
Finally, her dad led her up the shallow steps and stopped in front of him. Karma’s mom joined him, as did his parents, all standing a step behind.
Mark exchanged a glance of understanding with her dad. He was assuming responsibility for Karma’s life today. The passing of the guard was about to take place. From this point forward, he would be responsible for Karma’s happiness, her health, her everything. It wasn’t a fact he took lightly.
The music stopped, and he gazed in awe at the woman who was about to become his wife. Almost a decade ago, he’d stood at the head of another church, waiting for another woman to join him. Only, that woman hadn’t been meant for him. The one standing before him now had always been the one he’d been made for. It had taken meeting Karma to bring him full circle, right back to the very place that had sent him on a journey of despair. This time, he’d chosen right. This time, he’d found happily ever after.