by AE Jones
“He’s not here.”
“Of course not,” Alex mumbled. “I won’t keep you.”
He frowned. “You’re not keeping me. I’m sorry, Alex.”
She blinked back tears. “You’re not the one who needs to apologize, Charlie.”
He nodded. “Let’s find out where those two cats are hiding.”
Monster and Cat were in the dining room, catnapping next to each other in the sun.
“They get along?” Alex asked.
“Oh, yeah. Monster is quite smitten with Belle.”
“Belle?”
“When Devin saw how well they were getting along, he joked it was like Beauty and the Beast. He started calling her Belle, and the name stuck. Monster and Belle are Devin’s new best friends. They follow him around when he’s here.”
Alex shook her head. Great. He’d engineered a love match between the cats, but he couldn’t see that they were meant to be together?
* * *
Devin steeled himself for seeing Alex again. He’d been a chicken shit and left the house when she came to pick up Belle, but now he couldn’t escape her. Peggy had summoned him to the office. She’d been cryptic but insistent, so he hadn’t argued.
Now he sat in the conference room with Sydney Thompson and Bradley Prentice, but all he cared about was the woman who had just walked into the room. Her mouth was contorted in an overly bright smile, and she wore a sundress and strappy sandals that made him want to kiss her ankles. But he had no right to her ankles or any other part of her. He’d forfeited that right.
Sydney smiled broadly. “Hello, Alex. I like your new haircut.”
Alex ran her fingers over her new short haircut. Since Devin had seen her last, she had gotten it trimmed in a pixie hairstyle, so Stan’s hack-job was no more.
“Thanks,” she replied, her gaze locking for a moment on Devin.
Sydney watched their interplay. “Is something wrong?”
Alex shook her head. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m just surprised to see you here. I’m waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out with cameras.”
Bradley chuckled. “He doesn’t do that anymore.”
“Right. I’m happy to see you back together.”
Sydney grasped Bradley’s hand, and then turned to Alex. “What you said to me on the beach that night got me thinking. It made sense. If I truly love Bradley, then I have to take a leap of faith.”
“Yes.”
“I mean, if you aren’t willing to risk something for love, then what’s the point, right?”
“Right.” Alex stared at Devin and her too-bright eyes seemed to pierce his chest.
Bradley spoke up. “Pretty cool, huh? My wife is a selkie.”
Alex ripped her gaze from Devin and turned to the couple. “Wife?”
Sydney held up her hand and flashed her three-carat diamond ring. “We were married by a justice of the peace yesterday.”
Alex made the appropriate ohh and ahh noises. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Well, we just stopped by to thank both of you for what you did,” Sydney responded.
“You’re welcome,” she replied at the same time Devin did.
* * *
Alex stood in the door watching the power couple stroll down the hall holding hands. “We have to talk, Devin.”
“There’s not much to say.”
She turned to him and wished she hadn’t. His green eyes were guarded, as if he had locked down his emotions. “Peggy told me the demons we captured turned on Tobin.”
“Yes. He’s been charged for hate crimes, and for Thomas’s murder.”
“Good. Are you and Julia okay now?”
He nodded. “We’re getting there.”
“And your powers?”
“I’m meeting with the Tribunal in the next hour to get them back.”
She swallowed. “I’m happy for you. It sounds like your life is going back to normal.”
He stared at her and didn’t say anything.
“I really think we need to talk. Can you give me a few minutes?”
“I’m sorry, Alex, but I don’t want to be late.”
He walked around her and she let him pass.
What happened to her fire, her righteous indignation? She should be screaming for him to stop. She’d practiced this, damn it!
She bit her lip. Who was she kidding? The bottom line was she didn’t know if he loved her. He hadn’t said it to her, even when she put herself out there and made a fool of herself in front of the Tribunal. Was it wrong of her to expect him to be willing to do the same?
* * *
Devin stood in front of the Tribunal with a weird sense of déjà vu. Had it just been a few days since Alex pleaded his case and declared her love for him? Julia had insisted on attending the meeting as his attorney, and Charlie had wormed his way into the chamber as well.
“Devin? Did you hear what I said?” Lokar asked.
“I’m sorry, sir. Would you mind repeating it?”
“I said all charges have been dropped, and we will now reinstate your powers.”
Devin had expected to feel relief when those words were finally spoken out loud. Instead he felt nothing. No, that wasn’t true. He felt disgusted with himself.
“Wait!”
Lokar’s eyes widened. “What is it?”
“I don’t want my powers back.”
Julia grabbed his arm. “What are you doing, Devin?”
“It’s okay. I know what I’m doing.” For the first time in long time, he knew what he was doing.
“Why would you not want your powers?” Lokar asked. “What about finding the rest of the gang? We gather from Tobin’s insane blustering that there are still factions in high levels of our world that we will need to ferret out. You’ll need your powers to hunt them down.”
Devin took a deep breath. “These past few weeks have shown me that I can function without my powers. I will not stop hunting for the Vipera who are still in our midst, but I also can’t stop living while doing it.
“My brother, Thomas, fought for the rights of supernaturals and humans to be together. And we’ve made huge strides in the decades since Lorinda relinquished her powers to be with a human. Much of that is due to Thomas’s willingness to fight for what he believed in. But we’re still in the dark ages when it comes to cross-species relationships. If Thomas was alive, I believe he would still be fighting for this. Now I’m going to take up the mantle.
“I’m willing to give up my powers to be with Alex. If I’m powerless, then I am, for all intents and purposes, human. Alex can maintain her powers. I don’t want her to give up something that she hasn’t had a chance to experience yet. She’s had too much taken away from her already, and I won’t let her powers be taken away as well.”
Lokar nodded. “This is a surprising request. We’ll need time to deliberate.” The three magistrates stood and left the room.
Julia pulled him into a hug. “Thomas would be so proud of you.”
“He would have smacked me upside the head and demanded to know why it took me so long to figure things out.”
A tear ran down her cheek as she chuckled. “You’re right about that.”
Charlie clapped him on the back. “You sure about this?”
“Dead sure.”
“Have you thought about what happens if you give up your powers and Alex still won’t take you back?”
He hadn’t really thought that far. One giant leap at a time. “Then I’ll fight for her. I’ll prove myself to her somehow.”
Lorinda’s Wedding Tip: Filming the big moment is a must.
Chapter 42
What was her grandmother up to? Alex had agreed to meet with Lorinda, thinking it would just be the two of them. Instead, she walked into a full conference room. Her grandmother sat at the head of the table with Peggy on her right side. Sheila sat to her left, and Julia across from her. Charlie, Connor, Jack, and Gizmo leaned against the wall. There was an empty seat at the end of the table.
“Glad you could make it, Alex.” Her grandmother gestured for Alex to take a seat, and she sat down with no argument, her curiosity getting the better of her.
“I have called the group together to make an announcement.” She paused a moment when the door opened and Devin walked in. He stood behind Alex.
“Sorry I’m late.”
Lorinda smiled. “Not a problem. I was just getting started. I wanted to let you all know I plan to close Bennett Bridal.”
“What?” Alex leapt to her feet. “But this is your life.”
“Let me finish, dear. I want to close Bennett Bridal as it exists now and reopen it to cater exclusively to supernaturals. It will be a full-lifestyle wedding experience. Peggy and I will plan the ceremony and reception as before. Sheila has agreed to help with diet and exercise for our clients. Julia will be called in as needed to help with matrimonial contracts. Many of our species contracts make human pre-nups look like preschool readers. It would help if we had an expert on these types of cases.”
“It sounds like a great idea,” Alex agreed. “I say go for it.”
“I’m not just looking for your approval. I want you to be a part of this.”
“How?”
“You know how much stress is involved in a normal wedding. Now throw in different species, each with their own traditions, on top of it. Supernatural weddings can be emotionally taxing. I would like you to help with counseling and talking our brides and their families down off the emotional ledge.”
Alex’s head started spinning at the possibilities. “I don’t know.”
Lorinda leaned forward. “I know you’ve struggled with the business in the past, but I think if we look at both sides of the coin, we can make the wedding experience even better, and prepare these couples for a real shot at wedded bliss.”
Sheila smiled at her. “We’ve been bouncing around names for the business and we were thinking ‘For Better or for Worse’. Kind of catchy, huh? So they know from the start that no wedding—or for that matter, relationship—is perfect.”
Alex glanced at Charlie, who winked at her. “What are the guys doing here?”
Lorinda answered. “They have agreed to help us on an ad hoc basis if we have high-profile weddings in the future, to provide the security and anything else needed.”
Alex turned and faced Devin. “What do you think?”
“It’s your decision to make.”
Alex frowned. “You can’t even give me your opinion? Are you afraid to do that, too?”
He crossed his arms. “I need to talk to you, but now isn’t the time.”
Alex’s stomach soured. “Actually now is the perfect time. Everyone get out.”
Sheila opened her mouth, more than likely to protest, but Lorinda put on her authoritative wedding voice and ushered the group out, closing the door behind them.
Alex stood and crossed her arms, mimicking him. “Now you can continue.”
“I met with the magistrates to get my powers back.”
“That’s great.”
“And I told them I didn’t want them.”
She gaped at him. “I don’t understand. Why did you do that?”
“Because when I stood in front of that desk, all I could picture was you standing there, proclaiming to the world that we were all stupid for not letting love win out over ignorance, and I realized you were right.”
“You did?”
He nodded. “So I told them I didn’t want my powers back, not if it meant being without you. I might have been channeling you at the time.”
“I…”
Devin grabbed her hands and lifted them to his face, kissing her palms. “I’m so sorry for not fighting for us before, Alex. I love you. Can you forgive me?”
Alex stared at his lips for a moment trying to process what he was saying, but her brain had slowed to a crawl.
“Alex, did you hear me? I love you.”
“But you live in Washington, DC.”
“I’ve lived all over. Most of my family lives in California, and it’s as good a place as any to settle down.”
“But we fight all the time!”
“Then we’ll spend a lot of time making up.”
“But, what about the whole faery-elf thing? I don’t want you to give up your powers.”
He smiled and his eyes started to glow. “Yeah, about that. They gave my powers back anyway. Apparently, they had also been thinking over what you said. Lokar said I need my powers to put me on an even playing field with you.”
She opened her mouth to protest again, but he placed his fingers against her lips.
“Alex, stop. I only want to know one thing. Do you still love me or have I ruined things?”
She stared into his green, glowing eyes. “Yes, I still love you.”
“Then we can work everything else out.”
Her heart thumped, and she reached a trembling hand up and cupped his face. “This faery business is all new to me. Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Absolutely.”
“Then how can I say no?”
As she leaned toward him, a glint of light caught her eye. She glanced toward the ceiling. The red light on the camera was on.
She wagged her finger and stared right into the lens. “Turn off the monitor!” She grabbed Devin’s face and pulled him down for a kiss.
Cheers and catcalls filtered in through the wall, but once his lips touched hers, she didn’t care who was watching.
Lorinda’s Wedding Tip: When it comes right down to it, the most important aspect of a wedding is whether the bride and groom really love each other.
Chapter 43
It was time. The purple roses quivered in Alex’s hands as she looked over the wedding guests from the back of the small chapel. Hundreds of candles lit the aisle, illuminating the space, and making the evening wedding all the more intimate.
The small chapel was of Spanish design, elegant in its simplicity. Her grandmother had made sure it was the perfect venue.
Peggy joined her and smiled.
“Is everything ready?” Alex asked.
“Don’t worry, your grandmother has it all under control.”
Alex took a deep breath and glanced around the vestibule.
Only one thing was missing…
The maid of honor.
Just when Alex began to chew on her lip, fast steps reverberated in the hallway. Sheila rounded the corner and broke into a run, which was no easy feat in her high heels. “I’m so sorry I’m late!”
“Are you trying to kill me?” Alex asked.
“No. I’m here now.”
The crowd gasped and Alex turned to the scene. Devin walked up to the altar, followed by Charlie, his best man. Devin was dressed in a charcoal gray suit, his hair newly cut, and his moss-green eyes danced with mischief.
“He showed,” Sheila announced.
Alex shook her head. “You’re not funny.”
“Hey, I had to pay you back somehow for pairing me up with the sea nymph for your wedding.”
“It’s showtime,” Peggy interrupted them and then dabbed a handkerchief to her eyes. “I can’t believe my doofus brother convinced you to marry him. You make the most beautiful bride, Alex.”
Alex smiled, smoothing her simple satin sheath dress. “Thanks. I don’t know about most beautiful, but I bet I’m one of the happiest. And he’s my doofus now.”
Lorinda arrived next. “Are you ready, dear?”
Alex gazed at Devin, and her heart fluttered. “I’ve been ready since the day I met that green-eyed monster.”
Lorinda beamed at her. “Places, everyone.”
The music swelled, and Sheila led the way. Lorinda stood to her right. When the Wedding March sounded, Lorinda tucked Alex’s hand over her elbow and walked her down the aisle.
In the back pew of the chapel, Alex was surprised to see the anura dentist, Jim Wilson. He winked at her. She managed to resist wrinkling her nose. She didn’t remember him being on the
guest list! She took a few steps and glanced to her right. Fiona smiled and Julian gave her a thumbs-up sign, which made her chuckle.
Next she spotted Julia, who nodded slightly, and Alex’s eyes filled with tears. Julia had told her to fight for Devin because a Cole brother was worth it. She was so glad she’d paid attention to her advice.
In the front row, Connor, Jack, and Giz grinned at her like idiots, Connor going so far as to throw an air kiss in her direction. When Jack punched his arm, she rolled her eyes at them, and they all three shrugged at the same time, eyes wide, as if saying “What did I do?”
Alex stopped at the steps to the altar. Devin’s intense gaze zeroed in on her face, as if he was trying to memorize her and the day. She smiled, and he returned it, transforming his often serious face into an expression so compelling, so beautiful, she found it hard to breathe. She would make it her mission in life to get him to smile that way at least once every day.
He reached for her, and her grandmother released her arm and stepped back. Alex accepted his hand and took a step up to join him. When their fingers touched, she was finally able to draw air into her lungs again, and she took a deep, cleansing breath.
This was it. The moment. She gazed into his eyes, and they sparked, the moss green turning phosphorescent. And she realized that the chapel, and the dress, and the flowers, didn’t matter. They could be in shorts standing in front of a guy who got his minister’s license off the Internet for all she cared. What did matter was that she got to spend the rest of her life—her crazy, faery life—with the man she loved.
He leaned close to her and whispered, “I can’t wait to spend every starry night with you.” Then he brushed his lips ever so lightly on hers.
The elf-priest cleared his throat. “Ahh…you’re getting ahead of yourselves. I haven’t pronounced you married yet.”
“What are you waiting for?” Devin asked.
The chapel echoed with laughter and she squeezed Devin’s hand.
Her marriage would never be boring, of that much she was certain.