by J. A. Low
“I didn’t know we were having two kids when I bought it, but I wanted us to have somewhere we could escape the city. Now we can show them what it’s like to ride horses, milk a cow, ride quad bikes, all that cool stuff they can’t do in the city.
“I love it, Chris, I love it so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you.” I wrap my arms around his neck and smother him in kisses.
“When I see you again, you are going to be walking down that aisle about to become my wife…again.” I kiss Vanessa goodbye as I move in with Axel for the night.
“I know we are already married, but I kind of like this tradition, you are going to appreciate me more when you see me,” she says, giving me a peck on the cheek.
“Angel, I will one hundred percent appreciate watching you walk toward me down the aisle. Having a night away isn’t going to dim that.” She rolls her eyes at me.
“Just go have fun with the boys.” She pushes me out of our room. “Fine, but one more thing.” I step toward her again. “I love you, Mrs. Taylor.” I grab her face and kiss the life out of her. “Just want you to remember that,” I smile at her.
“Love you too, Mr. Taylor. Now scat I have stuff to do.” She pushes me out the door. My shoulders sink as I slowly trudge down toward Axel’s room.
“Hey, what’s with you?” Axel questions as I plonk down on the extra bed in his room.
“Just don’t like being apart from Ness, that’s all.”
Axel chuckles, “Such a pussy.”
I glare at my brother. “Whatever, your time will come and I can’t wait to call you a pussy.”
Axel laughs, “That is going to be a long time in hell before that happens.”
I raise my brow at him. “Really?” He probably doesn’t realize I know a little more about his extracurricular activities with Olivia, thanks to Ness spilling the beans one night while we lazed by the fire.
“If you know something spit it out.” He glares at me.
“What I have heard is you are getting pretty close with one Lady Olivia Pearce. Are you getting ready to become Lord of the Manor?” I tease.
Axel’s fists clench as he shoots daggers at me. “She is just a bit of fun, nothing more.”
I stare at my twin; he knows he can’t hide from me. “You sure?” I test him.
He sits down on the opposite bed. “If you tell anyone I will fucking kill you, none of this gossiping shit that we do, okay?” I nod. “Fine, yes I like Olivia, a little more than I should. It’s complicated. I’m not sure what the girls have told you about it.”
“Nothing much, Ness just said that you and Olivia had hooked up in Monaco, that was about it.”
Axel scrubs his face. “Yeah, true.” He looks uncomfortable. “They asked me to teach her things.”
Yep, I kind of choked on his words. “What do you mean, teach?”
“Sex stuff that she wasn't very experienced in because she is stuck up on a mountain here in the middle of nowhere. Derrick thought I would be a good candidate for her.”
“They’d be right, you have made it clear time and time again that you just want sex nothing more.”
“Yeah…” He trails off.
“But?”
“After you and Ness went home together, which I might add sucked because when it’s your own bachelor party you should be partying.”
I give my brother a look.
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Anyway, Nate took us to the Paradise Club, the two parties kind of joined together. That’s where Derrick approached me. He didn’t need to though I kind of already had my sights on her.”
I knew she would catch his eye. “And?”
“She is my type in every way.” He lets those words sink in.
“But I thought she was inexperienced?”
“Kind of, I think she is just more cautious around men, except me, I don’t know what happened but it was kind of intense.”
“So have you kept in touch or was it just a holiday fling?”
He didn’t look at me and that was all the validation I needed. “You’ve been texting her?”
“Fuck, I wish, she won’t talk to me. After that weekend in Monaco, she disappeared, gave me a fake number.”
Now I burst out laughing. I don’t think Axel has ever been given a fake number in his life. “She must have known she would see you again, I mean hello, the wedding.”
Axel just shrugs his shoulders, he looks a little lost, which I am totally taking in because it’s a first, and I try not to tease him as much, but it’s killing me not to. It’s a brother thing. He does generally look confused about it all. “Guess there’s a first time for everything, brother. A chick that just isn’t into you.”
“Asshole, I know you are enjoying this.” He glares at me.
“Okay, I’m not going to lie, I am laughing on the inside, but I can see you don’t know what to do about her.” He nods, it’s rare that Axel ever asks me for advice. “Have you tried to talk to her since you arrived?”
“Yes, but she keeps ignoring me, telling me she is busy.”
“Well technically that’s true, she is running this estate by herself, and she is helping Cammie and Kim with the wedding details.” Axel nods in agreement. “So, maybe just wait until after the wedding, its only one more day, maybe then the stress of hosting it at her home will be gone, we still have New Year’s here don’t forget.”
“Yeah, maybe you’re right,” he mumbles.
“I’m sorry, what did you say? I didn’t quite hear it.”
“I said maybe you’re right, asshole,” he chuckles.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought you said, I just wanted you to repeat it because I think pigs have flown over or something.”
“Asshole,” he grumbles, flipping me off.
“Yeah, yeah, I know. But can I ask you something?” Axel smiles and nods at me. “Do you like her? I mean really like her or are you just pissed because someone turned you down?”
Axel is silent for a moment thinking it over. “I like her, she is the first girl in forever that I like. Now don’t go calling me a pussy alright because it’s not like that so don’t get ahead of yourself. We clicked, especially sexually.”
This is kind of shocking.
“I know shocking, the innocent girl clicking with the manwhore rock star.” He said it not me. “I showed her some of the things I am into and well…”
“Do I really need to hear this?” I ask him.
“No, probably not. But anyway she shocked me, and in a good way. In a way that I kind of want to keep doing.”
“Aww, you’ve got a crush.”
“Yeah, I guess I do, but she wants nothing to do with me. Is this like karma for all the years that I have done this to girls?”
“Probably.”
“Well it sucks.”
“Maybe it was just a holiday fling, I mean really, how would you work together? Would you become Lord of the Manor? Would you want to live here away from everything you built in LA?”
“Chris, I just want more sex, we are not talking about anything more.”
I frown at him, because that is not the impression he just gave me.
“I know we would never work, but…”
“You want to see if it was just a one off kind of thing between the two of you?”
“Yeah, was it just holiday Olivia?”
“Well just wait, you still have plenty of time before we have to leave, I mean you could always extend your stay after we have all gone.”
He shrugs. “Come on let’s go catch up with the others, I need a drink.”
“You’re getting married,” Derrick yells, running into my bedroom, waking me.
Sienna stirs beside me, we had a girls’ night in my suite while Christian went to his brother’s room.
“Come on, are you not excited?” Derrick bounces on the bed which makes my stomach turn.
“Stop fucking jumping on the bed where two pregnant women are lying, unless you want to be thrown up over,” Sienna yells at
Derrick.
“Shit, sorry.” He backs away and grabs the packet of crackers that are beside the bed and hands them to her, she quickly snatches them and eats a couple then hands them to me, I follow, settling my upset stomach.
There is a knock at the door. “I’ll get it,” Derrick sings cheerily. “Hey, princess.”
“Morning, I thought you might be hungry so brought up some breakfast.” Olivia is holding a tray filled with fresh fruit and juice, bacon and scrambled eggs and pancakes.
“You are a lifesaver; these girls are starving,” Derrick adds.
“Morning, are you ladies up?” Camryn comes strolling in as Sienna and I come out of the bathroom, damn pregnant belly making me pee. “We have much to do today,” she says in full wedding organizer mode. “Hair and make-up will be here in about forty-five minutes. That will take a while and they will start with the bridesmaids first and then finish with Vanessa so she is the freshest. Yvette will come and help you all get dressed, and after that there are photos before we head downstairs to get you married.”
***
Hours later everyone’s hair and make-up is done, even the parents. Now is the time to try and haul my ass into my dress, I’m nervous now. Yvette helps me and does me up, she is a magician putting in a little bit extra room for my belly that seems to be ever expanding. I take a couple of deep breaths as she fastens my veil into my hair, I take a look at myself in the mirror and the vision hits me.
“No, no, no, V, don’t cry you will ruin your makeup.” Yvette tries to calm me down, but it is hard because my damn pregnancy hormones are going crazy, and it’s my wedding day and I look beautiful in my wedding dress. Then I start to think about my two little girls in my belly and that makes me cry even more and I kind of just want Christian to give me a cuddle.
“Hey, hey, no crying.” Camryn rushes in. “Make-up stat,” she calls out and the make-up artist rushes in, her make-up brush poised and ready to go. “Luckily they put waterproof make up on us all, I think we are going to need it.” Cammie smiles at me, and I can see the distinct glistening in her eyes.
“Don’t you fucking dare start crying on me,” I warn her.
“But you look beautiful,” she compliments with the biggest smile.
“I know…” And the tears start again.
“I think we might hold off on the make-up, I have a feeling it’s about to get worse,” Cammie whispers to the make-up artist. “Here comes the bride,” Camryn calls out as I leave the bedroom where Yvette dressed me. I hear everyone’s gasp as I take a couple of steps through the room, then complete silence. I look up and see all my family and friends before me, tears in their eyes and smiles on their faces. Everyone looks beautiful, my mum is dressed in a beautiful burgundy evening dress, designed by Yvette, my dad is in a tuxedo, probably for the first time in his life, and he looks so handsome. I look over and see my bridesmaids, Sienna, Camryn, Isla and Stacey. They look so elegant in their black evening dresses with white orchid bouquets in their hands. And Derrick, bloody hell that man looks fine as hell in a tux.
Mum is the first to break free from the spell and wraps her arms around me. “You are a vision, sweetheart,” she coos, trying to stop herself from falling apart.
“You don’t scrub up half bad, kiddo.” Dad stands beside Mum, giving me a smirk.
“You don’t scrub up to badly either.” I launch myself into his arms. “Princess, I am so bloody proud of you,” he tells me as he kisses my forehead. “You found a good one in that boy; he is going to love you and your baby girls something fierce for the rest of your life. You have both been through so much as a young couple and yet you have come out stronger, I couldn’t be happier.”
Shit, Dad. I ball my eyes out and hug him a little tighter.
“Don’t wrinkle his suit, Ness,” Derrick mumbles, making me laugh as I pull away from my dad.
“You girls look amazing.” I move over to where they are standing.
“You look absolutely stunning.” Sienna smiles, giving me a kiss. “Just enjoy today, it is going to go quickly. Take a moment to have some time with Christian,” she whispers to me.
“Okay I think we need to get all our make-up redone again,” Camryn announces with a smile.
***
It’s time to marry my man. Charlotte and her photographer friends are walking around taking photos of us as the wedding party makes their way carefully down the grand staircase toward the medieval chapel where the ceremony will be held. Please don’t fall, please don’t fall, I repeat my manta as I make my way down the stone stairs.
“Okay, everyone is ready for you,” Kimberly says and smiles at me. “The bridesmaids will go first and then the music will change and it will be your turn. Are you ready?” she asks and my wedding party all nod in agreement.
Dad places my hand on his forearm trying to stop me from shaking. “You’re doing good kiddo.”
I nod, not feeling the greatest, my nerves getting the best of me, not sure why I am so bloody nervous when we are already married. I try and center myself, looking down at the gorgeous orchid bouquet resting in my hand. The music starts and Kimberly is counting in the bridesmaids, one by one they disappear behind the wooden doors and once they have all gone the doors close again and the music changes. Kimberly gives me the universal sign for go as she opens up the wooden doors and I take my first steps down the aisle. My heart is racing a million miles a minute; I can see blurs of faces as I slowly walk down the long aisle. I hear the gasps and well wishes from the crowd around me, then my eyes meet Christian’s and those whiskey colored eyes looking at me with lust, love, devotion and pride. I can see the first tear fall down his cheek as he stands at the alter looking at me in awe. He looks so handsome in his tuxedo, very James Bond. That thought makes me smile as I think about his request for a James Bond themed bachelor party. I turn my attention to the rest of the guys standing beside him looking equally as dapper as my husband. Derrick gives me the biggest smile and two thumbs up, which makes me laugh. We make it to the end and Dad hands me over to Christian who can’t take his eyes off me.
“You look like an angel,” Christian whispers.
“You look like James Bond,” I whisper back, making him smile.
We both turn and look at Derrick who is standing proud, our celebrant. Yes, Derrick is marrying us, what were we thinking?
“The bride and groom have elected to say their own vows,” Derrick announces.
“I, Christian, take you Vanessa to be my lawfully wedded wife. I promise to love, honor and cherish you. I promise to not look at the credit card bills when there is a Louboutin sale on. I promise to cook dinner for you every night. I promise to always leave the toilet seat down and make sure there is enough toilet paper available. I promise to do manly things like chop wood to fulfill your unhealthy lumberjack fantasies. I promise to give you foot massages twice a week.”
“Six times,” I interrupt.
“Five.”
The congregation giggles.
“Four, and that is my final offer.”
Christian rolls his eyes. “Fine, I promise to give you foot massages four times a week.” This makes me smile. “I promise to love you in sickness and in health. I promise to love you when you are as big as a whale with our babies inside of you. I promise to be a vault when it comes to your secrets and anyone else’s.”
“Ness, no sharing from the vault,” Derrick says, making everyone laugh.
“I promise to take you on regular dates, even when we have kids. I promise to still grab your ass when we are old and gray. But most of all, I promise to be the best husband you will ever have.”
Tears run down my cheeks listening to Christian’s vows.
“Oh and yeah, I promise to love you forever, nearly forgot that. That one is kind of important,” he says, making us all laugh. He finishes off by leaning over and kissing my cheek.
“Hey, not yet,” Derrick chides him. “Vanessa, it is your turn.”
I take a deep breath,
and hope I can make it through them. “I, Vanessa, take you Christian as my lawfully wedded husband. To have and to never let go even when there are manic fans around, they may be little but they are strong, but I promise no matter what I won’t let you go.” This makes him smile. “I promise I will attempt to cook dinner once a week.”
“Four times,” Christian adds.
“Two times.”
“Sold,” Christian agrees, making us laugh.
“I promise to let you watch football in peace and not try and distract you in some kind of way that usually works.” I wiggle my eyebrows at him.
“Don’t you dare stop doing that, woman,” Christian declares.
“I promise that I will stay healthy for you. I promise that I will believe you when you tell me that man flu is worse than anything else in the world, and I promise to attempt to make you chicken soup just like your mum.” Looking over to where his mum is sitting she gives me a thumbs up. “I promise to not work as much, even though technically you are the boss and set my hours.” This makes him laugh.
“Fine, you’re fired,” he whispers to me. I give him a stern look. “Fine, but you need to cut back those hours.”
“I promise to hide any new purchases from you and pretend that they have always been in my wardrobe. I promise to love, honor, and obey you sometimes. But most of all I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.” I wipe the lingering tear from Christian’s face.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Derrick declares excitedly. “You may kiss the bride.”
Christian’s face lights up, he takes a step toward me, grabs my face pulling it to his and the lightest of kisses coast my lips. I can feel him smiling against them. “I love you, Ness,” he whispers, before opening his lips for a more passionate kiss, which makes everyone cheer.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Christian Taylor,” Derrick declares as we start to make our way down the aisle, the smiling faces of our family and friends greet us as we walk. The nerves from early in the day are gone, and new memories of our wedding day linger.