Saving Ever After (Ever After #4)

by Stephanie Hoffman McManus

  Jax, Vi, Leila and Cait were already lining up with their bouquets when I joined them. Ace’s adorable niece was also there, holding her basket of flowers waiting for show time. I almost cried seeing Sadie with her veil in place, all ready to walk down the aisle. She looked so gorgeous in her princess-like white dress and hair all done up. We just smiled at each other, both of us blinking back emotions. I grabbed my bouquet and took my spot at the front of the line and then waited for the music to cue.

  The ceremony was beautiful and went off without a hitch. I cried when they exchanged their vows, and then my big sister was officially married.

  The huge doors between the ballroom and the very grand and equally elegantly decorated dining hall were opened and everyone transitioned in there for the reception.

  There were several times during the past few months that Sadie and Jaxyn had both come to visit me in Seattle so that we could plan the wedding together. At the time, I’d thought the seating arrangement we came up with in the dining hall was great. All the small round tables that could each seat six were scattered throughout the room and there was one long table at the head of the room for the bridal party. The bride and groom positioned in the middle and their respective groomsman and bridesmaids down their sides.

  That meant there were six people between me and Chris. Six people separating us. I couldn’t even stare at him across the table because we were all in a line. I didn’t think this arrangement was so great anymore, but I made it through the dinner and the toasting, (me with sparkling cider) only tearing up slightly when it was time for my toast. It was hard to put into words what my sister meant to me and how happy I was for her.

  Then the bride and groom had their moment to share their first dance before Sadie danced with Dad and Ace danced with his Mom and then Grandma Helen. I was dragged out on the dance floor by Spade since it was expected that the best man and maid of honor would join, and then pretty soon more couples filled up the dance floor.

  “So, you and my boy, Chris?” Spade grinned down at me while he twirled me on the hard wood. My pink champagne, chiffon dress swirled at my knees as I chuckled.

  “If that’s what he wants for as long as he wants it,” I answered, looking up at him to try and read his expression. The band was close. The four of them were just as much brothers as Ace and Marcus were or Bas and Chris were. It mattered to me what Spade thought about me and Chris.

  He looked thoughtful for a second, and I grew slightly nervous. “You know, Katrina was a real classy, sexy girl. Successful, independent and mature.” I almost tripped at his words. My stomach fell a little and my face heated with embarrassment. I knew he wasn’t the kind of guy to pull punches, and I knew he had reasons to doubt that I would be good for Chris, but I hadn’t expected him to be so blunt.

  “But I always thought she was such a boring, stuck up, tight ass. Not at all right for Chris,” he finished.

  My head shot up and he smirked.

  “You, you’re way more his style, and as for how long you’ll be what he wants, judging from the way he’s looking at you right now and coming over here to steal you from my arms, I’m thinking I shouldn’t bury this damn penguin suit in the back of my closet. I’m probably going to need it again.”

  My head whipped over my shoulder, and sure enough Chris was striding toward us with purpose. A warm smile spread across his face when our eyes met. He looked so damn good in that tux, and I’d been waiting all morning and afternoon for the moment when he would get to take me in his arms again. I was done with waiting. So done that I didn’t even wait for him to officially cut in before I pulled out of Spade’s embrace and rushed into Chris’.

  He chuckled and dropped one hand to my hip, taking mine in his other hand, “So I guess I don’t need to ask if I can have this dance.”

  “It’s yours. They’re all yours.”

  “I was hoping you would say that.”

  He twirled, spun and dipped me until I thought my face was going to split from grinning so hard. Then the song changed and the music slowed down even more and he pulled me closer. Both of his hands rested on my hips, mine were locked together behind his neck, and every inch of our bodies was pressed together. His movements were soft, slow and sensual, lighting me on fire and making all of my senses hum with acute awareness.

  “You look beautiful, Mia. I know we still have a lot to talk about, but I need you to know that there has never been anything more beautiful than you, in that dress, smiling up at me.” He’d timed that perfectly just before my Dad approached to cut in so that I didn’t even have time to properly swoon or tell him how damn good he looked in that tux, and how I could smile up at him for hours because he was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen and I was insanely, completely, irrevocably in love with him. I’d just have to remember to tell him all that later.

  Chapter 36

  Chris

  Mia looked so gorgeous in her strapless dress that was somewhere between light pink and peach, but not really either. Strawberry blonde curls fell in waves over one bare shoulder and stayed in place even as her dad twirled her. I felt like I’d only just got to steal her away from Spade and take her into my arms after waiting all day, when Mr. Pierce cut in.

  It had been torture to let her walk down the aisle on Spade’s arm and then allow him to dance with her first when I wanted everyone in the room to know that she was mine. I didn’t want to share her with anyone, not even her dad.

  I hadn’t missed the subtle looks of disapproval he’d been aiming my way since this morning. Rather than being put off by it, I was relieved to see him show concern for his daughter. It was about time. Watching the way Mia’s eyes sparkled as he spun her around the dance floor, I knew it meant everything to her to have that moment with him.

  There were so many questions I still wanted to ask her, about her treatment and therapy. About her new relationship with her dad and even Leila and Cait, who I had watched her hug in a surprising display of affection earlier. I wanted to know what she’d been doing since she got out of treatment and more importantly what her plans were for the future and what she wanted.

  I knew what I wanted.

  The current song faded out and Mr. Pierce bent down to kiss his daughter’s cheek. That was my cue to get my ass back out there, but as the next song started up, the other Kris stepped in and claimed the next dance with Mia. I watched, disgruntled, as Mia accepted the hand he offered her, but at the same time she twisted her neck to look over her shoulder and she sought me out with her eyes. When they found me she smiled reassuringly, easing some of the tension. I smiled back and gave her a nod to show that I wasn’t going to lose my cool because she was dancing with the hockey player.

  It didn’t mean I wanted to watch it though. It was hard enough to know how close those two had been, in every way, and to remember the tears she shed over him when he shut her out. Whatever he was to her now, I was just going to have to accept, but I would be damn sure to make it clear that she was mine when I got the chance.

  Rather than watch Mia with Kris, I walked over to the table where my brother and Lissa were sitting. Abby was nestled in her mother’s arms. I dropped down into one of the empty seats at their table, one that allowed me to have my back to the dance floor so I wouldn’t be tempted to glare at Kris for the next three and a half minutes until the song ended and I could steal Mia back.

  “Hey pretty girl,” I grinned at my eight month old niece. It was hard to believe how fast she was growing. She smiled, cooed and reached her tiny fingers out for me as she used those little legs of hers to try and push herself up off her moms lap and into mine. I held out my arms, and Lissa happily let her daughter go.

  “She’s all yours now. I’m going to get some more champagne,” she said.

  “Who needs Mommy, when you have Uncle Chris, right sweet girl?” I held out my hand for Abby to latch onto and bounced my knees softly. She giggled and brought my fingers to her mouth trying to shove them inside. “I don’t think so,” I
told her, pulling my hand away from her mouth and then leaning down and pretending to playfully nip at her hands. She giggled and batted at my mouth, getting a good smack in.

  “Damn, girl. Daddy already been teaching you that right hook to use against the boys?”

  Bas just laughed. “That’s my girl.” At the sound of Bas’ voice, Abby twisted in my arms and started reaching for him, babbling something that might have been da-da. He took her from me, and I watched the way he smiled at her and then blew kisses and raspberries all over her cheeks and arms, while she squealed and giggled in delight. It was still a little surreal. My baby bro was a dad, and a damn good one. He had a beautiful wife and maybe the cutest little girl I’d ever seen.

  “You know, you’re going to have your hands full once she’s a teenager. I think it’s going to take a lot more than teaching her to throw a punch to keep the boys away.”

  “That’s why I’m counting on Ky teaching Abel to throw punches too. He’ll have her back the way we had Jax’s.”

  “And what happens when Abel is the one you gotta worry about?” I grinned and he just glared at me.

  “Fuck, if he’s anything like Ky, which he already is, I know I’m going to have to worry about him, but I’m also hoping that he’ll have enough of Jax in him, that it will be okay.”

  “Don’t say that word in front of our daughter.” Lissa scolded him as she returned to her seat, champagne glass refilled.

  Bas cringed, “Sorry.” Then he rolled his eyes at me, and I had to hide my smile.

  “Hey, I saw that, and I’m serious. I will not have her first real word be a curse word.” Lissa had really been cracking down on people swearing around Abby ever since Abel said “fuck” a few weeks ago. Ky and I and just about all the guys thought it was the funniest shit in the world. Well at least Ky did right up until Jax heard it. He didn’t find it quite so amusing when his woman was glaring at him.

  Any day now Jax would be going to the doctor to find out the sex of their second child. Jax had a feeling that it was a girl. Ky was insisting it was another boy. I was pretty sure that he was also praying he was right. He needed at least one more boy before they had a girl, because if they had a daughter, Ky was fucked and he knew it. Probably even more than Bas was fucked. He was going to have his hands full and any daughter of theirs was going to need all the brothers Ky could give her.

  Jax, with her baby bump visible under her dress that matched Mia’s, appeared with Ky at her side and Abel in his arms like they’d heard me thinking about them. They slid into the two empty seats next to mine and as soon as Abel and Abby spotted each other, they were squirming to get out of their parents’ arms.

  I just grinned at Bas, and he shook his head, reading my mind.

  Pretty soon Ky had both babies in his lap, bouncing and tickling the two of them. Anyone who knew Ky and saw that, couldn’t deny that miracles happen.

  Jax watched him affectionately, with the kind of look in her eye that said if she wasn’t already knocked up, she’d be dragging him off to find a coat closet. When Ky looked up and saw his wife smiling at him like that, the look in his eye said that he didn’t care that she was already knocked up, he was still going to be dragging her off to find a coat closet.

  “So when are you and Lissa having your second kid?” I teased my brother.

  “I don’t know. When are you having your first?” he shot back. He’d meant it as a joke, but fuck if it didn’t hit me harder than I’d expected. My brother. Ky. Now Ace. Everyone was settling down and starting families. I’d be lying if I said that the idea of me being next didn’t scare the shit out of me a little, but I’d also be lying if I said I wasn’t the tiniest bit jealous of them. A part of me was ready for that. I don’t know when the hell that happened, only that it had. Without even thinking about it, my body twisted just slightly in my seat. My head turned to look out over the dance floor and my eyes found Mia.

  Something told me she had everything to do with it. Maybe I wasn’t quite ready for marriage and babies, but thinking about a future like that with Mia, well there was nothing scary about that. I turned back to look at my brother and he must have read it all in my expression.

  “You sure about this, about her?” he asked. Several sets of eyes locked on me, waiting for my answer.

  “I’ve never been as sure of anything as I am her,” I answered all of them.

  “Okay,” he nodded and I saw Jax grin triumphantly like she’d seen this coming all along. Hell, she probably had. Ky rolled his eyes at his giddy wife and then leaned over in his seat to kiss her.

  Yeah, I wanted that.

  “Bro, you might want to get out there before someone else beats you to it,” Bas nodded in the direction of the dance floor just in time for me to realize the song was finally over and Mia was standing by herself out there.

  Not for long.

  Chapter 37

  Mia

  I knew how Cinderella felt when she heard that clock chime midnight. How hard it must have been for her to tear herself away from Charming when she wanted to stay with him. I knew because I was feeling it in that moment as I looked around the room and saw that barely a handful of guests remained. Tables were being cleared and the sound system dismantled. Ace and Sadie had long since taken off for their hotel in Seattle since they were catching a flight out in the morning headed for their honeymoon.

  Chris was saying goodnight to Bas who had hung around even after Lissa had taken Abby up to bed in their room. My dad and the twins had already said their goodnights. Even Grandma Helen had partied out a little over an hour ago and had said goodnight only slightly disappointed that she hadn’t had the opportunity to zap anyone. Mom had been a no show, but I witnesses Grandma Helen copping a few feels, so overall I think it was a good night for her.

  Kris was still hanging around, I think to see what I was doing, but I wasn’t ready for the night to end. “I take it you’re not coming upstairs right away?” He asked with a knowing smirk.

  “I’m not sure.” My eyes were still on Chris, laughing and joking with his brother, and Spade who had joined them.

  “Well I’m heading up since I’ve got to be up early to make my flight back to Boston. Hit me up when you’re back in the city.”

  I finally tore my eyes away from Chris to give the other Kris a pointed look. “If. If I go back to Boston. I don’t know for sure that I will.” My decision was riding on a lot of unknowns at the moment. A lot of things I had yet to work out.

  Kris just chuckled, “Right. Like I said, hit me up when you’re back.”

  “Whatever, have a safe flight,” I told him and he pulled me in for a quick hug before disappearing and leaving me standing awkwardly by myself at the back of the room. When my eyes casually drifted back to where moments ago, Chris had been standing with his brother and Spade, I was surprised to find him now standing alone, much like I was. He was also watching me with an unreadable expression. Then he was crossing the room towards me.

  Then he was standing right in front of me, looking damn good and partially disheveled with his previously perfectly styled hair in disarray, shirt now untucked, bow tie loosened and tux jacket hanging over his arm.

  “You sticking around waiting for me?” he grinned.

  “I, uh,” I totally was, but I wasn’t going to admit that, but he saw through me anyway.

  “Good. I was hoping you would. I know you’re probably tired after today and all that dancing,” Once he’d re-staked his claim as my dance partner, he didn’t let me go again except for a few water and bathroom breaks. Chris liked to dance. And it seemed he liked to do it with me. Who was I to object? “but I was thinking we could go finish that talk we started last night.”

  “Okay,” I nodded, even though I was tired. I’d deal with a little sleep deprivation if it meant holding onto this night just a little longer and maybe getting some answers to the questions running rampant in my head, like what last night and today meant for us. It felt like we were moving in a good
direction, but some answers would be nice.

  “We can go up to my room, or yours, whatever you’re more comfortable with,” he suggested since we didn’t have a whole lot of options around the resort this late.

  “I’m sharing a room with Cait and Leila, sooo . . .”

  “Mine it is then.”

  I followed him up to the top floor, which was really just one above mine, but when he opened his door, I knew these rooms were the suites, and that was saying something considering that every room in this place was like a suite. Everything in his room was just a step above mine, bigger, plusher, sleeker. The best part of his was that he didn’t have to share it.

  Things had come a long way with Cait and Leila. We were getting along at least, which was progress, but that didn’t mean that Leila wasn’t still Leila, and that she didn’t still act like a stuck up brat on permanent spring break from life with Cait along for the ride.

  “Trade you rooms,” I said, dropping onto the cushy sofa in the sitting area of his room.

  He dropped down beside me, “Something wrong with yours?”

  “Besides having to share it with my sisters, no.”

  “Ah, not feeling the sisterly love?”

  I sighed, “It’s not that. Things are a lot better between us, but . . .”

  “What?”

  “Leila is still Leila even though she’s toned down the bitch,” I explained. “I love them both, and I’m glad we worked a lot out, but I’d love them more if I wasn’t stuck sharing a room with them.”

  “Yeah, I noticed Leila trying to do her thing with Spade. It didn’t get her far with him.”

  “I know, and last I heard she had a boyfriend, but she uses that term loosely.”