UNBROKEN (Friends, Lovers, or Nothing Book 5)

by Jackie Chanel

  “I knew he was going to cry,” I whispered to my father.

  “If he wasn’t then we were going to turn around and go to Popeye’s.”

  I elbowed my dad in the ribs in order to keep from bursting out laughing while Cash sang such a beautiful song. As we got closer, I noticed Aiden opening and closing his hands. Good. He was nervous too.

  As the end of the aisle, we paused for a brief moment to acknowledge the empty chair next to Dina. It was only supposed to be a slight pause like we’d rehearsed but my dad didn’t move towards Aiden. Instead, he gripped my arm a little tighter.

  “Now, Aunt Kat owes me fifty bucks,” I whispered. “I told her you wouldn’t be able to let me go.”

  “What did I tell you about betting against me?”

  His feet began to move again. We stopped under the flowered arch and my father placed my hand in Aiden’s. He gave us a both a tortured smile then patted Aiden’s shoulder and said, “Take care of my baby girl.” Without taking his eyes off of me, Aiden nodded.

  After allowing everyone to be seated, Pastor Hodges welcomed our guests then said,

  “Before we begin our celebration today, Sunny and Aiden would like us all to take a moment to remember those family members who can be with them today solely in spirit, especially the father of the groom, Doug Tyler. Aiden says that his sole mission in life was to make his dad proud of him. He’s done that and would like to take a moment to remember him today.”

  Aiden and I each took a single rose from my bouquet and sat them on the chair next to Dina then walked over to the small table that held a white remembrance candle. Someone had placed a framed photo of Doug and Aiden at the Grammys next to the candle. Aiden’s hands were shaking as we lit the candle together. I turned to go back to the arch but Aiden didn’t move. He stood at the table with his hands gripping the edge and his shoulders heaving as he sobbed.

  “You’re supposed to be here, Dad. You should be here to see me marry the girl you said I should have married the day I met her.”

  I stood next to him while he just stared at the picture and rubbed his back slowly. When he was ready, and not a moment before, we walked back to Pastor Hodges.

  Standing in front of the pastor and being the one he’s speaking to about what marriage means and the bond that we’re creating is totally different from when you are a spectator. It’s boring then but standing at the altar, those words were more powerful than I ever imagined.

  We didn’t want a very heavy and traditional ceremony though. We’d asked him to make it something that would hold everyone’s attention. Since we hadn’t allowed phones in our ceremony, they had nothing else to do but listen.

  “This was a challenging wedding speech to write,” he began. “Aiden entertains people for a living. Sunny, when she wants to be, is hilarious. I knew their friends would expect to be entertained even on the most serious of occasions. So I did what any good man of God would do when help and inspiration is needed; I consulted with my five-year-old daughter. I said, ‘Jasmine, I need some help with a speech about two people who are starting a new journey in life. What do you think I should say to them?’ My child thought for a second then went to her bookcase and handed me a book, a perfect book that fits so well in what these two are about to do. Let me read a few lines from that wonderful book. I’ll paraphrase some it.

  “Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to great places! You’re off and away! You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the ones who’ll decide where to go.”

  Aiden and I started cracking up when our wedding party started reciting along with the pastor. Everybody knew the book he was reading from.

  “You won’t lag behind because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.”

  “Except when you don’t. Because, sometimes, you won’t. I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that bang-ups and hang-ups can happen to you. And then things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too. And that, my friends, was from the book, Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss.”

  “That’s my favorite!” Summer shouted.

  “See! The babies know what’s up,” Pastor Hodges smiled. “Sunny and Aiden, you’re committing your lives to each other and you are the only two people who can make your marriage work. This is a lifelong journey that will not always be easy. Your friends and family aren’t in this with you. It won’t always be perfect. It’s not supposed to be because if there is no such thing as a perfect person then there is no such thing as a perfect marriage. But God brought you together so believe in yourselves as God believes in you.

  “Now,” Pasto Hodges paused for a second. “If you’re a guest here today, it’s because you know and care about these two people. And since you know them, you know they just had to write their own vows. There was no way Aiden was going to get his bride to say ‘love, honor, and obey.’ Let’s just pray that their vows aren’t as long as one of the groom’s solos. There’s no intermission here.”

  “Funny,” I said and looked at Aiden. “You first.”

  Aiden exhaled while I waited for him to find the piece of paper he’d written his vows on. He surprised me by reciting his vows from memory.

  “Sunny, you have been my best friend, mentor, confidant, and my greatest challenge. But most importantly, you are the love of my life and the mother of my children. You make me happier than I could ever imagine and more loved than I ever thought possible. You have made me a better person. I love you unconditionally and without an ounce of hesitation. I vow to always love you, encourage you, trust you, and respect you.

  “I promise to support your dreams and to respect our differences. I promise to cherish you as an individual, a partner, and an equal, knowing that we do not complete, but complement each other. As long as you’ll have me, I am yours to have.”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat because there was no way I could speak around it. I should have known he was going to write something that brought me to my knees. He’s a songwriter. I should have known better.

  “Aiden, I sat at my desk for hours trying to think of something to write but something told me to speak from my heart. Up until you asked, I didn’t know this day would come. Today, surrounded by people who love us, I choose to stand by your side. To be joy to your heart and food for your soul. To learn with you and grow with you, even as time and life change us both.

  “I promise to always be your biggest fan and your partner in crime. I promise to keep our household filled with laughter, patience, understanding, and love. I vow not just to grow old together, but to grow together. I vow to support you, push you, inspire you, and above all, love you, for better or worse. Loving what I know of you and trusting what I don’t yet know, I will love you faithfully until my last breath.”

  Both of us were crying by then. My hands were shaking when Aiden slid my rings onto my finger. After I’d done the same, Aiden leaned forward like he wanted to kiss me but I held up my hand and stepped back.

  “Not so fast,” Pastor Hodges chuckled as our guests laughed. “Just one more question.”

  “What’s that?” Aiden asked with a silly little smirk on his face. He nodded his head towards my boobs. “I was distracted.”

  Pastor Hodges shook his head. “In the presence of God and your family and friends, do you, Aiden Tyler, take Sunny Rain Russell to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

  Aiden smiled that panty-dropping smile and licked his lips. “I do.”

  “Sunny Rain, in the presence of God and your family and friends, do you take Aiden Tyler to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

  I glanced over my shoulder at my best friend. Erica nodded. “Most definitely, I do.”

  “Alright. There you have it, folks
. By the power invested in me by the state of Georgia and the man above, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Aiden, now you can kiss your bride.”

  “No tongue, Tyler,” I murmured as he leaned forward.

  “Yeah, right. C’mere.”

  Our first kiss as husband and wife felt like a new beginning, the start of a lifetime. It was beautiful.

  All three hundred people were on their feet, clapping and cheering, as Pastor Hodges introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Aiden Tyler.

  We actually did it. We’re officially, and legally, going to be together forever.

  Sunny Rain Tyler.

  I love the sound of that.

  Chapter 34: My Life, Your Entertainment

  I HATE STRATEGY meetings, especially strategy meetings that are not music related and take place in restaurants, not offices, and happen three days after I get back from my honeymoon. Also, I truly despise being forced to attend strategy meetings with Sunny, her agent, and the newest members of the S.T.Y.L.E.Z team. Since upgrading her status to Mrs. Sunny Rain Tyler, it was decided that she needs a business manager, publicist, and personal assistant. I agree with her having a personal assistant but I’m still trying to understand why a celebrity stylist needs a manager and an agent, but, as my wife pointed out, I know jack shit about the fashion industry.

  My wife.

  When Pastor Hodges presented us to three hundred people as husband and wife, I realized what all the fuss about marriage was. In that moment, my entire life changed and everything felt brand new. Even Sunny’s lips felt different. She is my wife, and with that knowledge comes a great responsibility, a greater responsibility than I’ve ever had before. I am the one she’ll depend on for the rest of her life for support, love…for everything.

  She’s not my girlfriend or baby mama or friend. Sunny is my wife and that makes her the most important person in my life now. What she wants or needs, she gets. No exceptions.

  “Why are there always so many people out here?” I grumbled, speaking of the fifteen to twenty members of the paparazzi crowding the valet area of Katsuya on Hollywood Boulevard.

  “You know,” Sunny said from the passenger seat. “Since you knew that we were meeting here and you still chose to drive the most recognizable car in LA, you don’t get to complain about paparazzi. We have security and drivers for a reason. You could have driven the Ranger Rover with the tinted windows or my car. Paparazzi doesn’t follow my car. And, when your ex-wife decides to write a book about you, you don’t get to skip a strategy meeting with the suits.”

  “Do I still get to keep my balls or are they going in your purse?”

  Laughing, Sunny leaned over and kissed my cheek while simultaneously rubbing my crotch through my pants.

  “Your balls are right where they need to be.”

  “Let’s ditch those losers and go back to the house. Winter and Summer are with Mom and Jess all day.”

  “They wanted to meet yesterday. If we pull a no-show today, Jade and Roxy will show up at our home.”

  She was right and that was not happening. Roxy and Jade in a private residence is a recipe for disaster. At least in public, there’s a lower probability that one of them will go to jail. They’re less likely to start throwing blows.

  I got out of the car and made a big show of opening Sunny’s door and escorting her into the restaurant, sure that those pictures will be online before we leave. Mr. and Mrs. Tyler were back in the land of beautiful people, but not for long. We’ll be gone in a month and half and the Hollywood paparazzi is definitely going to feel it in their wallets. Good.

  “Aiden! So nice to see you again!” The smiley hostess greeted me like I was her long lost friend. “Ms. Steele reserved the private dining room for you. Follow me. And congratulations on the wedding. Sunny, you looked so beautiful. I read in People that you made your dress yourself. It was gorgeous. The beading detail was stunning.”

  “Thank you,” Sunny answered graciously.

  We had a phone and camera free ceremony but our reception was not. Our reception was the best party I’ve ever been to and it deserved to be recognized. The only pictures of our wedding reception that were online were posted by our celeb friends and our family so we weren’t mad about that, even when the gossip magazines and blogs reposted those pictures.

  The first thing that I noticed when Sunny and I entered the dining room was that the room was divided into two factions, Team Aiden and the S.T.Y.L.E.Z team. Roxy, Tracy, Paulie, and Mona sat on one side of the table. Jade, Rory Goldstein, Sunny’s new business manager, one of her lawyers, Tatum Ford, and her assistant, Dani, sat on the other. The tension in the room was already thick. Sunny and I may love each other but one thing is for sure, our management teams don’t have any love for each other. It’s Jade’s fault. I don’t know how she makes a living in Hollywood. She doesn’t get along with anyone.

  Before I sat down, I asked the hostess to make sure we had a steady flow of wine and vodka because I already know it’s going to be that kind of meeting. No one would move so Sunny and I ended up sitting at opposite ends of the table. This wasn’t a strategy meeting. It was clear from the way the table was set up. This was a face-off. I felt bad for Sunny’s people. When Tracy and Roxy already have a strategy, the other team has no chance. Roxy stood up from the table with a huge smile on her face.

  “Welcome back, Mr. and Mrs. Tyler! You guys look absolutely amazing. Belize must have been good for you.”

  “Welcome back,” was all Jade said to me, but she was gushing over her client. “How was Belize? You look fabulous. You are glowing, Miss Rain.”

  Even though they were perfectly pleasant at our wedding and accommodating of Sunny’s six weeks of bed rest then a month in Atlanta followed by a two week honeymoon in Belize, I could tell that our people were ready to get back to work and so were we. We have big things coming up for both of us, especially my tour and the big move to Atlanta.

  “Belize was incredible,” Sunny smiled at me. “We had the most incredible villa right on the beach. It was two weeks of paradise, for real.”

  “You two needed a break; you truly did,” Roxy said.

  Jade rolled her eyes and sat back down. I guess she didn’t like Roxy being so personal with client because she and I can barely be cordial, let alone personable. I hate Jade as much as she hates me because she’s always telling Sunny how bad I am for her career and how she can do better than me. Maybe the new manager will be able to keep the ungrateful bitchy agent out of her client’s personal business.

  “We have a lot to discuss today,” Roxy said. “First, congrats on the wedding. This wedding has been the talk to the town the entire time you were in Belize.”

  “You guys are new,” Tracy said to Tatum and Rory. “So a lot of the media requests are coming straight to me. I’ve forwarded you the ones I think would be best for Sunny to handle, like the interviews with the bridal magazines. I need your signatures on some releases for photos to The Estate for permission to use your pictures on its website. For some reason, that wasn’t done already. But,” she looked at her partner in crime. “I don’t think the wedding is the real big issue of concern today.”

  “Exactly,” Roxy nodded. “Tracy and I have been working on a defensive plan for this situation for a couple of weeks. I think we have a solid plan.”

  “What exactly is the situation?” Tatum asked.

  “I emailed you,” Paulie said. “End of the Runway by Ramey Hall is the situation.”

  “Oh right, that book by his ex-wife. Got it.”

  “Word out of the publishing house is that the advanced review copies went out on Sunday. Pre-orders alone are going to have this book hit the New York Times and US Today bestseller lists.” Roxy glanced anxiously at me. “I’ve been trying to get my hands on a copy of this damn book. I don’t know what the problem is, but they refuse to give us one. But, I’ve been told that your assistant and your lawyer read it a month ago.”

  “It’s not the final copy. Ramey gave it to m
e after she got it back from her editor. She was trying to convince me to sign the release form.”

  “Did you read it?” Jade and Roxy asked at the same time.

  “No. My lawyer and my assistant read it. I’m prepping for a world tour. I don’t have time to read that stupid book.”

  “Neither do I,” Sunny said. “I’m trying to finish Girl on the Train before the movie comes out. Ramey’s little book is unimportant.”

  “Glad you two care so much,” Jade said. “Mona, you’ve read it? How was it?”

  I felt bad for Mona when Roxy and Jade put her on the spot and started drilling her with a million questions about the book. Even though she was handling herself very well, I had to stop them from harassing her and told them to read it if they wanted to know what was in it.

  “Ramey’s press tour starts next week. Will you have time to read it?” a female voice said from the doorway. I looked and groaned. If I didn’t hate this meeting before, I really hate it now.

  Shanda Lawson is the top model publicist in LA. She reps Ramey and all of Ramey’s friends. I hate that bitch with every inch of my soul. She’s the one who put Ramey in front of every camera she could when we were getting our divorce to sway public opinion in Ramey’s favor.

  “Get out!” Sunny and I both said. Sunny has more reason to hate Shanda because Shanda is also the one who put the bee in Ramey’s ear that Sunny was pregnant by me.

  “You don’t want to kick me out,” Shanda sneered. “I was invited here. I don’t have to give you any heads-up on what my client is going to say nor where she is going to be next week.”

  “Who invited you?”

  Jade spoke up. “I invited her. I know you don’t want to hear it, but when your boyfriend’s-”

  “Husband,” I corrected her. “You were there.”

  “When Aiden’s ex-wife writes a book, even if she doesn’t mention you by name, your association with Aiden during the time they were together makes this book about you as much as it is about him. Shanda is being kind of enough to help us out here.”