by Amy J. White
I finally looked up from my work, startled. “Has it been four years?”
“Almost five now. The last time we saw each other was my wedding.”
Guilt filled my stomach as I pushed the needle through three stitches and gently pulled the thread too. Technically, running stitches weren't the best thing for silk, but I was making it work. I had to make it work.
“I'm sorry.”
Bethany shrugged. “Sweetie, we are adults. Just because I haven't seen you in a while it doesn't mean we aren't still friends. You didn't miss my wedding, and I'm not going to miss yours.”
Wedding. Wow! Today I was getting married. Six months before the hottest guy in the entire universe had swept into my life and proposed. Had it been absolutely insane to get engaged less than a week after meeting? Yes. Absolutely! But I wouldn't trade it for the world. Corporal Andrew Dixon was the love of my life, and I hadn't needed six months to figure that out. I had, however, needed six months to get my small business off the ground and he'd helped every step of the way.
Vintage Bluebell would never make me rich. I was okay with that. It would pay my bills without having to run myself ragged, and that was the best thing that anyone could ask for.
Well, that and falling asleep in Drew's arms at night. And then seriously waking up to him every morning. And feeling his hands on my-
“Hun?” Bethany said, dragging me out of my daydreams.
“Yeah?”
“You've got twenty minutes before you are supposed to walk down the aisle. Do you need me to go out there and cause a scene? Push the nuptials back? I could set something on fire. The best man, for instance.”
I smirked, remembering my own first encounter with Drew's brother. Leon was wild but he had his brother's best interests at heart. It had taken the better part of a month and a half for me to realize that his sleazy comments had been for his brother's sake.
“He wouldn't have done shit if I hadn't been an ass,” Leon had explained, loudly, at the engagement party.
It had gone a long way to helping her forgive him. Plus the five thousand dollar gift he'd plopped into her bank account to help her buy fabric, decent equipment, and a couple extra dress forms had sealed the deal. Leon was a good guy, even if he could be a jerk.
“He might think you are flirting.”
“Ew,” Bethany said. “I'm married. Happily married.”
“How is Will?” I asked, holding up the skirt. Just needed a little more. My hand was cramping, but it was a small price to pay.
“Fine but totally fixated on his business.” Bethany rolled her eyes, but smirked. “He's in...Canada? I think? British Columbia.”
“And you?”
“I'm still enjoying being a full time housewife. I volunteer at the library and at the nursing home.”
“Is Will still completely against having children?”
Bethany shrugged. I had grown up next door to Bethany. She was three months older, but once upon a time we'd been nearly sisters. It was a sign of how much that friendship had meant to both of us when she'd dropped everything after years of a distant friendship to be my one and only bridesmaid. She'd had a collection of baby dolls growing up. I'd spent my time dressing them up. She'd spent her time playing mommy. All Bethany had ever wanted to be was a mom.
“He says we can talk about it in a few more years. He wants me to himself for a while longer. It's romantic if you think about it.”
I nodded, but I didn't agree. It was her choice, and I didn't want to step on toes.
“Done,” I said, giving a massive sigh of relief. I held up the skirt and it was absolutely perfect. “Help me into it?”
“That's what I'm here for.”
Together we puddled the skirt on the ground. Gently she slid it up my legs and fastened the twenty-seven—I'd sewn every last one by hand—buttons. I took a little turn in the mirror. The skirt was a massive bell, with a modest train. The bodice was a corset, with tiny bits of lacy applique. Someone would have to look very close to see that there were delicate cat prints hidden in the lace. An ode to Charlie, who was probably perfectly comfortable at the apartment, sunbathing. When I faced Bethany there were tears in her steel-blue eyes.
“Okay, I thought you were bonkers when you told me that you were going to make your own dress.”
“Oh, you weren't wrong.”
“But it's perfect,” she whispered. “You look incredible.”
I heard a little bell in the distance and smirked.
“Let's go see what Drew thinks.”
Epilogue II
Drew
“I swear on my gun that I will shoot you if you don't fucking relax.”
“Good fucking luck, Leon.” I triple check the buttons of my dress uniform. “I'm bullet proof today.”
Leon snorted. “You sure you want to do this man? Marriage is a full time deal.”
“No shit.”
“Corporal Dixon?” A smartly dressed woman with a tablet tucked under one arm filled the doorway. The wedding planner, I couldn't remember her name, even though she'd masterminded the most important day. Ever since meeting Lydia, all the other woman of the world seemed less important.
“Yeah?”
“We are ready for you.”
She led me through the seaside bed and breakfast. I smelled ocean air and roast chicken. It was going to be a damn good day.
The guests were already seated, the preacher already set up. I stood in my spot and Leon stood in his. I should be nervous, I thought. Weren't guys nervous when they got married? Every time I heard my buddies talking about getting hitched they talked about it like the end of the game. It didn't feel like that to me. It felt like the right thing. It felt like the mission I'd been waiting for.
The music went up. The doors opened. Beth stood there. I'd remembered her name, but only because Lydia said it all the time. They'd been childhood friends, and I was grateful that she made Lydia happy.
“Last chance,” Leon whispered.
“Not on your life.”
Leon said some choice phrases that would not have been welcomed in a church. I ignored him. I could see her shadow. What did it say about me that I knew the shape of my woman's shadow? My very own woman. I liked how that sounded. In about ten minutes she was going to be my wife. I liked that even more.
The guests stood up. I didn't even notice them. I knew my family was there, and hers. But most of the seats were filled with my squad mates. The Screaming Demons went into every battle together. And they celebrated together.
“Here she comes,” Leon said, like it was a warning.
“Yeah,” I said. I was surprised that there was a knot in my throat.
I saw white silk first, and then a hip, and then her. My heart swelled until my eyes got wet. I was not going to cry. Not here. Not at my own damn wedding. Leon would never let me forget it.
She'd done something fancy with her hair. I didn't know what it was, I wasn't sure that it mattered. She could have thrown it up with one of her pencils and I'd still have thought she was beautiful.
She walked towards me like a dream. It took everything in me not to walk down the aisle and meet her halfway. When she stopped and her dad put her hand in mine I lost the battle with that knot in my throat. If Leon brought up the tears, I'd shoot him.
“Hey,” she mouthed.
“You look incredible,” I whispered.
She let her gaze roam from my shiny boots to my awards, to my new haircut.
“You don't look so bad yourself,” she said as we approached the preacher. “For a military guy.”
I don't remember the prayer the preacher said, or the moment when he asked if anyone had a reason that we shouldn't be married. What I remembered was promising Lydia, the most incredible woman I'd ever met, that I was going to have and hold her in sickness and in health for the rest of my life.
“You may now kiss the bride.”
It was about fucking time.
I wrapped my arms around my wife an
d kissed her until I couldn't breathe. It didn't take long. She had that effect on me. The preacher had to tap me on the shoulder to remind me we were in front of a crowd.
“Hey there, Corporal Dixon,” Lydia smirked.
“Hey there Mrs. Dixon.”
She laughed as we went down the aisle, arm and arm. I was going to do everything in my life to make sure she had a reason to laugh every day for the rest of our lives.
About the Author
Amy J. White is a contemporary romance author whose stories predominantly feature curvy women and alpha men. She is a hopeless romantic, and your support is her inspiration.
Also by Amy J. White
Stray Hearts (Alpha Squad Book 2)
Ethan (Hot Small Town Alphas Book 1)
Casey (Hot Small Town Alphas Book 2)
Chaz (Hot Small Town Alphas Book 3)
Eric (Hot Small Town Alphas Book 4)
Marcus (Hot Small Town Alphas Book 5)
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