by A. K. Evans
I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Monroe dressed in her wedding gown walking down the aisle to me.
“If it were up to me I would have married her already. She wants the fairy-tale wedding with all of her family there. I’ll give that girl everything she wants, so if it means I’ve got to wait to marry her, I’ve got no choice.”
“We’re ruined, aren’t we?”
“I’m afraid so,” I answered honestly. “But, they’re worth it. She is worth it, Zane. I don’t know how I got so fucking lucky.”
He laughed and confessed, “I ask myself that same question every single day.”
Wes and Luke walked up to us.
“Is it showtime yet?” I asked.
Wes shook his head and said, “Not yet, but I wish it was. I can’t wait until this wedding madness is over.”
“Par for the course, isn’t it?” Luke added.
“Maybe, but I’d have been happy with getting married by the Justice of the Peace. I just want her to be my wife. I could do without all the bells and whistles.”
“Tell me about it,” Zane chimed in. “Emme, my mom, and her mom are going crazy with the planning.”
“Have you set a date yet?” Wes asked.
“She’s considering waiting until her father retires and her parents move out here. That’s not happening for nearly another whole year. I told her I’m not waiting that long, so she needs to figure it out and it needs to be sometime before the end of this year. With the Olympics next winter, I’m not sure how it’s going to all work out with the intense training schedule.”
There was a knock at the door. I walked over, opened it, and saw Wes’ mom there.
“Hey, Mama B,” I said as I gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Are they ready for us?”
“Just about, but I wanted a quick moment with my son if you wouldn’t mind.”
“Not at all,” I answered. “Zane, Luke,” I called and jerked my head toward the door. They followed behind me and we stood outside. We were joined shortly thereafter by Wes’ fourth groomsman, Greg. Greg was Charley’s friend she met when she worked at the diner. She grew close to him while she worked there and insisted on having him in the wedding. It worked out well since Charley would have Monroe, Emme, Nikki, and Wes’ sister, Elle, all standing with her.
“God, you guys are so much calmer than the five women in that room,” Greg announced. “Love them all, but damn do they drive me crazy.”
Zane, Luke, and I all laughed. That sounded about right.
A few minutes later, Wes and his mom stepped outside of the room. Wes looked to Greg and asked, “Is she ready?”
Greg nodded and added, “Wes, our girl looks fabulous.”
Normally, someone calling Charley their girl would have sent Wes over the edge, but he knew he had nothing to worry about. Greg was gay and in a serious, committed relationship for quite some time now. He and Charley were close and Wes supported their friendship wholeheartedly.
We were told it was time to get started. Music was being played on the organ. The guys and I all walked in and took our places next to Wes at the altar. The music changed and the girls were making their way down the aisle. Elle walked in first. Nikki followed behind her.
I was standing between Luke and Zane, and the moment Luke saw Nikki I heard him make a noise. They may not have made anything official between the two of them, but he was just as ruined as the rest of us.
Nikki made it to the altar and my eyes went back to the end of the aisle. My lungs stopped functioning at the sight of my beautiful angel. I knew she wasn’t the bride, but she was a sight to behold. Watching her walk down the aisle, all I wanted to do was walk over to her, pick her up over my shoulder, and take her home to make sweet love to her. I knew these were inappropriate thoughts to be having in a church, but I couldn’t control it. She was a masterpiece and she was mine. When she made it to the altar, her eyes slid to mine. I winked at her and her eyes heated. I laughed to myself. At least I wasn’t the only one with inappropriate thoughts in the church. Monroe was supposed to be the good girl, so if her mind had wandered there, I didn’t feel so bad.
Emme made her way down the aisle next and just like Luke and I when Nikki and Monroe walked down, Zane didn’t have much luck in remaining unaffected by the sight of her.
The music changed. Everyone stood. Charley stood at the end of the aisle. Wes dropped his head to the ground. He made no attempt to hide the fact that he was getting emotional over seeing his bride. Normally, we weren’t the type of guys to get emotional, but there was something about these women that gave them the ability to bring us to our knees. Charley kept her eyes on Wes and made her way down the aisle. Charley, much like me, had no family left. Her parents were killed in a car accident when she was fifteen and just over a year ago her brother was murdered by Emme’s ex-boyfriend. When Charley got halfway down the aisle, Wes left his spot at the altar and went to her. She stopped walking and her face grew concerned. I knew what he was doing. This was his woman and she had nobody there to walk her down the aisle. Wes was going to make sure she didn’t have to walk alone.
He held his arm out to her, she smiled up at him, and slipped her arm through his. Then, Wes walked his woman the rest of the way down the aisle.
I glanced over at Monroe during this. She had tears in her eyes. I loved this about her. Monroe had the most genuine heart of anybody I had ever met. She felt deeply for those she cared about and for her to see that Charley, one of her best friends, had the love of a good man moved her.
The ceremony began. While I paid attention to what was happening between Wes and Charley I couldn’t help but glance over at Monroe. God, I loved her. Even though I knew she agreed to marry me and wanted to be with me forever, I still struggled sometimes to accept the fact that she wouldn’t just wake up one day and be gone. That thought made me feel sick, so anytime it popped into my mind I’d quickly try to move it out with other thoughts of her. Good thoughts.
Before I knew it, the ceremony had ended and Wes was being given permission to kiss his bride. After they did the deed, they walked back down the aisle toward the back of the church. The rest of the bridal party followed. I finally had my angel back by my side. As soon as we stepped outside of the church I kissed her and told her how beautiful she looked. She then showed her appreciation of me being dressed in a suit by insisting that we find a place for me to wear one again.
Several hours later, pictures had been taken, bridal party announcements into the reception were made, dinner had been served, and speeches had been delivered. The girls spent a lot of time dancing and having a good time. I wanted to give Monroe one more thing, so when the next slow song came on and she began walking off the dance floor with her head hung low, I stopped in front of her.
“Excuse me, Miss Archer, but may I have this dance?”
Her eyes rounded and she asked, “Really?”
I gave her a small smile and nodded my head.
She put her hands on my chest as I wrapped one hand around her waist and the other at her back.
“You are so getting lucky tonight, handsome.”
“I thought I was getting lucky simply because I wore this suit today.”
“You were, but now you’re going to get bonus rewards. Big time bonus rewards. The kind of rewards that involve my mouth in unmentionable places.”
I laughed so hard it’s a wonder I didn’t fall over.
“Have I ever told you how much I fucking love you, Monroe?”
She nodded and gave me a goofy smile.
I fucking loved that, too.
I pressed a kiss to her forehead and continued to dance with her.
As the song was about to end I felt Monroe’s body go solid.
“Angel, are you okay?” I whispered.
She shook her head.
“What’s wrong?”
She looked at me and then looked toward the back of the ball room. My eyes followed where hers were directed and I saw it. Nikki and Luke we
re having words. They weren’t being loud or interrupting the festivities, but it was certainly not a happy interaction.
“What’s the story there?” I asked.
Monroe’s sad eyes came to mine and she shared, “I think Luke is in love with my best friend and she’s either too blind to see it or, more than likely, sees it, feels it, and refuses to give into it.”
“Any idea why that is?” I pressed.
Monroe nodded.
“She’s experienced things that have hardened her. Betrayals and disappointments by people she put her trust in. She doesn’t want to get hurt so the best way to prevent that from happening is to not let herself be vulnerable. It breaks my heart because I can see it. I can see how much he cares for her.”
“Baby, listen to me,” I said, gently. “You know Luke is like a brother to me. You are right; he loves her. He hasn’t said it to me, but he doesn’t have to. I just know it. It may take time, but I know Luke. He isn’t the type to give up. If he wants her, he’s going to do whatever he’s got to do to have her in a way that is meaningful to both of them. When you love someone, particularly someone who is hurting, you’ll do whatever you have to do to show them that there’s good out there for them. It’s what you did for me, angel. You were patient, but persistent, and you showed me what love is. You gave me everything I wanted. Everything I never knew I wanted and now we are here, engaged and dancing, and I know I’ll spend the rest of my life doing whatever I’ve got to do to give you everything you want.”
“Thank you, Stone.”
“For what, my angel?”
“For already giving me everything I want. You gave me you. All the other stuff is just a bonus.”
“Baby…” I trailed off.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too. Don’t worry about Nikki and Luke. They’ll get their fairy-tale soon enough.”
“You think so?”
“I know so,” I said as I pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
“Stone?”
“Yeah?”
“Tonight, after I give you your bonus rewards, will you make slow, sweet love to me? I really feel like I need that.”
“Whatever you want, baby. Always.”
She smiled up at me before she put her cheek to my chest.
Several hours later, when we got home, Monroe insisted on giving me rewards in unmentionable places. Afterward, I did as she had asked and made slow, sweet love to her. In giving her that, I realized I had everything I wanted.
####
About A.K. Evans
A.K. Evans is a married mother of two boys residing in a small town in northeastern Pennsylvania. After graduating from Lafayette College in 2004 with two degrees (one in English and one in Economics & Business), she pursued a career in the insurance and financial services industry. Not long after, Evans realized the career was not for her. She went on to manage her husband's performance automotive business and drive the shop race cars for the next thirteen years. While the business afforded her freedoms she wouldn't necessarily have had in a typical 9-5 job, after eleven years she was no longer receiving personal fulfillment from her chosen career path. Following many discussions, lots of thought, and tons of encouragement, Andrea decided to pursue her dream of becoming a writer.
Between her day job, writing, and homeschooling her two boys, Evans is left with very little free time left. When she finds scraps of spare time, Evans enjoys reading, doing buti yoga, watching NY Rangers hockey, dancing, and vacationing with her family. Andrea, her husband, and her children are currently working on taking road trips to visit all 50 states (though, Alaska and Hawaii might require flights).
Other Books by A.K. Evans
The Everything Series
Everything I Need
Everything I Have
Everything I Want
Everything I Love - Coming Winter 2017/2018
The Cunningham Security Series
Obsessed - Coming Winter 2017/2018
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