by Melody Anne
The next week he was called into the CEO’s office of the same warehouse where he’d been nothing but a bug on the floor before the political event. Now he was told he was going places — and going there fast. He sat there talking to the two execs for a couple hours, pretending he didn’t understand what it was all about.
Green was deft in his ability to move within the symphony of questions, inquiries, and conversational pieces with the two executives. They admitted they were impressed and asked why he wasn’t further along in his career. The backstory had to stay tight. He’d simply had no direction as a young man, floated through the first decade of his freedom from high school, then decided to clean up his act, and had finished his bachelor’s degree in two and a half years. He’d worked one low-wage job after another. It was only recently he’d come into money.
The conversation continued with Green weaving between pretending not to know some topics while speaking in depth about others that would be fairly easy knowledge to obtain without needing actual experience. By the time he walked from the room, he knew his next mission was going to be a lot more fun than his last. He was going to get an actual challenge. They were now talking about him — and they liked what they saw.
He was going to be a part of taking them all down. And that’s why he did what he did. There was no better victory than that of being part of the good guys’ team. And with the men he worked with he knew they couldn’t lose.
Chapter Nineteen
Avery stood outside the private hangar, her mouth open in surprise, her eyes tingling with emotion running through her. She gazed at the revamped area where she’d stood with her mother a month before, saying she didn’t care how her wedding went, and now she couldn’t seem to find any words to say. The silence stretched on for several heartbeats, her mother shifting on her feet next to her.
“Is this a good awe, or are you horrified?” Bobbie finally asked, her voice nervous.
Avery turned and looked at her mother, tears falling down her cheeks. It was a good thing her mother had hired a makeup artist who’d insisted on waterproof products. She grabbed her mother tight in her arms and squeezed.
“You’re going to get all wrinkled and smeared,” Bobbie scolded, but even as she said the words, she hugged Avery right back.
“I thought I didn’t care about a big grand wedding, but I was wrong. This is more beautiful than I can express,” Avery told her mother. “I can’t believe you managed to do all of this in such a short time.”
“You’re my one and only baby girl,” her mother said. “I’ve always dreamed of the day you’d marry, and I hoped you’d change your mind and be happy with a classic dress and all of the trimmings. After all, if you do it right, you only get married once.”
“Thank you, Mom, thank you so much.”
Avery turned around and looked at the front of the hangar that had been completely transformed. There was a monstrous open-sided tent in front of the large building with chairs lined up on either side of a wide walkway covered with a silky blue carpet.
Flowers and lights lined the chairs and the ceiling of the tent, which butted up to the open doorway of the hangar where more flowers and lights created a brilliant opening.
Avery couldn’t see much inside of the hangar, but what she did see were tables covered in cloth with bold, beautiful flowers in the center and candles burning. Soft music drifted over to them from hidden speakers, and guests all facing away from them, sitting in chairs, waiting for the wedding to begin.
“I don’t have bridesmaids and groomsmen as you didn’t tell me you had anyone in mind, so I thought I’d walk you down the aisle to say your vows, and then we can all celebrate together inside with a good meal, laughter, toasts, and dancing.”
“This sounds like the best wedding ever,” Avery told her mother.
“It was on short notice, but it’s already been a beautiful day, and it’s only going to get better.”
Avery hugged her mother again, and then Bobbie turned and nodded at someone. The music changed, and the traditional wedding march started to play. Bobbie pulled away from Avery and stood at her side as they made their way down the aisle with all eyes on them.
Avery felt as if she couldn’t breathe as she looked ahead and found Carl standing up front with Sherman in front of him. Both of the men’s eyes gleamed as smiles curved their lips. Avery only glanced at Sherman for a brief moment before she looked at the man who’d be her husband in just a few short minutes.
“Slow down,” Bobbie said with a laugh. “You’re supposed to walk elegantly.”
Avery let out a little laugh. She turned her head, then kissed her mother’s cheek. “Heck with slow,” she said before she let go of her mother, lifted the front of her flowy Vera Wang dress, and rushed forward, needing to be at Carl’s side.
The audience chuckled as she reached Carl, and he grabbed her hands, a suspicious gleam in his eyes.
“You’re stunning,” he told her. “The most beautiful bride who’s ever been.”
“I missed you last night,” she whispered. “These wedding traditions really suck.”
He laughed as Sherman cleared his throat. “Love has no patience,” Sherman said to the crowd. “We’d better start this now before these two run off together.”
The crowd laughed as Sherman, who’d been ordained years before just because he loved doing wedding ceremonies, began the show.
Avery barely heard what Sherman had to say as she gazed lovingly at Carl. Finally, though, the vows were spoken, the rings were on their fingers, and Sherman was pronouncing them husband and wife, telling Carl he could kiss his bride, which he gladly did as he bent her backward, a sigh ringing out from the crowd along with a few cheers.
“How are you feeling, Mrs. Schwartz?” he asked.
A tingle fluttered down her spine at his words. She smiled as she reached up and kissed him again, never able to get enough of this sweet man. “I feel as if I’m walking on clouds, my dear husband,” she answered, loving that she could now use that word. She was married — and she was the happiest she’d ever been.
“Shall we go celebrate or should we try to sneak out of here?” Carl asked.
Sherman cleared his throat again, making them look at him. He gave them a stern look. “Your mother has put a lot of time and effort into this wedding and reception. If you dare leave before you’re excused I’ll have something to say about it.”
Carl laughed at the scolding they were getting. “I guess a few hours of our time with family and friends isn’t so bad. Then we get to leave for the honeymoon,” Avery said.
“I’m sorry we can’t leave for a couple of weeks,” Carl told her.
“We don’t have to go anywhere to be on our honeymoon,” she said. “I’m your wife now. That means we’ll honeymoon for the rest of our lives.”
“I love you, Avery Schwartz,” he said. He leaned down and kissed her again, both of them still standing before a crowd of people. When he released her she was out of breath and her knees were shaky. She couldn’t quit smiling.
“I love you too,” she said.
They walked back down the aisle to a lot of applause, moving side by side and arm in arm just as they would from then on. They stepped inside the hangar and Avery let out a gasp. It was even more impressive than she’d thought from her brief glance.
Bobbie and Sherman came up to them and Avery let go of Carl long enough to hug both her mother and Sherman.
“I already thanked my mother, but I’ll do it again,” Avery said. “Thank you. This is very beautiful.” She grabbed Sherman for a long moment. “You didn’t have to do this. But I’m so glad you did, because words can’t express how much I appreciate it.”
“I’ve loved every minute of planning your wedding. I think this might be a first that a couple completely turned over the reins, but that just meant we got to have a lot of fun,” Sherman said.
“Yes we did,” Bobbie replied, her cheeks a bit flushed. Avery gave them a huge smile.
“Maybe the two of you will get to plan another wedding pretty soon,” she said with a wink.
“I was thinking the same thing, my darling,” Carl said. “I love how in sync our thoughts are.” She leaned up and kissed him. It seemed different now holding him, kissing him, and having him at her side. He wasn’t her boyfriend, or fiancé. He was her husband. That was a sacred word to her.
“What are you going on about?” Bobbie asked as she looked from the two of them and then over to Sherman who seemed to be blushing.
“You’ll figure it out, Mom,” Avery said.
“Let’s give these kids some time with other people,” Sherman suggested as he held out his arm for Bobbie. Avery had a feeling he knew exactly what they were talking about. He took her away, making Avery think she’d be alone with her husband. But it wasn’t to be.
They were flooded by people who wanted to say congratulations. Avery and Carl didn’t get a second alone as their wedding reception went off like clockwork.
Toasts were made, the funniest one from Carl’s friend, Smoke, and the cake was cut. She gave Carl props for gently placing it in her mouth. Then she had a bit of delight in his sharp inhale when she ran her tongue over his finger. The light in his eyes promised their night would be spectacular.
But they moved on and shared their first dance, did the macarena, and ate until no one could move. The music, lights, food, and decorations were perfect. Avery wouldn’t have been able to plan such a spectacular wedding herself because she would’ve run off to Vegas or the justice of the peace — this was better. She was grateful she’d turned it over to her mother.
The wedding had begun at six in the evening, and Carl and Avery didn’t get to leave until nearly midnight. She’d had a wonderful time, but she was more than ready for the honeymoon to begin. When Carl was finally able to whisk her away, she gladly took his hand and ran from the building as music continued and birdseed was tossed over their heads. Avery had a feeling some of Carl’s friends would be burning the midnight oil. Carl didn’t seem in the least upset to slip away with her instead of staying with them.
Now that Avery was married, she knew her future was incredibly bright. She was so glad she hadn’t stuck with her plans to conquer the world, because without love what was the point in having it all — she’d have always been incomplete without realizing what was missing. Now, she truly had it all, and she wanted even more. She had that thought as she rubbed her stomach. Maybe it was time to make two into three . . .
Chapter Twenty
It was a good thing the diner was slow because Erin felt as if she’d been run over by a freight train. She could barely bend over before her head began spinning, and her stomach heaved. She was hardly able to smile while she took orders and served customers before she’d have to go into the back and sit. She’d called in one of her employees who was on her way, but Erin had another hour before she got there. She rarely took a day off — she had a feeling she was going to be taking a lot more in the coming months.
Moving to the back of the diner, she gathered the five tests she’d taken over the past two days into her hands and looked at them again, disbelief washing over her. Each of the tests had two lines on them, and not light lines, they were bold and glaring. There was no doubt about it — she was pregnant.
Erin groaned as the door dinged. She’d just stepped into the back. She desperately wanted to sit. Brackish had been working for the past three days, often sending texts and calling her, but they hadn’t been able to see each other. That was a good thing, because she needed time to think about what she was going to do next.
She took a deep breath and set the tests down, then pushed through the kitchen door and out to the floor, stopping in her tracks at the sight of Brackish sitting at her counter, a huge smile on his lips and a stunning bouquet of flowers next to him, along with a long black box.
“I wanted to surprise you,” Brackish said. “It looks like I have.” His smile slowly faded, and she wondered what expression she was wearing.
She forced herself to move forward, but instead of walking around the counter she stood on the inside and moved up close to him. “Sorry, I’m not feeling well. I hate that you have to see me like this,” she told him. She wasn’t ready to talk to him about the pregnancy yet. She had no idea where they were in their relationship, and she certainly didn’t want him with her because she was going to have their baby. Many relationships had failed because they’d tried to make it work for only that reason — it rarely ever ended on a good note.
He instantly showed concern. “What’s wrong? he asked. “If you’re sick why are you here?”
“It’s nothing,” she said, not liking to hide that from him. “I called one of the girls in. She’ll be here in about fifty minutes.”
“Good, I’ll do your job for you, and you can lie down,” he told her.
For the first time in three days, Erin gave a real smile as a chuckle escaped. He looked confused.
“Have you ever worked in a restaurant in your life?” she asked. He shifted on his stool.
“No, but I’m a quick learner,” he said.
“I appreciate the offer, Steve, but I can handle another hour. We’ve been slow tonight.”
“Well, I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “And I’m going to practice my skills right now.” He reached over the counter and grabbed her order pad from her apron. She leaned against the counter as he took a pen and wrote down cheeseburger, extra onions, extra sauce, large order of fries and onion rings, extra crispy, large order of mozzarella sticks. He then stood and moved behind the counter and hung the order up on the wheel between them and the cook, who was laughing at Brackish.
“Coming right up,” the cook said. “And you just ignore Erin, I think you’d make a fine employee here.”
“Thanks, Tom. I think so too,” Brackish told the large man in the kitchen who made damn fine food.
“Now come here,” Brackish said as he tugged Erin into his arms and gently hugged her, his hand rubbing the back of her head. She stiffened for just a second and then melted against him. She instantly felt better being in his arms. The two of them stood like that for a long moment before he let her go, pulling back a bit, and looking her in the eyes.
“Sit down. Let me make you a milkshake,” he said.
She laughed again. “Will a milkshake cure me?” she asked. She surprised herself when she moved to the counter and sat. She kept one stool on that side of the counter for when the place was dead, and she wanted to sit and read, but still keep an eye on the front of the place.
“Oreo?” he asked as he pulled out vanilla ice cream, cookies, a snickers mix, and chocolate syrup. He’d been in there enough to know where everything was.
“An Oreo milkshake sounds like heaven,” she admitted.
“Especially when you dip French fries into it,” he assured her.
“I’ve never done that,” she told him. He stopped what he was doing and looked at her.
“How in the world can you work in a place like this and never dip your fries in a milkshake?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she said with a shrug. He turned back to the blender, added ingredients, blended them, poured two heaping cups, and stuck a straw and spoon in each one. Then he grabbed the whip cream and made a mountain on the top of each glass.
“Here you are, my darling,” he said, handing her a shake before he moved back to his seat and sat.
“Oh, I should’ve done this hours ago,” Erin said as she spooned ice cream into her mouth. “It’s exactly what the doctor ordered.” Her nausea was disappearing. Maybe the baby needed ice cream. She wasn’t broken-hearted over that.
“Yep, my mom taught me when I was young that the cure to everything is ice cream. Surgery? Ice cream. Someone calls you a name? Ice cream. Upset stomach? Ice cream.” He seemed quite proud of himself.
“What if you have the flu? Isn’t it bad to eat?” she pointed out.
“Nope, ice cream doesn�
��t count as food since it’s made from cream and simply coats the stomach. It freezes the germs away, and makes us all warm and cozy,” he insisted. “Especially if it’s homemade. There’s nothing like homemade ice cream.”
“I’ve never tried homemade,” she said. “I’d love to.”
“I’ll get you an ice cream maker. We used to have to churn it ourselves, but now they have machines that do all of the work,” he said, sounding just a bit jealous. She imagined he’d spun a manual maker for a lot of years.
“Order up,” Tom called. Erin started to get up.
“Stay where you are,” Steve scolded. She sort of liked this protective mode he was in.
“Really, Tom?” Steve asked with a laugh. There was a double cheeseburger stacked so high Steve was going to have a hard time getting his mouth around it, and a long breakfast plate next to it loaded down with fries, onion rings, and mozzarella sticks.