“Hey, it’ll be okay,” Colton said optimistically, clapping me on the back as his eyes went to Ava’s drawing. “I’ll write some other stuff around it, and no one will notice.”
“Okay,” I breathed out.
“You’re looking stressed. Want a cold one?”
“Yeah, actually. That’d be great.”
It was probably too early to be drinking, but that was the issue with a morning wedding. We were supposed to get to the church in thirty minutes, so if I wanted some booze to loosen up, I didn’t have much time.
I followed Colton over to the cooler against the wall.
But when he opened it, he didn’t get out a beer. There were two juice boxes in his hand when he stood. He tossed one to me. As I caught it, he ripped the straw off his, stabbed it through the hole, and began to drink.
Dumbfounded, I remained frozen, the cold beverage sitting in my palm. “Um, what’s this?”
Colton made a happy noise as he drained it, loudly slurping at the straw. “One of the best things about having kids? Unlimited juice boxes.”
Shaking my head, I examined the cartoon characters on the little container before deciding to just drink the damn apple juice. At least I’d be hydrated.
“You’re so weird as a dad,” I said to Colton, before closing my mouth around the straw.
He grinned. “Your time is coming soon, my friend.”
I inhaled some of the liquid, resulting in a violent coughing fit.
Two days ago, Angel and I found out she was pregnant. We’d planned on trying for a baby after the wedding, so she stopped her birth control last month. We had no idea it could happen so quickly.
Since she wasn’t very far along, we’d agreed not to tell anyone yet.
“How did you know?” I gasped out, coughing a few more times.
“Well, you see, when a man and a woman get married…”
“I know how sex works.” I shot him a glare.
Phew. I almost gave away our secret. Colton didn’t know about the baby. He was just talking about the future in general.
Uncomfortable, I tugged at the neck of my shirt because it suddenly felt way too tight.
“Dude,” Colton said, going back to the cooler. “You need to calm down. I know starting a family is a lot to think about. I’m just kidding around. Here, this will help.”
He tossed another object my way, but this time it wasn’t juice.
“Fruit snacks?” The little package crinkled in my fingers. “Seriously?”
“Another dad perk.” Grinning, Colton tore his open, and I did the same.
Had to admit, they were pretty damn tasty. It’d been, like, ten years since I’d had these.
“Thanks,” I told Colton. “These are good.”
“Told ya. Hey, can I have your yellow ones? Ava always trades me the lemon for the grape.”
Giving him an odd look, I picked out the ones he wanted and handed them over. He popped all four into his mouth at once, and his blue eyes rolled back in his head as he chewed.
“So good,” he moaned, as if he was experiencing some kind of strange fruit-snack-gasm.
Turning away from him to go find a real alcoholic beverage, I muttered, “I will not be that weird when I’m a dad.”
My wedding day.
The most important day of my life, thus far.
The day when everything was supposed to go right for once.
And I couldn’t find my wedding ring. Travis’s either. The little black box they’d been in was gone.
I crawled around on the cream carpet of Brielle’s guest bedroom for the third time, skimming the floor beneath the dresser drawers. Under the bed. Even in the closet.
Nothing.
I didn’t know if it was pregnancy hormones or if this was just a really good reason to cry, but I sat back on my butt and let the tears flow.
I was probably wrinkling my beautiful dress and messing up the makeup Brielle had spent so much time on.
That thought only made me cry harder.
Not more than thirty seconds later, Brielle’s voice interrupted my pity party. “Oh my God, are you okay?”
I glanced over to see her standing in the doorway, looking perfect in her light blue bridesmaid dress. Her brown locks were swept into a simple updo, not a hair out of place on her head.
And here I was, a total mess.
I just shook my head. The lump in my throat was too tight. If I tried to talk, I’d just end up squeaking at her.
“Are you hurt?” she guessed, parking herself next to me, as if sitting on the floor in the middle of the room was normal. “Getting cold feet?”
“No,” I squeaked out, surprised she could even think that. “Of course not. I love Travis.”
As her eyes searched my face, she grimaced. “Oh, your makeup…”
I sniffed as more tears welled in my eyes.
“I know. You worked so hard on it. I ruined everything. But the makeup doesn’t even matter.” A sob escaped. “Not if we can’t get married.”
“I’m really confused.” Whipping out her ‘wedding day emergency kit’—really, it was just a hot-pink fanny pack with a bunch of essentials—she produced some tissues and started dabbing at my face. “Care to explain further?”
“The rings. I lost the rings.”
Pausing, Brielle pursed her lips. “No, you couldn’t have. They have to be around here somewhere. Rings don’t just get up and walk away.”
I tossed a hand toward the dresser. “They were there last night. Now they’re not, and I’ve searched this whole room.”
“Did you see them earlier today? Think hard.”
Wrinkling my nose, I tried to retrace the events of the morning. Everything was a blur. My alarm went off around five a.m. Then I’d stumbled to the shower, dried my hair, and shoved down some toast for breakfast. After that, Brielle fixed my hair into an elaborate side-braid and made me pretty before I got into the dress.
“I don’t know.” I shook my head. “I was too tired to pay attention, I guess.”
Truth be told, I was exhausted. I would’ve given just about anything for a cup of coffee. I could smell it in the air. But the caffeine wasn’t good for the baby, and I didn’t want to do anything to risk the life inside of me.
I suppressed a yawn.
That tradition about spending the night before your wedding apart from your future husband was absolute crap. I’d tossed and turned all night, missing Travis and working myself up over the pregnancy.
I thought I’d be happy once I got pregnant—and I was. I was ecstatic, but with that joy came fear.
Maybe this breakdown wasn’t just about the rings.
“I’m pregnant,” I blurted, and Brielle’s wiping motions under my eyes halted.
When she moved the tissue, I saw a big smile on her face.
“That’s great, Angel.” Her grin faltered. “Are you upset about it?”
“No. I’m happy. So happy. But I’m also really scared. What if I miscarry? That’s common, right? Or what if I die during the birth and she has to grow up without a mom, just like I did? Or what if she hates me?”
Brielle gave me an understanding look as she went back to cleaning my face. “She? You’re so sure it’s a girl already?”
“That’s another thing. I haven’t even had the baby yet, but I’m already having mom guilt. I want a girl. I want a girl so bad. I know I’d love a boy just the same, but I want that mother-daughter bond everyone else has.” My hand went to my flat lower belly. “She’s my only chance.”
“What about Travis’s mom? I thought things were good with her.”
“We have an amazing relationship.” As much as I loved Karen, it wasn’t enough to have a pseudo-mom. “I just want something of my own.”
“I get it,” Brielle responded sympathetically. “Yes, things can go wrong. I’d like to tell you the paranoia and fear stops at some point… but it doesn’t. Worrying is just a part of being a mom, but you can’t spend your time focusin
g on slim chances. Focus on the positive. Think about how great it’s going to be.”
“I can try.” I nodded.
“And there’s no way she could hate you. You’re impossible to hate, actually. It’s quite sickening how sweet you are sometimes,” she joked, nudging me with her elbow. “You’ll be the best mom, Angel.”
I could tell she meant every word. “Thanks.”
Sitting back on her heels, Brielle straightened her shoulders. “Okay. Damage control. First, we find the rings. Then we’ll fix your face.” She stood and started walking from the room. “Be right back.”
I stayed on the floor, scooting back to lean against the bed. A minute later, Brielle returned with her phone in one hand and her cosmetics bag in the other. She pressed speaker phone, and ringing filled the room, followed by Colton’s voice.
“Miss me already, Ellie?”
Smiling, Brielle rolled her eyes. “Always. But we have an emergency.”
“It can’t be worse than a giant P-E-N-I-S,” Colton said, spelling out the word.
“What?” Brielle and I said at the same time.
“Never mind,” he grumbled. “I’ve got everything under control. What’s up?”
As Brielle methodically lined up the foundation, blush, and eyeliner on the vanity, she explained the ring situation to Colton. Before she could even finish, he grunted out a muffled curse.
“I think I might have an idea of where they went.”
“Where?” I shouted desperately, clamoring up to stand next to Brielle.
“Ava,” he called, and I heard thundering footsteps approach him. “This morning when you were marrying Goober and Rainbow, did you give them rings?”
“Of course.” The little girl’s response came out like it was obvious. “You can’t get married without rings.”
Brielle’s eyes went wide. “The fish tank.”
When she darted from the room, I picked up the hem of my dress and followed her. My bare feet padded over the carpet in the upstairs hallway of their farmhouse as we ran into Ava’s room.
“Okay.” Colton sighed, sounding distant as he spoke with the phone away from his face. “Go play with Grandpa Hank for a few minutes until we have to leave.” His voice got louder as he said, “Ellie, you still there?”
“Yeah, I’m here,” she answered distractedly, both of us peering into the ten-gallon tank.
It was lit up with a blue glow and the filter made a quiet bubbling sound as I pressed my nose to the glass, searching for something shiny. Two goldfish swam around reefs and a castle. Multi-colored rocks filled the bottom.
But I didn’t see any rings.
I gave Brielle a distraught look.
Removing the top of the tank, she held up a little fish net.
“I hate fish water,” she complained, her face screwing up as she submerged her hand. Pinching the top of the castle, she picked it up. “I’m doing this just for you, Angel. Remember this on my wedding day.”
I let out a snort, then I gasped when I saw both rings sitting in the spot where the castle had been. Brielle scooped them up with the net, and I snatched them quickly, like they might disappear any second.
“Well, they’re a little slimy,” I observed, wrinkling my nose. “But at least we found them. Thanks, Colton.”
“No problem. The best man is here to save the day.” He sounded so proud of himself.
“What’s going on?” That was Travis in the background, and I nearly dropped the rings back in the water because I was so excited to hear his voice.
“Travis?”
“Angel?”
“Oh, I don’t think so,” Colton interjected. “You’re not supposed to talk to her until the wedding—”
“There’s no rule about that, jerk face.” There was a clatter, like the two were wrestling for the phone, then Travis came through loud and clear. “Angel? Is everything okay?”
I couldn’t help smiling.
“It is now.” Looking at Brielle, I held up the rings as she passed me the phone. “I’m gonna go rinse these off.” I shuffled to the bathroom as fast as I could, wanting a few minutes to talk to Travis alone. Once I shut the door, I let out a happy sigh. “I miss you so much.”
“I miss you, too, baby. Being away from you is bullshit. Last night sucked.” Travis lowered his voice. “Can I come see you before the ceremony?”
“Yes,” I replied, bouncing with excitement. Then I frowned. “It could be difficult to make that happen. We’re being watched. Brielle is so serious about this crap.”
“I don’t give a fuck.”
“Well, neither do I, but I think we’re going to have to create a diversion. A distraction of some kind.”
Travis paused. “I’ve got the perfect idea.”
“What is it?” I whispered.
“Let’s just say it involves Beverly.”
A giggle burst from my lips, and I quickly covered my mouth to hold it in. Beverly was the best person for stirring up trouble. “Okay. Come find me in the chapel at nine.”
“I will. I can’t wait to see you, Angel. You’re so beautiful.”
Cringing, I stole a glance at myself in the mirror above the sink. Black mascara tracks lined my cheeks and my nose was red from crying.
“You might not be saying that when you see me. I’m kind of a disaster right now.”
“Bullshit,” Travis grunted. “You could show up in a garbage bag, and I’d still think you were stunning.”
It was true. I never thought someone would love me the way he did—unconditionally and without the slightest sliver of hesitance.
“I love you,” I whispered shakily.
Crap. The tears were starting again. I seriously needed to get a handle on this.
“You too, baby. Chapel. Nine o’clock.”
After I hung up, I fanned my face as I left the bathroom. When I got back to the guest room, Brielle was at the ready, mascara wand in hand.
“This stuff is waterproof,” she stated seriously. “It’s time to get you married.”
The chapel was silent, and I enjoyed having a moment alone.
After arriving at the church, there’d been a whirlwind of activity. People were already filling the pews, Ava had accidentally dumped her flower petals twice, and a photographer had insisted on getting a few pictures of me solo with my bouquet.
Standing next to a table filled with various candies and refreshments, I ran a finger over the calla lilies. It wasn’t an official wedding bouquet, but you’d never know it.
To save money, Karen had gone to a flower shop this morning and bought a few bouquets that were on sale. The woman should’ve been a florist. Because she had skill. She’d deconstructed the arrangements, putting them back together with blue ribbon and lace around the stems. No one would ever guess that they weren’t professionally done.
Scooping up a couple candy mints, I popped them into my mouth. I was starving. You’d think my nerves would lessen my appetite, but the light breakfast from hours ago wasn’t cutting it.
“There’s my girl.”
The gruff voice behind me made me smile. It could belong to none other than Ernie.
I turned toward the door to find him standing there, so dapper in his suspenders and polka-dot bowtie. The ball cap he usually wore was gone, and his thin gray hair was slicked to the side. He held a balloon animal in his hand—a pink poodle.
Just like the first one he’d given me a little over a year ago.
I held out my hands to him, and he stiffly crossed the room. Bypassing my hands, he went for a hug as he tossed the balloon to the table behind me. The smell of Old Spice and peppermint made it to my nose.
“Where’s your cane?” I asked, concerned.
He’d been having a little trouble getting around these days. Two weeks ago, he twisted his ankle coming down Beverly’s stairs. He’d tried to joke about it, saying it was a sex injury—TMI—but Beverly told the truth. Ernie’s joints just didn’t work as well as they used to. Travis was
thinking about building a ramp for both of their houses, but Ernie was so dang stubborn. We were probably going to have to sneak the project in the middle of the night.
“I don’t need my cane to walk my best girl down the aisle,” he replied, still embracing me.
I pulled back and straightened his bowtie. “I thought Beverly was your best girl.”
“Nah, she’s my woman. There’s a difference.” His eyes misted as he patted my shoulder. “You’re the daughter I always wished I’d had. I never thought I’d get to do this. I’m on cloud nine today. Thank you for letting me give you away.”
Dang it. Flapping my hands at my face, I attempted to dry my wet eyes. Waterproof mascara or not, if I messed up my makeup again, Brielle was seriously going to have a fit.
A knock sounded at the door right before it opened. Karen popped her head in, and she looked relieved when she saw Ernie.
“Oh, good. Beverly’s asking for you. I don’t think she’s feeling well.”
That would be the diversion.
“Bev?” Ernie sounded worried as he speedily shuffled toward the door.
I caught his arm before he could make it out and muttered, “Hey, it’s okay. She’s helping Travis and me get some time alone.”
His face relaxed, and a smile deepened his wrinkles.
“That devil. All right. It’s showtime.” Chuckling, he hooked his thumbs in his suspenders and shouted, “Bev! I’ll be right there, honey! Don’t leave me!”
He threw me a wink before he ducked out.
Karen slipped in, taking his place.
“I heard that.” Smiling, she clucked her tongue before saying, “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Put Brielle on a leash?” I suggested, and both of us cracked up.
Honestly, I was thankful for all Brielle’s help. She wasn’t my maid of honor—that title went to Beverly—but she’d taken on so much of the wedding planning. The fact that she was a bit of a control freak was a win for me, even if she did drive me nuts sometimes.
Besides, I’d have fun returning the favor. She had it coming to her. She and Colton were tying the knot in September, and guess who had a payback list? That’s right. Yours truly.
The Good Guys Box Set: TRUCKER, DANCER, DROPOUT, and A Trucker Wedding Page 75