by Toni Aleo
I always said I wanted to get married in the gazebo; it’s a beautiful white structure in the middle of a field of flowers. I thought my cousin Amelia would have gotten married there, but she chose the beach for her ceremony. Ryan and his wife, Sofia, had a gorgeous wedding, but they didn’t use the gazebo either, which is crazy. I wonder why?
I can’t wait to be Mrs. Boon Hoenes. I love my last name and the people who gave it to me, but I’m ready for my new name. My unbelievable exciting future that he has been promising me since the moment we met. He may never have said those words, but his eyes promise me endless excitement to come.
Remembering that Grace just spoke to me, I say, “Thank you for allowing us on such short notice.”
She winks. “I’m just glad I get to come.”
I chortle a bit as I look back in the mirror. “I hope Boon likes it.”
“He’d be an idiot not to.” At the sound of Shelli’s voice, I meet her gaze in the mirror as she enters my mom’s room. She shakes her head slowly as she takes me in. “Man, I knew I couldn’t pull off that dress, but you… Wow, Posey, it’s perfect on you.”
I pull up the straps a bit. “It’s a little big.”
“Just a bit, but I’m sure my alterations lady can take care of it,” she says, looking back at my mom, but she waves Shelli off.
“Grace is going to do it. It’s an easy fix.”
“Awesome. You look gorgeous, Posey.”
I smile gratefully down at my sister. I assumed she was still mad about yesterday, but thankfully, normal Shelli is here and not Bridezilla Crazy Pants. “Thank you.”
She takes my hand in hers, and I squeeze her palm. “So, no one is standing up there with you?”
I shake my head. “No, but I’m going to have you, and Boon has Wes, sign the witness section of the marriage license. I didn’t want you and Ally to have to figure out dresses or anything like that. Figured only Boon and I need to worry about that since we’ve sprung this on everyone.”
“It’s going to be beautiful,” Shelli reassures me, and I sigh.
“I hope so.”
“It will! Grace, can we go out to the field and make sure they are doing what we want?” my mom asks, and Grace nods.
“Sure. Harper, you want a ride?”
She agrees as Mom looks up from her phone. “We’ll need to swing by the airport. Mom, Dad, Amelia, and her family will be landing in two hours.”
“Sounds good.”
“Shelli, help Posey out of the dress. We’ll be back. Wait for Daddy and Boon.” Then Mom stops. “Oh, I haven’t heard from Tina. Do you know if she needs to stay here or not? I have her room made up, and I put Grandma and Papa in your room.”
I shrug. “I haven’t heard, but I’ll text Boon and ask.”
“Great. Make sure to hang up the dress in the bathroom. Reese and Piper will be here in the afternoon for hair and makeup on everyone.” Mom says all that as she walks out the door, so I don’t hear the rest, but I’m sure she’ll tell me about six more times before tomorrow.
Shelli looks back up at me. “This is all so overwhelming.”
I laugh as she steps behind me. “Who are you telling?”
She unzips my dress, and together, we carefully take it off me. “I’m glad I got my own dress. This wouldn’t look good on me.”
I nod my head. “Yeah. You need something all ritzy and Broadway-ish. Your train is the length of Times Square.”
She laughs. “Maybe half,” she jokes as she hangs up the dress, and I put my bra back on. “Boon is going to pass out from how hot you’ll look tomorrow.”
I sigh as a grin covers my lips. I reach for my shirt, but Shelli’s hands on my gut make me jump. “Damn cold hands!”
She laughs as she rubs my belly. “I can’t believe there is a baby in there.”
I nod as I look down at my itty-bitty little belly. In all reality, it’s probably just from the candy and Oreos Wes and I eat all the time. “I can’t either. It’s all so crazy.”
She meets my gaze, still rubbing my belly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
I shrug. “I didn’t tell anyone.”
“Not even Ally?”
“No. No one. I still can lose it, but I don’t think I will, which is why I told everyone. I could be jumping the gun—”
“No. Don’t think like that. We will meet this baby, and they will be spoiled rotten by their auntie Shelli.”
I cover her hands with mine. “Really? Because Auntie Shelli was acting like a baby herself at dinner yesterday.”
She rolls her eyes, shaking her head. “This wedding is making me crazy,” she says, sitting down, and I do the same. reaching for my leggings. “I am so stressed out at the office with the Cup run. I’m trying to make sure to have new donations at every home game and even away ones. Which involves yelling at the guys to sign things for me and asking for contributions from local businesses and big corporations. It’s been rough. And then when I think I’m done with the wedding planning, something new comes up. As much as I wanted a huge, lavish wedding, I am totally envious of your sweet little gazebo wedding in our mom’s dress.”
I snort. “Liar.”
“Seriously! I am,” she insists, and I still laugh.
“Shelli, you live for that kind of stuff. You love it.”
“I know, but I just wish it would happen already. I think that’s why I acted the way I did last night. I want my wedding to be perfect, but I want it now. I want it to be over so the stress and anxiety of it are done with. So I can just be married to Aiden, and that’s it. Really, you’re smart doing it this way.”
I cover her hand with mine. “I know it’s all stressful, and I know us teasing and picking at you and my getting pregnant isn’t helping.”
She snorts with laughter. “I’m just worried you and Amelia will be too big to do the group dance.”
With the straightest face I can muster, I say, “God, I hope not.”
She side-eyes me, and I can’t hold it in. I laugh from my soul, falling back on the bed as she does the same. Our hands lock, and I let out a long, happy sigh. In a matter of months, Shelli and I will both be married, and I’ll be starting a family. Owen and Evan will be heading to Carolina for their new careers, and Quinn will be off to college soon. It’s all so crazy. “When did we grow up?” I find myself asking.
I look over as Shelli does the same, a bit of sadness in her blue eyes. “I don’t know. I can still remember playing hockey with Dad, and the boys being in their walkers on the ice.”
I grin. “Remember when Owen flipped his and busted his face? Dad and the rest of us were laughing so hard, while Mom was freaking the hell out.”
Her laughter fills my heart. “It was so funny.”
“It was!”
“It has all gone by so fast.”
“I know, but I’m so happy.”
She nods. “So am I.”
“Good thing we have a dad like we do. We would never settle for less than Shea Adler status.”
“For real, and I think Aiden knows that.”
“I know Boon does. I mean, he’s out with dad right now.”
Her eyes widen. “Have we checked to make sure he’s still alive?”
I chuckle, but then I stop abruptly. “No. Maybe I should?”
“You should.”
“I should.”
And as I text my future husband, our laughter fills the room.
Just as it did when we were kids.
Chapter Seven
Boon
Shea kicked my ass at golf, but it wasn’t like I thought I would win. What I didn’t expect was to have such a breakthrough with him and also to be able to talk about my mom so freely. It’s been a long time since I had a father figure, and I may be getting ahead of myself thinking Shea could be that for me, but it was nice to talk to someone who knew how to deal with what I am going through. We had a blast this morning. We got along, and Shea didn’t even give me any death glares. He laughed a lot, and I did
too. With all the stress of the Cup finals, my mom, and praying to God that Posey’s pregnancy goes to term, it was nice to unwind.
Posey was right; Shea Adler is a great man.
She’s right a lot, which is really annoying.
“Where you guys thinking of honeymooning?”
We’re riding back from the course after a lunch to sober up from our drinking this morning. Apparently the whole Adler clan is back at the house, so Shea is killing time. He loves his family, but they are loud. I had to hold back from reminding him where they get that from. I want him to continue to like me.
“I wanted to do like a European tour, but she’s nervous about leaving for that long, being pregnant and all.”
“Ah. Has the doctor said she can’t travel?”
I shake my head. “Not to my knowledge, but then I haven’t gotten to go to an appointment yet.”
“True. I get why she did that, but still, she should have told you.”
I grin. “Yeah, she’s lucky I’m totally in love with her.”
Shea laughs. “That she is. Just like her mom.” I’m unsure if I can agree with that, but before I can decide one way or the other, he asks, “So, where are you guys going?”
“Jumby Bay in Antigua. We plan on lying beside the pool and beach and never leaving.”
“That’s a damn good plan. You’ll need to let me know how it is. I might take Elli.”
I don’t know why that pleases me. Maybe because I want to still be happily married and wanting to go somewhere with my gorgeous wife when we’re older and our kids are leaving. “Of course. I’m sure we’ll take a lot of pictures.”
“Let me know if you need the plane.”
“The plane?”
“Yeah, our plane. You’re more than welcome to it. Posey is weird about using it. She says we’re bougie,” he laughs, shaking his head. “But Shelli uses it every chance she gets. So, you guys can use it for the trip.”
I laugh. “Well, Shelli is bougie.”
He agrees. “Damn right. Gets that from her momma,” he says as we pull into the driveway of his house. “Oh, speaking of Momma Adler, Elli says she can’t get ahold of your mom. I didn’t tell her your business, so maybe see what your mom is doing and then just let Elli know?”
My heart kicks up. “Of course. I’ll take care of that now.”
“Cool,” he says, shutting off the car. We both get out, and he comes around the car toward me just as I take my phone out of my pocket. I pause as he cups my shoulder. “I had a great time with you. Maybe we should make this a weekly thing? Get Aiden to join us.”
Thank God. “Yeah, I’m down.”
“Great. Take your time. Though, my mom and dad are excited to meet the guy who snatched Posey up.”
I flash him a smirk. “I hear they’re pretty awesome people.”
“The best,” he says with a wink, and then he heads for the house. I lean against his truck and bite the inside of my cheek as I go to my mom’s contact. Shea’s words from earlier are still swirling over and over in my head. I think I know how this conversation is about to go, and I’m truly scared. It’s always been my mom and me, and whatever guy she brings in, but I feel that may not be the case anymore. I take in a deep breath and hit her contact.
She answers right away.
“Boon. I’ve been trying to reach you,” she says sternly. “You are being ridiculous.”
I swallow hard. “Elli says she’s been trying to reach you.”
“So, you call when I don’t answer her?”
“Mom, are you coming to the wedding?”
She pauses. “No. I’m back home.”
My stomach drops.
“I told you, I don’t think you’re making a good choice, and I refuse to watch you do this.”
I’m surprised by the emotion that takes over. I suspected it would go down like this, but the sadness is still overwhelming. “Okay. Have a good life, Mom.”
“Boon! Are you serious?
“Yes. I told you, if you can’t support my choice, the woman I love, then there is no place for you in my life.”
“That is insane! You need to see that I am right.”
“Mom, I won’t argue with you.”
“I gave you fucking life. I made you who you are!”
“I know, and thank you. Thank you so much for raising me to be the man I am. A man who can love and be loved fully. I will always love you for who I am—”
“This is pathetic. So, what? You’re pushing me out for her?”
“I don’t want to, but you’re forcing my hand.”
“And what about my bills you’ve been paying?”
I press my lips together, and I hate the traitorous tear that runs down my cheek. She doesn’t care about anything but her bills. She doesn’t care about who I love, the man I am, or the life I am making. She’s always been a bit selfish, but I never expected this. “Goodbye, Mom.”
I hang up and quickly block her contact. I let my head fall back, looking up at the sky, which is the most gorgeous shade of blue with puffy white clouds. I take in a deep breath, letting it out shakily as a sob bubbles in my chest. I don’t know what I am searching for in the clouds. A solution, a promise that it’s okay that no one will be there for me at my wedding. Oh, wait, I’ve got Wes. I always have Wes, but it isn’t about who is there for me—it’s about who I am marrying. I close my eyes as I take in another deep breath. When a body presses into mine, I look down to see Posey wrapping her arms around me and nuzzling her nose into my chest.
I kiss the top of her head as she says, “I love you.”
I smile against her hair. “I love you, my lovely,” I say, cupping her ass in my hands.
“Are you okay?”
“I am now,” I say simply, and she rests against me as I hold her. I take in her scent, enjoying the closeness—needing it, really. After a few minutes, I whisper, “She isn’t coming.”
She sucks in a sharp breath. “She isn’t?”
“No,” I say, my voice breaking.
“Why? What did I do?”
“Absolutely nothing,” I insist, kissing her once more. “It’s not you. It’s her and her selfish jealousy issues.”
“So, I can’t fix it?”
“No, lovely, you can’t,” I admit as I clear my throat, and I know that bothers her. I can feel it in the tautness of her body.
“Can I call her?”
“No, Posey. Promise me now you won’t. I handled it. It’s done. She went back home.”
I feel her shake her head. “I’m sorry. That’s crazy.”
I truly don’t believe it is. I may be blinded by my love for Posey, but she is a good person and has always been respectful. I think it really is about the money with my mom, which is downright pathetic. “Just let it be. I’m fine.”
She tilts her head as she looks into my eyes. “So, what can I do?”
“Just love me.”
“Always,” she says as a promise, like she always does, and I burrow my nose in her hair. As I hold her ass, I take in the orange blossom shampoo she started using since it was the only gluten-free shampoo she liked at Target.
“You know what I need?”
She moves her head to look up at me. “What?”
“A Target date with slushies and popcorn.”
Her face lights up. “I am due for one, too.” She kisses my chin. “But my grandparents want to meet you. Can we go after?”
“Absolutely,” I say, kissing her once more. “All I need is you.”
She cups my face, running her thumb along my bottom lip. “You got me.”
As our lips meet, I know I was right all along.
Posey has been, and always will be, all I need.
It’s the big day.
Posey left the ice early to head to her mom’s after her mom came down to the rink to steal her. I wanted to kiss her, tell her I couldn’t wait to meet her at the altar, but I was in the middle of a play. She did send me a wink and blew me a kiss, which
I guess will satisfy me until I see her later. I was worried it was bad luck to see her before the wedding, but everything about this is nontraditional.
Posey’s wearing white and pregnant. We have a taco truck with margaritas, which I think is totally traditional, but I remember when Julia was planning our wedding, she said we had to have a sit-down. I’m also not wearing a tux. I’m wearing a navy suit with no tie at all since Posey likes my neck. No one will be standing up with us. The only really traditional thing is that Shea will walk her down the aisle.
I can’t friggin’ wait.
Wes runs into me, slamming me into the boards, and I elbow him as he laughs. “You good?”
I laugh as I shove my shoulder into him. “Yeah, I’m good. Excited.”
He grins, his blue eyes flashing with enthusiasm. “I was talking about your mom.”
I shrug as we lean into the boards while everyone skates off the ice. Usually Jayden stays on longer, but even he’s left. He’s been rehabbing his knee, yet another injury this season, so he’s always the last one off. “I’m good with it. I made my peace.”
He nods. “She called me, asking me to ask you if you are continuing payments so she can prepare.”
I roll my eyes. “Don’t answer her calls anymore.”
He eyes me. “You sure?”
“Yeah. It is what it is.”
“Okay,” Wes agrees. “I hate that it went down like this. I don’t know why she doesn’t love Posey. She’s a good girl—a little stubborn and rough around the edges, but still good.”
“Agreed. She’s the world to me.”
“I know,” Wes says as we head off the ice. Together, we walk down the tunnel heading to the locker room, handing off our equipment to the trainers. My mind is heavy with thoughts about my mom not being there for the best day of my life. But knowing the day will end with me being married to Posey keeps me going. When I enter the locker room, though, I’m completely taken aback as my teammates all yell, “Congratulations!”