I grin and shake my head. “Not a chance, dude. Better just move on.”
Scene Five consists mainly of Callie watching us do shit. Whether we’re writing, rehearsing, or recording, Callie’s always there, looking somewhat bored as portrayed by “Heather.” This scene couldn’t be further from the truth—my girl is a badass powerhouse of activity—but it’s interesting to see how supportive the guys see her. She’s a fixture in our circle, as she should be. Kinda makes me proud, not gonna lie.
Scene Six brings us full-circle to the hotel for the wedding. This should be interesting.
Lindsey is back as Rita, telling us a meteor crashed into the venue and destroyed it. There are also some theories about alien life and unsolved mysteries that have absolutely nothing to do with anything.
“Oh Casey! Whatever shall we do?” Callie cries, once they’re alone.
“I don’t know, baby, but I’m going to the gym. Good luck!”
Nice. I roll my eyes.
Oh, and now I’m getting arrested. Great. I glance over at Mom who is clearly not enjoying Scene Six. There’s way more fighting and yelling involved in this version. Also, I don’t recall ever crying out about the injustice of humanity or whatever. Hard to understand Casey’s point through his desperate sobs and flailing. Finally, I’m in prison where Callie visits me. I also look more like an inmate on death row than some dude who’s been locked up for an hour.
“Baby, I’ll get you out, I swear it!” she says, all drama.
“No, my love. You must forget about me. There’s no hope for us now,” I say, turning away and holding up my hand.
Oh geez.
“Never! I could never love another man.”
I turn back with wide eyes. “Really?”
“Even if we can’t marry in the eyes of man, we shall always be one in the eyes of God.”
I shake my head with a smirk. This script has Marty Heilman written all over it. Wait… I squint at my bandmates. No way… I’m definitely investigating that later.
After my release, Callie and I walk away hand-in-hand as Sweeny comes barreling back onstage.
“What will happen next?” He covers his mouth in what I’m assuming is supposed to be a portrayal of “mystery.” Or he’s about to puke. “To. Be. Determined.”
Not a bad ending, I guess.
The rest of the troop joins him in a crooked line. They hold hands, and applause fills the room as they bow.
Luke leans toward me. “Wow. They must have spent at least twenty minutes planning that.”
∞∞∞
The room is dark when I return around ten. My heart sinks at the movement on the bed, and I place the bag I’d brought on the dresser. Turning on the lamp, I meet large hazel eyes, shining with tears in the darkness.
“Hey, babe,” I say gently, sitting on the mattress beside her. “I brought you some food in case you’re hungry.”
“I’m not.”
“Move over.”
She shifts toward the middle, and I slide in behind her, pulling her against me.
“I’m supposed to be crazy with excitement right now,” she whispers, voice trembling. “You’re supposed to be nervous and joking with the guys. Instead…”
I squeeze her tight, resting my lips against her hair. “I know, babe. I know.”
“I shouldn’t care. I know it’s stupid but…” Her voice breaks into a rush of sobs, and my heart shatters. I can’t handle her pain. These fucking problems I can’t fix for her. I’d give anything—anything—to make this okay. There are so many things I could say right now. Lies to tell her, promises I can’t keep, but we’re beyond that now. We’re alone in the universe.
“Cal?”
She sniffs and burrows closer to me. “Yeah?”
“You’re more than my world.” I close my eyes, breathing in everything she is, everything I want with her. “You’re my story now. For the rest of my life. Nothing will ever change that.”
Her grip tightens on my arm, and maybe for a brief second I believe everything will work itself out.
“How was the dinner?” she asks, after a long pause.
I clear my throat. “Um… yeah.”
22: SATURDAY 8:51AM, 7 HOURS
I glare at my phone and drop it on the bed next to me with a groan.
“Who’s that?” Callie asks, stretching beside me.
“Luke. Wants to make sure we’re still on for breakfast in an hour.”
“Ugh, really? Gross. Have fun.”
I reach over and crush her from behind. “Uh, you’re coming with me, princess.”
“No thanks. I’ll pass.”
“You already skipped dinner; you’re eating breakfast. Besides, we’re going to discuss the wedding and try to figure something out.”
“We didn’t figure anything out with the help of a professional wedding planner. What are the three of us going to do a couple of hours before?”
“Not sure, babe, but at least it will involve food. Get your cute ass in the shower. I’m happy to help if you want.”
I grunt when her elbow meets my side.
∞∞∞
Luke arrives at our suite just before ten. Callie is still finishing up what she calls “light makeup” because apparently that’s what’s required for breakfast. I’ve learned not to argue, even though I don’t think she needs any of that shit. She looks hot as hell in her ripped jeans and fancy sweatshirt that shows plenty of elaborate bra strap thingies above the low-cut back. Since it was supposed to be our wedding day, I put on a button-down shirt with rolled up sleeves that I know she likes. Something about the way it accentuates my eyes, I don’t know. I even swing her favorite jeans, which, for the record, quickly became my favorite when she couldn’t keep her hands off my ass the last time I wore them. Hell, the least I can do is look good for her today.
“You coming, babe?” I call toward the bathroom.
“Almost done!”
Luke and I exchange a don’t rush them look.
“Hey, Cal. I heard this place imports their breakfast teas directly from the UK,” Luke says.
“Oh my gosh, really?” Callie snaps around the corner, eyes wide.
He grins when he sees her. God she’s beautiful—I’m a freaking mess. Who needs a fucking wedding gown? And that smile?
I pull her against me and plant a kiss on her head. “I’m buying you all the tea in the world, babe,” I say.
She wraps her arms around my waist and squeezes. “And I’ll let you eat all the bacon you want without complaining.”
Luke snickers. “Aww you wrote your own vows?”
“Shut up,” I laugh.
Cal grabs her purse, and we follow Luke into the hallway.
“Where’s Holland? Still not feeling well?” Callie asks.
“Yeah. She’s going to try to meet us later.”
“She should really see a doctor. This doesn’t sound good.”
“She will.”
I find it strange how close Luke hovers on the other side of Callie in the elevator. Even stranger when the display clicks toward the lobby and he takes her arm. “You go ahead, Case. I have to talk to Callie for a second.”
She looks confused but shrugs as we step off. “We’ll catch up with you,” she says to me.
I leave them at the elevators to head toward the main area of the lobby. As I come around the corner my heart stops. I stop. Everything stops. My jaw falls open, limbs go numb. I’ve never fainted before but if there was ever a time…
Holland comes forward with a huge grin on her face. “Over here,” she says, leading me toward a cocktail table covered with candles.
“What the…” I can’t speak, can barely think as my gaze scans what has to be dozens, if not hundreds, of my friends and family packed into the hotel lobby. Flowers and candles decorate every crack that doesn’t have a person, and I’m the most underdressed guest in the room. Pastor Jim emerges from behind a column and stands beside me. My groomsmen line up behind me as well.
All ex
cept Luke.
Who still has Callie by the elevators.
Oh my god.
Tears well in my eyes. I swat them away but they just refill. My heart pounds when I notice the path that opens up to the elevators. Music starts to play, and there she is, the most beautiful, perfect woman on the planet floating toward me on Luke’s arm. He has to practically hold her up when the shock that just hit me slams into her. So much for that light makeup. It’s now melting down her cheeks when her teary gaze rests on mine.
I’m shaking as they move up the aisle. Full-on trembling with each step that brings her closer to me. The music disappears. The decorations. The crowd. It’s just Callie Roland. My dream girl. My story that I get to live every day for the rest of my life. What have I done to deserve this moment?
Her smile, her eyes, everything about her is too much when she and Luke finally reach me. He lets her go, and I don’t give a damn about wedding protocol. She rushes into me at the same moment I pull her into my arms.
Finally, we manage to separate enough to focus on Pastor Jim who says a bunch of wedding stuff I can’t absorb. I’m hoping someone’s recording this for us, because right now all I can see is Callie. All I can hear are her small hiccups. All I can smell is the scent of her hair, and all I feel is the warmth of her skin. The rest seems irrelevant.
Honestly, I don’t leave the cloud until Pastor Jim stops speaking and Callie’s hiccups become a full-on gasp. I follow her gaze to the small platform off to the left, and there’s Luke, guitar in hand, Holland at his side. They must have raided the hotel’s AV equipment for this setup, because it’s a respectable mix of mics and amps. Jesse’s at a keyboard behind them, along with a string quartet. Holy shit.
“This is a song Callie wrote for you, Case,” Luke says, winking at my bride. She covers her mouth, overcome. I stare down at her in shock and pretty much melt when she looks up, all the love in her eyes.
“We were going to surprise you with this,” she whispers. “Luke and I have been working on it all summer.”
Afraid to speak, I pull in a deep breath and nod, tucking her tightly against me.
Jesse starts to play, the strings fill the air, and I’m paralyzed. When Luke’s distinctive voice sweeps over the room, the universe stops again.
It’s time to tell you how I feel
I know you’ve been waiting
I know you’ve been wondering when
It’s time to let go of the past
There’s nothing but heartache
Nothing worth keeping now
I want to give you the world
And all that I have
I want to make you my baby
To have and to hold
I want to give you my word
I’ll never let go
I’ll never let go
I, I won’t give you up
Cause I don’t want to live without you by my side
Forevermore I want you always
As long as I’m alive
I’ll have you ‘til the end of time
I won’t ever let you go
Cause I want you always
I want you always always
When life gets harder than we planned
I promise I’ll listen
I promise I’ll do whatever it takes
Cause I, I don’t want to waste one single moment
From a silly little mistake
Holland joins him on the second chorus, her perfect harmony turning music into legend. This moment… I can’t breathe, can’t move, can’t do anything but hold Callie and pray nothing ever takes her from me.
I want to give you the world
And all that I have
I want to make you my baby
To have and to hold
I want to give you my word
I’ll never let go
I’ll never let go
I, I won’t give you up
Cause I don’t want to live you without you by my side
Forevermore
I want you always
As long as I’m alive
I’ll have you ‘til the end of time
I won’t ever let you go
Cause I want you always
I want you always.
The room is silent when the last notes of the song ring out, except for the sound of sniffs and tears. And not even ours. No, because we’re buried in each other, hiding from everyone else to share this incredible moment privately.
“I’m yours. Always,” I whisper against her lips.
She kisses me back, locking me in place. Yeah, I get that this part is supposed to come later but there are no rules anymore. We broke them all from the moment we met.
“Casey?”
“Yeah?”
“Nothing matters. Just us.”
“Always.”
∞∞∞
I’m trying to pay attention to the rest of the ceremony. I really am. It’s my surprise, impromptu wedding after all, but after Callie’s song, the only part that seems to matter is that moment we get the rings and Pastor Jim declares that we’re man and wife. Plus, there’s Derrick.
“What’s he doing?” I whisper to Callie as Pastor Jim continues blabbing on about something related to First Corinthians.
She follows my gaze to Derrick who’s going from guest to guest, shoving something in their faces.
“I think he’s collecting signatures,” she whispers back.
“For a petition to run for office? What?”
She squints toward the latest victim. “Nope. Our guest book. He’s taking his job very seriously.”
Pastor Jim gives me a hard look when I snicker, and I bite the inside of my cheek. Sorry, I mouth.
“May we have the rings, please?”
Luke produces them from his pocket, nailing his role as Best Man. Maid of Honor too the way he winks at Callie as he hands them to the pastor.
“These rings symbolize…” Blah, blah, blah. Callie smiles up at me, and I’m pretty sure she’s just as distracted as I am. Hopefully, someone’s filming this part too.
I’ve played stages, arenas, stadiums, and here’s my hand, shaking like a jackhammer when it’s forced to take a tiny platinum band from Pastor Jim’s hand. What’s with the microscopic design anyway?
Come on, dude. You got this. Pretend it’s a drum key.
Callie squeezes my other hand, probably trying to calm me down. Damn, I wish we’d practiced this. Wedding rehearsals aren’t the bullshit I’d thought. I’m supposed to say something too. Everyone’s staring at me. Pastor Jim keeps nodding toward me like that’s going to help me remember what the hell I’m supposed to do now.
“With this ring…” he whispers, urging me on.
“With this ring,” I repeat. He stares at me. I stare at him. Callie chuckles.
“I give you…” he says.
“I give you.”
No, that doesn’t sound right. There has to be more. C’mon brain. Feel free to join in at any moment.
“My love, my life, and my heart...”
Right. That. “My love, my life, and my heart.”
Good job, Case.
“Callie?” he says, turning toward my bride.
Of course Callie who’s never been onstage a day in her life takes the ring like a pro and shoves it on my finger.
“Casey, with this ring I give you my love, my life, and my heart.”
Pastor Jim is smiling. Everyone is. Wait, is this the part where I kiss her? No. Maybe?
“Do I—”
Okay, nope. He’s still talking. Something about journeys and footsteps and other shit that doesn’t let me kiss my girl. Why is she so freaking beautiful? That simple platinum band on her finger is the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen. I run my thumb over it, wondering what it will be like to relive this moment every time I touch it. My wife. My wife!
“And now, with the power vested in me by the Holy Christian Church and the state of Texas, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You
may demonstrate your union with a kiss.”
Score! This part I can do. I barely hear the requisite catcalls and teasing from the crowd as I pull my wife! into my arms. Huge hazel eyes stare up at me, bright with anticipation. Her lips part, waiting, and I swear my throat closes up. We’ve kissed hundreds, thousands of times, but this one… This one.
I stare at her lips, tracing them gently with my finger.
“I will never stop kissing you,” I whisper.
“Good,” she says through a smile.
I lean in, and the lobby of the Florecita Hotel erupts into cheers and applause. The commotion is nothing compared to the fireworks exploding in my head, sending sparks through every vein in my body. My love. My life. My heart.
Forever, Cal.
“Until zombies do us part,” she whispers back.
23: SATURDAY 11:03AM
Wow. So many donuts. Colorful rows form fields of sugar in an auxiliary ballroom the hotel must have freed up for us. Nowhere near enough room for the two hundred souls crammed inside, even with the standing-room-only setup. But for a last-minute donut and coffee reception, it’s not half-bad. I still can’t believe so many people came out for an impromptu early morning non-wedding wedding. Plus, my wife’s face (my wife!!!) when she sees the fully-loaded tea bar is enough to make a new husband weep. Then again, so’s Derrick’s unadulterated bliss. He looks ready to toss himself into the sea of pastries.
“Duuude,” he whispers reverently.
“All you, man,” I say, waving him toward the bounty.
“Wait, don’t the bride and groom go first?”
“I think that’s for birthdays. Callie’s busy anyway.” I nod toward the tea table where she stands frozen with indecision. Damn she’s cute, biting her lip with that perplexed awe. “Excuse me,” I say to Derrick whose plate is already stacked. Wow, that was fast.
I’m laser-focused as I return several greetings and well-wishes on my way to the Tea Queen. She jumps when I snake my arms around her from behind and pull her to my chest. “So many choices,” I murmur against her ear. “What’s it gonna be, Mrs. Barrett?”
An NSB Wedding Page 11