by Bella Street
She released a silent sigh, still shocked by the multi-colored hues staining his ribcage and abdomen. He ran a hand through his hair and walked over to where she sat in bed.
She tilted her chin up as he lowered his head to kiss her. Seffy closed her eyes, melting at his touch. Her body was still humming from his caresses throughout the night. His lovemaking had been almost reverential, and she wanted nothing more than to urge him back into the sheets. She skimmed her fingers along his cheek, half tempted to pull him down onto the mattress. When his lips drifted to her throat, she knew he was thinking the same thing.
Trent raised his head and looked at her with a shuddering breath. “I need to see Fenn. I'll be back soon.” One last kiss in her hair and he was gone.
Seffy watched the door shutting behind him. He'd said earlier he wanted to talk to Fenn about the wedding.
The wedding.
She closed her eyes and flopped back onto the bed. Apparently all that marriage talk wasn't due to opiates after all. But she still couldn't believe he was serious. Why bother with it in the first place? What would really change? It wouldn't get them back home any sooner, it wouldn't keep them any safer.
Seffy wondered if they'd been engaged in the tangent universe. She remembered the flash of light from the photograph of Tangent Trent and Seffy. Treffy, as Lani would say.
That bit of light suggested the possibility of an engagement ring. Was marriage a foregone conclusion? Or something precipitated by the hellish pressures of the compound? What would Fenn think about this new development? What would Gareth say?
What in the world am I going to wear?
The phone rang. She hauled herself from the bed and answered.
“Sef, can I come over for a minute?”
Lani.
“Sure.”
“Okay. See you in a few.”
Seffy hung up the phone, wondering whether to confide in her friend. Did Trent mean for this to be a secret? No, he assumed she'd told the girls. What would Addy say if she knew? Every response had the potential to be bad. Maybe she should just keep it under her hat. No one had to know, right?
Ten minutes later when Lani arrived, she was no closer to an answer.
Lani held up a pink tracksuit. “This accidentally came in with my laundry.”
“That's weird. I do my own laundry.” Seffy walked over and examined it. It was the real JC. “Thanks.” She draped it across the bed, then regarded her friend for a long moment, overcome by a desire to confide in someone. “Trent wants to marry me.”
As Lani's eyes popped, Seffy realized she might've made a mistake.
The brunette exploded from the chair and grabbed her in a violent hug. “Oh my gosh!” She bounced up and down a few times until Seffy calmed her.
“Okay, okay, I appreciate your enthusiasm—”
Lani pulled back, her expression alarmed. “You aren't thrilled? This proves Trent loves you!”
“How?”
“Huh?”
“How does this prove he loves me?”
“Well, he wants to commit to you for like, ever!”
Seffy backed up and sank onto the side of the bed. “But Lani, think about it. Marriage. In a compound where we're held prisoner. In the wrong decade.”
“But now you're prisoners of love.”
She blinked. “Have you been reading those novels from the commons room?”
Her friend rolled her eyes. “Trent wants to commit and you're confused? I think you're definitely one of those half-empty types, Sef.”
She lowered down. “Not confused exactly. Just mostly wondering why.”
“Because it's what people do when they grow up and fall in love.” Lani raised a brow. “You didn't play with Barbies or watch much Disney when you were little, did you?”
Seffy snorted. “I guess not.”
“Well, I think it's wonderful, and sweet and romantic. He obviously doesn't have to marry you, he just really wants to.” Lani glanced at her hands. “And it will shut up Addison from her 'he's just using her for sex' meme.”
“Wow,” Seffy said faintly. “And you say my glass is half full?”
“She's jealous, I think.”
“What will Gareth say about all this?” Seffy ventured, watching Lani's face closely for her reaction.
She shrugged. “Does it really matter? You're making your own choices.”
“Yay, me.”
Lani leaned forward, her gaze avid. “So, how did he propose? Did he give you a ring?”
Seffy held up her left hand. “While I certainly don't need a ring, if he had one I have to admit I probably would've believed him the first time he asked.”
Lani sputtered. “You didn't believe him? Girl, you are messed!”
Seffy sighed. “Yeah.”
“So when is the wedding?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I guess Trent is talking to Fenn about it now, though why Fenn, I have no clue.”
“Maybe he officiates the weddings at the compound.”
“Regardless, this won't be legal in any way, shape, or form.”
Lani frowned. “It will be you and Trent promising God and man to be together forever. What's a license got to do with it?”
Seffy stood up and began to pace, forcing her over-heated thoughts to chill. “You're right. This is a good thing. I mean, I want to be with Trent. I'm committed. I'm all in.”
Her friend grinned. “That's the spirit. So now, to plan the ceremony.”
“Ceremony?”
“Duh. Haven't you been planning your dream wedding forever?”
Seffy gave a small shake of her head. All she'd ever wanted was to be safe. No white satin gowns or diamonds required.
“Well, my guess is that it will be a simple ceremony, unless the compound has access to caterers, florists, jewelers, stylists...”
Seffy stopped pacing. “I'm sure it will be like getting married in front of a J.P. or like a Vegas wedding. I mean, fancy is obviously not an option.”
“But understated and elegant is.” Lani clapped her hands together. “Can I help you? Please?”
Seffy struggled to keep up with her friend. “Of course, although I don't think there will be much of anything to do.” Then she groaned. “Lani, this is nuts! There are wild animals out there emptying out the towns, there've been plagues and conspiracy plots, and two of my best friends hate my guts. How am I supposed to wrap my mind around a surprise proposal and plan a wedding ceremony?”
Lani's exuberance dimmed a bit. “Okay, I can see how this might be a bit much all at once.”
Seffy doubted her friend's words, but she appreciated the effort.
“But think of it as a light in the darkness. People don't only fall in love when everything is perfect. They fall in love during wars and stock market crashes and—”
“And time travel?”
The brunette quirked her mouth. “Especially then. So grab onto this. It's something to celebrate.”
The girl was right. It was a reason to celebrate. Really.
Lani gasped. “Where are we going to find a dress?”
Seffy rubbed her forehead. “No clue unless the commissary has stuff like that. I wouldn't know as I've never been allowed in that part of the compound.”
Lani stood up and put her hands on Seffy's arms. “Don't take this wrong, but let me find the clothes and bring them here. If you sneak out and get caught, there goes the whole wedding. Okay?”
She regarded her friend, knowing the wild flights of fancy Lani took with her own wardrobe. “I'm not expecting a wedding dress...just a nice regular dress...a 1980 dress. Geez, what a crappy year to get married in!”
Lani squeezed her hands. “Leave it to me!” She rushed to the door. “I'll be back as quick as I can!”
And then she was gone.
Seffy wandered over to the couch and dropped onto the cushions, her thoughts still in a whirl. What it would mean to be Trent's wife?
While she hadn't obsessed about weddings, sh
e had given thought to being married before—but it always involved either some far off romantic sunset thing with Gareth...or finding someone to marry for security, hence her Michael Bay fantasy. Undoubtedly she would've been a good Mrs. Bay and spent all that money very wisely.
But Trent was poor. They were both poor and lost. And yet, what did she lack when they were together? In the same way, she never imagined heaven could arise from hell.
Trent—the ex-addict, penniless, screw-up she used to despise—would soon be her husband. What was the alternative? Life without him?
God, where was Lani with that dress?
Seffy cleaned the bathroom with frantic movements, needing the activity to keep her from flying apart. By the time she was done, it gleamed under the compound-issue lights. But she was no closer to having much of anything figured out.
A knock sounded on her door. Seffy doubted Lani was quite that fast, but she hurried across the room to open it. Addison stood on the other side. The redhead's careful expression set her immediately on edge. Seffy gripped the door knob tight. “I thought you agreed to stay away from me.”
“Are you alone?”
“Yes.”
“We need to talk.” Addison turned to look down the hall, nodding. Suddenly Gareth appeared behind her. Seffy caught her breath, but squashed the panic mixed with anger. Instead she schooled her expression and watched them enter. They ignored the couch, choosing to stand in the middle of the room.
Seffy saw them zero in on the sight of the bed with its twisted sheets and misplaced pillows.
She took a deep breath, facing Addison, then Gareth. “Is this going to be an intervention attempt?”
“We're just concerned for you,” Addison said in a flat tone.
“Thank you.” Seffy sensed Gareth's hot gaze, but she kept her attention on Addy. “Well, as you can see, I'm doing fine.”
“You're making a mistake,” Gareth growled.
She looked his way, still unable to believe her Gareth had taken a baseball bat to Trent.
“We've already discussed that it's my mistake to make.” She motioned to the door. “But thanks for stopping by.”
“I told Trent that I'd kill him if he ever hurt you. And I meant it.”
“I believe you, since you nearly killed him for no reason at all.”
Addison's eyes flashed to Gareth, her cheeks paling a bit.
Gareth's lip curled slightly. “He took what didn't belong to him.”
She set her jaw. “Then you'll take comfort that I'll soon be rightfully his.”
Gareth's brows furrowed. “What's that supposed to mean?”
“Seffy, open up!”
Seffy glanced at the door. She went to open it and Lani burst inside clutching a thick pile of dresses on hangars. “Trent should be back soon. I saw him shaking hands with Fenn. He told me where to get the stuff we needed. Omigosh, I found Gunne Sax! Can you believe it?” Lani stopped cold when she saw the others from around the pile of garments and sent a panicked look toward Seffy.
“Oh my God.” Addison's eyes widened as she stared at all the lacy pastel dresses. “Oh my God.”
“What's going on?” Gareth demanded.
“This is ridiculous! This is unbelievable.” Addison began panting. “You are not serious.”
Gareth crossed his arms. “What?”
Addy shook her head, her green eyes huge in her thin face. “Seffy is...”
“...getting married. To me.”
Seffy spun around at the sound of Trent's voice. He walked into the room with a pink tracksuit hung over his arm.
He tossed it onto the back of the desk chair and regarded the visitors with a neutral expression. “If this is bad news to you, leave.”
Lani let out a squeak of fright—the only sound in the otherwise silent room.
Seffy's attention swiveled between the two men. Gareth's face was brick red, Trent's, implacable. Her heart skipped many, many beats.
“Okay,” Lani said in a shrill voice. “This is a happy time! There will be no stink eye, no harsh words, and no sports equipment!” She dropped the dresses onto the bed, breathing hard.
Addison snorted, her eyes brimming with fury and something else. “Whatever. I'm out of here.” She strode to the door.
Gareth shot Seffy a stunned, fulminating glare, then followed Addy into the hall.
Seffy stood there like a stupid statue, conscious only of the black roar of her heart.
After closing the door, Trent walked over and touched her shoulder. The contact brought her back to the present. She looked up at him, suddenly sad he'd witnessed the scene. Sliding her arms around him, she pressed her face against his chest, absorbing his nearness for all she was worth. He returned the embrace.
“I'll just be leaving, too,” Lani said. “But, can I ask if there's a date...?”
“In three days.”
Seffy glanced up at Trent. Whoa.
He looked down at her. “Is that too soon?”
“It's not soon enough,” she whispered.
Trent bent his head and kissed her long and deep. Seffy held onto his shoulders, barely aware of the sound of Lani shutting the door behind her.
She kissed him until the shadows fled and her world was restored to its axis.
When he finally lifted his lips, he smiled. “Are you okay?”
She laughed weakly, lowering her arms.
“At least Lani seems glad,” he said quietly.
“Yeah.”
He brushed his knuckles against her cheek, his gray gaze somber. “Am I cutting you off from your friends?”
She blinked back a fresh burst of anger. “Gareth and Addison are cutting themselves off from me.”
Trent sighed. Spotting the tracksuit, he lifted it off the chair. “You forgot this when you painted the rooms.”
Glad for a change of subject, she smiled a little. “Was that okay, that I did the painting?”
“It's awesome. I was wondering how I'd pull off rolling a ceiling with cracked ribs. You did a great job.”
“Thanks.” She glanced at the tracksuit. “But, believe it or not, this isn't mine.”
His brows knit together. “What?”
“It's not authentic. Mine is the designer version. This is a knock off.”
“It looks the same.”
“Well, that's the general idea, but it's not the real thing. I can tell by touching it that the fabric is of a lesser quality. And the pull tab is all wrong. There are other details as well, if you're interested.”
“Uh...”
“So, yeah, it was a fake all along.”
“Did the store where you bought it sell knockoffs?”
“No. All the suits I purchased were genuine.”
Trent's expression shifted. “Then what the hell does it mean?”
“Well, I guess someone else at the compound must have one, too. Except I'm not sure velour tracksuits were invented in 1980. I think back then they were all made out of that slippery, shiny, neon stuff, or maybe terry cloth. And definitely not Juicy Couture.”
“Great.”
“I know.”
Shaking his head in confusion, he glanced at the bed. “Looks like Lani found the place Fenn told her about.”
“She's pretty excited if she went to Fenn for info.”
Trent approached the bed and touched one of the dresses, then sent her a questioning look. “So, are these all for weddings?”
Seffy bit her lip. “Not in the most traditional sense, but they're awfully frilly, so I think they'll do. Do you want to help me pick one out?”
He smiled. “No way. I can't see it until the day.”
Until the day.
God, this was real. She tried to bend her boggled brain around the concept—and failed. “Why did you need to talk to Fenn? Did you have to get his permission?”
“Not his permission, but I asked who performed ceremonies around here, among other things.”
“And who does?”
“Hi
m.”
“Oh, so he does actually do something around here.”
Trent's lips lifted. “Looks like it.”
“And how did he take the news? Was he heart-broken?” Seffy couldn't help but tease him for his belief that Fenn had a thing for her.
“Actually, he seemed very cool with it. He even offered to help with some of the preparations.”
“Oh, God, please don't tell me Fiona doubles as a wedding coordinator.”
He laughed. “If she does, she wants nothing to do with this one. She was about as snorty and huffy as your friends. Said it was silly, pointless, and ridiculous.”
“Goodness, it's like there's an echo chamber here at the compound.” She curled her hand around Trent's arm. “So, will we have a honeymoon in Hawaii?”
He looked away, but not before she saw the flash of regret in his eyes. “I know we're having to make do here. When we get home, we'll have a whole new ceremony with all the trimmings...or trappings...or whatever, and afterwards hit Maui together.”
“Sounds like a plan.” She bit her lip. “Anyway, I'm not the big wedding hoopla type, so small and intimate sounds lovely to me.”
Trent shook his head. “What's the matter? Didn't you watch Disney as a kid? Every girl wants a big hoopla wedding.”
A lump suddenly formed in her throat, roughening her voice. “I just want you.”
Chapter Six
“I am ashamed of you two! No, I'm...I'm appalled!”
Gareth's eyes widened as Lani busted her way into his room and poked her finger millimeters from his nose. He took a discreet step back, startled by his mellow friend's outraged tone, and sent a glance toward Addison to see how she was taking it.
“Seffy is getting married. It's joyous news and the two of you better start acting like it!”
“Think about it, Lani,” Addison said quietly, “we're practically in a prison in the wrong decade. That's not the time to start a romance.”
Lani's eyes flashed. “When is the perfect time? When do you finally take that step? Throw caution to the wind? Eh, Addy?”
Addison's face flushed beet red. Gareth sent her a quizzical look but she refused to meet his gaze.
“And you!”
He looked at Lani. She was pointing again.
“It is beyond belief that you beat up Trent. Even if you hate his guts, your affection for Seffy should've prohibited you from making such an asshat of yourself. You're lucky he didn't sustain serious injury.”