Panting, she peered over his big shoulder and gasped. “Beth!” At the sight of her friend a rush of excitement burst inside her and she shoved Dom away and pulled her friend into her embrace. “Oh my god! What are you doing here? I’ve missed you so much.”
“It looks like I’m to be your ‘sort-of’ maid of honor again.” She grinned then winked up at Dom.
“You planned this?” Felicity asked Dom.
“This is nothing, and it’s only part of the surprise, sweets.”
Felicity jumped into his arms and of course he caught her and kissed her square on the mouth, licking his way inside to taste her. “Thank you.”
He shook his head. “You haven’t even gotten to the good part of the surprises and you’re already kissing me. I think from now on I’ll make it my duty to surprise you.”
“You might want to do that,” she said with a wink.
Beth grabbed her hand and pulled her back to her car. “Come on, you and I have fun stuff to do.”
“Like what?” She could barely contain her excitement. Dom got a job, they were getting mated, and now her best friend was here for part of her “surprise”. She couldn’t be happier.
Beth grinned at her from the other side of the car. “Shopping.”
Oh, hell yeah. With a final wave to Dom she peeled out.
Chapter 28
“Now, listen up,” Beth was saying, “I need to get you dressed, done up, and all that by midnight.” She pulled onto the highway and sped up. The girl had a lead foot.
“What happens at midnight?”
“Your fairy godmother comes by and turns you into a pumpkin, what do you think happens at midnight?” Beth said, her lips fighting a smile.
“I think, for one, that isn’t how that fairy tale goes, and for two I think I’m getting mated—tonight.” Just saying the words aloud made butterflies dance in her stomach. She pressed a hand over it to stifle them.
Beth tossed her head back laughing. “True enough and you’re absolutely right. So, right now we’re headed to the mall.”
Felicity glanced at the clock. “It’s almost ten, babe. They won’t be open.”
Beth sent her a knowing glance. “They’ll be open.”
“You know that because of your secret mind powers?”
“Nope, I know it because Dom arranged for you to have full access to all the clothing stores, shoe stores, and even that great makeup place I like to go to. Anything and everything you need to beautify yourself is at your disposal.”
Felicity’s heart beat a mile a minute and she couldn’t stop smiling. “Oh my god, this is too much. I spent all week unsure if he was even going to mate with me but instead he’d been planning all this to surprise me.”
Beth whistled. “Mmm, girl, he’s a keeper.”
“Speaking of keepers how’s your man?”
Beth hesitated. It was only a moment’s pause but in that look Felicity saw a fleeting look cross her face—pain. “He’s good. We’re good. He sends me flowers, and when it’s not flowers it’s these gift coupons for the spa. All day free massages, tans, which I don’t use, face masks, the whole she-bang.”
“So everything’s good?”
Beth smiled, a real one. “Everything’s good.”
They pulled up to the mall and sure enough a lone security guard unlocked the entrance door and let them in. For the next hour she and Beth ran around the mall from shop to shop like little kids in a candy shop.
“We need a shopping cart,” Beth said, her arms full of clothes for herself.
Felicity laugh. “I hear that.”
Beth tried to check her watch, which was hilarious to watch as she struggled to move the mountain of clothes in her arm to glance at her wrist. “Damn, we have to get rolling soon. Do you know what you want to wear? Personally, I thought that light pink dress with the ruffled material looked perfect on you.”
This was the crux of the problem and what Felicity had been avoiding since they got here. What the hell did she wear? Last time she’d worn an expensive and gorgeous red gown. Things hadn’t turned out so well though. Now, everything felt perfect and right. She wanted to do things her way.
“You know, I’m not gonna wear a dress.”
Beth blinked, looked down at the pretty pink dress, and then blinked again. “Why not?”
Felicity shrugged. “Give me a sec.”
Running back to an outfit she saw earlier, she grabbed the clothes, some shoes, a few pieces of jewelry, and then headed for the changing room. When she came out, a proud smile on her face and hands cocked on her hips, Beth caught one look at her and burst out laughing.
“You want to wear that?” She laughed harder, her eyes watering.
Felicity didn’t flinch, didn’t snicker, didn’t join in. She stood poised and ready. More ready to mate with Dom that she’d ever been. She wore a pair of gray athletic pants, the kind women wore to yoga classes, a black fitted tank top, and to top it all off she had on some cross-trainers.
“Are you going running or getting mated?” Beth sucked in deep breaths as she calmed herself down.
Felicity didn’t need to laugh though she understood she might look a bit silly to others. Fact is she felt comfortable and right in this. Besides, she knew without a doubt that nothing would keep Helena away tonight. Only now she was ready. She wasn’t going to wear some frou-frou gown that was non-conducive to fighting; no, she looked ready to fight and she was. Ready to fight for her man, the love of her life.
“Let’s go.”
Giving up, Beth shrugged. “Okay.”
Beth drove Felicity back to the hall she’d been at more than a week ago. The night was dark, the air a little muggy and warm. Reporters swarmed the area like bees to a honeycomb, each excited with their cameras flashing as they pulled up.
“Dom’s already here then?”
Beth nodded. “He said right at midnight and it’s five ‘til. You nervous?”
“Me, nervous?” She started to say that of course she was nervous, but then she quieted and took note of her emotions. “You know, I’m not. I’m ready to do this.”
“Good, let’s go.”
They walked through the press like who were used to the attention, sparing a few small smiles and waves, ignoring the questions thrown at them, and entered the hall. Inside was excited chatter.
Felicity spotted Diane waiting at the entrance with bright eyes. She rushed forward. “What are you wearing?” It wasn’t quite admonishment, but close.
“I’m ready,” Felicity said.
“For what, dear?”
“Helena.”
Diane looked back over her shoulder as if checking for eavesdroppers. “How did you know she was here?”
Felicity shrugged. “I just knew.”
Diane stepped back, glanced down at Felicity’s athletic attire and then started laughing. She had a womanly laugh. Felicity tried to think of a time she’d heard it before but couldn’t. “I see now. You look beautiful, Ms. Shaw. Absolutely beautiful. I met your mother. She’s in the front row on the bruid’s side of the room. She’s a kind and lovely woman.”
Felicity grimaced. “Really?”
Diane nodded. “Really. Come, it’s time.”
Beth and Diane went ahead of her, scurrying to their seats. Felicity heard the ceremonial drumming start. The beats were to mimic the excitement of the mated ones hearts beating for each other. The tempo stayed slow as she hadn’t started down the path to him yet.
Felicity lifted her chin, took a deep breath, and then went into the hall.
Chapter 29
Felicity entered the hall. All eyes were on her. Every single seat was filled. They stood at her arrival then at once they took to their knees, bowing before her.