Parker nodded, and I took a sip of my coffee.
“Well if we hadn’t already agreed to no wedding party, I would say that she could be my maid of honor.”
“What if we change our minds?”
“You want a wedding party?”
He shrugged again. “I’d be okay with having a best man.”
“You need someone to keep you from running away?”
He shook his head. “You’ve got no worries there, babe. I’m not running anywhere.”
“Damn right you’re not.”
“You’re not, either.”
“Deal. Except maybe up the aisle to get to you.” He chuckled. “So who would be your best man?” I asked, steering our conversation back to the point.
“Fitz.”
“Not Vinnie?”
He laughed. “No. Not Vinnie. For one, I want someone standing next to me who you actually like.”
I giggled.
“And for another thing, Fitz is my best friend. Garrett and Vinnie are two of my best friends, too, but in a group of four, you’re always going to be closer to one person. And for me, that’s Fitz.”
“Is it too late to add a wedding party?”
“It’s our wedding. We can do whatever the hell we want.”
“Then let’s do it.”
“Really?” he asked. His beautiful smile widened, reaching up to his eyes. He looked so handsome and so happy.
And I knew that his happiness was because of me. Because of our impending nuptials, our families coming together, and our love.
twenty-four
We decided to wait until our rehearsal to ask Kimmy and Aaron “Fitz” Fitzgerald to stand up in our wedding.
The plan was to go to my dad’s house at six o’clock for the rehearsal, and then we’d have a small dinner party afterward.
My dad had arranged everything, security included. As we pulled up, we had to stop at two different security checkpoints. We were waved by as soon as the men saw who we were. Clearly they had memorized images of everyone who was allowed access to my dad’s estate.
Plus we were the bride and groom, so I was pretty sure they’d let us by.
I stepped out of Parker’s Jimmy and onto my dad’s circular driveway in my Christian Dior gown. Parker wore a black suit with a black shirt, a black tie, and his black Chucks.
Just looking at him dressed like that was enough to turn me on. He rarely dressed up, but when he did, it was a powerful dance through my senses.
I wanted to rip his suit off with my teeth and let him fuck me in the back of his car, but we had some things to take care of first.
A police officer met us at the door, and he opened it to let us in. The house was immaculate as usual, but the wedding was being held outside. My heart started racing in my chest as we made our way toward my dad’s backyard. It was an oasis that I had always loved, and I couldn’t begin to imagine what sort of transformation had taken place to accommodate a wedding.
Even as I thought about it, I realized how I’d only had five short days to mentally prepare myself for this moment. While I was certain that I wasn’t rushing into things, I saw one benefit of a longer engagement—actual time to get excited.
To be sure, I was excited—thrilled—to be marrying Parker. But part of me thought it would have been nice to have some anticipation leading toward this day.
Every thought in my brain was obliterated when the French doors leading from my dad’s kitchen out to his patio opened before me.
The backyard oasis I had always loved was now a wedding oasis that was truly perfect for us.
White Italian lights were on every tree and bush in the yard, wrapped around the trunks of the palms and fanning out on their branches. Tall tents created a roof overhead to prevent nosy media, although this was all happening so quickly that I was fairly certain they hadn’t figured out what was going on yet. The same Italian lights lined the tops of the tents, and gorgeous white lace fabric formed drapery in different areas of the yard.
Everything in the yard was white. A handful of gray accents made the setting warm, modern, and romantic.
My attention was first drawn to the tables set up on one side of the yard. They were smaller, intimate round tables with seating for six. I counted a total of seventeen tables—enough seating for about a hundred people. Under each table sat a battery-operated lantern, casting a soft glow around the entire yard.
Makeshift tables were suspended from trees behind the eating area. Little chalkboards were suspended above them with different things written on them. Gifts. Cupcakes. Favors. Programs.
I wondered idly how inviting a maid of honor and best man last minute would affect the “Programs” table.
Next my attention focused on the pool. It had been transformed into a dance floor. Some sort of glass covered the water, and lights floated under a glass pool cover, creating beautiful mood lighting in the dusk.
And finally, I looked over to where I would stand as I married the man whose hand was clutching mine.
White chairs were lined up facing a beautiful arbor made out of wood. It was covered with draped white lace curtains and white roses. A chandelier was suspended somehow from the top of the tent over where we’d be standing.
Italian lights were strung next to each end chair and ran down the entire aisle, creating a wide and private aisle for me to walk down with my dad.
My breath caught in my throat at the beautiful scene before me.
It was charming and dreamy and romantic and enchanting and perfect for the two of us.
As much as I hadn’t had a hand in planning this day, my father easily knew my preferences to create a day right out of my dreams.
We’d be getting married in just under twenty-four hours.
I felt tears moisten my eyes as I gazed at the romantic setting around me.
It was hard for me to believe that this was all for my wedding day.
Six months earlier, I was dead inside after Damien had left me.
And now I was alive again because Parker had stepped into my life to resuscitate me.
Parker’s hand tightened in mine as we both gazed toward the arbor.
He turned toward me and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Well? What do you think?”
“I can’t think of a single thing that would make it any more perfect.”
“Now that’s what a wedding coordinator wants to hear!” A booming and friendly voice interrupted our private moment, and I recognized her as Delilah, the planner from my dad’s wedding.
“Delilah Adams.” She enthusiastically shook Parker’s hand, and then she pulled me into a hug. She kissed me on the cheek. I felt like we were old friends even though we’d only met one other time.
“Do you have any questions for me?” she asked the two of us as she ushered us over toward the arbor.
Neither of us did, and then we were standing under the arbor.
“Your father arranged for George to officiate. Did he tell you that?”
I shook my head and I felt a fresh wave of tears fill my eyes.
I never would have thought to include George in our day, but Parker had become close to him simply through the task of protecting me from whatever threats Randy posed, and I knew how close my dad and George were. But more importantly, George had become family to me. He’d been with my dad for a long time, and I knew how hard it was for my dad to find people who he really trusted.
It was just another detail that had been arranged that was absolutely perfect.
My dad and George walked toward us, Jadyn following close behind.
“Everything look okay?” my dad asked, and I flew into his arms, hugging him tightly.
“It’s perfect, Dad. Thank you for this. I have no words that could possibly be enough.”
He kissed my cheek and then backed up. “That smile is all I need, CC.”
A flurry of activity sounded suddenly by the patio door, and I flinched as I watched security spring to action from various places in the yard.
“Get your hands off of me!” I heard a woman’s voice, and my flinch turned to a full-on cringe as I recognized it. “As if the timing isn’t bad enough, now you let your barbarians manhandle me, Gideon?”