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Sophie nodded emphatically. “I don’t get to see him much. I want to stay with him.”

Yikes. Way to rub it in thick, kid. She wiped out anyone taking her away from her dad for even a second in one smooth move.

Maya’s mom looked surprised, but there was no way she was going to argue with that. She gave in instantly, gesturing towards the bed-and-breakfast. “Okay, he can join us. We’re going to Maya’s room. You get to see the bride first, but that’s our little secret.”

Sophie zipped her lips and crossed her heart, tugging her dad along as they headed inside. As she passed, MoB-zilla made an appearance, and she hissed at me.

“The wedding will start soon. Shouldn’t you be getting ready?”

I wasn’t going to argue with her, so I gave her a mock salute. “Yes, ma’am. Hey, Sophie. Save me a dance, okay?”

She dropped Mob-zilla’s hand long enough to give me a thumbs up before she was the one leading the two adults inside. I shook my head slowly, fighting off a laugh.

“Cute kid.”

I hummed, looking over my shoulder at Aziel. The whole gang was here, most of them already in their seats. Turning, I raised my eyebrows at him.

“Haven’t seen you around in a while. Where you been, man?”

“Busy. I can’t stay through the whole thing.”

I sighed. Something was up with him lately. He was acting weird and avoiding us. I couldn’t remember the last poker game he went to, and he rarely answered his texts anymore. There was a story there, but now was not the time or the place to grill him about it. He seemed guarded, like he was waiting for me to say something, but I just pulled him in for a hug, slapping his back roughly.

“Good to see you. Don’t be a stranger, alright? We miss you.”

He hesitated for a second before hugging me back. It surprised me. I kind of expected something quick, but he stayed for a few extra seconds, his grip tight and uneasy. It was telling, and once this thing was through, I was going to check in on himmore. Whatever he was going through, he didn’t have to deal with it alone.

Clapping his back one more time, I straightened and squeezed his shoulders. “I gotta get up on stage or MoB-zilla will eat me alive. And not in the fun way. Have a drink with me later?”

“If I have time. Never thought I’d see you playing a wedding,” he smirked, a hint of the guy I knew making an appearance.

I made a face. “Tell me about it. They manhandled me into it. Blame Ruby. If you’re gonna hide in the back, do me a favor and take a few clips. A friend said we should be putting stuff on social media to get more fans. Apparently, word of mouth isn’t what it used to be.”

Something flickered across his face, but he dipped his chin, and it was gone again. “Sounds good. Break a leg.”

I lifted my chin in acknowledgement and headed for the little stage they set us up on. Laz was waiting for me, and he frowned at my approach.

“Is that Aziel? Haven’t seen him in a while.”

I nodded. “Same, man. You ready to do this?”

“As I’ll ever be. Who conned us into this again?”

I snorted. Not everyone was on board when they heard the plan, but Ruby was right. The money swayed them. At least the rent was fully covered this month.

CHAPTER EIGHT

ARTHUR

Somehow,I managed to pry myself away from Sophie. She was a combination of nervous and excited, and for a few minutes I worried she might not be comfortable walking down the aisle. But then they introduced her to Maya’s brother, an affable young man who was saddled with the job of ring bearer even though he was at least college aged. He worked with it by pretending to be Sophie’s security, dark glasses on his face as he stuck close to her. Sophie thought it was hilarious and would purposely run off to see if he’d keep up with her. After a quick kiss, I snuck off to find my seat near the back so I could get as many pictures as possible without being in the photographer's way.

The ceremony itself was short and sweet. Maya and Isla chose a gorgeous location, the sun filtering through the trees at just the right angle. I took a few pictures, planning on sending them to the couple after the wedding was over. I wouldn’t consider myself a professional, but I watched a few videos online before Sophie was born and took pictures of every stage of her life. By this point, I knew how to get good angles and lighting,and I enjoyed my little hobby, even if Val said it was a waste of time.

I took a few pictures of Hendrix, too. He crooned an acoustic love song as the brides walked down the aisle, the alluring lilt of his voice making the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. If he wasn’t a demon, he’d be a siren with how beautiful his voice is. And selfishly, I wanted some pictures of him without making myself look creepy.

After the ceremony, Sophie followed the brides back down the aisle, beaming and waving at me as she headed inside. I got up to follow her, stopping to listen as Maya’s mother showered her with praise.

“You did such a wonderful job! I’m so glad you came to the rescue! The wedding wouldn’t have been the same without you!”