Page 24

“H eard it was crazy,” Roxi said as she fixed her braid before licking her thumb and wiping a bit of smudged eyeliner from under her eye.

“Crazy is a fucking understatement,” I replied as I sat down and moved the layers of my fluffy white bridal gown out of the way, searching for my shoes. Once I found the heels under the chair, I then went back and removed the fabric, trying to get to my feet.

After watching me fumble and struggle to move all of the layers of my gown out of the way for several minutes, Roxi rolled her eyes. “Oh, geez, gimme those," she said, snatching the heels out of my hand and in her far more practical bridesmaid dress, bent down to help me get them on. “You’re lucky you’ll have not one extra set of hands, but four tonight. You’re going to need help to get all those pearl buttons undone.”

“You’re the one who talked me into the pearl buttons,” I replied. “I didn’t know it’d be this hard to get all of it on in the first place.”

She snickered as she buckled the strap of my heels. “Oh, was that me?"

I narrowed my eyes on her as she rose and straightened her dark purple gown. “You convinced me to get the pearls on purpose!” I said with a pointed finger.

She smiled and winked. “Guilty as charged. It’s going to drive them crazy,” she replied. “They might actually rip the dress from your body. How hot is that? You can thank me later.”

“They better not,” I grumbled. “Do you know how fucking expensive this dress was? Why do wedding dresses have to be so pricy?"

"Because they're a once in a lifetime—usually—opportunity. Also, they may be expensive, but a hot first night with your husbands is priceless. You're welcome."

I rolled my eyes but then sobered. “Can you peek out and see who all showed up?” I asked. “I know my parents are here, but I don’t know about the others.” I wrung my hands together.

Roxi gave me a sympathetic look and nodded, turning and heading for the dressing room exit, leaving me alone. I glanced up and stared across the room at the tall floor-to-ceiling mirror. I had to admit, her suggestion of stopping at a salon to get both my hair and makeup done had paid off. My dirty-blonde hair was piled up on my head with little ringlets drifting down against my cheek and neck. My makeup was understated, not too overdone, but just enough so that I’d look perfect in the following pictures for years to come. I still looked like me, just a more refined version.

I continued to twist my hands in my lap as I waited for Roxi to return and when she did, I looked to her face for a hint of what was to come. She smiled at me, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Who’s missing?” I asked.

“Taylor’s parents are here,” she offered.

“Guess he was right about them being open…” I said, biting my lip. “Who else?”

“Your parents obviously. Giselle and her mom are here.”

“And Cody’s parents?”

Roxi turned her eyes downward and I knew. “I’m sorry, Jamie," she said quietly.

My breath hitched, and I stood abruptly. “I have to go talk to him.” What could he be thinking? I wondered. Was he hurt? He had to be hurt. I didn't even know them all that well, and I was hurt. How could they just leave their son like this? I mean, no, our relationship wasn’t exactly commonplace, but it wasn't like it was immoral. We weren't hurting anyone. My eyes burned with unshed tears.

Her eyes widened. “Are you crazy? There’s no way I’m letting you out there right now. You're about to get married and they can't see you in your dress. I know you're worried, but can’t you wait until after the ceremony?”

“Please, Roxi, I have to see him.” I started for the door, a flurry of panic and pain welling up within me. What must he be feeling? Did he have regrets? This was all my fault. Like a dragon guarding lost treasure, Roxi dove in front of the door and growled at me, drawing me up short.

“You are not leaving this room,” she snapped. “I’ll go get him if I must—hell, Bas and Oliver are out there, I'll grab them and send them on a hunting mission ... which actually, now that I think about it, shouldn't be too hard since he's probably with Dex—But you are not ruining how the others are going to look at you when you walk down the aisle, because make no mistake, woman, you will be walking down the aisle—parents be damned.”

I blinked at her and backed off as she pointed at me meaningfully, then reached back with her free hand and turned the knob as she cracked open the door. “Stay. Here.” Then she was gone.

I sagged back into my chair and gripped the sides of it. I wanted to cover my face with my hands or grab hunks of my hair and yank it out of frustration, but she was right. We’d spent far too long on the whole ordeal of getting ready as it was. I wasn’t about to go through all of it again.

Moments later, there was a brief knock at the door and Cody’s voice drifted through the wood. “Jamie? Roxi said you needed to talk to me. Is everything okay?”

I stood and took two giant steps to the door. I grasped the knob and turned, reaching out and yanking him inside by his jacket. All I saw for a brief moment was the shock registering on his face and his gorgeous auburn hair before he was inside and I had him pressed up against the door.

I panted. Oh, my god. I couldn’t believe that I did that. Just yanked him inside and shoved him against the door. What was I thinking? Maybe Roxi was right. Maybe this could’ve waited until after the ceremony .

For several long moments, the two of us just stared at each other. My gaze roved down to the dark, pressed suit he wore. Cody so rarely dressed up. Seeing him like this was different and new and, to be quite honest, kind of hot. I shook my head, that wasn't why he was in here.

“Your parents didn't come...” I blurted before I could stop myself. His eyes widened and I jerked my gaze down. I didn't want to see the hurt in their depths, but I needed him to know how sorry I was. “I’m so sorry, Cody," I confessed. "I just wanted to know how you were. Roxi wouldn’t let me out of here to go find you, but you … I had to..." My voice trailed off. Silence descended. After several more seconds of nothing, I peered up at him and found him unresponsive—staring, open-mouthed, down at me.

“Cody?” I shook him a bit. “Are you okay?”

“Jamie…” He choked on his words. “Y-you…”

“What?” I blinked at him. “What’s wrong?”

He shook his head. “No,” he finally managed to get out. “Nothing’s wrong. You look fucking beautiful.”

Heat stretched up my neck and infused my cheeks. “Oh.”

His hands grasped my shoulders and he spun us until my back was pressed against the wall and his lips came down on mine. Hard. I sucked in a breath and then moaned as his tongue slid into my mouth, rubbing against mine. My eyes closed and I reached up, fisting my fingers into his hair as he kissed me into oblivion.

Cody cupped the sides of my face as though I were a delicate creature and it only made me want him more. He kissed me reverently, like he was worshipping something precious and fragile. I shivered under his ministrations.

“Cody…” I whispered his name and the sound of my own voice seemed to jar something in my mind. I began to slow, but it was hard to stop altogether.

“Cody.” I blinked, breaking the kiss. I hadn’t said his name that time. My name followed his. “Jamie? Come on, guys, it’s almost time. They're gonna play the wedding march soon and you need to be up at that stand, Cody. Hurry up,” Roxi whisper-hissed through the door.

"What are they doing?" The sound of a low, masculine voice drifted through the door. It wasn't any of my guys, so I had to assume it was either Bastien or Oliver.

"Making out probably," Roxi muttered. Yup. Definitely Bastien or Oliver.

Cody swallowed and backed up. He looked down at me, cheeks flushed. His freckles stood out on full display. I wanted to lick each and every one of them.

“Are you okay?” I ask him. “I mean … about your parents.”

He shook his head. “They called me last night and told me they weren’t coming.”

I blanched. “Are you okay with that?”

He shrugged, swiping a thumb over his bottom lip as he looked away. My eyes zeroed in on how that thumb pulled the fullness of his lower lip to the side. My panties grew damp. But there was no time.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. He turned back to me and pressed another kiss to my lips. I whimpered when he pulled away. “I love you, and I always will. It’s you and me, Jamie. And the guys; they’re my family too.”

I closed my eyes and squeezed him tight. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered.

“Jamie,” he framed my face with his palms once more and forced me to look at him, “they made their decision and I’m making mine. I choose you. Don’t ever apologize for that. I sure as hell won’t. Do you understand me? You are it for me. It’s just you. Hell, maybe it always has been. I don’t want to lose you. I won’t lose you,” he said.

“I love you,” I said as tears began to gather behind my eyes.

He shook his head with a grin and released my face, leaning down to press a quick kiss to my forehead. “And I love you,” he replied. “Now, are you ready for this?” he asked.

I reached up and wiped some of my lipstick from his mouth. It was the expensive kind—the kind that wasn’t supposed to rub off for hours, but making out had definitely transferred some of it. I finished and turned to the mirror to check that I didn’t have any smudges myself. I grabbed a tissue from the vanity and patted my face, fixing my make-up and taking a deep breath before pivoting back to him. “As ready as I’ve ever been in my entire life,” I replied.

He grinned and took my hand as the door opened and Roxi’s head popped inside. “Alright, lovebirds, let’s go,” she demanded.

“We’re ready,” Cody announced.

“Oh great, then we can begin the ceremony everyone else has been waiting forever for. Let’s get this show on the road, kiddies.” Roxi booty bumped Cody and he released my hand. “Get a move on. Go-Go,” she shooed him. “Get up there with the others. I promise, you can be apart from your lady love for like five minutes. You’re not going to die.”

Cody chuckled and then winked my way. “See you soon, lady-love,” he said.

I groaned and rolled my eyes. “That’s not going to become a thing from you, is it?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Probably not. I like your name just fine, but if Donovan hears about it…”

My eyes widened and I reached for him, intent on wheedling a promise never to tell Taylor about that stupid name, when his departure was interrupted by the arrival of my father.

“Oh, um, pardon me, there … son,” my dad said awkwardly.

Cody nodded to him. “No apologies necessary, Mr. Houston. We’re thankful you could make it today.”

“Yes, I—um, I appreciate you all still wanting me to be here despite, um, some things I may have said last night.”

Cody shook his head. “We wouldn’t have it any other way.” He turned back to me. “See you on the other side, Jamie.”

I sighed and waved him on, taking my dad’s arm as the music began to play. Roxi moved up in line, waited for her cue, and then blew me a kiss as she moved out and started her long trek to the altar.

“Thanks,” I whispered to my dad, “for being here. It means a lot.”

My dad looked down at me and then took my hand firmly in his, holding it in the crook of his elbow. “I assume your mother spoke to you last night when I was … indisposed.”

I chuckled at how he worded it, but nodded.

He sucked in a breath as our cue rang out with the changing beat of the music. “I’ll always be here for you. Rise or fall, Jamie,” he said as we took a step into the church, and the first of many happy tears fell from my eyes as he led me towards the future I had always wanted but never knew was possible.

“Thank you, Dad,” I whispered.

He didn’t reply but reached into his pocket and withdrew a small handkerchief, passing it to me as I tried to stop crying. He squeezed me to his side as the doors into the chapel were pushed open. I looked up and met four pairs of eyes. Each of them shining. I smiled around a full throat as Dex’s face slackened with shock and then he straightened and appeared to hold his breath as I approached.

Dare couldn’t seem to gather himself up in the same way, however. He stared at me as though he had never seen me before in his life and it almost made me laugh. Taylor, on the other hand, did make me laugh when I slid my gaze to him. He winked and then wiggled his eyebrows, letting me know exactly what he was looking forward to tonight.

I laughed quietly, my shoulders shaking even as I held back the tears. My eyes fell on Cody, the last, but never the least of my boys. Men , I reminded myself. My men.

“I think I got lucky,” I found myself saying aloud. Dex tilted his head at me as my dad pulled me to a stop just before the dais.

“Lucky?” he repeated, sounding confused

“I can’t believe I’m getting married,” I said. A few family members in the front rows chuckled—a combination of mine as well as the guys.

“Well, believe it,” Dex said as he descended towards us. He took a moment to take my hand and then give my dad a nod of acknowledgment. “Thank you, Mr. Houston. You won’t regret this.”

My dad puffed out his chest. “I better not,” was all he said, causing Dex to smile and nod again.

“What did you mean about luck?” he whispered as we reached the altar.

I looked at him for a moment and then past him to the rest of the guys, all of them handsome in their suits. “I got so lucky with you. All of you.”

Dare grinned back at me. “You sure did, Sweetheart. And believe us, we got lucky with you too. You’re our lucky break.”

“Now, hurry up and say ‘I do,’” Taylor said, “so we can get to the good stuff.”

“We’re not there yet, son,” the officiant said with an amused chuckle.

I laughed and turned to face the man. Dex held my hand as the officiant started us off. He was wonderful and gracious for a rather unusual wedding. I was sure he’d never seen a wedding party with all of the men giving their own vows. And when the time finally came, the resounding ‘I dos’ from each of the guys had me biting my lip to keep from sobbing like a baby.

In the end, though, as a single tear slid down my cheek and the officiant announced it was my turn, I looked at them and smiled as I said the two most important words in my life.

“I do.”