Page 66 of Brewer Family Collection, Part 1

Jason

F or the first time in my life, I wish Renn were here.

The King and Bling Chapel off the Strip was his suggestion, to put it lightly. It’s where he accidentally married Blakely on her thirtieth birthday, and he argued with me for twenty minutes this evening when I mentioned getting married on a gondola.

At least if my brother were here, he could make a joke, and I’d want to throttle him instead of concentrating on how fast my heart is beating.

Chloe fidgets with a bouquet of pink roses I had delivered to the apartment before we left.

“Hey,” I say, nudging her with my elbow. “Having regrets?”

“Only one.”

My brows furrow.

“I wish Mimi were here,” she says softly. Tears spring to her eyes. “I didn’t think I was going to get emotional.” She laughs, sniffling. “I’m just … ignore me.”

I step to the side to allow a newly married couple to pass. “I will never ignore you, Chloe.”

“You know what I mean.”

As the couple before us enters the staging room, a woman with a name tag reading Corbin arrives at our side.

“Are you two lovebirds ready?” she asks, shoving a pair of black-rimmed glasses up her nose. “You make a gorgeous couple.”

“Thank you,” Chloe says, accepting a tissue from Corbin.

“Yes,” I say, keeping an eye on my bride. “We’re ready.”

“ Not yet !” a voice shouts.

We all look over our shoulders as a commotion erupts in the lobby. The couple behind us steps quickly out of the way as a barrage of bodies—ones I know very well—charge into the room.

“Did we make it?” Tate asks, panting. “Tell us we made it.”

“If you wouldn’t have been taking selfies with the stewardesses, we wouldn’t be cutting it so damn close,” Ripley says, smacking me on the shoulder. “What’s up, brother?”

Chloe’s fingers lace through mine, and she gives them a tight squeeze. It’s almost as tight as the one in my chest.

These bastards.

“What in the hell are you guys doing here?” I ask, laughing.

“Do you really think you’re getting married without us?” Tate asks. “I had to see this with my own eyes.”

“And Mom sent us to FaceTime.” Ripley holds up a phone. “She basically threatened to give Bianca my inheritance if I didn’t get here in time. She couldn’t get to the airport in time, and Bianca didn’t find out the news until about twenty minutes ago. So prepare yourself. She’s pissed.”

“How did you get here so quickly?” Chloe asks.

Tate grins. “We have a brother who owns an airline.” He looks at Jason. “You paid for that flight, by the way.”

I roll my eyes as my brothers each pull my fiancée into a quick hug.

Chloe’s cheeks color the same as her flowers as she accepts their congratulations. They tease her, joking that she’s now fair game. And although she pushes back, she has a smile on her face. If I’m not mistaken, she’s enjoying this.

“I also have orders,” Tate says, digging his hand into his pocket. “Mimi wants to FaceTime, too.”

Chloe’s jaw falls open. “How do you know Mimi?”

“I have my ways.” Tate winks at her. “She’s at home, propped up in bed, watching black-and-white movies with Mara. They’re having a girls’ night. But Mimi does want to watch you get hitched to the old man here.”

I shove my elbow into Tate’s side. He bends at the hip and groans for effect.

The couple from before comes out of the staging area, whooping and hollering. We all clap as the groom picks up his bride and throws her over his shoulders. She loses a shoe in the process.

“You’re up!” Corbin says, her red lips parting into a wide smile. “Go on in. Do you have any questions? Or do you remember how we went over everything?”

I glance at Chloe. She’s beaming up at me.

“We’re good,” I say. “Thanks, Corbin.”

“Of course. Now, go get married!”

Ripley holds the door open, and we enter a white room. White tile floors, white fabric draped over the walls and ceiling, and a white chandelier streaming a bright white light.

“What do we do now?” Tate asks.

“I go on inside and wait by the floral arch,” I say. “Chloe stays here until she hears the wedding march. You guys can go on in with me, I guess.”

Ripley starts toward the door into the chapel but stalls. He looks over his shoulder at Chloe.

She grips my hand, tears filling her eyes again. Her gaze darts around the room until it lands on Ripley.

“Hey,” he says, flicking his attention to me for approval.

I nod. “I know I’m not your father or anything, but would you like me to walk you down the aisle?

If not, that’s okay. I just thought you might need someone to whisper in your ear on the way to Jason and remind you of all his good qualities so you don’t realize what you’re doing and bail. ”

She laughs, the sound strangled by a wash of emotions. She doesn’t speak, only nods.

My heart grows, and I give my little brother a wink.

“Give me your phone,” Tate says, holding out a hand. “I’ll be the best man and the wedding videographer.”

Ripley forks his phone over to Tate. I take one last look at my soon-to-be wife.

She’s absolutely beautiful.

Her hair is down, one side pulled over to the other shoulder and fastened invisibly. Her dress hits her mid-calf and has billowy sleeves that make her look like an angel. The fabric tightens at her waist.

I could stare at her forever.

“See you soon,” I say.

She grins. “See you soon.”

I give her a smile before following Tate down a white pathway to an arch of white flowers.

“At least there aren’t any chickens,” Tate mumbles, reminding me of Bianca’s backyard wedding to Foxx. One of Foxx’s brothers has free-range chickens, and they definitely made it an interesting day. It wasn’t at all how I ever imagined Bianca getting married.

I glance at the man walking our way with slicked-back hair and a gold jumpsuit.

But I didn’t imagine getting married like this either.

“Okay,” Tate says, holding two phones aimed at the doorway. “I’m ready to rock and roll.”

“That’s what I like to hear!” Gold jumpsuit man stands behind the arch. “Are we ready, boys?”

My heart pounds. I slip my hand in my pocket and find the small box I had delivered with the flowers. “Let’s do this.”

Music plays overhead, and on cue, the doors open.

Chloe’s arm is through Ripley’s elbow. Her flowers are in her hand. Her eyes are on me.

I struggle to breathe.

Everything and everyone blurs. She’s my only focus.

With each step she takes, my blood pumps harder.

They stop in front of me, and Ripley presses a quick kiss to her cheek and then stands beside Tate.

This is really happening.

I take her hand and, as instructed, she faces me. Gold Jumpsuit comes between us and signals for the music to end. It drifts away.

“Are you good?” I ask.

She nods. “I’m really good, actually.”

I squeeze her hand.

“We’re gathered here in The King and Bling Chapel for the marriage of”—Gold Jumpsuit looks at his notes—“Chloe Goodman and Jason Brewer.”

Chloe’s eyes shine as she stares into mine.

“Do you, Chloe Goodman, take Jason Brewer to be your husband and to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him, so long as you both shall live?”

“Or for the next six months,” she whispers.

I chuckle.

“Yes,” she says loudly. “I do.”

“And do you, Jason Brewer, take Chloe Goodman to be your wife and to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to her, so long as you both shall live?”

“I do.”

“Are we exchanging rings?” Gold Jumpsuit asks. “It’s not in the notes.”

“No,” Chloe says.

I pull the box from my pocket. “Yes, we are.”

Chloe’s eyes widen. “ Jason . What are you doing? I don’t have a ring for you.”

“Well, I have one for you.” I open the box and remove the ring, saying a silent prayer that she likes it. Then I take her finger. “This was very last minute, so if you don’t like it, we can get something else.”

“I don’t know how you did this.” She gasps as I slip on the ring. “ Oh my gosh . Jason!”

I hold my breath as she brings the jewelry to her face.

“You don’t wear a lot of jewelry, so I didn’t really know what your style would be,” I say, trying to read her expression.

She giggles a short, disbelieving sound and beams. “It’s absolutely perfect. I can’t … I don’t even know what to say.”

“Well, you just said I do , so that pretty much says it all,” Tate says. “ Ouch !”

“Behave, Tate,” Mom warns over the phone.

Chloe laughs. “I’ll get you a ring.”

“Don’t you dare.”

She narrows her eyes. “I’m your wife. I don’t have to take your orders anymore.”

I grin. “We’ll see about that.”

“By the power vested in me by the State of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Golden Jumpsuit says. “You may kiss your bride.”

My brothers clap, Tate yells something, and faraway voices also rejoice through the phones, but none of that matters. All that matters is headed toward me.

Chloe meets me halfway, throwing her arms over my shoulders.

Blood races through my veins as if a dam has burst. Her eyes meet mine.

I wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her into my chest, and her smile widens as our bodies touch.

“Are you ready for this, Wife ?” I whisper against her lips.

“I’m ready for you.”

My mouth captures hers. I intend for this to be a sweet, chaste kiss and make her wait until we get back to the penthouse for more.

It was a good plan.

It was also futile.

She moans as I sweep my tongue against hers. Her body goes limp in my arms, so I haul her tighter against me.

Her head falls to the side, allowing me full access to her mouth.

Her lips are like pillows as I take them, her breath hot and sweet as I breathe it in. She gives as good as she gets with her free hand scratching against my scalp. It sets off a rush of goose bumps across my skin.

“Fuck,” I whisper as we pull apart.

She giggles, panting alongside me.

“May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Brewer,” Gold Jumpsuit says.

Tate and Ripley clap once again, congratulating the two of us. I can hear my mom’s sounds of joy, and I love that I’ve brought her happiness to counter all the shit she’s been through lately.

“Yes, Chloe and Jason.” Mimi whoops through the phone. “Now, go climb that stud like a tree, Chloe, and make me some great-grandbabies!”

Everyone bursts out laughing. Of course, Mimi would go there.

“Get me back to the penthouse,” Chloe says, her words rough and pleading.

Yup. She’s going to be the death of me.

“We told Mom and Mimi you’d call them later,” Ripley says. “Figured you’d be busy for the rest of the night.”

“And tomorrow,” Chloe says, much to my brothers’ amusement.

“Thanks for coming,” I say, nearly dragging Chloe out of the chapel. “It really does mean a lot to me.”

“To us!” Chloe adds, laughing.

Ripley laughs, too. “We’ll talk about it later. Go enjoy yourselves.”

Tate pats me on the back as we step onto the sidewalk. He and Ripley shout their goodbyes as they head off into the throngs of people on the Strip.

I make a mad dash, bride in hand, to our car. I’m done waiting. I want my wife.

Although, I know that will never stop being true.

I’ll always want her to be mine.