Page 44

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

IDEAL

RHODES

Now

Well, our season is done. It's sad to think that we didn’t make it to the Super Bowl after we had that winning streak for so long, but honestly, I'm so happy to be spending my days with Elle and Levi that I'm not too broken up about it.

While Elle is writing each day, I teach Bogey tricks. He’s so damn cute and he’s freaking smart too. When Levi’s home, he helps with Bogey and loves giving him treats. So far Bogey can sit, stay, roll over, shake, fetch…and there’s a new trick that I’m working on in secret.

Bogey’s reward is these beef chews that he would do anything for, and my reward is the way Elle laughs in delight when we’ve shown her the latest trick he can do. It’s the greatest motivation.

When she pops out of the office, her hair on top of her head and dragging toward me like she’s almost sleepwalking, I put my arms around her and lead her to the kitchen where I’ve made her a healthy dinner. The more bites she takes, the more energy returns and midway through dinner, she bounces back and gets chattier.

“What’s your ideal wedding scenario?” she asks.

“You, standing in front of me, saying ‘I do.’”

Her eyes turn melty. “Well, yes, but…I’m a given. What else?”

“Our family and friends there? Although I’d marry you if it were just the two of us in the middle of nowhere. What about you? What do you want?”

“I know what I don’t want…I don't want a long, drawn-out engagement or a big wedding. I don't care where we are. I’d like Levi and our parents and close friends to be there. Nothing else matters. I mean, except you.”

“Well, yeah,” I say. “I’m a given.”

We grin the same sappy grins at each other.

“Do you want to get married in your dad’s church?”

She shakes her head. “No, but I would love for my dad to marry us. I’d rather get married by the water or on a pretty mountain…or surrounded by both. Your yard is gorgeous…out by the little waterfall.”

“Your yard too,” I remind her .

She’s put her condo on the market and I love that she’s never going back there. And not just because of Brock. I love that she’s officially moved in with me for keeps.

“But it’s cold out there right now,” I remind her.

“True…which pushes us back a few months at least,” she says.

“I loved it when you said no long, drawn-out engagements.”

She giggles. “You did, huh?”

“I thought it was a brilliant statement and I wholeheartedly agreed with it.”

“Okay, well, we’ll either have to get lots of heaters and dress warm or look for a destination spot where everyone wouldn’t mind traveling.”

I snap and point at her. “I love the way you think.”

She laughs as she takes her plate to the sink. “Okay, cornball. Thanks for dinner. Thanks for feeding me.” She kisses me and my hands land on her amazing ass. I thank God for it daily.

“It’s the least I could do after keeping you up all night. Were you able to get the words you needed?”

“I need to finish this chapter and then I’ll be done for the night.”

“Okay, I’ll be here.”

She goes back to her office and I search for beautiful locations for weddings. When I start looking at pictures online, it hits me and I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before.

I wait until she comes back out of the office and have a plate of fruit cut up for her. When she’s in the zone, my girl forgets to eat.

“Shut me down if you don’t love it, but I’ve got an idea for our wedding. ”

“What?” she asks, popping a grape in her mouth.

“My parents’ place in California…”

Her eyes widen. “Rhodes! It’s perfect. I’ve always loved that house. The view. The beach is right there. Do you think they would be okay with it?”

“Are you kidding? I don’t even need to mention it unless we think we want to do it, because they’ll both jump all over it.”

“Let’s do it. I love this idea.”

When we FaceTime to talk to them about it, they’re ecstatic, as I knew they would be, but when I say we want to do it as soon as possible, two things happen.

“Are we having a baby?” My mom claps her hands.

“No, Mom, just excited to start our life together as husband and wife.” I laugh. I glance at Elle and lift an eyebrow. “You don’t have anything you want to tell me, do you?”

“Not yet,” she says, laughing. “But you’ll be the first to know.”

My mom immediately goes into super planner mode with all these amazing ideas that sound daunting, until I stop her and say, “We don’t want a production. Right?” I look at Elle and she nods. “I think we’d both be happy eloping if it meant all of you would be there…but being home on the beach sounds even better.”

“Exactly,” Elle said. “We’re thinking simple and elegant. Out on the beach for the ceremony, and then for the reception, we could add another long table by the one already out there and everyone would fit.”

“You don’t want something a little…fancier?” Mom asks.

“Flowers, good food, and the scenery…with all of you. That’s all I need,” Elle says.

“That’s easy,” Dad says, beaming. “Let’s do this!”

We would’ve never been able to pull this off during football season, but since it’s not, two weeks later, we’re all heading to L.A. in a private plane for the wedding. Bogey is a hit with the flight crew. When the flight attendants go on over how cute he is, I open his carrier and have him shake their hands.

The little dude is a showstopper.

The whole crew is on this plane—my guys and their girls and kids, Elle's parents—all of us.

I wasn't sure how Weston and Sadie would feel about doing this so close to their wedding since it’s only a month off. They’re going for more of a traditional wedding than we are, so I thought it could be a stressful time to try to leave. Elle and I went to them first and asked them to tell us honestly if the thought of going to California for the weekend stressed them out too much. Sadie’s pretty chill about the wedding stuff and Weston just wants to make her happy, and they both said they were so ready to get away and put all the wedding planning on hold for a few days. They also said they were so excited for us to finally be together that even if it did stress them out, they wouldn’t miss this for the world. Elle and I promised to work our asses off doing whatever they needed for their wedding and it was all settled.

With our wedding at the end of January and Weston and Sadie’s the end of February, we’ll have time to go on our honeymoons and still be back to enjoy plenty of home life before next season begins.

There’s very little to do when we arrive. My parents have worked hard and have hired people to help, so we have the time of our lives relaxing and hanging out together. The night before the wedding, I follow Elle up the stairs to our bedroom. I have a hard time keeping my hands off her ass anytime I’m behind her, so I get grabby and she laughs, jogging up the stairs faster. But when she reaches the door, she turns and puts her hand against my chest.

“Huh-uh,” she says, shaking her head. “You’ve gotta sleep somewhere else tonight.”

I look at her incredulously. “There is no vacancy in this house tonight. We are filled to capacity.” I put my hands on her waist. “And I’m dying to fill you to capacity.”

She smirks but doesn’t budge.

“You’re really saying you can sleep a night without me?” I pout.

She makes a face. “Well, I’m not saying it sounds ideal , but we both need our rest and it’s a tradition…”

“Of all times for you to get traditional...”

“I know.” She grins, her hands winding around my neck. “Just put up with me, and tomorrow and the rest of our lives, we will sleep in the same bed as much as we're able to. Think of this as a night before the big game where you have to go get your rest so you're all prepared to win.”

“I just want to touch down with you right now. I want to bring in our wedding day the right way.”

She laughs. “You are so ridiculous.”

“And you love me for it.”

“Yeah, I do.” She squirms when I nuzzle into her neck.

“Okay, how about I just make it real quick?”

“How quick are we talking?”

“Long enough to make you come twice instead of five times.”

“I guess that would be okay,” she says, pulling me inside the door.

I start by closing it behind her and getting on my knees. When she's yanking my hair and biting her fist to keep from crying out, I let her ride her orgasm out before picking her up and tossing her onto the bed.

“Is this fast enough for you?” I tease.

“Well, you haven't made me come twice yet, so we'll see.”

“Oh, you …” I tickle her stomach and she cackles and then covers her face with the pillow.

She peeks out at me. “Get after it, mister.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

I bury myself inside her with one long stroke and she trembles around me.

“Rhodes,” she whispers. “How does it always feel so unbelievably good?”

“I don't know, Elle. I think you and I were made to do this.”

“Think of all that time we wasted,” she says.

“We're not wasting time anymore,” I tell her.

And then I make her come again.

I wake up next to Penn on my wedding day. It was either crash Penn’s bed or Bowie’s, and Bowie was too sprawled out to make that work. Penn glances up groggily when I get out of bed.

“Was it good for you?” he croaks.

I laugh. Dude’s got jokes even half asleep.

“I’ve had better,” I say. “ Much better.”

“Ouch.”

I actually slept and feel pretty damn great.

Today's my wedding day, and I'm gonna marry my best friend, the woman I love.

After getting my shower, I have breakfast with my dad and the guys, and eventually, we go upstairs to Henley's room. He's in the biggest room besides my parents’ and Elle’s, and we all get ready in there. Elle and the girls are getting ready in our room.

“Are we ready for this?” Henley asks.

“I’m so ready,” I tell him.

He hands me The Single Dad Playbook and I smile when I see it.

“I just wrote a little something in there for you. I know we don't have much time, but when you get a minute, you can take a look.”

“Thanks, man, I can't wait to see what you wrote.”

“I might have added something in there before that,” Weston says.

“Well, someone should have given me the memo,” Penn says.

“Same,” Bowie grumbles, but they're both smiling.

I open it and see Weston’s entry first.

When I told Caleb we were going to

see Uncle Rhodes get married,

he said, “He mawwied Elle.”

I said, “Yes, he’s marrying Elle this weekend.

We get to go to the wedding.”

And he said, “No, he mawwied Elle.”

Apparently, he’s thought all this time that

Rhodes and Elle have been married all along.

It makes me think maybe his intuition

will take him places.

~Westo n

I smile at Weston. “I love that kid. If he would’ve just told me this months ago, it would’ve saved me quite a bit of agony.”

Everyone laughs.

“Where are Caleb and Levi?” Penn asks.

“My mom is playing with them for a bit. She’ll bring them up in a few.”

I look back at the book to read Henley’s entry.

When you realize the woman you love is having your baby, there's nothing like it. Every experience I’ve had before has been great. I loved Bree, but it was different. The love I feel for Tru is transcendental

and she's having my baby.

~Henley

“What?” I yell. “Are you saying what—oh my goodness! When? How long?”

The guys grab the book and we all start yelling at once.

“Congratulations, man.” I hug him hard.

“Thank you. I know it's not the typical Playbook entry, but it felt fitting today to say it. When you and Elle start your family, it's just gonna complete everything you've already built together. Levi will be amazing with a baby brother or sister, and you'll have the experience you missed out on before. My situation is a little different because what I had wasn’t bad with Bree,” he says, “but this pregnancy is so much more, because Tru and I are meant to be together. I can't wait to see you become a dad again.”

“Let's get him married first,” Bowie says. “Then they can work on that.”

Laughter fills the room and I don’t think I can take much more happiness than this.

But then I see Elle walking toward me on the beach. Her hair is down and her white dress is beautiful, but it’s her face that enraptures me. Her smile is radiant. I’m not ashamed to say that I ugly cry.

Her dad officiates the ceremony and I honestly don’t even comprehend what he’s saying because Elle is standing in front of me . She’s looking at me with so much love, so much trust, and I see all the versions of her I’ve loved throughout our life together. The girl in college with baggy clothes who would drop anything to hang out with me. The first time I saw what she’d been hiding under all those baggy things. The tears over hurts and stresses and when we’d see each other after a long time had passed. The excitement that lit her eyes every single time I walked into a room. The devastation when I told her I’d gotten another woman pregnant. The first time I kissed her, made love to her…all of it whirls at me and I grip her hand tightly, wanting to remember all of it, but to be right here, feeling this moment now most of all.

When Doug turns to me to say my vows, I can only hope that I’ll be able to speak without losing it.

“ Elle.” We smile at each other. “When you entrusted me with your friendship so many years ago, you gave me the greatest gift I’ve ever known. It was so great that I did whatever I could to protect it, sometimes failing miserably, and often at the cost of experiencing what we’ve found here today. Your friendship will always be what carries me, what fills me with joy, but it’s your love that sustains me and fills the void that was always missing. It feels like we’ve already lived a couple of lifetimes in this relationship, but I’m most excited for this next one we’re starting together. I promise to love you, honor you, and cherish you through every single step of us. I promise to make you happy, do whatever it takes to make it right when you’re not, and to always keep you fed.”

She laughs through her tears at that last one.

“You’re forever for me. I’ve waited a long time to say that you’re mine and I’m going to be grateful until the day that I die that I can say it now. And I’m yours. Always have been. Always will be.”

She dabs her face with a pretty handkerchief and clears her throat. Her voice is shaky when she starts.

“Rhodes, it was always you.” She gives me a wobbly smile. “I have always been in love with your smiling eyes, your generous heart, the way you can make me laugh so hard, and how everyone is comfortable around you. Don’t get me started on the dimples...”

Everyone laughs and her smile brightens as her eyes never leave mine.

“We said we were just friends a lot, but it’s never fully been true because the word just will always be too limiting when it comes to you. You are larger than life, unfairly beautiful,” she pauses when everyone laughs again, “and have the biggest heart I know. And you have always, always loved me so well. I will love you with everything in me for as long as I live. I will honor who you are with pride, and I will cherish this life we have been given. I promise to never keep another secret from you again, I’ll always put you and Levi first, and I will be present so I don’t miss a single moment. I’m yours, forever. Always have been. Always will be. ”

I wipe the tears from my face and bring her hand to my lips to kiss her fingers.

“I love you,” I whisper.

“I love you .”

“Do you have rings to seal these vows?” her dad asks.

I grin and look back toward the house. Bogey’s there, sitting like a good boy. I had one of my cousins watching to make sure he stayed in place. We put a wooden runner down the beach so Elle’s dress wouldn’t get dirty walking down the aisle, and when I whistle, Bogey displays the trick we’ve been diligently working on. He hops up on a skateboard and that short little leg bobs out to get him started. He rolls toward us to the delight of everyone, especially Levi and Elle, and stops when he reaches me. I bend down and take the ring that’s tied around his bowtie and give him a treat from my pocket.

“Good boy,” I tell him. “You are a fine specimen and an exemplary ring bearer, dear sir.”

Elle leans down to pet him, still laughing. “And the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

I turn the skateboard around and he skates back to where he started.

“Amazing,” Elle says, cracking up again.

She beams up at me and I hold onto my heart because she steals it every time with that smile.

We exchange rings and when we’re pronounced husband and wife, I don’t wait for her dad to tell me I can kiss her. I tilt her back and kiss her as if I’ve got all the time in the world to do it.

Because I do.