Page 50 of When Javi Dumped Mari

Mari

Now

Teddy, our wedding officiant and a member of the family that owns Crystal Canyon Farm, claps his hands, his ruddy face and thick beard reminding me of one of my favorite professors at Belmont.

When people say that someone has kind eyes, they’re thinking of someone like Teddy; there’s a genuine warmth in his gaze, as if nothing and no one could ever dim his optimistic view of the world.

It’s calming. And I’m immensely grateful that he’ll be the person officiating the ceremony.

“Okay, everyone, let’s gather together so I can walk you through what to expect on Sunday. ”

I look over the group of people assembled to take part in the ceremony: My girls are here, of course; Alex is flanked by his parents, cousin, and uncle; and my father’s at the edge of the circle—on the phone.

My mother won’t be here until tomorrow, but I plan to acknowledge her presence at the wedding in my own way.

It’s a gorgeous day on a piece of land that truly captures the essence of nature’s beauty: rolling hills, picturesque vineyards, gardens overflowing with wildflowers. Everything’s coming together exactly as I envisioned it.

I glance around, then tap Sasha on her arm. “Hey, have you seen Javi?”

“Nope,” Sasha says, shrugging.

Alex’s ears perk up, and he drifts over to us. “He might still be recovering from our skydiving adventure this morning.”

I frown at him. “You said it went great, though.”

“It did,” he says, nodding. “But let’s just say he had a time of it.”

“Did he get nauseated or something?”

“Not that I know of, but jumping out of an airplane spikes your adrenaline like nothing else can.”

I sigh. So much for everything coming together as I envisioned it. “Hey, Teddy, can you give us a minute? We’re missing one more person.”

“Certainly,” he says.

I fish out my phone. “I’m going to check on Javi.” As I’m scrolling to my favorites, a yip in the distance catches my attention. I scan the garden and gasp when I spot Javi strolling toward us, a small dog wearing a blue-and-silver bow cradled in his arms.

“What the hell is that?” Alex asks, squinting at Javi as he approaches.

“I think that’s called a puppy,” Brittany says, her lips twitching in amusement.

Javi reaches us, a broad smile softening the sharp angles of his face. “Sorry I’m late. This little guy needed to pee multiple times while we were on the road.”

I lean over and cup the puppy’s sweet face, drawn to his clear gray eyes. “Who’s this?”

“This is Chocolicious,” Javi says, “a Labrador retriever and pit bull terrier mix. And my wedding gift to you.” He slides a devious look Alex’s way. “To the both of you, of course.”

My mouth drops open. On the one hand, I’m in love. On the other hand, this is neither the time nor the appropriate gesture. I straighten to my full height, my brow furrowed, partly in confusion and partly in consternation.

“Excuse me, everyone,” I say, pulling Javi away from the group. When we’re out of nosy ears’ reach, I stare him down. “What is this?”

“Hear me out,” he says, snuggling Chocolicious like a baby. It’s fucking annoying. And precious. And every bit of this is messing with my head.

“I’m listening,” I say.

“Well, I know you said Alex isn’t a fan of pets—”

“So you did this to mess with him.”

“I always want to mess with him. That’s just how it is, okay? But really, this is for you.”

I blow out a frustrated breath. Is he being serious right now? “How can this be for me, Javi? You know my future husband doesn’t want a pet.”

“Yes, but you want a pet, and you once told me that you imagined having your dog play a part in your wedding. Remember?”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Yes, I remember. And that’s really sweet of you, Javi. Shortsightedly sweet. Still, I can’t keep him.” The little guy chooses that moment to nudge my arm with his nose. Dammit.

“I knew you would say that,” he says, shifting Chocolicious in his arms. “So I have a proposal.”

“I shouldn’t be listening, yet I am.”

“Here’s what I’m thinking: He’s yours, but I’ll keep him. And whenever you visit New York, you can come and see him. And whenever I come here, I’ll bring him along. We’ll have joint custody.”

My heart can’t take this; it really can’t.

“This way,” Javi continues, “you get your wish”—he raises an index finger in the air—“which, I might add, will be the cutest thing your wedding guests will ever see—”

“I was hoping I would be the cutest thing my wedding guests would see.”

“No,” he says, playfully sticking his nose in the air. “You will be stunning. Glorious. Incandescent, as some of those romance heroes like to say. ‘Cute’ will not cut it.”

I laugh. “You’re such a clown.” I wipe the smile off my face when Teddy walks up.

“Just checking that everything’s okay,” he says good-naturedly.

“Sorry, Teddy,” I say, narrowing my eyes at Javi. “Just a little hiccup…and a last-minute alteration to the run of the ceremony.”

Teddy tilts his head. “Oh?”

“Yeah,” I say, taking Chocolicious from Javi and nestling him in the crook of my arm. “This little guy’s going to be walking down the aisle too.”

Javi beams at me, his whole face lit with happiness. I really need to squash this soft spot I have for him; it’s the source of many bad decisions.

I hold out my hand. “Hang on…Chocolicious is walking down the aisle with you.”

Javi nods, his chest puffed out like he’s Superman. “Deal.”

“And you need to make arrangements for his care while he’s here.”

“I already did. Jeremy’s picking him up before tonight’s dinner and bringing him back Sunday morning.”

I’m touched by Javi’s gift. I really am. Especially now that I know he put so much thought into it.

“Fine,” I say to Javi, and then I snuggle into my new puppy and bop him on his adorably tiny nose. “Let’s go meet everyone.”

I take three steps toward the garden before I stutter to a stop. Oh God, I didn’t even consult Alex about adding a dog to the lineup.

My therapist is going to have a field day with that one.