The Truth

“That’s because I’m not Bridezilla,” I joke, and Elle laughs. “But you’re right. I’ve missed this, the two of us making miracles happen on the regular and not even blinking about it. Oh, this whole party? Just threw it together in a pinch.” I add in a pretty decent attempt at a British accent for Elle’s benefit, and she grins. “Although I will admit, helping Harper with her wedding sort of made this an easy play.”

“True.”

Suddenly, I realize I missed something. “Fuck! I need to find an officiant. We didn’t need to worry about that with Ace and Harper, came with the hall!”

Elle shakes her head. “Hell no, I’m marrying you two!”

I look at her in shock. “What?”

“Please?” she asks, almost begging. “I want to do it. I’ll do one of those online deals. My bestie and my dad? You know no one will do it justice like me.”

“Should I be worried?” I ask.

Elle gives me a smirk and a wink. “Nah, it’ll be great. I’ve been working on my Klingon.”

“That sounds terrifying, but okay. Do I need to dare you to make it amazing?”

Elle smirks, and I wonder if daring her would do me any good. I think she’s going to do whatever she wants to do.

Because she’s my bestie, and I love her for it.

Chapter 32

Daniel

It’s amazing what forty or so hours can do to a place. When Tiffany and I left for work on Thursday morning, I had my Friday clothes in a suit bag since we’d be spending Thursday and Friday night at her place while the crew worked to transform my apartment into an intimate wedding location. A crew led by none other than my daughter.

Since Tiffany and I had to work and Elle could work remotely, she claimed my apartment with a list of wants from Tiffany. A color-coded, prioritized list, of course.

I wasn’t sure what they had planned, but I put my faith in Elle. I offered to help with anything I could, garnering a laugh before Elle politely told me that she loved me but I could fuck off on this one. Usually, like most parents, I don’t like being cursed at by my child, but in this case, I just laughed and fucked right off.

And she worked magic.

My apartment, which has always been sleek and modern and sometimes a bit sterile, has been transformed into a warm and inviting area. Elle had a few pieces of furniture moved out, added some softer lighting and candles, and set up a ceremony space in front of the large windows. The end effect feels so very different.

It feels like a home I could have a family in.

And my family is here. Billy looks like a linebacker in his tuxedo, his huge shoulders stretching the material. Next to him, Ricky and Miranda are sitting side by side, fingers entwined. He’s looking at Miranda as she looks at the altar. I think they’re both on the same page now, or at least close to it. I can’t wait for him to have his day waiting for his bride.

Of course, Colton is here, sitting along with Ace and Harper. Tiffany’s parents are here as well.

Renee is already holding back tears. I don’t think she’s stopped happily crying since we told her about the wedding and the baby. Tiffany is close to her parents already, but there’s nothing like marriage and grandbabies to bring people even closer together.

I know there were more people we would have wanted to invite, Megan and Stephanie and Vanessa for sure. But we both decided that we’d keep it to blood family and their significant others for the most part.

“You ready, Dad?” Elle, who did go out and get herself an online minister’s license, asks me. She’s gone all out on the outfit too, wearing a black pantsuit with black shirt, but the shirt has a white collar.

“I am, honey,” I tell her, taking a deep breath. “How do I look?”

“Old and decrepit,” Elle teases, brushing a speck of nonexistent dust off my shoulder. “Still don’t know what Tiffany sees in you, but you make her happy. That’s all that counts.”

“I always know who to turn to for a pep talk, don’t I?”

Elle gives me a kiss on the cheek. “You are an amazing man, Dad, and you know it. Now hush on any self-deprecating doubt before I pep talk you into becoming a crying mess.”

I smile, knowing she could easily do that today, and step into ‘place’. Elle taps a button on the remote in her hand, and music starts up.

Neve comes out first, overjoyed to be the flower girl and, in her opinion, the star of the show. She comes from one of the bedrooms with her basket of flower petals, showering them everywhere in fistfuls that fly over her head to land randomly, sometimes in the aisle that was created between the few chairs and sometimes not. She might be cuter than Kevin the flower dog, but I won’t tell Ace that.