Into the Light

“That’s a long time.” I smiled back.

“Thank God you were thinking the same thing,” he murmured, rubbing his nose gently against mine.

“Okay, shows over, we need to get down to serious business,” Rocky announced.

Bulls and Rocky pulled us away from each other. I mouthed ‘I love you’ before being hustled out of the gymnasium and into a stretch Hummer that waited at the entrance of the building.

“Wow, nice ride. So what’s next?” I dared to ask. I still had no idea what was going on.

“Your dress, silly… finally I get to reveal my creation.” Adriana beamed as she clutched onto my arm and rested her head on my shoulder.

A wedding dress. When Lex said we didn’t have a wedding I thought he meant the reception. My insides were doing the cha cha, dancing on the ceiling, singing from the tops of their lungs. It was every girl’s dream, and why I thought I deserved anything different was beyond me. It was all systems go, I was prepared and ready to marry the man I loved in front of everyone. What I wasn’t prepared for was this bachelorette party, and if Bulls had anything to do with it, I was in trouble, deep trouble.

Chapter 19

Lex

“It’s a boat.”

“It’s a fucking boat, would you get a load of this guy? Dude, it’s a Lady M luxury yacht for fuck sakes!” An overly enthusiastic Rocky squealed as he stood beside me and Elijah on the dock; we continued to stare at the boat.

“Excuse my ignorance, yacht, why are we staring at it?” My head wasn’t clear but rather in a warm, fuzzy haze as my girl had just said she would marry me in front of everyone. Of course I knew it was a yacht, I also knew the builders after my stint last year that saw me yacht shopping.

“Because we’ve got five hours to celebrate your freedom before you’re tied to the ball and chain again,” Rocky explained, clearly impatient to get aboard.

“I highly doubt Charlie is a ball and chain kinda gal, Rocky. Perhaps you need to find your balls again. Should I call Nikki to see if she has them in her purse?” Elijah snickered.

“Dude, aren’t you supposed to be on your honeymoon? I thought you’d be porkin’ your new wife like the cowboy you claim to be.”

“Rocky, not all Texans are cowboys…” Elijah pointed out.

The conversations around me became a distant sound as I stood still, watching the ocean. The waves calmly lapped against the piers, the heavy scent of salt lingering in the air. The sun was setting on the horizon, a reminder that in five hours, Charlotte would walk down the

aisle and say “I do” in front of our family and friends.

My mind refused to let go of that moment where I stood waiting for her to walk through the door of the gymnasium. I always knew how I wanted to propose; it was a no brainer. I promised her things back then that I couldn’t deliver, and if I had a time machine I would go back and act on them, but this was the next best thing. Adriana was thrilled that she was in charge of recreating the prom scene; it was the reason she decided to stay in New York instead of taking me up on my offer for her and Elijah to spend their honeymoon at the Virgin Islands.

“Adriana, c’mon, you deserve a honeymoon. You don’t need to help me.”

“Lex, I’m Mrs. Evans, nothing will ever change that. I don’t need a tropical island to enjoy my husband. Please let me do this, you are marrying my best friend, I don’t want to miss a thing.”

It was all set; Logan texted me at the café warning me they were about to leave. Everyone had flown in, Kate made sure all flights and accommodation were booked accordingly. Eric and Nikki had picked out the emerald green dress that she was to change into courtesy of a very good friend of mine, Vera Wang.

It was time.

The moment she walked through the double doors, she was completely stunned by the scenery, her eyes scanning the room. I knew she was taken back to a time and moment that held a lot of promises for us. When her eyes found me standing in the middle of the dance floor in my tux, she ran to me. Her kiss smothering me, not allowing me to get a single word in, but I couldn’t help it. I allowed it to linger, because I knew at midnight she would be officially mine, and that thought alone made me not want to let her go.

When she emerged from the restroom, I couldn’t help but be in awe of this beautiful woman walking towards me. The words came out perfectly, exactly how I pictured it, having rehearsed it a million times in my head.

She said yes to marrying me… again.

“Look at this pussy whipped fucker, all daydreaming and shit. C’mon, we only have five hours to partay!” Rocky hurried us along onto the yacht. We climbed on board; other guests somehow were already there. As well as Rocky and Elijah, there was my dad, Mark Mason, Logan, my Uncle Hank, Eric (for some unknown reason) and fuck me dead - my mate from London, Bentley James Woods.

“Well, look here, if it isn’t my long lost mate, Lex Edwards,” Bentley spoke loud enough that everyone on board could hear.

“BJ, where the hell have you been?”

“Not getting engaged and having babies. You’ve gone arse over tit for a bird? Who would have thought?”