When he stepped through the door, Martina was there to greet him with open arms. “My darling!” She hugged him close, giving each cheek a kiss. “How are you feeling so close to your big day?”
“Nervous. It comes and goes,” Dex said with a smile, following her through the shop, past wooden shelves filled with colorful fabric, displays with shirts, and rows upon rows of ties in all colors and patterns. At the back of the shop were several doors—the middle he knew led to the larger of the private fitting rooms. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. The Tiffany lamps provided the room with a warm glow, and he liked the light gray wallpaper made to look like connecting sewing patterns of different suit cuts. There was tufted leather seating and a sleek coffee table with fashion magazines, racks of shirts and trousers, and even a silver liquor cart.
Martina walked to the cart and proceeded to mix him a Spritz, complete with an orange slice. She brought it to him with a knowing smile.
“I think you need this.”
He knew better than to argue. “Thanks.” He took the drink and walked over to the large couch.
“Lou says you’ve eaten too much cake.”
“He exaggerates,” Dex assured her before taking a sip of his cocktail. Ooh, tasty.
Martina hummed and gave him a pointed look. “Lou does not exaggerate,” she said, wagging a perfectly manicured fingernail at him. She motioned over to a black garment bag hanging from a hook on the wall.
“Finish your drink, and try on your tuxedo. I’ll be outside when you’re ready.”
Dex smiled brightly at her. “Thank you, Martina. You’re the best.”
She shook her head in amusement before letting herself out. As he sipped his cocktail and tried to get his pulse to come down a bit, he looked around the room. Sloane had been in this very room trying on his tuxedo. The thought sent the butterflies in his stomach fluttering, and he couldn’t help his dopey grin.
Finishing off his cocktail, he got up and returned the empty glass to the liquor cart. He took one of the moist towelettes and cleaned his hands thoroughly, then dried them on the pristine fluffy white hand towel before walking over to the garment bag. Soft instrumental music filled the room, and he stood there, motionless. This was what he would be wearing when he married the love of his life. With a shaky hand, he took hold of the zipper and slowly pulled it down, revealing the flawless black fabric.
Letting out a breath and locating his backbone, he removed the suit from the garment bag and hung it back up. He toed off his sneakers, then started undressing, laying his clothes over the bench to his left. Why the hell was he shaking? Was it because this was his last fitting? Because the next time he wore this it would be his wedding day? He kept waiting to wake up. This had to be a dream, right? He got dressed in a sort of daze, shirt first, then trousers, then tie. He sat down, and put on the trendy designer shoes he’d blanked out on the name of, then stood to put on his tux jacket. Once everything was in place, he took a deep breath.
“Sorry I’m late, son. I got held up at work.”
“No problem.” Dex turned around, and Tony did a double take. He slowly closed the door behind him, his eyes growing glassy. Don’t get emotional. Nope. No. His dad looked him over, his lips pressed together before he lifted his gaze to Dex’s, a big smile spreading across his face.
“You’re getting married.”
Dex laughed, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Yep. That’s what the penguin suit’s for.”
Tony crossed the distance between them and threw his arms around Dex, bringing him in for a fierce hug. Dex shut his eyes tight against his tears, but it was a losing battle. He laid his head on his dad’s shoulder, his arms wrapped around his back.
“I’m so proud of you, son,” Tony murmured, one hand on Dex’s back, the other on his head. “And even though they can’t be there with you on your big day, I know they’re looking down at you, proud as hell too.”
That did it.
The dam broke, and Dex cried on his father’s shoulder. He cried for the parents who’d never get to see him walk down the aisle. For the man he loved, and everything Sloane had suffered to get to this moment. He cried because he was so goddamn lucky to have found a family who loved him just as much as his parents had.
“It’s okay, kiddo. You get it all out,” Tony said quietly, rubbing soothing circles across Dex’s back.
By the time Dex was done, his nose was stuffed and his face was hot. He pulled away and thanked Tony for the tissue box, laughing when Tony grabbed a wad for himself.
“God, how am I supposed to make it to the altar without blubbering like a baby?”
Tony shook his head. “If you’re a mess, I’m gonna be a mess, and I’m the one marrying you two, remember?”
Dex nodded, a lump in his throat. There had been no question who he wanted to officiate his marriage. He’d be walking down the aisle with Sloane, and his dad would be marrying them, with all their friends and family there to celebrate their love. It would be the first day of the rest of their lives together as husbands.
Once his eyes had stopped leaking and he could breathe through his nose again, he asked his dad to grab Martina. Her eyes sparkled when she saw him. They always did. Everyone Lou had set him and Sloane up to work with had been amazing, all eager to help and make their big day unforgettable. Dex couldn’t have imagined trying to put everything together without someone as fierce and skilled as Lou. The man was a wedding planning guru. Sloane had almost passed out when he saw the calendar spreadsheet Lou had created for them. It came printed on sleek paper, broken down by months, weeks, days, and hours. It contained lists of contacts broken down by type of services, and everything was synched to their online calendars so no appointment was missed, and they received reminders.
“Oh, you look so handsome!” Martina gushed. “Sloane won’t know what to do with himself when he sees you.”
Dex felt his cheeks flush, and he smiled. “Thank you so much, Martina, for all your help.”
She waved a hand in dismissal. “Nonsense. I love what I do. I love to make you happy.”