Drake said that being honorary best men was good enough and that they were more likely to meet chicks behind the bar. I told them there were no chicks coming to the party and they had all just laughed.
It was true, though. There were no chicks. I had just shrugged and thanked them. I was grateful. I was surrounded by my family.
Mrs. Donahue and Marie were here. I had them sit on Suzanna’s side. There were no official bride and groom sides, but she didn’t have anyone here. Everything had happened too fast to get her girlfriends from college to come. I felt bad about that too.
I’d make it up to her, I decided. I’d do something special. Take her somewhere. Build her another greenhouse.
Hell, I’d build her a dozen greenhouses if she’d let me.
I straightened up as more guests started to arrive. Sally’s band started playing something soft and unobtrusive and folks took their seats. Preacher stepped out on deck, clutching a bottle of tequila against his leather-clad chest like a baby. Dev followed him, trying to grab it, but Preacher was determined. He took a big swig and strutted down the aisle to take his place.
“It’s time,” Donnie said. I nodded. He walked with me to the front of the deck to take our places. One by one, the guys filed in, standing on one side of the platform at the end of the dock. The music changed to a wedding march, and the girls started to trickle in. Sally was doing double-duty today as a bridesmaid and the singer.
She was like a sister to me. Her smile was huge as she walked down the aisle in her pretty dusty pink dress behind Jayce sprinkling rose petals. The rest of the girls followed.
My heart was pounding and I was sweating. Not because I was nervous to get married. A little part of me was afraid that my bride might not show up.
Not that Suzanna would do something like that. But it wasn’t so long ago that she’d had doubts. The club ways had been foreign to her. She had adjusted. She understands now, I reminded myself.
And then all of my worries disappeared. She was here. She was so beautiful and ethereal she took my breath away.
I stared in awe as a literal angel floated down the runway toward me. I finally understood why Lucky refused to use Kirsten’s real name. I’d never seen Suzanna in anything but jeans or overalls. Now that I’d seen her like this, I would never, ever forget it.
Her white dress fit her perfectly, hugging her generous chest and nipping in at the waist to flutter down to her knees. Chiffon layers made the skirt and sleeves seem like they were made from a cloud.
See? She was an angel.
Her shiny hair was mostly down, with two pretty barrettes holding up the hair at her temples. They had curled it, but just a little at the ends. It was so shiny I wanted to rub my hands through it. I wanted to grab her hair and yank her in for a kiss and scream that she was mine.
Her beautiful eyes were softly made up, just a little, and her creamy skin was glowing softly. Her lips were just a little bit red, shiny and soft and extremely fucking kissable.
I almost expected to look down and see her green rubber boots, or sneakers or the hiking boots she wore sometimes. But she wore pretty blue kitten heels that were utterly feminine and unique, just like her.
I had thought she had great legs before. But seeing her in a skirt with those shoes… her legs were phe-fucking-nominal.
There had never been a prettier bride.
And she was mine.
She hadn’t run. She’d stayed. She wanted me.
I knew it wasn’t nearly as much as I wanted her, but it was enough. She loved me enough.
I finally exhaled as she came to stand beside me. I took her hand and squeezed it. I knew I looked thunderstruck, so I forced myself to close my gaping mouth and smile at her.
Then we turned to face Preacher.
It was time.
It was happening.
Soon, she would be mine in the eyes of God, the club, and even the US government.
I just had to get through the ceremony first.
Preacher looked my bride over and whistled. Then he gave me a filthy wink.
I closed my eyes and prayed for the strength not to strangle the old dog.
Chapter 43
Suzanna
“Young lady, are you sure about this?”
I blinked at the grizzled-looking biker standing in front of me. He was legitimately a man of the cloth, according to everyone. But I had my doubts.
He was handsome, but even rougher around the edges than most of the bikers I’d met. And he had a bottle of tequila resting on the deck between his feet. For a moment, I wondered if it was part of the ceremony, then I realized he’d just paused in his drinking to marry us.