“Don’t stray too far, pet.”
“I’m going to kill you after you officiate this wedding,” I warn the little smug, kinky prick. “Hazel, we’ll talk later. Was hoping to do things differently, but I’ve been waiting twenty years for today. Make yourself at home. Whatever you need, my good friend Slick over there will take care of you and get you to your mother.”
She lifts her chin and shoots me a dirty look.
“You.” I grab hold of Holy by his cut. “Save your freaky shit for once Lily’s not around to see it.”
He licks his lips.
“I’ll try.”
Chapter Twelve
“Admit it. You do like me.” I smirk at Pam as Jules fits my veil over my hair.
“Don’t get all gushy on me. I’d do this for anyone.”
“She’s lying,” Jules says.
“She totally adores you,” Joey, the Old Lady of Axel the VP of the Flagstaff chapter tells me. “Why else would she have gone to the trouble of coordinating this?”
Pam got with the Old Ladies who would be here to give me my something, new, old, and blue. A sweet gesture for someone who once hated me and saw me as an enemy.
“Okay fine you caught me okay. I think of Murder like a blood brother. He gave me one of the greatest gifts. Something I thought I would never have, and he loves you. That man loves you like no other. I guess I was partly jealous. Not that he was with you but of the bond between you. Link and I have always had a love for each other but not the epicenes that is between you and your man. I want that. Anyway, what I’m saying is I’ve never saw that man as happy as when he got rid of Ruthie and you took him back.”
I squeeze her hand. “You and Link are at a crossroad, but if anyone can survive it, I know it will be the two of you.”
Pam nods with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.
Wylla Mae pokes her head out the door then back in. “It’s time.”
“That’s our cue to get to our seats ladies,” Jules starts ushering everyone out of the room, leaving only my daughter behind as she’s my maid of honor.
She turns me toward the full-length mirror one of the guys brought in just for today. “You look like a queen.” James would probably have a shit fit if he saw all the makeup and crap all over his desk.
“I feel like one. Thank you for being the best daughter a mom could ever dream of having.”
“I know I haven’t told you it enough, but I love you, Mom. I know you had it rough and did the best you could.”
I fan my face. “Stop. You’re going to make me cry and Pam will kill us both for ruining my face.”
“You’re probably right but I just needed to say that I never appreciated you enough, but I do now.”
“Damn it, sweet pea.” A tear slides down my cheek. I change the subject. “Do you think I’m doing the right thing?”
“In marrying Dad?”
“All of it. The wedding, the new house, the baby. It’s a lot at once.”
“This was meant to be. You’re finally getting everything you wanted it. Embrace it.”
“Again, when did you get so smart?”
“I learned from you.”
“You’re determined to ruin my makeup, aren’t you?”
“Let’s get out there. Dad is waiting.”