Page 89 of Rekindling Desire

“I’ll be happier when Duchess is watching us and you’re screaming my name.”

Damien

Three months later

Dani straightened the bow tie of my tuxedo. Her blue gaze met mine. “I’m happy for you, big brother.”

“We’re going to do it right this time.”

“Ella is right for you.” Dani shrugged. “I’m not sure how you convinced her to give you another chance, but I’m glad you did.”

At first, Jackie, Ella’s mom, was unsure about my best man being a woman and Ella’s maid of honor being a man, but somehow it felt right. Dani would stand with me and Niles with Ella. Ella’s niece, Kenzie, was our flower girl.

With the help of her mother and some input from mine, our wedding was planned. More than planned. The day was here. There were no limits on what I would do for my wife-to-be. The biggest and most extravagant wedding was Ella’s for the asking. Instead, with fewer than one hundred guests, we were to wed outside on a beautiful autumn day, surrounded by the oranges, reds, and yellows of changing leaves. Our reception will be in a beautifully restored barn. It even has a chandelier. According to Ella, similar venues were quite the rage these days.

“Do you have the wedding band?” I asked Dani.

“Oh damn.” She turned right and left.

“One job.”

Dani laughed, looking elegant in a slender black dress.

Black and white were our wedding colors. Ella said it was because life wasn’t black and white. It made sense to her, so who was I to argue?

“I have it.” Dani pulled the small box from her things. “You had plenty of time to get her a new band,” she said, lifting Nana’s ring.

“She didn’t want a new one.”

My sister grinned. “I love her.” She playfully hit me. “If you screw this up, we’re keeping her.”

“Thanks. I don’t plan on screwing it up.”

There was a knock on our dressing room door. “Ella can’t see you before the ceremony. I’ll answer it,” Dani said. After a peek, she opened the door wide. “Come in.”

“We needed to see our son before his wedding,” Mom said.

“Since we missed his first two,” Dad said with a grin. He patted me on the shoulder. “We’re proud of you, son. You’re marrying the right one this time.”

“I married the right one last time. It just wasn’t legal.”

Mom reached for my hand and for Dani’s. “We’re proud of both of you, and especially for how close you are.” She inhaled. “I’ve been afraid to ask. Did you invite Darius?”

That had been an ongoing point of contention. “Ella said we should as a sign of good faith.”

“You did?” Mom asked.

“Ella thought we should,” I explained. “I figured since we weren’t invited to his non-legal wedding to Amber, we could lose his invite. The final answer was no.”

Dad nodded. “I understand. It still makes me sad.”

“Not on our son’s wedding day,” Mom said, hugging Dad’s arm.

“Are we going to do this?” Dani asked.

I looked at my watch. “It’s about time.”

“Ella is simply stunning,” Mom said. “We stopped by her dressing room first.”

---