Page 30 of The Vow

“I ain’t coming to your wedding!” His lip curled at the last word.

Vada was well aware. Of all the regrets sent back, only Arnett’s had a dark inked X. It was written with complete passion. There was no mistaking Arnett did not want to attend. Hades had been against the invitation from the beginning, but she’d invited everyone in town and couldn’t leave him out. Besides, he was Ivy’s grandfather. Whether the club liked it or not, Arnett was family. Kind of.

“Over fifty percent of all marriages end in divorce.” He narrowed his gaze, waving his finger in her face. “And that’s a fact.”

Vada resisted the urge to mention another fact—pointing is rude. Instead, she simply nodded. There were statistics to prove Arnett was correct. However, it usually wasn’t a great speaking point when talking to a bride-to-be, she would think. But then again, Arnett rarely did anything with others in mind.

“I can assure you Hades and I are in it for the long haul.” Vada smiled at the campy saying. Arnett wasn’t as amused. His face hardened, and he straightened. Arnett had a lanky build, but he had height. Well over six feet, which towered over Vada’s petite size. She looked up, craning her neck slightly.

“Marriage is hard. It ain’t like what you see on TV. You have a big party with all your friends, drink too much alcohol, and wear a fancy white dress. That’s not marriage. It’s a day. A good one, but just the beginning. Gonna be days that nothing works out, maybe weeks, possibly years. That’s when you stick it out. And I’m telling you right now, you take those vows in front of the Lord—” He paused, and his throat bobbed and his voice cracked. “—richer, poorer, in sickness, and in health. You better goddamn mean them.”

Did he just use the Lord and goddamn in the same sentence? Vada clamped her lips.

“It’s not just about you and him. You got that little girl. You two need to show her what marriage looks like. A good one so when her time comes to choose a husband, she picks right.”

“Like your son and Ivy’s mom?” Vada offered a soft smile. “Must mean you and your wife were a good example to him.”

Her statement obviously caught him off guard, and Arnett flinched. It took a second to regain his composure and for his armor to rebuild.

“Yeah, he picked right the first time. The second? No.”

Vada flattened her lips, fighting against her smile.

“Here.” Arnett shoved an envelope at her.

Vada stared down at the pale blue envelope but made no move to take it. From the size and shape, it left no doubt it was a card. She must’ve hesitated far too long for his liking.

Arnett huffed. “Well, take it, for Christ’s sake.”

Vada accepted the card, glancing down at the shaky scribbled writing, The Monroes. A warm, bubbling excitement built in her chest. This was the first time she’d seen anything addressed to her as a “Monroe.” Vada glanced up at Arnett, who remained scowling. The card was such a kind and thoughtful gesture from the most unlikely source. Vada was a bit overcome with emotion at the moment. And that’s what it was. A moment with Arnett.

“Thank you, this is so—” Vada never got to finish her sentence.

Arnett stepped closer, glaring down at her. “Invest it. Don’t be stupid.”

And, the moment’s gone.

Arnett stormed off without another word. She should’ve waited until she got home, but she was beyond curious. She slipped her finger under the seal and slowly pulled out the card. It had a fairly plain cover, a small chapel in the background and Congrats on the bottom. Vada opened the card and sucked in a breath. There were several one-hundred-dollar bills and a handwritten verse. It was one she’d seen hundreds of times and heard recited at every wedding she’d ever been to. She should have been immune to the emotion it evoked the first few times she’d heard it. She wasn’t. Her vision blurred slightly as her eyes began to well.

“What fuck did he do now?” The booming voice sent Vada stumbling back and face to face with the president of the Riders.

Vada quickly wiped her cheek and shoved the envelope into her bag. All the while, Kase glared down at her. It was how he always looked at her. They’d come a long way since he tagged her as Ghosttown’s enemy number one, but Kase was never exactly warm or welcoming. Gage’s idea that she’d somehow won him over had yet to be seen.

“How are you, Kase?”

“Busy,” he snapped and jerked his chin down the street. “What did he want?”

“He gave me a card. He won’t be able to make it to the wedding.”

Kase’s jaw squared, and his brows tightened. “You invited that asshole to my clubhouse?”

Oh, shit.

Vada shrugged and forced a smile. “I invited everyone.”

His gaze hardened, and he sighed. “Well, thank fuck he’s not coming.”

Vada chuckled. It was nervous and shaky. Kase just stared, eyeing her suspiciously. It was how he looked at her most days. Vada glanced around, searching for a quick subject change. She needed something lighter, happier. Something other than Arnett.

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