Page 49 of Keep

CHAPTER TWELVE

Dalton

We made sure to get there early. That was Cord’s idea. He wanted the bride and groom to be confronted by the sight of all of us standing in the lobby as soon as they entered the building.

“Can you hold these for a minute?” Cami asked, handing over the bouquet she’d picked up for Cassie. She squinted at her phone and then exclaimed, “They’re almost here! Cassie texted they’re just parking the car.”

“You think they’ll be surprised?” I asked Curtis’s brother, Brecken. We’d picked him up earlier since Cassie and Curtis had to go get rings and a marriage license before making their way to the courthouse.

Brecken grinned. “They won’t be surprised if they really know the Gentry family.” He pointed to the floor. “You dropped a flower petal.”

I bent down and swiped the petal off the floor. When I straightened up Cami’s parents were standing right next to me.

“I would have paid for an actual wedding,” Cord grumbled for about the tenth time.

Saylor shushed him as she straightened his collar. “This is what they want,” she reminded her husband. “So this is the way it’s going to be.”

The glass entrance doors opened and Cassie and Curtis walked through them. Cassie was laughing and holding onto Curtis’s arm. Dressed in a simple light colored gown with her long hair flowing loose, Cassie looked pink-cheeked and ecstatic while Curtis wore gray pants and a plain white shirt that was rolled up to his elbows to showcase some of his more vivid tattoos. My first thought was that they looked as natural and euphoric as any couple could possibly be. They didn’t spot us immediately because they were so focused on each other as they passed the two stern guards at the front door.

Then Cassie stopped and gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in shock as she surveyed the crowd of people waiting.

Her Uncle Chase shouted, “Did you really think you could have a wedding without us?”

His brother Creed was in agreement. “There’s no getting away from this crew.”

“You’re all here,” Cassie said with wonder and it was true. They were all indeed there; uncles, aunts, cousins, everyone in a fifty mile radius who was related by blood or marriage. They’d cancelled plans, called in to work, closed up business for the afternoon, in short they did whatever they had to do in order to be here to see Cassidy Gentry marry her prince.

The scene erupted with everyone descending at once to offer congratulations while the happy couple still seemed a little dazed over encountering a gaggle of Gentrys in the lobby of the downtown courthouse. After a few minutes of happy chaos I found myself face to face with Curtis.

“Are those for me?” he deadpanned, pointing to the bouquet I’d forgotten I was holding.

I passed them to him with a straight face. “Congratulations my brother.”

He grinned and accepted the flowers before gallantly handing them off to his beautiful bride.

Meanwhile, beyond the sea of Gentrys another wedding guest had arrived. I’d never met him but I knew who he was right away. He was a scruffier, slightly taller version of his older brother.

“Tristan!” Brecken shouted and ran over to collide with the newcomer in a fierce hug. Curtis followed more slowly. He and Tristan exchanged a long look before Curtis joined both his brothers in an embrace and for a few seconds all three Mulligan boys were locked together as one emotional bundle. It was a nice thing to see.

Soon a court official emerged from a set of dark double doors and did a double take over the scene in the lobby.

“Who’s here for a wedding ceremony?” she asked.

“All of us,” Cord answered. “Hope you have enough room.”

The woman looked doubtful and I was afraid she was going to declare there were limits on ceremony witnesses but then she flashed a smile before leading us through the doors and to a room where a very dour looking judge awaited. There were no other couples waiting to be married at the moment, which was a blessing because it was already a tight fit once everyone crammed in there.

The chinless bespectacled judge seemed taken aback at first but he quickly recovered and cleared his throat before beginning the ceremony. He didn’t waste any time getting right to the point and the ceremony only lasted about ten minutes. Cami stood by her sister, completely beautiful and obviously resisting tears as her beloved twin received a wedding band on her finger. Maybe she felt me watching her or maybe she was thinking of our own wedding. She looked up and searched the crowd until her eyes found mine and then she winked.

Everyone else in the room remained silent and still, except for Conway Gentry’s wife Roslyn who had taken up amateur photography and kept moving around to capture the perfect shot through the exchange of vows.

Applause rang out as Cassie and Curtis engaged in their first passionate married kiss. They might have stood there kissing all day while we clapped for them except the court official was back to usher us out of the room.

I found Cami and took her by the hand as we all filed out of the courthouse in a rather boisterous and disorderly fashion. Outside the courthouse Cord shouted that we were meeting up at the famous Esposito’s Pizzeria where he had managed to secure their back party room for the last minute reception. Since the pizzeria was less than two blocks away we decided a walk would be the best option even in the blazing summer heat.

“Dad, I swear I’m fine,” Isabella Gentry was telling her father.

Deck Gentry didn’t agree. “You just got out of the hospital, kiddo. You don’t need to be wandering the hot Phoenix streets. Hey Jen,” he called to his wife. “I’m gonna go get the car and drive her over.”

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