Page 233 of Solanum

Maya cracked up and thumped me on the back. "Ease up, Beast!"

"Not when it comes to my girls." I grinned then messed up Maya's hair. "Shit, kid. You better do something about that mane."

"Caroline!" Maya squealed and shoved me out of the embrace.

Nora laughed and gathered Maya in her arms again, shielding her from me. "I'll protect you from the Beast."

"With your butt," Maya muttered, and I cracked up.

Jordan arrived with Grace a few minutes later and kicked the two of us out of the room so that they could tend to Maya. Nora took my hand in the hallway as the sounds of guests arriving filled the house as well as the backyard where Harper and Katie put together a wedding fit for two princesses.

"Marita and Anita are here," said Nora, pointing to the open back door where the two stood talking to Katie. "So we don't have to worry about the officiant."

"And the band and photographer are all set. Thanks to Mercy and Dusty." I grinned after the words tumbled from my mouth. "Never thought I'd say anything was thanks to Mercy."

"Don't pick on Mercy." Nora elbowed me. "She's changed a lot."

"I know." I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer for a cheek kiss. "Her kid is an awesome drummer."

"He is. A band of teenagers playing at a lesbian wedding is the new in thing, I hear." Nora snickered and turned in my arms to lace her fingers behind my neck.

"Those cishet boys are probably tickled pink to get a gig like this."

"Don't say that. You have no idea if they're cishet boys." Nora gave my ear a yank. "They could be any flavor of our alphabet soup."

I chuckled and held my hands up in surrender. "True. I recant my statement."

"You'd better. Judgy face," she teased. "How out of character for you."

"Hmm. I must be stressed." I wagged my brows at her and caressed the smoothness of the fabric around her waist. "I love you in this silky dress."

"I love you in a bowtie." Nora grinned and nipped my chin.

A flash went off beside us and we both turned to see Dusty gripping a bulky digital camera. She snapped a few more photos of us before shifting toward the stairs.

"Well hello to you, too," I called after her.

She laughed and waved over her shoulder before racing out of sight.

"She does the ninja photographer thing very well," commented Nora.

"Agreed—"

"For fuck's sake, what the literal actual fuck is—Mags!" Sali interrupted, literally everything, with her boisterous entrance.

Nora and I swung around to see her wrestling with the untied fabric around her neck, an angry near-pout forming on her lips. She wore black slacks and a white blouse that matched mine, but the neckwear was not happening at all.

"Stop shouting, Sali. You'll freak out the kids." Maggie raced after her, her heels clicking on the wood floor. She grabbed at her wife, swatting her hands away. "Stop."

"Fuck this and the fuckin'—"

"Sali!" Maggie shoved her, then grabbed her by the collar. "Calm down already. Let me try again."

"You tried to strangle me with it." Sali frowned, though it didn't look nearly as dramatic as usual due to the light coating of makeup around her eyes. The dark liner gave her frown a sultrier look than usual.

"Big baby." Maggie huffed and puffed.

I laughed at them, stifling the depth of my hysterics. Nora broke away from me to rush over to help.

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