Page 139 of Wedlocked

“A toast,” Coach said, raising his glass.

Everyone followed suit.

Then, in a very unlike Coach thing to say, he said, “To happily ever after!”

Everyone cheered, glasses clinked, and the bubbles tickled my nose.

“We have some paperwork to sign.” Bennett reminded us a short while later.

Arsen picked me up and carried me across the room to set me down and hand me the pen. I signed everything and so did he. And when we were officially official, I picked up the pen one last time and signed a scrap piece of paper just because I could.

Matthew Miller Andrews

So this was happiness.

24

Jess

Something old:Check.

Something new: Check.

Something blue: Check.

Something borrowed: … Something borrowed…

Well, shit. I was getting married practically now, and I didn’t have something borrowed.

Did this mean my wedding was doomed? My entire marriage?

Pretty sure I saw a horror movie start out like this. Okay, maybe not. But it seems totally plausible, right? A doomed bride running around in a ripped and bloody gown, being chased by someone with an ax and yelling about tradition.

Oh God, I’m right.

Two days ago, I didn’t even care about the old tradition. Well, maybe that wasn’t true. I did care. I’d always cared. But it was just like I told Bodhi. I felt like some traditions didn’t apply to me. So it was easier to tell myself I didn’t have time or care to worry about them. Marrying my dream guy was enough. Butthen Bodhi fixed my dress with blue buttons and said it was okay to want them.

And now here I was, standing in this room, about to put on my gown while worrying I was jinxed.

A light knock on the door made me pause, expecting it to open and the girls to pile in.

“I told you we can’t see each other before the ceremony, Ben,” I called out.

He’d already tried to come in here three times this morning! He was terrible.

“It’s Gram, honey.”

“Oh!” I said, rushing to pull open the door to see Teresa standing there smiling. “Sorry, Ben’s been trying to con his way in here all day.”

Gram laughed. “Onery. He’s going to keep you on your toes for the rest of your life.”

“I hope so.” I stepped back so she could come in. “You look beautiful,” I said, taking in her velvet burgundy jumpsuit.

The legs were wide and flowy, and the fitted top was cut straight across with a slight V in the center. Overtop, she wore a cream-colored silk blazer, and to complete the outfit, she wore a pair of gold glitter heels, a gold clutch, and a dainty necklace with a diamond solitaire in the center.

“Thank you,” she replied as I shut the door behind us. “I thought maybe you’d be dressed by now.”

“I was about to.” I gestured to my gown hanging on the door.

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