Page 48 of Icing the Enemy

Through buzzed glasses, I can’t tell if he’s being honest or just playing the part.

Soon, everyone is slurring words when Winnie says, “Can I marry you two?”

Corbin’s eyes drift to me, and he says, “I’m game. But we need to be married officially.”

Winnie jumps up and down. “I’m a licensed officiant. I married my best friend and her husband last week in the Bahamas.”

My eyes open wider. “When?”

“Now!” Winnie shouts in excitement.

Within seconds, everyone chants. “Now. Now.”

The guys and the girls get caught up in the excitement and before I know it, Corbin is kissing me. “Marry me tonight.”

“Yes.”

The girls take me to Winnie’s room. She cuts some white material and bobby pins it to my head, then grabs plants from a vase and hands them to me.

When we return to the patio, Corbin is wearing a white linen shirt along with his swim trunks.

Winnie moves by his side, and Adam interlaces his arm with mine. I guess we’re buddies since we won the pool volleyball game. “Are you ready to marry your prince charming?” he asks.

Smiling from ear to ear, I nod and say, “Are you walking me down the patio?”

I Can Love You Like That, by John Michael Montgomery plays over the outside speakers, and that’s our cue. The guests are sitting in mismatched chairs from the different patio sets. And my man is rocking back and forth on his feet. It’s mystifying how this all came to be. When Adam walks me to him, he blows out a breath. “You’re breathtaking.”

“I’m in a bathing suit.”

“Even better,” he says as he takes my hand from Adam’s arm. “Are you sure you want to do this? Now?”

“Sure, we’ll have one fantastic fairy tale to tell our kids,” I scratch out. My emotions have culminated in this moment, and the margaritas are making it worse. I’m getting married to a man so generous and caring, he’s willing to do this even though he doesn’t love me. Hell. He barely tolerates me on most days, buttonight—he likes me. He wants me. Unless this is all part of his plan.

Whatever dreams I had about my wedding day, the only one that mattered was my mom being present.

Winnie begins the ceremony. “We’re gathered poolside to bring together two extraordinary people in marriage. I mean, they have to be right? Who gets married on the same night they get engaged? Corbin and Oakley, that’s who. Corbin, do you take Oakley to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

“Yes, lawfully is the key.”

His friends chuckle, but they have no idea how serious he is and that it has to be lawful.

“Do you promise to love and cherish her until death do you part?”

Our eyes lock in place, and he doesn’t hesitate, “I do.”

With tears threatening to start a waterfall, I drop my head, not wanting him to see how much I want him to believe his words. He brings his thumb to my chin and tilts it up, seeing the waterworks. He whispers, “I do.”

Tucking my lips between my teeth, I nod.

I whisper back, “I wish my mom was here.”

“Me too, baby. Because she raised one hell of a funny and intelligent woman.”

It’s becoming harder to hold my tears back, so I say, “Hurry up, Winnie.”

After answering the same way as Corbin, she says, “You may kiss your bride.”

Corbin takes his big, warm, calloused hands and cups my jaw, just staring at me like I’m a beautiful piece of art that he finds alluring. Taking me in, he inches closer, and his lips slowly latch onto mine, lulling me into a dream state.

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