Page 100 of S.O.S. Mizzay

When the guests had walked in, they’d expected—of course—to see neat rows of chairs, an aisle for a wedding party to access, and an officiant at the head of the room. But that’s not what had greeted them. The first order of business hadnotbeen for Andy and Cobble to stand up in front of the crowd and say their vows.

Nope.Everyone had been told, upon arrival, to grab their favorite drink from the open bar, then mingle, talk, and dance to the DJ’s offerings.

After a bit of confusion ensued, everyone had eagerly embraced the change of tradition.

After a period of time passed, the guests had been seated at tables by the wait-staff, where they’d then been served food and more drinks. Once the meal had been consumed and cleared away, everyone went back to not only socializing, but dancing again, this time to a lively jazz band that had set up during the meal.

Uh, huh.It was all good.

Andy and Cobble had yet to say their vows, but the time was fast approaching, and people would, instead of relocating to sterile rows, sit back at their very same tables for the ceremony.

“This is awesome,” Perk emoted, coming toward them with his arm firmly around the waist of his new wife, Sloane. “An unbelievable shake-up. Can I give you a both a congratulations on the order of operations, and a pre-congratulations on getting hitched?”

“Of course, Mistah Perkins,” Andy responded with a laugh.

He bent and kissed Andy’s cheek, then aimed his lips teasingly toward Cobble’s scruff, but Cobble easily ducked the gesture.

“Spoilsport,” Perk snickered, then in lieu of Cobble’s peck, he laid one on his wife before reiterating his previous statement. “I’ve never been to a wedding like this, and I’m loving every minute of it.”

Cobble looked proudly around. “Yeah. Andy’s idea, of course. And it looks like our guests have enjoyed the topsy-turvyness that she ordered up. They’re all pretty mellow now,” Cobble chuckled.

“Speaking of mellow…” Andy waved her empty wine glass at him. “I could use another one of these before our ‘I do’s’.”

“Your wish is my command.” Cobble leaned down and bussed her nose before taking her glass and hurrying away.

Andy watched until he disappeared into the crowd, then elbowed Sloane. “Go tell Director Baskins it’s time.”

Sloane grinned and dragged Perk across the room toward Baskins where after a brief conversation, the director glanced over and gave Andy a lift of his brow.

Andy nodded her approval, and Baskins winked.

He grabbed up a square box that he’d clearly kept under the table at his feet, then with it tucked safely under his arm,he strode to the front of the room. There, he took charge of the microphone that had been set up at a podium for the pending ceremony.

He tapped the mic and cleared his throat.

“Testing. Testing. Can everybody hear me?”

“Yes,” the crowd cried out with gusto.

“Good. Because I have an announcement.”

Cobble arrived back at Andy’s side and handed her, her glass. “What’s going on?” he asked. “What’s Baskins up to?”

Andy just shrugged, trying to keep a grin from breaking free.

Cobble settled in beside her, relaxed—with a contemplative look on his face in Baskins’ direction—but Andy’s leg jiggled nervously up and down beneath her yards of satin material. She was damned glad she’d gone for a wide-skirted wedding dress to disguise her nerves.

Baskins placed the box up on the podium in front of him, and wasted no time. “As you all are aware at this point, the joining of Missy Andriopolos and Sawyer Blue has been a long time in coming. Our friend Sawyer had to remain in hiding forfourteen years, which meant he couldn’t make any promises to Missy, which we all know had to be tough.”

There was some sympathetic murmuring from the crowd.

“What you maynotknow, is that during those years, Sawyer Blue didn’t let that get him down. At least not to the point where it ruined his life. He could have, but hedidn’tabjectly sit in his safe house to whine and mope about his fate. No. He embraced his immediate reality, sucking every bit of opportunity out of his surroundings. He did this regardless of often being moved with only a few hours’ notice before getting dropped into a brand-new environment.”

Again, there were utterances of commiseration.

Andy looked up at Cobble. His ears were red at the kudos Baskins was bestowing, but his smile said he was pleased.

She squeezed his arm and leaned into him.

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