Page 113 of Loaded

He huffs. “I’m sorry that I laughed when Killian was being a jerk.” He turns his head. “We good?”

She holds his gaze for a moment, and then she nods. “Fine.”

“I have to know about this funnel,” I say.

“No way,” Bea says at the same time Jake says, “I’ll actually kill you.”

It’s not very long before they have us lining up to head over to the outdoor arbor where the ceremony will be. There are mums everywhere. I can’t even begin to guess how much money in flowers I’m looking at, but Dave was right about one thing. They have a prodigious amount of garden space, especially this close to the City.

We only have time to run through the details once before guests begin arriving, and then we’re all on tap to help greet people and get them to their proper seats. I should’ve known I’d be right here on the front lines—between my sister being married to Bea’s brother, and them being Bentley and Barbara’s family, I’m basically family already.

I don’t hate that idea.

In fact, when my parents arrive, they lie shamelessly. I hear them telling everyone how utterly delighted they were to discover that Bea and I were dating. I glare at them once, just so they know I see their lie, and then I let it go. After all, I do want them to support us.

But within a few moments, I’m finding my seat as well, and then the orchestra starts to play. I should probably have expected it, but Barbara and Bentley’s two girls walk up the aisle first. One of them’s wearing a cute little pine green dress and spreading rose petals, and the other’s wearing a pair of black slacks and a golden blouse, being dragged up the aisle by a border collie—I think it’s the same dog that flipped out and almost ruined Elizabeth and Emerson’s wedding. At least this time, it just runs to the front and jumps up on Bentley.

He seems ready for it, smiling broadly and crouching a little to let it lick his face. When the wedding march starts, I turn around and watch with everyone else.

Barbara has been married before. I knew that much.

Still, I didn’t expect her to wear a blood red dress that looks a little like a salsa dancer’s costume and the queen’s coronation dress had a one night stand. It’s got flouncy ruffles all along the asymmetrical skirt, which is slit up the right side. Matching asymmetrical ruffles, going the other direction, rise up the one-shoulder bodice.

It’s absolutely stunning.

For a fall wedding, where all the accent colors are shades of brown, gold, russet, and mahogany? It’s unexpectedly stand-out and glamorous in a way a white gown never could be. I’m dying to know who designed the dress. It really, really looks like Laurent’s work. If he didn’t do it, I bet someone who copies him did.

It’s totally not what I should be fixating on, so I let it go and enjoy the show.

The two little girls are dancing back and forth a little from one foot to the other, but everyone else is smiling calmly as Barbara finally reaches the front. Bea winks at me from where she’s standing next to Seren. The ceremony goes on a little too long, and my mind starts to wander, but the man with the white hat finally does pronounce them husband and wife.

And then they both share their vows.

“You took long enough to notice me,” Barbara says. “I figured, after more than a decade of knowing you, that you had no interest in me. I think that was a reasonable assumption.”

Everyone laughs.

“But I suppose men sometimes just don’t know their minds.”

“Often.” Dave clears his throat.

“Luckily, you did figure out that you liked me.”

“I love you.” Bentley takes her hands in his. “And I promise that from now on, I will never ever take you for granted again.”

“You better keep that promise,” Barbara says, “because if you don’t, I get all of them in the divorce.” She waves at the audience. “Even if they’re all horrified that I’m saying the word divorce at our wedding.” She’ssmiling as she shakes her head. “I used to be superstitious, but after doing everything right the first time and having everything go wrong, we’ve done everything backward, and I’ve never felt better about anything in my life.”

She releases Bentley’s hands and opens her arms.

Before the girls can reach her side, the border collie jumps up, trying to lick her face.

“No, Lucky,” Bentley says. “Down.”

But the girls are giggling as they hug their mother.

“We got the kids first,” Barbara says. “I knew that night, when you came to help me without any reason, I knew I wanted you by my side, whatever came. And I promise you that, no matter how strange things are in our lives, no matter how backward, no matter how slow or how fast, I will be here. I will keep loving you through it all. The dog licks. The crazy family. The business ups and downs. I’ll be here for everything.”

Bentley drops to his knees. “And my first promise is to you girls.”

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