Page 201 of Waiting For A Girl Like You
Jamison smacked a kiss on his mouth. “Or don’t. I’m cool with marrying a hot, shirtless man.”
“Whatever the lady wants, she gets. I need to go wake everyone up.” Liam planted another kiss on Jamison’s lips before backing away. “I’ll meet you under the oak.”
He disappeared down the stairs, eyes on Jamison the whole time, who was watching him go with a sigh. “I’m so ready for this.”
“Could you be ready during—oh, I don’t know—the daylight hours?” Annabeth asked, pulling Jamison into the room. “Are you serious about this?”
“One hundred percent.”
Annabeth huffed in disapproval and straightened the lopsided veil hanging precariously from Jamison's hair. “Fine. But you’re letting me fix your hair, and we’re doing the ceremony like we planned, or you’ll regret it.”
“I knew I could count on you.” Jamison hugged her while Annabeth continued to work. “I love you.”
“I love you too, you ridiculous woman.” Giving up on the veil, Annabeth hugged her back. “Rowan, I’m going to need you to go into the guest room at the end of the hall. We have some lanterns in there with small, tapered candles. Can you grab them and take them to the kitchen?”
With his brain catching up, Rowan cleared his throat. “As soon as I put some clothes on.”
Both women turned to him, and Jamison smirked. “Sorry, Rowan. I guess we can count this as my bachelorette party.”
“Give me some privacy,” he deadpanned. “Or I’m dropping the bear.”
“We’re good with that.” Jamison tucked herself under Annabeth’s arm. “Nice thigh tat, by the way.”
“Come on.” Annabeth dragged her into the hall. “We’ve got work to do.”
Once the door shut, Rowan shook his head and pulled on a pair of black joggers and a T-shirt. If he needed to wear anything else, Annabeth would tell him.
And that thought alone made him pause to smile like a complete idiot. He and Annabeth would be doing this one day, and their happiness would make them act just as ridiculous as Jamison and Liam were acting now.
Only they’d have the decency to have a wedding ceremony in the afternoon.
Dressed, he stepped into the hallway, where Annabeth and Jamison were in full planning mode.
“Is what I’m wearing good?” he asked.
“It works because you’re my muscle.” Totally in her element, Annabeth pointed down the hall. “I also need the four candelabras that are stored in the second to last bedroom and the box of candles on the bed. Oh, and do you know when sunrise should start?”
Pulling his phone from his pocket, Rowan checked. “In about an hour and a half.”
“Perfect!” Annabeth took Jamison’s hand and led her back into her bedroom. “We can begin when it’s dark to have that candlelight ambiance, and then—bam—the sun rises over the bayou and illuminates the Marriage Oak from behind while you say your wedding vows.”
“Oh my God, you’re a genius,” Jamison gushed, one hand on the poor veil as they ran off. “What would I do without you?”
“Ruin everything,” Annabeth said matter-of-factly. “I’m the visionary in this family.”
The bedroom door slammed shut, and Rowan stood there for a second. Lanterns. He needed to start with the lanterns, and heading into the guest room, he found four of them easily enough. The candelabras were there also, but between them, the box of candles and the lanterns, it would take two trips.
When he returned to the hall, the sounds of feminine laughter were coming through the closed door of Annabeth’s room, and he allowed himself a second to listen. It was good to hear. This house had held enough of this family’s pain, and he imagined it was nice for Haven House to finally experience their joy once again.
And he would see to it that happiness would always be the way of things here. His Annabeth deserved nothing less.
Halfway to the stairs, he froze when a herd of women came barreling up. Wisely, he stepped aside, letting Lenora, Izzy, and Bernie pass. Moving at a slower pace, Simone brought up the rear, stopping to speak to him while the others went ahead into Annabeth’s room.
“Lanterns? Her sharp gaze took in his clothing. “Four total?”
He held them up. “And the candles, but I still have to go back for the candelabras.”
“In the jewelry box on my dresser is a small platinum ring with diamonds spread across the band. Jamison will wear it for her something borrowed,” Simone told him, hurrying through what needed to be done. “Ben is going to his house for a bracelet that belonged to Laura Jean. That’ll be the something old. Will’s trying to find something of Bernie’s to work as the something blue. The dress is the something new. I think that’s everything. Isn’t it?”
