Page 67 of Avalanche
“Well, wait here.” The clerk lifts an accusatory brow in my direction. “The marriage clerk will be here in a few minutes.” And then she’s turning on her heel and leaving the five of us alone.
I scrub at my face, as if that will alleviate the embarrassment searing my skin.
“I’m sorry,” I tell Lily. “I didn’t even get you flowers.”
“Flowers?” Lily gives me an incredulous look. “You think I’m worried about flowers?”
“Shoot. I didn’t even think about flowers,” Matty moans. “They had some for sale at the hospital. I could have picked some up there yesterday.”
Eddie gives Matty a horrified look. “Hospital flowers? Seriously?”
Matty lifts his big shoulders in a shrug, blinking at Eddie in confusion. “What’s wrong with them? They looked okay to me.”
Liam shakes his head, quiet disapproval written over his features, his attention still fixed on his phone as he types out a message.
The nerves I’ve been feeling these past couple days tangle together, sharpen, coalescing into anger.
“What?” I ask him, lowering my voice. “What is it?”
Merde, but he’s been like this for days now. Aloof. Distant. Cold. And now he’s playing with his phone?
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?” I echo, narrowing my eyes at him.
He ignores me, worrying his lower lip for a brief moment before pushing the call button on his screen. We all stare in confusion as ringing echoes in the small space, once, twice and then…
“Liam?”
Seth’s voice, familiar and raspy, crackles across the line. Lily gasps, a delighted smile pulling across her lips, lighting up her eyes.
Liam chews the inside of his cheek, daring a nervous glance in my direction before lifting his phone so we can all see Seth’s face. So he can see us.
“It didn’t seem right to do this without him,” Liam mutters. “I just thought… he should be here too.”
“Oh, Liam,” Lily cries, releasing her hold on my hand and throwing her arms around Liam’s shoulders. He grunts in surprise, giving me a look that is half question, half smug delight as he hugs her back.
“Here,” I say, taking the phone from Liam. I give Seth’s battered face a wry smile before turning the camera to face the pair of them, just in time for him to see Lily pulling Liam in for a kiss. “Looks like Liam is kissing the bride for me.”
“I’m planning on doing more than kissing her when we get home,” Eddie announces matter-of-factly, folding his arms over his chest in annoyance. “Just so everyone’s aware.”
Lily laughs against Liam’s mouth and Liam pulls her closer, his long fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of her neck as he takes control of the kiss, sinking his tongue deeper. Heat coils low in my belly at the sight of them, at his uncharacteristic show of passion—especially when his eyes flick open and meet my own, challenge written in his expression.
Which is when the door swings open, and the marriage clerk strides in.
Lily and Liam pull apart with a gasp.
“It’s okay,” the marriage clerk chuckles, waving a hand dismissively. “You two are excited to be getting married.” He claps Liam on the shoulder, then offers Lily an encouraging smile. “Which is just as it should be.”
Seth makes a choked sound of laughter on the other line. I exchange a panicked look with Matty, who is currently covering his mouth with both hands, his blue eyes wide and his face flushed red with embarrassment. Meanwhile, Eddie is grinning with amusement at the sight of Liam and Lily’s discomfort, practically dancing on the balls of his feet as the wedding clerk ushers the group of us into the courthouse’s main ceremonial room.
“Right,” the marriage clerk says, taking a seat behind a large, oak desk, then gesturing to two chairs in front of him. “Antoine Lafosse and Lily Dean, are you ready to say your vows?”
The clerk looks between Lily and Liam as he says this, so he can’t be blamed for jolting with surprise when I take one of the seats instead.
“I’m… I’m sorry?” The clerk nearly squeaks, shooting Liam a concerned glance when Liam takes his place in the rows reserved for wedding guests, Matty and Eddie on either side of him, Seth’s battered face visible on the screen of his phone. “I thought…”
“Antoine Lafosse at your service,” I say, holding my hand out for the clerk to shake. He stares at it, then reaches out, giving my hand a quick shake before folding it back beneath his desk.
