Page 72 of Just Like in the Movies
"I'm going to regret agreeing to this," I told Mike, then stood up so we could perform the obligatory kiss in front of the crowd. I had a feeling it wouldn't be the last time that night and I turned out to be right. At a guess, we had to stand and kiss a dozen times during the meal, and by the time I got the opportunity to mash wedding cake into Mike’s face, I was absolutely ready for it.
“Don’t make a mess now,” he warned me, his eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“Why would you think I’d make a mess?” I asked him innocently and then, before he could move, I squashed a big square of cake and icing over his nose and mouth, cackling with glee the whole time. Flashes exploded and I plotted to make sure at least one of those pictures made it to the tabloids.
“Your turn,” Mike said and swooped down on me. I squawked and ducked but he was fast, and moments later I was wearing a matching square of wedding cake and laughing as I scraped it off my nose and let the sweetness of the little bit that had actually gotten inside my mouth burst across my tongue. Then Mike grabbed me and kissed me, cake mess and all, and I forgave him everything.
Well, everything except the first dance.
Mike and I got cleaned up while everyone else got dessert, then I made sure I had some quiet baby and husband time in a little back room. My two favorite men in the whole wide world.
But then the DJ started the music for the reception and I had to give River back to Mike’s mother so we could go have our first dance.
Which was disco.
I’d tried to claim spousal abuse, but he argued that since I’d gotten my way on River’s middle name that this would just make things even. So I’d given way with as much grace as I could muster—which hadn’t been much, to be honest, because River Gable still sounded like a bed and breakfast to me—and had gone with Mike to dance lessons to learn to disco.
Marriage is all about compromise, right?
We stepped out onto the floor, Mike grinning so hard I worried his face would stick like that. Then the first notes of “You’re the One that I Want” from Grease bounced out of the speakers and we were on.
The crowd shouted and clapped as we spun around each other and, whatever my feelings on it in the beginning, by the end I was laughing and having the time of my life. So maybe Mike hadn’t been totally wrong about the disco.
Just before the song finished, we were joined by our families and friends and the music slowed down. I wrapped my arms around Mike’s neck and swayed against him, just enjoying our time together on the dance floor. Off to the side, I could see Tasia dancing around with River while Mike’s parents danced together on the edge of the crowd, and my brother trying to dance with both my niece and my nephew at the same time. He was going to have a crick in his back after that, I suspected, but they looked like they were having fun, which was what I’d aimed for when I’d planned this.
Bubbles floated over our heads and I watched the kids chasing them, cotton candy smeared over their faces. The smell of hot buttered popcorn and pretzels filled the air as the reception’s snack carts started up. At the far end of the room, the opening credits of one of Mike’s movies glowed from a projector and I noticed a crowd starting to gather around it.
“You did good,” Mike said, giving me a little squeeze.
“I think everyone’s having fun.” I leaned my forehead against his. “How about you?”
“Best day of my life. Aside from the one where you propositioned me and then made me buy you a ring.”
I laughed and took a moment to kiss him. “I’m glad you came back home. I just wish Maddie had been here to see it.” We put up some of her movie posters around the room with little spotlights on them, kind of like the entry to a movie theater. But it wasn’t the same as having her here in person.
“She’s always in our hearts,” he reminded me. “Oh, look. Wow, Mr. McAllister can really move.”
“It’s his new hip,” I said, peeking over my shoulder to watch as he twirled Mrs. Costner and her own recently replaced hip through a series of moves that looked way more complicated than Mike’s and my disco routine. “It’s pretty bad when the seniors are out-dancing us.”
“Some day, that’ll be us at our grandchild’s wedding.” He twirled me carefully around him, then pulled me close again. “I promise, I won’t make you do disco at that age though.”
“It wasn’t that bad,” I admitted and shook my head at his crow of triumph. “Don’t get any ideas.”
“I won’t. I promise.” He stepped back, drawing me after him, and led me out of the dancing crowd to a clear spot at the edge. There, he wrapped his arms around me, my back to his front, and we spent a few quiet moments watching everyone enjoy our celebration.
Mike leaned down at the end of the song and whispered, “How’d you like to live in England for about six months next year?”
I leaned back so I could see his face and raised my eyebrows.
He grinned. “There has to be some perks to the job, right?”
I laughed. “Sure. I always wanted to see the world.”
He kissed me and his arms tightened around my body. “I’dgiveyou the world if I could.”
“Just you and River is enough for me. But yeah, England sounds nice.” For sure, this was going to be a marriage full of adventure and not a lot of stability, but I was okay with that. Not too often you got the man of your dreamsanda life like a movie script.
It might not have been easy getting here, and I didn’t doubt we’d have more challenges to face in the future, but right here, right now?
I had to say, this was way better than in the movies.
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