Page 72 of Beautiful Crazy

Her cheeks flush as she turns toward me, her hand on my chest, her eyes peeking up at me. “Not yet, I don’t. And I’m not sure how that’s fair seeing as you nowknowwhat you do to me.”

“Trust me, Em,” I breathe against her. “I’ve been dying to find the right time and I swear to God I’m going to find it this weekend because I can’t keep my thoughts away from what you taste like.” I place a kiss on her temple and pull her chair from the table, offering her a seat like a gentleman, then lean over to mutter in her ear one more time. “And what you sound like when I make you come.”

Graham leans over on the other side of me once I’m seated and whispers, “You done word-fucking your girl so we can eat?”

Clearing my throat in attempt to hide a laugh, I nod. “Yep. And I’m starving. What’s for dinner?”

Hadley and Beckham wanted to have their rehearsal dinner here at Whisper Fields, the nursing home where Mom works and also where Hadley’s mother resides after suffering her stroke and falling at home, so that she could easily include her mom in as many wedding festivities as possible. Mom did a magnificent job decorating and somehow Beckham footed the bill for Wood’s Tavern to cater our entire meal. Tonight, we’re dining on all the sirloin steaks, grilled chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, and veggies we can eat, and nobody is sad about that.

Before we eat our meal, Mom rises from her seat at the long table, where we’re all seated family-style, and holds a sheet of paper and a glass of wine. She steps just behind Beckham and Hadley and smiles at both of them before speaking to all of us.

“Good evening, everyone. I’m pretty sure looking at all your faces this evening that I’ve at the very least, met each of you before tonight, so welcome to Beckham and Hadley’s rehearsal dinner. You are here tonight because you are the closest of the closest of Beckham and Hadley’s friends and therefore you are now all members of the Fox family. As the mother of the groom, I thank you all very sincerely for being bright spots in Beckham and Hadley’s lives. We are blessed that you are here.”

“Here, here!” Beckham raises his glass.

“Okay, so…” Mom takes a deep breath. “Usually this would have been a job for my husband, Beckham’s father, to give this speech tonight. I hope you can all feel him in this room with us, and definitely in your hearts as I know he is smiling down on the two of you,” she says with a hand on Beckham’s shoulder. “And giving you his greatest blessing. I know he’s been waiting for the two of you to get together for a long time.”

The room bustles with soft laughter. Mom’s right. Though their relationship blossomed quickly, it took years for Becks and Had to finally get to that stage. I’m thrilled for them both. As Mom continues with her speech, I can’t help but put an arm around Emily, lightly caressing her left shoulder, running my fingers lightly up and down her arm as she leans into me, and thinking about how perfect we are for each other.

How much I love her.

How I need to tell her exactly how I feel.

So, there’s no mistaking.

At the end of Mom’s speech, we all raise our glasses and clink them together in cheers as we toast to Beckham and Hadley’s marriage and then it’s time to eat.

As we near the end of our meal, each of us is laughing and smiling over different conversations with each other around the table. Hadley’s friend Whitney has been flirting non-stop with Beckham’s best man, Elias. Asher has been scrolling through his phone and talking with Graham and me. Hadley’s other friends here tonight have been laughing with us as well, and Beckham and Hadley have laughed with each of us while also quietly chatting with Mom and Mrs. Hutton, who looks to be growing tired. Hadley and Beckham excuse themselves to wheel her mom back to her room for the night while the rest of us wave goodnight.

“So, Emmett, what do you think of Emily’s new dress?” Lacey asks as we nurse another glass of wine.

“Well Lacey, between you and me,” I start, knowing this conversation is indeed not just between Lacey and me, but in earshot of Asher and Graham as well. “I think she looks hot as fuck, and I’m pissed that she’s not coming home with me tonight. You got her all ribbed for my pleasure and now all I can do is look at her. So, although I think she looks beyond sexy in her new dress, I might very well die from the biggest case of blue balls a man has ever encountered.”

Graham nearly spits out his beer and Lacey’s brows shoot up.

Deadpan, and to my surprise, though I don’t know why I’m surprised, Emily chimes in, “Did you know the average human with a penis will ejaculate fourteen gallons of semen in his lifetime?”

I nod emphatically. “And I’m pretty damn sure thirteen of those gallons will be weighing my balls down tonight, so thanks a whole hell of a lot for lookin’ so hot in that new dress, Babe. You really did me a favor.”

She whacks me playfully on the arm. “Thanks for calling me a tease, Emmett.”

“If the dress fits, sweetheart.” I wink at her and then lean over to kiss her sweet lips. “You know I’m just kidding, right? You’re gorgeous in that dress. You’re gorgeous in anything.”

“Thank you, Emm.”

___

“You’re about to get yourself hitched, brother.” I clap Beckham on the shoulder from behind as he ties his necktie in front of the mirror. “How do you feel about that?”

He can’t hide the smile on his face that has me mirroring his expression. “Like I’m the luckiest man in the world. That’s how I’m feeling today.”

“Aww, Beckham’s passing out the warm fuzzies y’all. I feel like our big brother needs a hug.”

“No hug.” He points to all of us, but do we listen?

Fuck no.

Together with Asher, Graham, and Elias, we surround Beckham in the cheesiest bro hug anyone has ever seen. He finally gives in and laughs with us and then shakes us off.

---