Forever Red (39 page)

Then, as Molly slid past me, I heard the jingle of metal on metal that could only belong to one of my loved ones. I turned in time to see Abraham Lincoln, her tongue lolling to one side, plodding toward me. I slipped her a mini-bone, telling her to lie down just as I realized everyone was standing.

Todd Foster was throwing me a look that would make most men tremble. I’d called my future father-in-law out of the blue in February and told him that I wanted to marry his daughter, asking for his permission. The man had laughed, told me it was about time I got my head out of my ass, and ended the call by calling me a moron. He didn’t scare me, though. I’d walk through fire to get to her, even if that fire was a naval officer that was built like a brick house.

My gaze slid to the woman on his arm. The relaxed and happy smile on her face told me everything I needed to know. I reached for her, taking her hand from her dad’s, and pulled her to me. The pastor droned on next to us, but all I could focus on was her.

Dinner was a quick affair, and my guys were getting anxious to head out and party. I dragged my feet, wanting to spend just a few more minutes with Red. Then a limo showed up, and her girls claimed it was time for them to get ready for their night on the town. I managed to pull her away before Molly kidnapped her for the night.

“If you want me to, I’ll cancel my plans. We can hang out together or something. I’d rather be with you.”

Lia laughed, shaking her head and pushing a hand against my chest as if telling me to get going. “Tonight isn’t for you.” She glanced past me to the spot where my groomsmen were standing. “It’s for them. They need to have you to themselves one last time. So, go.” She lifted her chin. “Have fun. Do stupid shit. I’ll meet you here, tomorrow. If you don’t show up, I’ll hunt you down and make you sorry.”

I didn’t know if other women were as understanding, but I did know this woman was phenomenal. I didn’t share her enthusiasm, though. I frowned, grumbling. “I don’t want you to go do stupid shit.”

That only made her laugh again. She pointed at Mike. “Go. Have fun.”

I watched as she turned around and walked away. That woman was more than the sexiest fucking thing I’d ever laid eyes on; Lia had always been the craziest, most unpredictable, and funniest girl I’d ever met. No denying it – I was the luckiest son of a bitch alive.

“You’re really not going to look?” Molly handed me a mimosa and dropped into the chair next to me. I was struggling to keep my eyes open, and my stomach definitely didn’t want any more alcohol – it had gotten more than it had in years at my bachelorette party the night before – but I had a fiancé that actually wanted me to show up at our wedding, so I was awake.

“I’m really not going to look. And neither are any of you.”

“But…”

I shook my head, cutting off Nina’s argument. “We are not stalking the boys online! They don’t know what we did last night, and we’re not going to know what they did.” My friends had been dying to log into Twitter and search to see how many pictures they could find using the hashtag shirts.

“I think you’re just worried you might see something you won’t like,” Cora added, tilting her head back and squirting whipped cream in her mouth.

“And I think you just want to check up on Pete,” Courtney snapped. Cora ignored her, but Cort didn’t let it go. “Are you ever going to tell us what happened?”

Cora looked around the room, focusing on each of us briefly. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

Yeah, she almost sounded convincing. Almost. I wanted to know just as much as the other women in this room, and this would probably be the last time the five of us were alone. I needed to give it one more shot.

“Cora, I’m getting married in”—I checked the time on my cell phone, realizing I had a bunch of text messages from last night; I’d turned off the volume and never put it back up—“seven hours. Eight if we’re behind schedule. You cannot let me get hitched without telling me what in the hell is going on.”

Cora’s face got bright red. “Fine. Whatever.” She huffed at me, sitting down on the floor at my feet. We’d taken over Neil’s man cave once we got back from the pub. Nikki didn’t stay because she couldn’t handle being away from Emma, but my other bridesmaids had a full-blown slumber party after we sent the rest of the women home. We were still down there, avoiding the boys and last minute wedding stuff for as long as everyone would let us.

Cora cleared her throat, turning away from the rest of us. “We…”

“Hello?” a voice I hadn’t heard in years called down. “Lia, dear, are you down there?”

I stood abruptly, almost dropping my glass, and hurried toward the stairs. “Grammy Ginny?”

Even I could hear the shock in my voice, but the gray haired woman hurrying down the stairs faster than someone half her age only chuckled. She stopped in front of me, embracing me tightly in a way that made you immediately hug her back.

“You didn’t think we’d miss your big day, did you?” The second voice, another blast from the past, made me pull away from the woman who didn’t look like she’d aged a day in the last decade.

“Jules?”

The woman standing behind Ginny smiled. If I hadn’t known the little boy standing with her, I’d never have recognized my old friend. Nothing – from the every strand in place hairstyle to the obviously expensive designer suit that was way too fancy for a country wedding – belonged to the girl I’d once known. Even the way she stood so sure of herself was different. My heart ached suddenly, missing the girls we used to be.

“We got here early.” She placed a hand on her son’s head. “Jake’s going to get ready with the guys, but we thought we’d all say hi before we dropped him off.”

I swallowed, completely confused. Molly, thank God, moved, holding a hand out to Julie. “It’s so nice to finally meet you!” Then she bent over, leaning toward mini-Mike. “Hey, Jake!”

He grinned a gap-toothed smile that made him look just like his daddy. “Hey, Mols!” He turned his eyes back to me, and just like always, I was taken back to a time I tended to forget. “Hiya, Lee! Do you know where Uncle Nate is?”

“I’ll take you to find him, young man.” Ginny moved her hand to his shoulder. “I’ll talk to the beautiful bride later.”

I promised that we would definitely catch up before she left.

After the door was closed, Julie glanced around the room. Feeling like an out of place idiot, I made introductions.

“Courtney?” Jules asked with an odd tone in her voice as she moved toward my friend. “You’re the new roommate?”

Cort nodded. When Neil had asked me to marry him, I thought we’d wait a little while before we went through with it. Then he explained that he couldn’t wait and I realized I felt the same way; the only thing standing in the way was the fact that I didn’t want to leave Courtney.

We’d been roommates for so long that I’d made myself sick worrying about how she would take the news and who she’d get to replace me. It wasn’t a horribly expensive place, but because it was in a nice part of town and it was clean and safe, it was way too much for one teacher to afford on her own. When Neil suggested Mike as a possible roomie, the two of them jumped at the opportunity. It was a win-win. He’d be close to Jake and she’d have someone I trusted living with her.

I hadn’t thought about how Julie would take the news. Not that she had any right to be upset. The bitch had cheated on a good, loyal man while he was at war. And destroyed him with her lies. She lost the right to have an opinion about his life years ago.

Jules pulled her phone out of her Michael Kors handbag, turning it and holding it up in front of Cort’s face. “You’re the genius behind this, too, aren’t you?”

Whatever it was made Courtney smirk and nod. I moved closer, glancing at the screen. Mikey stood with his arm around Reb, both raising their glasses to whomever was snapping the shot.

“Someone posted it on Facebook and tagged him,” Jules explained, swiping her finger across the screen to show us another photo. This one was a close up, his handsome face split into a giant grin. “Does he know what he’s wearing? What it means?”

I laughed, remembering the #PTAF Cort had printed on his shirt, and felt bad. “Not a clue.”

Jules shook her head. “I can’t believe you remembered that, let alone told other people. I feel like I should be embarrassed.”

She sat down and Nina handed her a champagne glass. It should have been awkward after all the years apart, but it wasn’t. It felt like we hadn’t actually missed a beat. For a little while, I was able to shove the anger I had for her and what she’d done to the back burner, and she did the same. Even Cora, and whatever secret she was holding, seemed to be comfortable. The six of us talked and laughed until Patty and my mom showed the makeup crew down an hour later.

Jules stood and gave me a hug. “I missed you, Lee. Thank you for inviting me.”

I hugged her back. “I missed you, too, Jules.”

After she said her goodbyes, I turned to my friends, shaking my head. “I didn’t invite her.”

Molly winked. “Nate did. Mike thought you’d want her here.”

I didn’t have a chance to respond; Patty forced me into a chair so they could start on my hair. Cora handed me my phone and then pulled out nail polish so she could start on my toes. I unlocked my screen, intending to send a quick thank you to Mikey, when the notification reminded me that I had unread messages.

They were all from Neil. The first one was from nine the night before, and must have been sent as he was leaving the farm with his friends.

Babe:
You looked beautiful tonight.

The next was sent an hour later. Very sweet little love notes.

Babe:
I’m not sure what I did to deserve you, but remind me to keep doing it!

Babe:
Have fun with the girls, but not too much fun!

Babe:
Wish you were here.

Then, they started to progress to the dirty Neil I knew and loved.

Babe:
Reb just asked me what my favorite thing to do was. My answer was you. I want to do my favorite thing. Right now.

Babe:
I just met a police officer. Nice fucking guy. I told him how important tomorrow is. And all about my dirty girl. I’m now the proud owner of handcuffs. Come get me, we’ll try ‘em out.

Babe:
Enjoy your freedom now. I plan on locking you in the bedroom for the next two weeks, making you scream my name until you can’t remember yours.

Babe:
Noah was dumb enough to ask me what I wanted to eat. LOL My answer was you. He’s now glaring at me. All I want to taste is your pussy as you grind it against my chin, begging me to never stop.

I could feel the heat flood my cheeks more with each message and I prayed the hair stylist standing behind me couldn’t read them.

Babe:
I cannot wait to peel your dress from your body and show you how much I love you. With my tongue.

At six that morning the booze had apparently worn off and he wasn’t sleeping, but his message was sweet.

Babe:
In 12 hours I become the luckiest SOB alive. Thank you for loving me.

And, then the last one, sent just hours ago.

Babe:
I fucking love you. I will spend the rest of my life thanking God you love me back.

Tears burned my eyes. Only one man could get me wet as hell, ready to abandon my friends to find him and jump him, and then make me feel like crying happy tears the next. He wasn’t the lucky one – I was.

*****

I smiled at my dad when he walked into the kitchen a few hours later. We’d opted for non-formal attire, the men wearing blue jeans and brown vests over white button ups. I’d rarely seen my dad in civilian clothes, and never once in cowboy boots. He was utterly adorable.

I let him pull my mom and me into a quick embrace before she hurried out so she could be seated. Then, one by one, my girls – dressed in short blue sundresses and dark brown cowboy boots – hugged me and headed out.

When it was just Molly left, she winked, kicked her foot backward, and whispered, “Showtime, girl!” before leaving me alone with the first man I’d ever loved.

He tucked a curl behind my ear, moving closer. “I missed a lot over the years, LeeLee.”

“Daddy,” I shook my head, interrupting him.

“No. I did. I regret it.” His eyes searched mine and I could see the sadness in them. “That boy out there loves you. He has since he was just a kid. He is going to give you a life your mom and I only dreamt of giving you. You’re going to have chances most people only imagine. I want you to do it all, baby girl. I don’t want you to be me in twenty years.”

I tried to tell him there was nothing wrong with him, but he shushed me. “You missed the last thirteen years because you were running. I want you to promise me you won’t miss any more. I want you to remember that it’s better to look back on life and say, ‘I can’t believe I did that!’ than it is to look back and say, ‘I wish I’d done that.’ Because I can promise you, wishing you’d done things differently will haunt you. If I could go back, I’d be there for every single second with you. I would have told you every day how beautiful you were, how smart you were, and how proud of you I was. How proud I still am.”

Fuck. I hadn’t even made it out the door yet and I was going to ruin my makeup. A thumb moved under my eye, wiping away a lone tear before his lips found my forehead. “I love you, Lee.”

Then he tucked my hand into the crook of his elbow and pulled me toward the door, out of the house, and down the aisle to Neil.

I couldn’t tell you how many people were there, if the seats were full, or if there was standing room only. I didn’t see a single person in the audience. I was too busy staring at the man waiting for me.

Dressed just like his groomsmen, Neil was wearing jeans, a white button-up shirt, cowboy boots, and a brown vest. Unlike his friends, his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, showing off his incredible ink. I immediately found my favorite tattoo, one that I’d never asked him about because it needed no explanation. Running down the outside of his left forearm, in dark red bold ink, was the word “Forever.” It gave me chills every time I saw it.

As I stepped in front of him, he gave me the half-smile, sexy smirk that made a million women melt. I couldn’t see his eyes, they were hidden behind dark black shades, but the way his tongue stuck out slightly between his lips – something he did when he was concentrating hard – gave me all the assurance I needed. His fingers tangled with mine, and somehow we managed to follow along with the minister, even though neither of us was paying much attention.

When it came time to exchange rings, Jake stepped up, offering Neil a simple, white gold band. It had been his grandmother’s. He pushed his glasses to the top of his head, intense blue-green eyes meeting mine as he slid it onto my finger.

“I told you once, Red, if anyone was going to tame you and put a ring on this finger, it was gonna be me.” He bit his bottom lip. “I was wrong. You’re too wild to ever be tamed. But this ring is never coming off.”

I smiled. It wasn’t. It would stay there until the day I died.