by Jaci Burton
Actually, he had enough money now, but he wanted to bank extra for those just-in-case situations that would crop up once he opened his shop.
He was patient. He could wait a while longer. Besides, he wasn't yet sure where he wanted to put his shop. Did he want to settle in Hope, or maybe some other town in another state? He didn't have answers to those questions yet, and until he did, he was fine staying right here.
Next on his agenda was taking Roxie out for a nice long walk and a play in the park. Once he had her suitably exhausted, they went upstairs and he took a shower to get ready for the wedding.
He'd had a lot of evening work this past week, and that had kept him away from Megan, but they'd managed to eke out a couple of hours here and there together. She'd brought over dinner one night and they'd camped out in the office with sandwiches. She'd also brought him a cinnamon roll on a couple of mornings, along with coffee.
But they hadn't carved out nearly enough alone time. He intended to rectify that tonight.
He got dressed. Oh, man, he hated wearing a suit, but it was a necessary evil for the wedding.
He packed up all of Roxie's things, because Megan had suggested Roxie stay over at her place tonight while they were at the wedding. It made sense to him, so he grabbed her chicken, her blanket, and some of her food.
Sometimes, having a dog was like being a parent. It was a lot of responsibility, but he couldn't imagine not having her in his life. He was so glad no one had ever claimed her. Some moron's loss had been his gain. Roxie was his dog now, and no one was going to take her away from him.
She looked at him as he straightened his tie in the mirror.
"How do I look, Rox?" he asked.
She cocked her head to the side, her ears perking up.
He grinned down at her. "Yeah, I thought so, too. Pretty fucking awesome."
He loaded Roxie in the truck, then drove over to Megan's house and went to the door.
Megan answered wearing a robe.
"Wow. I mean wow. You look amazing," she said as she looked him up and down.
"Thanks."
"And I'm sorry, I'm not quite ready yet. Come on in and make yourself comfortable. I'll only be a few more minutes."
"Okay."
He got Roxie and all her things situated, then took a seat at Megan's kitchen island.
She had some kind of tower of cream puffs sitting on a plate in the center of the island. He was tempted to take one, but they were covered in powdered sugar, and he was wearing a dark suit. The combination could be disastrous, so he'd better not. But later, after he got out of this suit? One of those cream puffs had his name on it.
Deciding to avoid temptation, he got up and went into the living room, picked up the remote, and took a seat on the sofa. He turned on the TV and surfed until he found the sports channel. There was a baseball game on. The St. Louis team was playing. Roxie, who'd mastered the art of jumping on his sofa, decided to join him. He waited, giving her a minute to navigate the height of Megan's sofa, but after assessing the situation, she leaped up beside him with ease.
"Atta girl," he said. "I knew you could do it."
She settled in next to his side and they watched the game together.
Okay, she went to sleep while he watched the game.
St. Louis had the bases loaded with one out in the fourth inning when Megan came out.
"Okay, I'm ready."
He really wanted to see this inning play out, but then he turned his head and saw Megan, and he forgot all about baseball.
He stood and went over to her. She wore a copper-colored dress with tiny straps at her shoulders. The dress hugged every one of her curves all the way down to just below her thighs, making him want to scope out her curves with his hands.
He swept his hands down her arms. "You are beautiful."
"Thank you. I'm sorry it took me so long to get ready."
"You're worth the wait. I mean, come on. Look at you."
He caught the blush of her cheeks. Cute.
"Well, thanks. And look at you. You clean up well."
"I'm going to admit that I hate wearing suits."
She pressed her palms against his jacket. "It doesn't show. It's like you were born to wear them. And I like this tie. It's very colorful."
"Thanks. I had to go buy a new one just for the wedding. I couldn't find the other one I had."
She cocked her head to the side. "Just one?"
His lips curved. "I don't have much need for dress-up clothes, so yeah, just one."
"You chose well," she said, sliding her hand down his tie. "Let's go watch our friends get married."
They drove to the church, and Brady filled her in on his day.
"So was the guy happy about his bike?" she asked.
"Yeah. He seemed really pleased with the work. I'm finishing up the demon and barbed-wire one this week."
"I can't wait to see how it turns out."
They arrived at the church and parked.
"Chelsea said they were lucky to get the church on such short notice, but someone cancelled at the last minute, so the reverend was able to accommodate them."
"I guess lucky for Chelsea and Bash, and maybe unlucky for whoever decided to cancel their wedding?" Brady said.
"This is true."
They went inside, and Brady had to admit, it looked beautiful. Flowers were set up at the altar and alongside the pews. He couldn't name them, but they looked pretty.
They found a spot up near the front and took a seat next to Sam and Reid.
It wasn't long before the church was crowded with people and music started playing.
The reverend came out to stand in front of the congregation. Then Bash came out, with Carter standing next to him.
Megan took his hand as Jane walked past their pew, and everyone stood when Chelsea made her way down the aisle.
Megan squeezed back tears as she watched her friend make her way to the front of the church. Chelsea looked beautiful in her simple beige lace and silk dress. Then again, when didn't Chelsea look stunning? Her hair was swept up into an intricate design, and the bouquet Sam had designed for her was lovely.
The way Chelsea and Bash looked at each other was as if there were no other people in the church.
As it should be.
Megan sighed as she took her seat.
The reverend made the ceremony simple, talking about commitment and values and cherishing one another, and always being willing to communicate. Megan skirted a glance at Brady, who seemed to be listening hard to the reverend.
Then Chelsea and Bash said their vows, and before she knew it, her two friends were married and sharing one very sweet kiss before everyone, who clapped for them.
They made their way down the aisle as everyone cheered.
Megan looked over at Brady. "Wasn't that wonderful?"
He nodded. "Not too bad. Over in a hurry, just the way a wedding ceremony should be."
She laughed. "Spoken like a true man."
They got in her car and drove the short distance to Hope Community Hall for the reception. She was glad they wouldn't have to drive far tonight.
"Not much on the outside," Brady said. "But they did a good job decking it out for the wedding."
"I've been to a wedding here before," Megan said after Brady helped her out of the car. "It's all about the decorations. And when I delivered the cake earlier today, the decor looked amazing. Sam did such an amazing job with the flowers and the team who did the tables really worked hard to make it look elegant and inviting. Des brought in a couple who do set design in Hollywood, and wow, did they do incredible work. I think everything came together perfectly in such a short period of time."
"It probably helps that Chelsea has such talented friends."
She smiled over at him. "We loved helping." They all had, from Molly and her mother, Georgia, to several of Chelsea and Jane's teacher friends. It had been a labor of love to put this together in record time.
She hoped Chel
sea was pleased with the result.
He held his arm for her and she walked with him to find their table. They were sitting with Sam and Reid, and Molly and Carter, along with Deacon Fox and Zach Powers.
It should be a fun table.
Megan excused herself to go check on the cake. She'd left it in the hands of the community center employees, who assured her they'd set it up in the right place, but since she'd spent the better part of yesterday baking and frosting all the layers and setting every flower in perfect position, the last thing she wanted was for something to have happened to it.
She found it in its rightful position on its own table, looking breathtakingly beautiful--and she didn't mind at all being so proud of it. It was four layers of creamy buttercream frosting and vanilla cake with vanilla cream layers. Very traditional, but it's what Chelsea had asked for, and Megan had happily smiled her way through creating it. She also put peach and yellow roses on it, and she really hoped Chelsea and Bash liked it.
Of course, it was dessert, so Bash, being a man, would like it. Appearance-wise, it was Chelsea she had to please.
When a set of arms went around her waist, she knew it was Brady, especially when he said, "So, when's dessert?"
She laughed and laid her head against his chest. "After dinner."
"Cake looks amazing. I know it'll kick ass."
"Of course it will."
Once the wedding party got there, everything swung into action. Dinner was served, and it was spectacular. They ate roast beef and chicken and pasta and three different kinds of salad. There was wine and champagne, and Megan had so much fun chatting with everyone at their table. Of course, she'd known all these people for years, except for Zach, who was new to the Hope area, so they all spent some time talking to him.
"How has your first year been teaching at Hope High, Zach?" Megan asked him.
"Good. I've settled in. The kids here are all great, administration is good to work with, and the football team is shaping up."
"I've caught a few games," Deacon said. "Looks like you're whipping them into shape."
Zach nodded. "Working on it. I think we've got a chance to make state, if not this year, then next. We might be a small district, but that doesn't mean we won't fight hard."
"That's the kind of dedication Hope High needs," Carter said. "You can take them there."
"Obviously I'm going to have to catch a game," Megan said. "I haven't been to one since high school."
"Yeah, you should all come," Zach said. "The more alumni who show up, the more people who are there to root these kids on. I'm surprised Jane and Chelsea don't badger you about it, since they teach at the high school."
"I'm surprised, too. Chelsea especially is good at badgering."
"Badgering about what?"
They looked up to see the beautiful bride standing at their table.
Megan grabbed her hand. "Congratulations. You're gorgeous."
She beamed a smile. "Thank you. Now what am I badgering you about?"
"We're talking about the football team and how everyone should show up for games in the fall," Zach said.
"Oh, right. Well, football isn't really my thing, but I fully support Hope High's team, so Zach is right. You should all go to the games. We should all go. We could tailgate."
"A lot of the parents do that," Zach said. "It's fun."
"Clearly I'm missing out on a big social aspect of Hope's community," Molly said. "And a chance to do some marketing."
Carter, who had his arm around Molly, rolled his eyes. "My wife, always in work mode."
"Hey, somebody's gotta grow our business, buddy."
Carter leaned over and kissed Molly's cheek. "And you do it so well."
Megan got up and hugged Chelsea. "The wedding was beautiful. And so are you."
"Thank you. I feel like I'm floating on a cloud. I'm kind of shocked it all came together so perfectly."
"Of course it did. It was kismet. You two are meant to have good luck in your lives."
Chelsea rubbed her lower stomach. "I think this kid is going to bring us good luck. It was all about timing, and I guess the timing is right, you know?"
Megan nodded. "I do know. And I'm really happy for you."
Chelsea's eyes glittered. "Do not make me cry. I have like eight pounds of mascara on, and if it starts to run we're going to have a disaster on our hands."
"Okay. No crying for you. Did you see the cake?"
"I did. It's perfect and looks delicious. Thank you again."
"It was absolutely my pleasure to make it for you and Bash. Where is your husband, by the way?"
"I think he's having a cigar outside with some of the guys to celebrate being a married man. Or maybe a shot of tequila. One or the other. Quite possibly both. All I know is I'll be the one driving us home tonight."
Megan laughed. Then Chelsea got pulled away by Jane, who mumbled something about dancing, so Megan made her way back to her table. By then the music had started up, so they all watched Chelsea and Bash--who was inside now--dance together.
She was so happy for the two of them, and Chelsea really did look like she was floating on a cloud.
Once the bride and groom dance was over, the DJ told everyone to get up and dance. Megan turned to Brady.
"I'm going to get a refill on my wine. Do you want another beer?"
"I'm good right now. Thanks."
She headed over to the bar. While waiting in line, she turned to see Brady in deep conversation with Deacon and Zach. For some reason, that made her smile.
For someone who not too long ago kept mainly to himself above Carter and Molly's shop, Brady was coming out of his shell.
That was a good thing. A very good thing. And if he could break that cycle of being unsociable, then maybe there was hope for other things as well.
While Brady congregated with the guys, she found herself at a table with her core group of friends, along with Loretta, who had become a good friend of theirs as well.
"Where's your little girl tonight, Loretta?" Emma asked.
"She's with my parents, who will no doubt spoil her endlessly, feed her too much sugar, and let her stay up all night long. Which means I'll get her back tomorrow overtired and cranky."
Des laughed. "Grandparents' prerogative, I suppose."
"Sure. Which then will make me miserable. And Hazel, too."
"Of course."
Megan noticed Loretta's gaze shifting occasionally to where the guys were crowded by the bar. She didn't know a whole lot about Loretta and Deacon, other than that they were high school sweethearts who had broken up not long after they graduated. And then Loretta had gotten married to some other guy and had moved to Texas until her divorce.
"So how are you and Deacon getting along now that you're back in town?" Chelsea asked.
Leave it to Chelsea to dig right in.
"Oh, we're fine, I guess. I don't really see him much other than the occasional run-in at the grocery store or through town."
"So it's not awkward between the two of you?" Emma asked.
Loretta gave a sigh. "Define awkward. I mean, we were together for four years in high school. We thought we'd end up together forever. Until we didn't. And it ended badly. So I'd say there's awkwardness."
"Maybe you both need some closure," Jane said.
"Maybe. Or maybe the opportunity for closure passed a long time ago. I don't think he even wants to speak to me anymore."
"Have you tried talking to him?" Megan asked.
"Not really. I mean, it's in the past. Why reopen old wounds?"
"So you can close them and move on," Molly said. "Trust me--I left a lingering hole in my relationship with Carter for years. And it festered for a long time with neither of us being able to move on. Which was fine when I was gone, but once I was back in Hope, our past needed to be addressed."
"And look at them now," Megan said with a smile.
Loretta looked horrified. "I just got out of a relationship. I'm not looking to sta
rt another one. Or reopen an old one."
Chelsea shrugged. "You never know what might happen until you and Deacon have an actual conversation. And no one's saying you're looking for anything, honey. Only that it might be time to bury the past and look toward your future."
Loretta's gaze drifted over toward Deacon again, and Megan could swear she saw a slight look of longing on Loretta's face. Then again, Megan wanted all her friends to be happy, so she might have imagined it.
"You might be right about that," Loretta said. "Putting the past to bed once and for all is a good idea." She pulled her focus back on the women and smiled. "But not tonight. Tonight is a night of fun and partying and celebrating Chelsea and Bash."
Chelsea grinned. "Well, I'll drink to that. If I was drinking, which I'm not, except for sparkling water."
Megan lifted her glass of wine. "To Chelsea and Bash."
They all toasted.
Chapter 24
BRADY HAD TO admit that weddings or any type of mass social event just weren't his thing.
But he was having a good time. The music was kicking it hard, the food had been great, and he was enjoying the company of people he now thought of as his friends.
All in all, not a bad night. Plus, he had a beautiful woman by his side. Or, at least, mostly by his side. Since Deacon and Zach had come solo, they took the opportunity to grab all the women and take them out onto the dance floor. Which meant Megan as well, who didn't seem to mind, since she'd told him she loved to dance.
Right now she was arms-up on the dance floor, swaying her hips to a hard, driving beat with Deacon. And as long as those guys knew to stay hands-off with her, he didn't mind her dancing with them, especially since dancing wasn't his thing.
But he did notice that every once in a while she'd look over at him and smile. So he knew her attention was on him. And that worked for him.
Sam plopped down in the chair next to his. "So why are other dudes dancing with your woman?"
"I'm not much of a dancer."
"Neither is Reid. Doesn't stop him from getting up there and shaking his groove thing with me. Or with anyone else. Look at him up there dancing with Des right now. He's a total doofus."