CHAPTER SIXTEEN: KIT

“NOVEMBER SEVENTEENTH. What do you think of that for a wedding date?” Kit asked.

“I think that’s perfect,” Hudson said. “Connie?”

Connie pulled his phone out and checked his calendar. “We have nothing going on that entire week. It’s perfect.”

Kit bounced in his seat, unable to contain his joy. A broad grin spread across his face as he exclaimed, “Oh wow, okay, well, look at that. We have a wedding date. Wow!” The words tumbled out of his mouth in a rush.

“And that’s this upcoming November?” Connie asked.

“I…. Yes? Do you really think we can pull something as massive as this together in that length of time?” Kit asked, fidgeting nervously.

“Absolutely,” Connie said, reassuring Kit.

A mix of excitement and anxiety churned in Kit’s stomach at the thought of the tasks ahead. “Then, God help me, yes! Oh man, oh boy, we got to get serious about this now!”

Hudson glanced at Connie, confusion written on his face. “Um, weren’t we already?” Hudson asked.

Kit just cackled.

POOR DRAGONS. They really had no idea just how serious serious was. They spent a solid two hours discussing what kind of food they would serve. Two hours.

Hudson couldn’t seem to understand why the subject of serving food at their wedding was so hard. Kit was more than happy to school him on the subject.

Did they want fancy? Or did they want finger food? Did they want a plated meal? Or did they want buffet style? What about allergies? Were there going to be humans there who had allergies? Did paranormals have allergies?

If they went with plated, how many choices were they going to offer? Meat definitely had to be offered since there were so many paranormals who needed that, but the mers mainly ate seafood, so that was a consideration too.

After a quick phone call from Connie, the caterer he usually used was more than happy to do their wedding but warned that it would cost them. Once Hudson okayed that, ten minutes later, they had a menu to look at.

They ended up with three main entrées, and then another hour was spent discussing offering a full-service bar along with nonalcoholic drinks. Then, another hour was spent discussing a dessert table and whether hors d’oeuvres would be served before the dinner and dancing.

Kit almost fell off the chair when Connie repeated the quote for the food and bar service. “Mother of all.”

Hudson okayed it, and the caterer sent the contract to Connie.

“Okay, that’s reserved for our date,” Connie said as he pocketed his phone.

“I’m still not sure we should’ve done that before we reserved the venue,” Kit said.

“Don’t worry about the venue,” Hudson said. “I promise I’ll take care of it.”

“Okay, okay. I’m leaving that in your capable hands. But jeez, the food we just ordered. That seems to be a lot of food,” Kit said, voice quivering. “Dear God.”

“Paranormals,” Hudson reminded his mate, patting his belly. “We eat a lot.”

“But good grief, this much?” Kit asked.

Connie nodded. “They actually gave us a good deal on the food since we’re using them for the ball in December too.”

“Good Lord,” Kit muttered. He took a deep breath. “Okay, no freaking out about the price.”

“Which we can afford,” Connie reassured Kit. “I promise.”

“I know, I know, it’s just… that’s insanely pricey, and, and it’s enough food to feed a small army,” Kit lamely joked.

“There’s going to be a lot of people there,” Hudson said. “That is what you wanted, right?”

“Absolutely. I want this to be the event of the year.”

“Then we’re going to need enough food to feed a small army,” Hudson replied.

“And it’s going to cost,” Connie added. “Maybe we shouldn’t tell you if it stresses you? I promise you that wasn’t the most expensive menu I’ve ever done.”

“Gah. I keep forgetting you’re used to dealing with stuff like this,” Kit said.

“He excels at it,” Hudson reassured Kit.

Connie winked at them.

“Okay, invitations.” Kit rubbed his hands together. “And yeah, let’s not share what stuff costs. If you two are good with the prices of whatever, I need to stop freaking out about it.”

“Exactly,” Connie said.

“If there is more to discuss, though, I’m having someone bring us dinner,” Hudson said. “We can eat out here by the pool.”

“More? My love, I hate to tell you this, but we’re just getting started.”

“In that case, I’ll go get dinner and bring it back here.” Connie checked his watch. “It’s time anyway. Be thinking about invitations while I do this.”

“Get your phone out, Hudson.” Kit chuckled.

“Love, I really don’t have a preference. Whatever you want is fine by me. Connie?”

“Nope. You’re on your own on this. Kit’s going to want your thoughts on the matter, so get to looking. I’ll be right back,” Connie said as he left the pool area.

“Well, you heard our mate. Get to looking.” Kit moved next to Hudson to make sure he did what he was told.

Connie was still laughing as he shut the sliding glass door behind him.

Hudson unlocked his phone and started browsing. “By the Flames, there are so many! Kit, I have no idea what—”

“Okay, okay.” Kit did a search for popular styles of invitations. “Let’s narrow down some. You like these?”

Hudson wrinkled his nose. “That’s a bit flowery.”

“See? You do have an opinion on this. Okay, what about this?”

“That looks sort of western and rustic,” Hudson said.

“Hmmm. Okay, how about this?” Kit asked, showing Hudson something that had a more vintage look to it.

“Oh. I do like that.”

“So, something timeless and elegant. That certainly fits. We’ll see what Connie has to say too.”

Kit leaned back in the chair, still scrolling. He definitely wanted their input, but he had an idea of which way his dragons were going to lean. That Hudson liked the more elegant invitation style didn’t surprise him. Connie would probably want something striking.

The night had cooled slightly, and the soft glow of the pool lights made the ambiance nearly magical as they scrolled on their phones.

Kit had no idea how much time had passed until he heard the squeak of a cart’s wheels drawing closer. Leaving his phone on the patio table, he patted Hudson on the cheek, then ducked inside to help Connie.

Once they had everything spread out on the table, they sat down to eat. There was a nice offering of Italian dishes that Kit couldn’t wait to dig into.

They chitchatted while they ate. Over dinner, Kit found himself relaxing fully into the joy of planning their wedding with his mates at his side. Each suggestion brought new excitement or a shared look of agreement.

After they were done, Hudson put everything back on the cart and returned it to the kitchen. When he returned, they picked up where they left off.

“So, invitations.” Connie flipped his cell phone around. “We have options ranging from classic embossed cardstock to more exotic materials like vellum or even hand-painted details.”

Hudson nodded appreciatively. “Something grand, I think. It needs to stand out.”

“Hudson likes the more classical and vintage look,” Kit added.

“Something grand and classical. Got it,” Connie said. “What about this?”

Kit leaned over to look at the designs. “Ooh, what about that one with the gold leaf accents? That looks elegant. And vintage.”

“I like that,” Connie agreed. “It’ll complement the event’s theme well. We can customize it with a bit of personal flair—perhaps add a little twist that hints at our unique... nature.”

“Maybe a subtle watermark of a crest or symbol that represents a dragon?” Hudson suggested.

“I love that idea,” Kit said. “We’ll do that then. Something meaningful, but not too obvious to those outside the paranormal world.”

Connie made a note on his tablet. “Consider it done.”

As they mulled over finer details, like RSVP cards and envelope liners, they finalized the minor details and reviewed the timeline once more. Content after productive planning and full of food, they settled back into their chairs.

“Each guest should feel like they’re part of something truly magical,” Hudson concluded as the discussion wound down.

“Yes. A celebration not just of our union, but of all the worlds coming together.”

Connie reached over and squeezed Kit’s hand gently. “Exactly.”

“This is really happening,” Kit murmured, looking between Hudson and Connie.

“It is.” Hudson took Kit’s other hand in his own.

“And it’s going to be perfect,” Connie added.

Kit looked at his mates. Love and anticipation for the future showed in their faces. This was what he’d always dreamed of—this closeness and easy-goingness.

As they sat there under the starry sky, laughter mingling with soft music drifting from somewhere inside the house, they knew no matter how daunting the preparations seemed, it was all worth it for this perfect moment together.

“Ready to go inside?” Hudson finally asked.

“Yeah,” Kit said. Standing, he followed Connie and Hudson back inside. The master bedroom was a mess, but their private living area had escaped relatively unscathed, so they decided to hang out there for a little while.

Kit’s mind buzzed with ideas and excitement. “You know, all of our friends and family will be there, celebrating with us. Oh. You know, I just thought of something.”

“What’s that?”

“If we’re going to invite any vampires, it has to be after sunset,” Kit said.

Connie pulled his phone out again to search for what time the sun set in November. “The sun sets a little bit after five p.m. in November.”

“If we’re having a night wedding, I want the reception to be outside,” Kit said. “Is that okay?”

Hudson fetched a bottle of wine and three glasses, setting them down with a clink on the coffee table. “I think that’s a fabulous idea. In fact, it calls for a toast.”

“I can get behind that,” Kit said after the wine was poured. “To us.”

“To us,” Connie and Hudson echoed, their glasses meeting in a gentle clink.

Kit plopped down on the couch, and Hudson sat next to Kit.

Connie joined them, putting Kit in the middle of them. “It’ll be like a fairy tale,” he murmured, leaning his head against Kit’s.

“Magical,” Hudson said quietly, sipping his wine.

Their conversation drifted from practical wedding plans to more whimsical dreams of their future together. It wasn’t just about one day—it was about all the days they would share.

Every topic opened new doors to understanding each other better—dreams, fears, and all the little quirks that made them unique.

As the night grew later, Kit began to yawn. The conversation dwindled to contented silence.

Kit looked at both of his partners, feeling an overwhelming surge of love and gratitude. “I never thought I’d have this,” he confessed softly. “A life filled with so much love.”

Connie reached over to squeeze his hand. “Thank Gaura. And I mean that. Literally.”

Hudson nodded in agreement. “Fate never makes a mistake.”

Tears prickled in Kit’s eyes as he looked at his mates. “Yeah, thank Gaura. Let’s go to bed,” Kit suggested, feeling a mix of exhaustion and elation.

They rose as one and headed to their temporary bedroom. As they settled down under the covers, wrapped up in each other’s arms, Kit knew that whatever challenges lay ahead in organizing their big day or navigating life’s unpredictable currents, they were ready—as long as they had each other.

Life was good.