Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Two

The morning of the reception, I placed my pouch of bridal jewelry on the vanity dresser in one of the guest rooms. Satisfied that I could now tick the final item off the checklist, I let out a sigh. After breakfast, I’d moved my dress, shoes, and other garments in there, along with all the bits and bobs I’d need while getting ready.

I didn’t want to dress in my room because several people would be with me this morning—all of whom were due to arrive any minute now. It wouldn’t have bothered me to have them in my room if Dane hadn’t officially moved his things in there the previous day. Now that it was also his space, I knew he wouldn’t want other people entering it.

Putting a hand on my queasy stomach, I blew out a breath. I’d thought my nerves would be calm by now, but there was apparently no such luck.

Filled with last minute preparations for the reception, the previous day had gone past in a blur. I’d tried relaxing myself with a manicure, pedicure, and feel-good movie. Maybe it worked, or maybe I was just tired, but I slept surprisingly well. Then again, Dane had fucked me so hard and long last night that he’d sapped a lot of my energy, so that could have been the reason.

Now, I felt somewhat jumpy with anticipation. The reception was no longer simply a party, no longer part of a fake marriage routine. It would be meaningful. Special.

I wasn’t just Dane’s wife on paper now. I was his wife in every sense of the word. The marriage was officially real. And the reception was our chance to celebrate that.

“Everything ready in here?”

I whirled around to find Dane in the doorway. “Yes. I’ve gathered everything that Chris listed for me. If it turns out that something else is needed, I can blame him for the oversight.”

Dane crossed to me. “Nervous?”

“My stomach’s all fluttery, but in a good way. I can’t quite believe the day is finally here. The past week has whizzed by.” I eyed him. “You don’t look in the least bit jittery.”

He shrugged. “What is there to be stressed about? You’re fine. I’m fine. Chris and Miley have all the details covered. No last-minute emergencies have cropped up.” He stepped a little closer. “The only thing I’m worried about is you having one of your migraines. But you only have them in the evenings, so that’s not something we need to watch out for until later.”

I hadn’t even consideredthat I might have a migraine. It was warming that he had.

He cupped my hip. “You’re still not going to give me a peek of your dress?”

“Nope. You’ll have to wait.” I snickered at the petulant look on his face. “God, you are so spoiled.”

He grunted. “You know I don’t like to wait.”

The buzzer sounded.

He whipped his phone out of his pocket and brought up the security app. “It’s Chris and a few of his people.” He pocketed his cell and then squeezed my hip. “I’ll escort them up here to you and then I’ll go get dressed in our room. Once I’m ready, I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

He gave me a soft, languid, toe-curling kiss. “Breathe. Relax. Smile. All is fine.” With that, he left the room.

He returned a minute later with Chris, the hairstylist, and the makeup artists. Chris gently ushered him away, insisting Dane not see me again until I was dressed and ready to leave. Dane shot him an unimpressed look but obligingly exited the room.

Chris crossed to me, smiling brightly. “How are you feeling, darling? Nervous?”

“A little. I can’t quite shake it off.”

“Oh, worry not, my dear girl. I know of something that will settle your nerves. First, you remember Phoebe, Jewel, and Sheena, right?”

“I do.” I exchanged hellos with the three women, who then promptly set up their styling tools and cosmetic trolley.

The photographer, Floyd, turned up shortly after that. He was quickly followed by Melinda, Ashley, and Hanna, who brought their outfits with them. The three women greeted me with tight hugs, all smiley and giggly.

Hanna studied my face closely and then nodded in satisfaction. “There are no unsightly spots. Excellent.”

“Unsightly spots?” I echoed.

“Hey, it happens to some brides,” said Ashley. “I know you’ve already had your ceremony, but you’re technically a bride again today. You don’t want to have a crater on the tip of your nose on a day like this.”

I snorted and turned to Melinda, both relieved and surprised to see that her smile didn’t look strained. I knew she was hurting over Heather’s behavior, so I’d expected that to have dimmed her excitement about the reception. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so giddy.”

“I’ve been looking forward to this for months,” said Melinda. “I’m so happy the day is finally here. I missed your ceremony, so this means a lot to me. And it’s just fantastic that Junior will be at the reception.”

I felt my brows lower. “Junior?”

“Heather called last night, told us about the blackmail situation, apologized for her behavior the other day, and said that she’d allow Junior to attend the reception. She’s hoping it’ll make up for some of the things she’s done. Not only to me and Wyatt, but to you and Dane.”

I barely bit back a pfft sound. Heather didn’t make things up to people, and she wouldn’t give a tinker’s shit if I was upset about the crap she pulled. But it was possible that, now knowing Dane would stick to his word about threatening to fuck with her life, she’d done this as a gesture of peace. Either that or she simply refused to let me have her parents all to myself—that was how Heather would see it.

“Well that’s great,” was all I said.

“It is,” agreed Melinda. “And I’m rather excited about having my hair and makeup done by professionals.”

Chris did a little clap. “On that note, ladies, let’s begin, shall we? Give me your outfits; I’ll hang them in the closet. We don’t want them getting creased.”

While the hairstylist and makeup artists worked their magic on the other women and me, the photographer walked around snapping photos of us in various stages of unready.

My nerves settled a little after Chris gave me a mimosa. Having him around helped. Especially since he kept everyone focused on adhering to the timeline. He also plied us with snacks like granola bars, fruit, and sandwich wraps.

Hours later, we finally began to dress. Once I was ready, I stood in front of the full-length mirror. A smile instantly plucked at my mouth. I fucking loved my dress. The strapless, silk gown was a distinctive ivory shade. It was overlaid with French lace on which black roses had been sporadically embroidered, giving it an elegant yet gothic look.

The back of the ruched, corseted bodice was laced with black ribbon, and I just knew Dane would itch to untie it. Because the gown touched the floor, it would be impossible for him to notice my ivory lace, knee-high boots.

My hair had been loosely curled and looked silky smooth. Black and ivory roses had been cleverly weaved into the half up, half down hairstyle. Like the pendant on my necklace, the pearls of my earrings were set into flowers, making each of the bright pearls look like the bud of a rose.

Melinda waved at her face as if to fend off tears. “You look beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.”

“You totally do,” Ashley agreed, smiling at me. “I predict Simon and Wyatt will get all misty-eyed at seeing their girl this way.”

“As for Dane,” began Hanna, “he is going to melt. Inwardly, that is. On the outside, he’ll look as collected as always, of course.” She flicked her hand. “It’s a psychopath thing.”

I sighed. “Woman, he’s not a psychopath.”

Hanna chuckled. “You’re so easy.”

I rolled my eyes. “Well, all three of you look beyond amazing.” I turned and thanked Phoebe, Jewel, and Sheena—all of whom were currently packing away their things.

“And now for the finishing touch,” announced Chris, handing me my bouquet. “I clipped Melinda’s pin to the ribbon for you.”

I felt my lips part. He’d completely transformed the white-rose bouquet to match the theme of the reception, adding acorns, mini pumpkins, seasonal berries, black feathers, and also deep crimson and gold leaves. I grinned at him. “I love it, Chris.”

He beamed. “Told you that you would.”

Floyd took more shots, frowning whenever Chris tried bossing him. People then gradually began to leave so that they could head to the venue.

Alone, I grabbed my ivory clutch and left the room. I walked along the hallway but stopped upon realizing that Dane stood at the bottom of the stairs. My breath caught. Damn if he didn’t look the epitome of deliciousness in that tux. Seriously, I just wanted to take a big bite.

His eyes—usually so hard and broody—were like dark velvet as they drank me in. A ghost of a smile touched one side of his mouth. “Get down here, baby girl.”

I held tight to the bannister as I carefully descended the staircase. “You look rather dashing.”

“You look stunning.” He twirled his finger, gesturing for me to execute a full turn.

I slowly did so, smiling at his swift intake of breath when he got a flash of the back of my corset. “You like it?” I asked, facing him once more.

“Oh, I like it.” Splaying one hand on my back, he cupped my neck with the other and lowered his mouth to mine. He kept the kiss soft and chaste, but I could feel the hunger in it. “I don’t know what I want to do more. Whip this dress off or just hike it up around your waist while I fuck you.”

Hmm, that was indeed a good reaction. I had the feeling he’d be just as turned-on by the boots.

He narrowed his eyes. “What’s with the secret smile on your face?”

“You’ll find out later,” I said, lightly fingering the white rose revamped boutonniere he’d worn for our Vegas ceremony. “Is Sam outside?”

“He is.” Dane took my hand. “Let’s go.”

Sam was one of our guests for the reception, so we hadn’t meant for him to be our chauffeur. But he’d asked to have the “honor” of driving us to the venue.

The hotel wasn’t too far away, so it wasn’t long before we arrived. Miley met us at the door and informed us that all our guests were drinking cocktails in the large ballroom; they’d be escorted to the botanical garden once Dane and I were inside.

I was eager to get a good look at the indoor garden, but when we reached the grassy area that surrounded it, Floyd urged us from spot to spot while he took several shots of us in various poses.

I thought one in particular would turn out good. He’d directed Dane and I to indulge in another chaste kiss while Miley and Chris—who wouldn’t be seen on the photos—tossed autumn leaves over us like they were confetti.

Once Floyd announced he was done, Dane turned to me and asked, “Are you okay?”

“No, there’s a leaf stuck between my breasts.”

“Lucky leaf.”

Snickering, I pulled it out and let it flutter to the ground. “Better.”

He flicked a look at the botanical garden. “Ready?”

I nodded. “More than ready.” Linking arms with Dane, I crossed to the glass doors. Chris opened them and then stood back, allowing us to enter first. My breath caught in my throat. The place looked … enchanted.

The strings of tiny lights, garlands of leaves, and amber candles gave the room a warm, autumn-y glow. There was the same foliage in the floral arrangements as in my bouquet—berries, mini pumpkins, acorns, feathers, and leaves.

Some larger pumpkins were scattered around, and some had been painted black to match the lace on my dress. Gold and champagne accents gave the décor a little glitz and glam, and the purple up-lighting gave it a dynamic, romantic ambience that made every other color “pop.”

The tables were set up beautifully. Black glittering tablecloths, white draped chair covers, orange sashes on the chairs, autumn floral centerpieces, deep red napkins, and caramel apple favors.

And the two, tall escort card trees were just amazing. I wasn’t sure if the black, gnarled, fairytale-looking trees were fake or not, but blossoms, crystals, and escort cards hung from the branches—each guest had a card telling them their table number.

All in all, it looked like a magical fairy garden in the midst of autumn.

My throat thickening, I looked up at Dane. “This is just … I don’t have words.”

“Tell me you at least like it,” begged Chris, standing a few feet away with Miley.

I turned to the planners. “I love it. All of it. The pair of you are geniuses.”

They both smiled and nudged each other playfully.

“Ready for your guests?” asked Miley.

Dane nodded. “Bring them in.”

We weren’t originally going to greet the guests as they entered, but I figured it was a good way of ensuring I spoke to every person. So I said hello, accepted kisses on the cheek, and thanked people for coming as they trickled into the botanical garden.

Chris and Miley directed people to the correct card tree and told them on which numbered branch they’d find their card. The system worked well.

When Simon entered and got a good look at me, he swallowed hard. “Sweetheart, you look beyond beautiful.”

“And you look very smart in that tux,” I told him.

He lifted his chin. “I do scrub up well, don’t I?” He took my hands and gave them a little squeeze. “Maggie, Freddie, and even Deacon are all so happy for you.”

I smiled. “Love you, Dad. And I love them, too.”

He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I’ll want a dance later.” With that, he moved along.

Wyatt stepped toward me. His mouth curved, and his eyes watered. “Melinda was right, you’re a sight to behold,” he said a little gruffly.

“And you look … uncomfortable,” I said. “Handsome, but uncomfortable.”

He tugged at his collar. “I hate suits. You know that. Hate tuxes even more. Tell me there’s beer.”

“There’s beer.” I strongly suspected he’d yank off the black tie and pull open a few buttons once he’d downed some drinks.

“Chris is giving me the stink eye, so I’ll move along.” He kissed my cheek and then put his mouth to my ear. “Proud of you.” Then he disappeared.

Melinda and Junior came next. He gave me a cuddle and asked if there was cake. When I told him about the cookie bar, he flashed me the hugest grin.

I greeted several more people, including Hanna, Ashley, and Tucker. I also said my hellos to many of Dane’s colleagues, including an insanely hot guy who I’d quickly learned was Blake Mercier; he’d brought along his wife, Kensey, and their two-year-old son.

Soon, Travis, Hope, Kent, and Jen walked in. I nearly gasped because, oh God, Hope was wearing white. Did she have no shame? Okay, it wasn’t a wedding, but it was a wedding reception, so wearing white was in very poor taste.

I noted that she looked highly annoyed. I suspected that she’d thought I’d be wearing white and would, as such, be pissed at her choice of dress. Instead, I could only cross my eyes. The woman was a waste of space, much like her husband.

Out of the four Davenports, Travis was first in line to greet us. After saying hello to Dane, Travis walked to me. “Congratulations, Vienna, you look beautiful.” Smiling, he put his face closer to mine and whispered, “You’ll eventually realize you made the biggest mistake of your life by not heeding what I said about Dane. Some people only learn their lessons the hard way, I guess.”

I gave him a pitying smile and patted his arm. “It’s an honest to God’s shame you never learned yours. Now, if you don’t want Dane to toss you out—and we both know he would—you’ll get moving.”

He might not have done, but then Kent accidentally-on-purpose knocked into him. Of course, Kent apologized to Travis, who walked off in a huff.

Kent gave me an “I got your back” wink. “You look striking, Vienna. My brother is a lucky man.”

I smiled. “I’d say I’m the lucky one.”

He kissed my cheek and then moved along.

Jen came next. The glassy look in her eyes told me she’d gone heavy on the cocktails. “The planners did a good job, I see.”

“They did,” I agreed.

She gave me a sweet smile. “Make him happy, Vienna. He deserves to be happy.” That fast, she was gone.

I almost rolled my eyes when Hope appeared in front of me.

“Well, congratulations,” she said to me, stiffly.

“Thank you.”

“I figured you’d be wearing something a little more glamorous.”

Knowing she was prompting me to comment on what she was wearing, I only said, “Thanks for coming, Hope.” I turned to the person behind her and said hello, forcing Hope to either keep walking or make a scene. She kept walking.

Once all the guests were finally inside, Dane turned to me, his brows dipping. “What did Travis whisper to you?”

“That I’ll eventually see I made a mistake in not heeding his warnings. Just ignore him, I did.” I gave my head a little shake. “I can’t believe Hope’s wearing white. I suppose I should have expected the passive-aggressive jab. She’s undoubtedly pissed that her games never paid off.”

“She also doesn’t like that you outshine her,” he said. “If you want her gone, say the word, and I’ll make it happen.”

“Nah, let her stay. It’ll be fun to watch people sneer at her for wearing white.”

“Your call.” Dane squeezed my hand. “Come on, let’s go sit.”

We settled at the head table. Simon and Wyatt sat on my side—mostly because they’d soon be making a speech together—while Melinda and Junior sat next to Dane. The little boy kept himself occupied using the small pack of coloring books that I’d asked Miley to place there for him. She’d done the same for all the children.

I took a moment to quickly scan the room. Everyone was now seated. Most were admiring the décor and snapping pictures. Others were chatting or laughing. Some guests were already shooting Hope looks of distaste. Her burning cheeks said that she was well-aware of it.

Shortly after, the food began to arrive. For starters, we had creamy soup served in small, artificial, hollowed-out pumpkins. I saw several people snapping photos of them, clearly appreciating the creativeness of it.

For the main meal, we enjoyed Thanksgiving-style platters of roast turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, dinner rolls, green beans, turkey stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce.

Dessert wasn’t served, since we had a dessert table that included fruit pies, pumpkin spice cake, red velvet cupcakes, and a whole other selection of goodies. The kids mostly enjoyed themselves at the cookie bar and Trick-or-Treat candy buffet.

The wedding cake was smack bam in the middle of the dessert table on a tree trunk cake stand. The classic three-tiered cake was embellished with silk roses, fondant leaves, winding branches, and was topped with a bride and groom underneath a leafy arch. It was so gorgeous I wasn’t sure I could cut into it—I didn’t want to ruin it.

As the waiters began collecting the dishware, Simon leaned into me. “Have you noticed that Travis’s wife keeps trying to pluck drinks out of his hand? I can’t say I blame her. He’s been knocking back champagne like it’s his job.”

I had noticed. “With any luck, he’ll pass out right there at the table.”

Simon snickered. “One can but hope.”

At a cue from Miley, Dane rose from his seat with his champagne flute in hand. The room quieted in an instant. “First, on behalf of my wife and myself, I’d like to thank you all for coming,” said Dane, smooth as glass. “Especially those who’ve travelled far to be here. And thank you Simon, Melinda, and Wyatt for making me feel so welcome into the family you’ve made together.”

Warmed by that, I had to smile. Yeah, they’d been great with him from the start. There’d been a “bump,” thanks to Travis, but my family had gotten past that.

Dane thanked a bunch of other people, including the wedding planners and venue organizers. He cast me a brief look and then added, “Anyone here who knows me is very aware that I always said I’d never marry. It’s not that I have anything against marriage; I just simply never saw any appeal in it. Until Vienna.”

There were a few awws.

“I first met my wife when she came to work at my company. I thought she was the most stunning creature I’d ever seen, but I have a hands-off policy when it comes to my employees, so I took a while to act on that. During the time she worked as my PA, I came to learn a lot about Vienna. I learned she’s sweet. Loyal. Kind. Caring. Fearless. Honest. So honest she never once hesitated to flip me off or call me an asshole if need be.”

My father muttered, “I can imagine.”

Dane looked down at me. “You once asked if I thought I’d be the same in a relationship as I am in matters of business; if I’d always be pushing for more, never quite satisfied with what I had. The answer is absolutely no. You’re the only person in my life who’s ever made me feel content. The only person I’d ever want to share my life with. And the only person I’d never want to live without.”

Sensing he meant every word, I swallowed hard. My throat felt thick. The bastard was good with words.

He turned back to the guests. “So I’d like everyone to stand and raise a glass to my wife, Vienna.”

They all did, but I only had eyes for him.

“Now I’ll hand you over to Vienna’s father, Simon, and foster father, Wyatt,” he said.

As Dane retook his seat, I leaned into him and smiled. “Dude, that was pretty sweet.”

“It was pure truth.” Dane pressed a kiss to my mouth. “If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll have to drag you into a dark corner and have my way with you.”

We looked up as Simon and Wyatt stood. They did a speech together, like a damn comedy duo. It was pretty funny, actually. There were smiles, laughs, and the occasional heckle from the other guests.

Kent also made a speech, which I wasn’t expecting. It was short and sweet. No mention of dysfunctional family dynamics, Dane’s old sex life, or any other awkward topics. As such, I was happy with it.

My stomach hardened when Travis grabbed his glass and went to stand. But his cousin put a hand on the asshole’s shoulder and hissed something in his ear. Travis’s mouth tightened, but he settled back into his chair. I breathed a sigh of relief. Bullet dodged.

When it came time for “the first dance,” Dane and I made our way to the make-shift dance floor. He kept me flush against him, just like he had at the gala all those months ago, as we gently swayed to the song the band so expertly played.

“Are you good?” he asked, his hand splayed on my back, his thumb brushing over the ribbon of my corset.

“Yeah, just bloated after that huge meal. I’m surprised I’m not bursting out of this dress.”

His eyes heated. “You’ll be out of it later. I’m still not sure if it’ll be before or after I’ve fucked you.”

“Either is good with me.” I snuggled closer to him. My lips parted when I realized he was rock hard. “My, my, my, that’s a whole lot of quarters you’re carrying in your pants right now.”

“It’s agonizing to know that with one tug on this ribbon, I can loosen that corset and have instant access to those pretty breasts.”

“It’s supposed to be agonizing for you.”

He put his mouth to my ear. “My good girl’s being bad, is she?”

I shivered at the feel of his breath on my earlobe. “You can punish me for it later.”

“Don’t think I won’t.”

Soon, the song reached its end. I would have headed straight back to my seat if Simon hadn’t waylaid me and insisted on a dance. I chuckled when I saw that Melinda had done the same to Dane.

It didn’t take long for the dance floor to fill up. Squealing kids ran in circles around the dancers and skidded on their knees, including Junior.

It wasn’t until I’d danced with both Wyatt and Kent that I finally got the chance to return to my table and have a swig of my drink. I’d no sooner put down my glass than Ashley dragged me back on the dance floor.

A few songs later, Dane took my hand and led me over to his extended family, wanting me to have the opportunity to get to know them a little. I’d initially wondered if they would be as snobbish as Hope and Jen, but I quickly realized that they were very down to Earth.

After that, Dane and I walked from table to table, taking the time to briefly chat with our guests. I’d never received so many hugs or posed for so many photos. I’d smiled so often my jaw ached.

I wasn’t so distracted that I didn’t notice Travis having a few accidents. He knocked overa bottle of champagne, dropped a wine glass on the dance floor, tipped over a bowl of candy, and crashed into an elderly couple. I wasn’t sure if he was wasted or just acting up like the precious little man child he was.

Standing at my table having yet another drink, I smiled when Ashley and Tucker approached. “Hey, you two. Enjoying yourselves?”

“I have a full bowl of candy to myself, what’s not to like?” asked Ashley, clearly a little buzzed, cuddling the bowl to her chest like it was a newborn baby. “Melinda’s sure enjoying herself.” She gestured at my foster mother, who’d kicked off her heels and was dancing with her sisters, Hanna, and Junior.

“It would appear so,” I said.

“Who are those guys?” Tucker asked me, pointing at two men who were breakdancing and appeared to believe they were a lot better at it than they truly were.

“Dane’s cousins-by-marriage. You sure do look handsome in that suit, Tucker.”

Wearing a cocky smile, he adjusted his tie. “Well, I do try. I wore this suit for Ash’s sister’s wedding. The annoying one who calls me Tucky and hasn’t sensed that I don’t like it. The woman’s not the brightest bulb, so it’s a good thing for her that she’s pretty.”

Ashley’s head snapped up. “You think my sister’s pretty?”

Tucker stilled. “What?”

She rounded on him, her hand on her hip, her jaw hard. “You’re hot for my sister? That’s what you’re saying?”

He jerked back. “I didn’t say that.”

“But you have a thing for her, don’t you? God, I can’t believe I didn’t see it before. The clues were all right in front of me.”

His face scrunched up. “Clues? There are no ‘clues,’ because I’m not hot for your sister. I don’t even like her.”

“Really? Well you compare us sometimes.”

“You mean like when I say you’re smarter, funnier, and not a fucking idiot?”

“You hate her husband.”

“Because he keyed my car just to be a prick.”

“You liked her Facebook post the other day.”

“You mean the one that said, ‘Happy Anniversary to Ashley and Tucker’? You liked it, too.”

“That’s not the point.” Ashley lifted her chin. “Just admit it, you’re in love with my sister.”

He put a hand to his head. “Oh my God, how did you leap from me being attracted to her—which I’m not—to me being in love with her? I don’t even like the woman, let alone want to sleep with her.”

“I don’t know if I believe you. Maybe we should go on a break or something.”

“You said that yesterday because I didn’t replace the toilet paper after the roll ran out.”

Ashley’s eyes flared. “Well, it’s common courtesy.”

Dane cleared his throat as he sidled up to us. “Sorry to interrupt, but I need to talk with my wife.”

Ashley smiled at him. “Not a problem, Dane.”

Tucker tipped his chin in greeting. “Yeah, no problem.”

Then the couple began arguing again in low voices.

Dane guided me a short distance away, his hand cupping my elbow. “What’s that all about?”

I sighed. “They’re just having one of their mini fights.”

“Will they need to be escorted out at some point?”

I waved that away. “Oh no, not at all. They’ll be fine in a few minutes. They just need to argue it out.”

“Hmm.” Dane drew me close. “You should know that your father and Wyatt are in the photo-booth rental doing crazy shit with props. They tried to drag me in there.”

I smiled, able to imagine it. “I’m looking forward to seeing those pictures.” My smile faltered when Jen teetered to our side, her eyes glazed over.

“Hey, Dane,” she said sweetly, a slight slur in her voice. “Aren’t you going to dance with me?”

He sighed. “Go sit down, Jen.”

She pouted. “But I want to dance. Now. With you.” She put her hand on his arm and leaned a little too close. “Please, Dane?”

He moved his arm, making her hand slip away. “Go. Sit. Down.”

She frowned. “Why are you being mean? You used to be so nice to me. Very, very nice.” There was a wicked glint in her eyes. “Do you remember those times? Remember how good we were together?”

Skank. My nostrils flared. If he didn’t deal with this bitch, I was going to wipe the floor with her face.

“You’re drunk,” spat Dane, “and you’re embarrassing yourself.”

Jen drew in a breath and straightened, her cheeks heating. “Asshole.” She flounced off, a little unsteady on her feet.

“Not awkward at all,” I muttered, seething but refusing to rant about some heifer at my wedding reception. I’d do that later. A lot.

Dane sighed again. “She’ll hate herself for that in the morning.”

Well, I was close to hating her right now. “At least Kent didn’t hear her. He’d have been upset.”

“Upset? He’d have been pissed. If I heard you talking like that to any man, I’d lose my shit. You know, I’m glad we eloped, because at least no one got to do stupid things at the ceremony itself.”

“Aside from the officiant belching like crazy, you mean?”

Dane’s jaw tightened. “All I could smell was the fucking onions he’d eaten.”

I chuckled. “Same here. I don’t care what you say, the whole thing was funny as hell.”

“It wasn’t in the least bit funny.”

“How would you know? You don’t ‘get’ humor.”

Chris appeared, a fancy knife in hand. “It’s time.”

I moaned. “I can’t do it.”

“You can,” he said, patting my arm. “Come on, it’ll be over in seconds.”

“I don’t have it in me to ruin something so perfect.”

Dane rolled his eyes and took the knife. “I’m quite sure your guilt will melt away once you have a piece of the cake in your mouth. Chris, lead the way.”