Page 100 of Designed for Disaster

“Pre-wedding jitters,” Paul whispered. “Completely normal.”

I winced, not sure that was true. I’d never been so nervous in my entire life. Not when we’d pitched BeautiTool to investors. Not even the first time I had to sit in on a Saunders board meeting in the middle of ousting my parents. I actually don’t think I’d ever truly understood what nerves were.

It felt like there were birds trapped in my gut. And they wanted out.

“Seriously, though,” Vincent said. “When I did this with Piper, I was pretty sure I was going to pass out.”

“Oh, god. Same,” Aiden said. “But the second I saw Cora coming down the aisle toward me, everything else just disappeared.”

What I wanted most right now was for Natasha to be in my arms, to feel the tickle of her breath on my neck and her hair against my chin. My nerves racketed up another level as Jimmy came hurrying through a side door, wearing a giant grin—I’d never seen the kid so damn happy.

“All right, best man,” Aiden said, giving Jimmy’s shoulder a shake. “How’re we looking?”

“All good. Everyone’s in place.”

I let out a shuddering breath. “Guess it’s time.”

Jimmy nodded, giving me a tiny shove as if to say,No turning back now. And I had no intention of it. I wanted to run ahead, into the future with Natasha by my side.

Summoning all of my cool, calm, and collected, I straightened up, taking my place in the middle of the small platform that had been erected for the ceremony. Jimmy and the Lost Boys lined up beside me, the best friends—the best brothers—I could have ever asked for. A swell of music started, drawing everyone’s attention to the back of the room as a set of double doors opened, welcoming the rest of the wedding party.

A chorus ofooohssounded as Hailey made her way down the aisle in a dress Stacy had designed, layered in soft white lace and pearls and a skirt so poofy I don’t know how she walked in it. She tossed flower petals, taking her job very seriously judging by the tiny line of concentration in the middle of her brow.

The bridesmaids—Cora, Chloe, Piper, and Bonnie—came next, followed by the maid of honor, Stacy, each of them dressed in the emerald green Natasha had chosen for today. She’d jokingly said it was a color that complimented the dark, broody stare I always wore whenever the wedding planner consulted me on mundane decisions. I didn’t care what shade of silver the table settings were or how the napkins were folded for dinner service. All I’d cared about was that Natasha was the happiest woman on earth when she walked down the aisle today.

And then suddenly the music shifted into something familiar, something that stirred emotion in my chest, and my breath caught in my throat as Natasha filled the doorway. Backed by soft lighting, she glowed in her soft silk and floral lace. Aiden was right. The moment I laid eyes on her, everythingelse disappeared. Each face in the crowd blurred until they were unrecognizable. My hearing narrowed to the rush of my heartbeat. The only thing that mattered was that smile. That beautiful, perfect, glorious smile I would work every day to keep on her face. My gaze traveled over that delicate white lace to where Natasha’s arm was hooked through Nana Dee’s.

The day Natasha had asked Dee to walk her down the aisle to give her away, Dee had burst into tears. Now, though, she was grinning like she’d been given the best news on earth.

Weight gathered behind my eyes. I’d told myself I wouldn’t stand up here and cry, especially not before we’d even gotten to the vows, but I wasn’t sure that was a promise I could keep. A year ago, we’d been wheeling Dee off to surgery, facing down all the unknowns.

And now we were here.

All of us.

Together.

I swallowed hard as Dee laid Natasha’s hand in mine. I could hardly get the words out, hardly follow what the minister was saying until “Do you take this woman…”

I locked eyes with Natasha. My forever. “I do.”

“And now, ladies…” the DJ announced from the corner of the massive reception hall. The room had been transformed to accommodate a bar, a photo booth, and dozens of tables andchairs around a dance floor. “Get yourselves out here because the bride is about to launch this bouquet into the stratosphere!”

I laughed as Natasha danced through the crowd that rushed to the middle of the floor. She hyped them up under the glow of blinking strobes, swaying with the music, then she wound up, hurling her bouquet like she was pitching for the New York Mets. The bundle of flowers soared over heads, snatched out of the air by a long, slender arm…belonging to Stacy.

She squealed in delight, and so did Natasha. We all turned to look at Dominic, who just wore a wide grin as he stepped up to Stacy’s side and pulled her into a kiss.

I strode back to my wife’s side. I was pretty sure I’d never get tired of thinking that—my wife. My incredible, amazing wife, who—in addition to kicking my ass into shape—was also kicking ass professionally by partnering with the likes of Veronica Chase to establish her own high-end furniture line. Natasha never ceased to amaze me, and I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of our forever telling her that. “I think we’ve got another wedding in the future,” I said.

Natasha laughed as Stacy and Dom started grinding to “Low” by Flo Rida. “Stacy’s always wanted a cheesy Vegas thing.”

“Really?”

“I know, right? But she thinks it’ll be a blast.”

“I mean, we could get up to all sorts of things in Vegas,” I pointed out.

“Oh, what sorts of things?” she said, practically purring in my ear.

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