Page 86 of Love, Rekindled

Ben clears his throat. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

I hang up and walk over to the window. It’s such a gorgeous day and we found the cutest church right off the beach. At first, we thought we’d do a beach wedding, save the fanfare and all, but my mother wasn’t having it.

The Catholic guilt is strong with that one.

She pretty much demanded that we’d be married in a church, surrounded by family.

Which is now a wedding of over three hundred people.

Between my family and Ben’s family, which means everyone he ever served with, our intimate wedding is now a shit-show.

“Where is he?” My mother opens the door, and I can see the worry on her face.

“He’ll be here, Mrs. Burke,” Ashton says. “Or he’ll have to deal with my pregnant ass.”

“Ashton Caputo, you watch your mouth in church.”

My mother will forever be trying to reform her. I figured by now she’d have tired of it, but it seems she just becomes more determined with each of the sins Ashton commits.

“You can’t save me, Mama B.”

“No one can save her. The sooner we accept this, the happier we’ll be.” I try to get my mother’s attention or these two will go toe to toe and my mother loses to no one. “Ben is stuck in traffic but Mark went to get him on the motorcycle.”

She nods once. “Okay, otherwise I couldn’t be responsible for what your Uncle Tony and father do. Lord knows we had to convince Tony that you actually called the wedding off so he didn’t...”

Ashton laughs. “Have Harold swim with the fishes?”

My mother tries to look affronted but she fails.

“He did like to scuba dive. He might have liked it,” I explain with a giggle.

“Gretchen!” Mother chastises me. “Not in church.”

“I think the Lord would understand,” Catherine tosses in.

The four of us burst out into a fit of laughter. My mother fusses over my dress and then moves on to the girls. They’re like my sisters and no one is exempt in this group.

After a few minutes, she goes out to assure the crowd the wedding is in fact happening. More like assuring my father who has spent a boat load giving me the wedding of my mother’s dreams.

A knock comes at the door and Mark peeks his head in. “I got your groom.”

“Good, now we can get her hitched and I can get this dress off,” Ashton says.

“Thanks, Mark.”

He winks. “Anything for you, Jilted.”

I flip him off.

Daddy enters with a smile. “You ready?”

“I am.”

Catherine and Ashton each kiss my cheek as they start to walk out. I am so glad they’re by my side. I couldn’t have done this—for the second time—without them.

“He’s a good man,” Dad says as he makes his way to me.

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