Page 93 of Between Brothers

I sighed, and figured I’d need to ask the girls for help in planning this wedding. It was important for her to be married before kids and for some reason, it was important to me that she not be showing yet in the wedding photos. That I get just one night of pretending that she was just mine because when that kid came? It would be ‘us’ again, only a whole different kind of ‘us’ and believe me, I was good with that, I was totally good with that, but I would love to have something to look back on, you know? A short between time when it wasn’t Blue, Hayley, and Cell or Blue, Hayley, and baby but just Blue and Hayley.

When I left the bar, I called Dani. When it came to this type of shit, the girls had it down pat. Besides, I needed to talk to Dani anyways. I needed a ring.

When I walked through the front door of the club into the barroom I stopped cold.

“What the fuck did you do? Phone tree that shit?” I asked.

The ol’ lady collective laughed and blinked. All of them were fuckin’ here. From Mel, to Maren, Red, and Em. Sunshine and Doll both sitting there with stacks of notebooks and, I shit you not, swatches of fabric.

First words out of Shelly’s mouth were, “First off, what is our budget?”

I blinked, “Cheap… like really cheap. I’m broke with a baby on the way.”

I forgot that Dani knew how to keep a secret because the next thing I knew I was drowning in girly squeals that would have had Cell screaming at ‘em all to shut the fuck up. I didn’t though. I kind of appreciated that they were all sharing in the joy because as fucked up as life had gotten without Cell in it, I needed every bit of joy I could come across and I was hoarding the hell out of them.

By the time all was said and done, we had a plan. It wasn’t super pretty, a justice of the peace wedding, but the girls had a fine reception planned and I think, one that Hayley would like.

The only reason I knew Hayley would like it is because once upon a time when it’d been me, her, and Cell, we’d talked about it. About her dream wedding, and her dream reception and they’d both surprised me.

She wanted low key. She didn’t want big or fancy. She didn’t want a dress that made her look like some kind of a cartoon princess, she wanted to feel like a princess, but the rest of it all? It didn’t matter to her. She was perfectly fine with a Justice of the Peace courthouse wedding and a back yard barbecue reception as long as she was happy.

If anything, I was the girl of the relationship when it came to the wedding issue. I figured that we could meet half way. A courthouse wedding followed by a reception that was half barbecue and half what Melody and Archer had… just not here at the club.

“This is going to be so easy,” Hayden declared.

“In the time it takes you to tie the knot at the courthouse we could have this shit set up where you want it for the reception.” Everett agreed.

“I’ll go to the courthouse with you guys. Stand with Hayley and her dad to throw suspicion,” Mel offered.

“I’ll be on your side with Dragon and probably Dray,” Dani said and smiled at me. “No way that you’re getting married and I’m not going to be there.”

“The club can have things set up and ready and that will save a ton of money,” Shelly said.

“Details, now…” Red chimed in. “What do you want for flowers?”

I smiled and felt some more weight come off… I sincerely hoped she didn’t hate me for this.

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