Page 157 of Lemon Crush

“I look like the sexy elf assassin I inspired her to write about,” Bernie corrected seriously, making Phoebe chuckle.

“Yes, you’re amazing,” she assured her mother. “Now let’s line up so we don’t miss our cue.”

When the music started, Bernie swore under her breath and I snickered through the tears I was hoping were dainty enough not to ruin all of Iris’s work.

“Everyone else got to put their stamp on the day,” I told her as she grumbled. “And she distracted me with your beautiful grandchild.”

I didn’t admit that I’d gotten misty-eyed when Phoebe playedan incredible instrumental version of Taylor Swift’s song “Lover” for me, with the lyrics on the screen so I could read along.

Phoebe blew us both a kiss as she picked up her smaller bouquet and, with one hand on Sammy’s back, started walking out in time with the music.

“I can’t believe she got members ofmyband to play this with a violinist and no one told me. She doesn’t get the DJ controls for the rest of the night,” Bernie said, following her daughter and granddaughter out the door.

“I’m not going to cry, so I’m leaving now. See you out there, sis.” Morgan blew me a kiss and got moving as well, leaving me alone with Chick.

He straightened his suit jacket. “Are you ready for this?”

I thought about those notebook doodles when I was thirteen. The initials carved into someone else’s closet. The way Wade had looked at me last night when we separated after the rehearsal dinner, despite the fact that we lived together and were in our forties and shouldn’t have to follow every silly wedding tradition.

“I think I’ve been ready for a long time.”

I was getting married. To the right man, no less. How often could anyone be this sure about something like that?

I slipped my arm through Chick’s and we walked out the back door of the icehouse, rounded the building and stepped into the aforementioned over-the-top fairyland.

“I might not like shopping montages, but I love this,” I told him quietly, taking it in now that the sun had set and the “trees” were lit up with twinkling lights.

“I have to say,I’mloving this second act of your life, August Retta, soon to be Hudson. We would have had fun at the beach house too, but this? It suits you.”

He stopped before we became visible to the guests and bent to pick up a shoe box leaning against the building. “He wanted me to give you this right before you walked down the aisle.”

“Now? We don’t have time?—”

He opened the box quickly, revealing my favorite brand of slip-on sneakers with pillowy insoles. And they were silver, to match my dress.

“He says they’re for the reception, but he wanted you to see them before you said I do. I’m assuming this is an inside joke and you know what it means.”

“Comfortable shoes.”

“At this point in my life, I don’t need flowers and puppies or soul mates and magic. I’d much rather have honesty pools, orgasms and comfortable shoes.”

He’d given me all of it. The romance and the reality.

I waved my free hand at my brimming eyes. “Is hetryingto ruin my makeup?”

Chick set the box down and guided me forward, which was awesome because I couldn’t see clearly through the sheen of tears.

I blinked rapidly, and when I could focus again, I barely saw the people standing up to watch me walk down the aisle—with the exception of Rick and Lucy, because they were wearing some of the loudest costumes I’d ever seen. And the biggest smiles. Rick was actually smiling.

But all that got from me was a quick double take. I was too focused on the man waiting at the end of the path. The handsome giant in the tux, who’d seen me at my hermitting worst and loved me anyway.

I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my life with him.

WADE

“Hold steady, man,” Kingston said from his spot beside me. “You don’t want to be passing out on camera.”

At least my best man had a film student holding that camera tonight. And an aerial drone he was controlling with his phone to cover the wedding from the air. “Good looking out. Think you’ve got enough coverage?” I asked sarcastically.

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