Page 85 of Half Baked

A soft chuckle escapes him. “I just really want to be married to you. I’d marry you today, Poppy.”

I raise an eyebrow at him, and I’m certain that the spark I see in his eyes matches my own. “I would do that.”

“Do what? Marry me today?”

“Yeah,” I whisper. “I’d marry you today.”

“Let’s do it,” he replies quickly. “Let’s get married today.”

“Okay!” My heart beats wildly from excitement. I don’t want a plan for once. I just want him.

“What do we need to do to make this happen?”

“We could do it at town hall with Fitzy as the officiant. Then we can have our friends meet us there for our witnesses. Oh, we could surprise them! Let’s not tell them why they are coming.”

He grins at me and nods. “Yes, absolutely. What else do you want to make it feel special? Food? Dress? I can call Stevie and tell her I want to get you flowers for Valentine’s Day.”

“Perfect. Oh, I love this. And we should make the cake.” I jump up and clap my hands together, pausing for a moment to admire my engagement ring once again.

He rises as well, taking my hand in his and kissing the ring on my finger. “We’re getting married today?” he asks.

“We’re getting married today.”

He laces our fingers together and pulls me across the private beach to the stone stairway. We climb upward to our home, excitement buzzing in the air between us. “What kind of cake are we making? Should we go to the bakehouse to make it?” he asks as we crest the steps.

“Something classic. An almond cake? With a whipped buttercream. But let’s do it here. Elle would have already opened for the day; we might look suspicious going in to make a wedding cake.”

After paying off the renovation debts, Hayden insisted the first order of business was hiring me a second set of hands at the bakery. For once, I had no argument, and we found Elle. Fresh out of culinary school, she has quickly become invaluable.

“Home kitchen it is,” he agrees. We make our way inside, wasting no time pulling out all the necessary ingredients. He may not come bake at work with me too much anymore, but we have found quite the rhythm at home. Together in the kitchen, it’s like we still have our own little bubble.

We move together, whipping up our cake and sliding it into the oven in no time. As soon as I close the oven door, I feel an arm snake across my middle and pull me back against a sturdy chest. “What about vows?” Hayden asks, his lips in my hair.

“Write them while the cake bakes? Then after we ice it, we can split up for me to find a dress and you to find Fitzy and flowers. We can meet back here to get dressed and go to town hall together?”

“Deal.” He kisses my head before disappearing down the hall. “And don’t try to come in and sneak a peek at my vows,” he calls over his shoulder. Rolling my eyes, I set the timer and tiptoe off to my own corner of Cliff House to write.

I run my hands down the ivory satin that clings gracefully to my body. When it came time to get a dress, I knew immediately where I was going to findthe one—a boutique in Fenbury that sold me the last dress to steal Hayden’s breath away. And when I walked in, it was right there, on display in the center of the store. With short sleeves, the satin dress hugs my body like an elegant slip and floats out around my legs courtesy of the split cut front.

With the perfect dress, I rushed home to start getting ready. Nails painted, makeup and dress on, and hair loosely curled, I slip my grandmother’s pearl earrings in and adjust my breathtaking engagement ring. The light sapphire shines against the diamonds and gold, it’s like the soft blue of a cloudless sky where it meets the sea. I think I could stare at this ring all day, imagining what wedding band I’d like to go with it.

Wedding bands. How did we forget those?

I slide into my ivory pointed-toe mule pumps and rush down to the den where Hayden is getting ready. As I throw open the door, he turns and drops the tie in his hand, gaping at me.

“You are gorgeous, my love. Just stunning,” he murmurs, bringing his hand over his heart.

“And you are incredibly sexy,” I reply, crossing the room and bending over to pick up his slate blue tie. Hayden’s eyes follow the lines of my body as I do so, mesmerized. Clearly, I picked the right dress.

Tie in hand, I loop it around his neck and fasten it in a knot. Tightening it, I adjust his collar and rest my palms on his chest. “Incredibly sexy,” I repeat, pressing a soft kiss to the corner of his smile.

“I can’t believe I get to marry you today.” Hayden runs his hands down my sides, coming to rest on my hips. “I love you, Poppy Seed.”

“I love you, Baywatch. But we just have one little problem, we forgot wedding bands.”

Reaching into his pocket, Hayden withdraws two gold bands. “Will these work?”

“They are perfect, how did you?—”

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