Page 99 of Goodbye Paradise
Josh glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. “I could rally. We get to sleep in tomorrow, you know. Nobody will bother us on our wedding day.”
“I’m counting on it.”
“Me too.” I slid my hand further up his leg, my fingers brushing his inner thigh.
“Are you nervous about tomorrow?” he asked suddenly.
“No,” I said right away. “But I don’t like being the center of attention.”
Josh nudged me with his knee. “This was your idea.”
“I know,” I chuckled. “But I loveyouso much more than I love reciting vows in front of people.”
“There will only be, like, ten people,” Josh said.
“True.”
He looked down at the baby in his arms. “Willy,” he said quietly. “Let’s get you that bottle. I could swear you were looking sleepy.”
“That’s the spirit.”
He got up off the couch and then leaned over me, depositing Willy in my lap. Then he quickly left the room.
“Wait!” I protested. But it was too late. I could hear him opening the refrigerator, looking for the bottle.
Willy looked up at me, a question in her eyes.You don’t have a clue about babies, do you, buddy?
“Sorry,” I whispered. “You’re just going to have to put up with me for a minute.” I picked her up a little higher, and she rubbed one of her drooly little hands on my wrist. “You won’t have Josh to kick around for a few days, you know,” I whispered. “Be good to your mommy while we’re gone.”
In reply, Willy made a gassy smile.
I’d booked three nights at a hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. It would be our first vacation ever, and I couldn’t wait. The pictures on the hotel’s website showed couples lazing in hammocks, or sipping cocktails beside the pool.
Also? Miami Beach was supposed to be one of the gayest vacation spots in America. And Caleb and I had never seen the ocean yet. There was just so much to look forward to.
Josh came back into the room, scooping Willy up again and settling in to feed her. It made my heart swell to see him calmly tuck her into the crook of his arm, and slip the nipple between her tiny lips.
How did I end up with someone so caring and beautiful? It boggled the mind.
“I love you, Josh.”
“That’s just the horny talking,” he said, without looking up.
“Not true,” I promised, and he grinned.
Thirty
AS WEDDING DAYS GO, ours was pretty relaxed.
Josh and I slept in on Saturday, and then made ourselves scrambled eggs and bacon for brunch. We took turns showering and shaving.
Then it was time to suit up. We both had new clothes for the wedding — matching navy blue suits and white dress shirts. Maggie had bought us each a red silk tie with tiny white hearts. “You’re getting married on Valentine’s day,” she said. “Therehaveto be hearts.”
I hoped the guys from the garage wouldn’t give me a hard time. Much.
I’d never owned anything as fine as these clothes, and since they weren’t overly fancy, I could wear the suit again sometime.
At three-thirty, we got into our car and drove together to the tavern, where an Episcopal priest was waiting to marry us. Maggie took care of all the planning for our wedding. “It’s my wedding gift to you.”
