“Just how many people did you invite to our small private ceremony?” Rebekah asked. Not that she minded. She was just surprised. When had Eric even had time to invite them? Had that been why he’d slipped outside and spent twenty minutes on the phone? And kept annoying her by checking the damned device instead of giving her his undivided attention?
“I invited only family,” he said.
And since he had no real family to speak of, that meant his band. When she was on the road running Sinners’ soundboard, they were like her surrogate family too. She was glad Eric had invited them. The dress meant a lot to her, but it would mean even more if those she cared about got to see her wear it when she pledged to love Eric for the rest of her life. She hoped that would be a very long time.
Chapter Three
Eric opened the passenger door of his recently awesomified vintage Corvette and helped his beautiful bride get her dress into the car without catching it in the door. When he leaned over the open convertible top and kissed her forehead, she smiled up at him, her blue eyes twinkling with happiness.
That look right there—he wanted to be the cause of that look on her face for the rest of his life. His heart swelled so big that he found it difficult to draw air. This woman meant everything to him and for those few horrible minutes while they’d been waiting for her biopsy result that morning, he’d thought he might have to figure out how to live without her. He wasn’t sure he’d have been able to do it. He was determined to fill every moment they spent together with joy and love because even if she lived to be a hundred and twenty, there still wouldn’t be enough time to show her how much she meant to him.
“You’re looking particularly sappy at the moment,” Rebekah said. She reached up to tap his nose with her index finger.
“Do you prefer my horny look? I’m sure I can find it if I stare at your cleavage for a couple of seconds.”
She did look spectacular in her wedding dress. Her mother’s wedding dress, some cock-blocking synapse in his brain reminded him.
She laughed. “Get in the car. I need to marry you now.”
“Well, that’s not going to get rid of my sappy look. If anything, it’ll intensify it.”
She took his hand and kissed his knuckles before pressing them against her cheek. “I’ll figure out a way to put up with it somehow,” she whispered.
She released his hand, and he stole a quick kiss before climbing behind the wheel and starting the car. It roared to life with none of the knocking, glugging, or grinding it used to produce. Produce, that is, when he was actually able to get it started. “You’re a genius mechanic, baby,” he said, flashing a grin at his bride-to-be.
“Are we going to work on my Camaro tonight?”
Eric laughed. “Not unless we’re using the back seat for consummation purposes.”
He pulled into traffic and drove to the courthouse, wondering if Rebekah would be okay with all the quick plans he’d made to make their day a bit more special. He knew women liked to plan these things, and he’d never heard of a groom making all the arrangements, but they weren’t a typical couple. Nope. He was sure they were much happier.
Jace waited outside next to his motorcycle while Eric helped Rebekah out of the car and into the courthouse.
“Isn’t he your witness?” Rebekah asked. “I should call my mom to let her know we’ve made it.”
Her mom had miraculously agreed to be Rebekah’s witness, but she wouldn’t be meeting them here. They had somewhere else to go after they picked up their license, but he wasn’t going to tell Rebekah where. He wanted to surprise her. Even more so now that he’d seen how she’d reacted to her wedding gown surprise.
“We have to get the license first,” he said. One of many things he’d learned when he’d called the courthouse late that morning. He’d also asked who could perform the ceremony. Which had started his mind churning on another way to make Rebekah’s wedding day more meaningful.
People were grinning at Rebekah as she passed them in her wedding dress. They were probably wondering why she was with the tall goofy guy in jeans and a T-shirt. He hoped Trey was able to find the tuxedo in Eric’s closet. He’d worn it to the Grammy’s a couple of years ago and was pretty sure he still had it stuffed it in a box somewhere. Eric also hoped that the guy didn’t get distracted by something far more interesting than wedding attire on the way to his house.
While he and Rebekah were waiting in line to get their license, Eric discreetly checked his text messages. He was glad he’d been able to keep Rebekah distracted with trying on costumes while others put together his preparations for him. It hadn’t been easy orchestrating things right under her nose.
One text from Brian: Still waiting on Trey. Everyone else is here and ready to roll.
One from his soon-to-be mother-in-law, Mrs. B: Thanks for making today special for her. I’m sorry for the way I’ve been treating you.
One from Sed: Don’t you think I have better things to do on my day off than attend your wedding?
Eric knew he was just messing with him, so didn’t take offense.
One from his soon-to-be brother-in-law, Dave: If you ever break her heart, I’ll run over your balls with my wheelchair.
Eric winced and shifted uncomfortably at the very idea.
One from Rebekah’s ex-fiancé, Isaac: You didn’t have to invite me, but thanks. I’m glad she’s happy.
And one from Jon: Sorry, can’t make it. But kiss her once for me.
“You’re certainly popular today,” Rebekah said, craning her neck, trying to see who he was texting.
He tucked his phone into his pocket. “Me?” He placed a hand on the small of her back and urged her closer, even though it buried his legs in her cumbersome skirt and made him feel off balance. “Everyone is looking at you today.”
“I feel kind of dumb wearing this huge, fancy dress in the courthouse,” she said. The train was draped over one arm. She lifted the skirt in front and gave it a shake.
“You shouldn’t feel dumb, you should feel beautiful,” he said. “Because you are.”
When they reached the front of the line, they showed the clerk their IDs to have their marriage license prepared.
“How do you want the names to read?”
Eric froze. They hadn’t exactly discussed that. His birth name was Anderson, but his legal name was Sticks. Would she even want his name? He wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t. He knew it was chosen-by-an-eighteen-year-old lame.
“Rebekah Esther Sticks,” Rebekah said without hesitation.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Of course. Unless you think I should lose my horrible middle name while I have the chance?”
“I was ref
erring to the last name.”
“I definitely want that one,” she said, beaming up at him.
He didn’t understand why her taking his chosen last name filled him with pride. “You’re the boss, Mrs. Sticks.”
“Where do we go next? Is a judge performing our ceremony?” Rebekah asked.
“Nope, not a judge,” he said.
“A magistrate?”
“Nope.”
“Justice of the peace?”
“Nope.”
Rebekah’s brow crinkled. “Then who?”
“You’ll see.”
“You are certainly being mysterious today,” she said.
“I’m always mysterious.”
She laughed. “You’re never mysterious. Your openness is one of the things I love most about you.” She slid a hand up his neck, and there was no way he could resist that open invitation to indulge in a lengthy kiss.
When he drew away, he cupped her cheek. “Sometimes surprises can be good things.”
“I can’t wait to see what you have in store for me,” she said. “I’m sure it will be memorable.”
She said memorable as if he’d hired a circus clown to spell out their vows in balloon letters and marry them on a trampoline. He grinned. She really was going to be surprised when she saw what a hopelessly traditional sap she’d agreed to marry.
Marriage license in hand, he escorted her out of the courthouse and back to the car.
“Um, where are we going?” she asked.
He grinned at her, working hard at maintaining the mystery when all he wanted to do was tell her every little detail of his plan.
“You’ll see,” he said.
While they’d been inside, Jace had done his part and tied a collection of empty cans to the bumper of their car. He’d also attached a sign to the trunk that read, Almost Married.
Rebekah giggled when she saw it and gave Jace another hug. This time he actually hugged her back.
“I know today is all about making the bride happy,” Jace said quietly, “but take good care of that crazy man of yours. He’s sort of important to me.”