Chapter 22 #2
I follow him in, and there’s barely any room. It’s not made for two bigger-than-average men. When he’s quiet for longer than I can stand, I huff out a breath. “What is it, love?”
“Remember Mac and Rainn’s wedding?”
“I do. You weren’t talking to me at the time.”
He rests his head against mine. “Sorry about that. It’s just…they were getting married, for the second time, I might add.”
“Does a Vegas wedding really count though?”
He takes my hand and kisses my fingers. “I was jealous. Everyone was getting married, and I wanted—” He stops and shakes his head.
“Go on. Don’t be shy.” I tip his chin. “Everyone was getting married, and you couldn’t even tell anyone you had a boyfriend. Am I close?”
“Very close.”
“Is that when you bought the ring?”
His startled eyes meet mine. “You know about the ring?”
I nod.
“I could have opened any type of business. But I saw this place in Indiana. It was highlighted as one of the top places to get married. And I thought Why Indiana? So I went there. It was a really cool setup. And I thought I can do that.”
“And you did. Bishop Fields is amazing. People come from all over, and it brings revenue to the town. You’re doing a wonderful thing.”
“Thank you.” He wraps his arms around me. “I’m happy with what we’ve accomplished here, but I didn’t realize how hard it would be. Seeing everyone else get married. Able to be with the person they loved.”
“I’m sorry it took me so long. But I’m all in now, love. You know that, right?”
“I do.” He laughs, and it sounds nervous.
“Starting with Mac and Rainn’s second wedding, which wasn’t at Bishop Fields, but I helped Zye arrange everything, there have been twenty-seven weddings in all.
Twenty-seven couples getting to say I do and kiss their loved one for the first time as their legally wedded spouse. ”
“Do you still have the ring?” I ask.
“Yes. You?”
“Me?” My smile drops. “Did Jane tell you?”
“Lanie.”
“I have it. But I put it away.” I hate the sadness that’s somehow still in his eyes. Does he think I’ll change my mind? “I’m done living in the past. What about you?”
He smiles. “I’m ready for the future.”
“All right. Then let’s do this.”
Even in the dark photo booth, I can see the confusion in his eyes. “Do what?”
I laugh. “What have we been talking about? Let’s get married.”
His jaw drops. “Wait. I’m the one proposing.”
“And taking your sweet time doing it.”
“I’m getting to it, okay?”
I nod. “Sure, love, sure.”
He shakes his head. “You’re unbelievable.”
“I’ve heard that before.”
He rubs his thumb across his forehead. “Jesus, Aidyn, is this a proposal or a fight?”
I grin. He’s so much fun to rile up. “Can’t it be both?”
He laughs. “Aidyn—”
“Hold on. Can we get out of the TARDIS? It’s fecking hot in here.”
Once we’re out, I don’t give him another chance to drag it out. “Garrett, love, will you…?” I nod toward the wedding stuff.
He grins, his eyes bright. “Yes. Will you…?”
“Fuck yes.”
He grabs my face and kisses me. It’s sweet and gentle, and I’m not having it. I turn him around and slam him into the TARDIS. Surprisingly, it holds. I use the angle to deepen the kiss.
When we break apart, he grins at me. “Did that really just happen? Are we engaged?”
“We are. The next question is when?”
His smile fades. “Nat says we’re booked until May. A spring wedding—”
“How about tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow?” Garrett stares at me as if I’ve lost my mind. And maybe I have. “Where? In Vegas?”
I wrap my arms around him. “I heard about this place called Bishop Fields. It’s the hottest venue around. And there’s an opening tomorrow.”
“We can’t possibly do it tomorrow. First off, I have no staff. I gave them the week off for Christmas.”
I smirk. “Go ahead, love, get it all out.”
“It takes weeks to plan a wedding, Aidyn— Why are you grinning like that?”
“According to Nat, everything’s covered. We just have to show up.”
“Really?” He looks dazed.
“Really.”
He narrows his eyes. “Aidyn, sweetheart? Stop talking to my employees.”
“Once we’re married, we’ll share half of everything. So after tomorrow, they’ll be my employees too.”
He rests his head against mine. “Are you sure, Aidyn? Really sure?”
“Yes, love. I’m sure.”
Garrett leans back and searches my face. “What about Lanie?”
I kiss him again. “She loves the idea.”
He still has a hard time believing everyone’s on board, so he calls Nat to confirm. After that, he doesn’t stop grinning.
I open the diner, and it seems like the entire town of Mule Creek is there.
I shake my head. “We were only closed for a few days.”
Jane kisses my cheek. More surprisingly, I let her. “That’s not why everyone’s here, Christy.”
I glare at the full house. We’re going to run out of food. “Why are they here?”
“You’re kidding, right? Grumpy Aidyn Christy is in love. Everyone wants to see this amazing phenomenon.”
“Hmph. Well, they’re a little late. I’ve been in love with Garrett for the last seven years. I hope they don’t expect me to change or, God forbid, be nice.”
She laughs.
I shake my head and get back to work. “Damn nosy people.”
“You’re in a good mood, so—”
The day was too good to last. “What?”
“I just feel like I should confess. I mean, I should confess to Garrett, but it might land softer coming from you.” She smiles, and whatever she’s done, she’s not sorry for it.
“You want me to do your dirty work?”
“Absolutely.”
I laugh and shake my head, and that gets some looks. Nosy people. “All right, lass. I’m listening. What are you confessing to?”
She studies her nails. “I might have encouraged Mom and Dad to come home.”
“So? I mean, it’s a little surprising. But not exactly earth-shattering news.”
“And,” she continues, “hinted that Garrett would be the perfect person to host Christmas.”
I stare at her. “Were you trying to torture him?”
“No. But he’s been avoiding family and Christmas for way too long.” She grins. “And now I expect a thank you.”
“Ha.” How will Garrett react to this news?
“No thank you?”
I shrug just to torture her and go back to work.
Garrett arrives an hour later, still grinning. I almost let out a smile, but I have a reputation to uphold.
“I think this might work,” he says, standing close. But not too close. Is that an automatic response? “I mean, Nat seems to think they have everything covered. Not invitations, but everything else.”
Does he think I’m still worried about my customers finding out? The town? “We can take care of that right now.”
“What do you mean?”
“In fact, this will take care of a lot of things. I still need to give you your Advent kiss.”
“It’s one day after Christmas, Aidyn. No one’s doing Advent calendars anymore.”
“Obviously, you’re wrong. I am. How many Advent kisses have you had so far?”
He thinks about it. “Twenty-five.”
“And this will be kiss number twenty-six.” I take his arm and pull him into the center of the room.
The diner is crowded, so I climb on a mostly empty table to be heard.
“Listen up.” This is an unusual phenomenon for Christy’s Café, so it doesn’t take long for the noise to die down.
And I have a loud voice. “Is Mrs. Weppler here? Oh, there you are.” I wave at her. “Get up here, Garrett.”
He shakes his head.
I give him a look because I’m not above dragging his arse up here.
He sighs and climbs onto the table. A smile slips out, and Jesus, Garrett is so damn cute sometimes.
“All right, listen up, everyone. This is Garrett. You all know him, so say hello.” I get a few rumblings.
And that will not do. “For Christ’s sake.
Is that the best you lot can do? Tell the man hi.
” This gets a better response. “As you might have heard, Garrett and I are together. And since you’re all a bunch of nosy nellies, we might as well get this out of the way. ”
Grabbing Garrett’s face, I whisper, “Happy day after Christmas, love.” And then I kiss him. With tongue. This isn’t a friendly kiss. I don’t want anyone to have any doubts.
When I pull away, Garrett looks a little dazed.
And so does the rest of the restaurant. And then everyone starts cheering.
I smile because no one’s grumpy all the time.
Then I raise my hands to quieten them down.
“Don’t expect me to be nice now because that isn’t happening.
I can barely stand most of you, so don’t be pushing it.
And last but not least, Garrett has an invitation for you. ”
“Me?” he asks in a low voice.
“If you think I’m inviting them, you’re sadly mistaken. You, me, and Lanie. That’s all I need, love. But I don’t want to hear the rest of them complaining forever about being left out. So”—I nod my head toward the patrons—“do your thing.”
Garrett clears his throat. “Um, hi.”
“Hi,” everyone yells. Figures they’d get it right this time.
“Tomorrow at one p.m., at Bishop Fields, I get to marry the man I love, Aidyn Christy.” He stares at me fondly, and I could get lost in that look.
Then he clears his throat and smiles at the rest of the diner.
“And I hope—Aidyn and I hope—you’ll all join us. ”
After that, it’s pure chaos. And for once, I don’t mind.