Chapter 9
Ruby
If she’d thought she’d walked into chaos before, it was nothing compared to what greeted her when she opened the door after Beckett dropped her back off at the bridal suite.
The makeup artists and stylists were busy packing up their stations, every bridesmaid was in some state of undress as they changed from their robes into the various dresses in the same shade of emerald silk Lottie had picked out for them, and the excited chatter was reaching deafening levels.
She had just about convinced herself to slip back out the door and head over to the groom’s suite to hide out when Silver spotted her. Dressed in nothing but a strapless bra that matched the ‘Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe’ underwear they were all sporting, Silver hurried over, her eyes bright.
“We’re going to help each other get dressed and you’re going to tell me everything.”
Grabbing Ruby’s arm, Silver dragged her over to the rack where all their dresses had been hung and grabbed the two with their names. “Strip and talk, baby. Strip and talk.”
“There’s not much to talk about. He spanked me, which I expected.”
“You were over there for like half an hour. Either that was one hell of a spanking or there was more to it.”
Rolling her eyes, Ruby untied her robe and tossed it aside so she could step into the dress Silver was holding open for her. “After he spanked me, he put a plug in my ass. With ginger oil.”
“Oh, you poor thing.” Genuine sympathy rang in Silver’s voice. “He’s a devious sonofabitch.”
“He is. But I feel so much better. It sucked and I can still feel the burn a bit, but I feel lighter, you know?”
“I do know. I’m glad you feel better and it all worked out.” Tugging the dress up so the single sleeve draped over Ruby’s shoulder, Silver stepped back and sighed. “You look so pretty. That color is gorgeous with your hair. I might be a little jealous of you and Frankie today.”
Ruby snorted out a laugh as she pulled Silver’s dress off the hanger to help her into it. “Please. With that figure? Ice is going to swallow his tongue when he sees you in this dress.”
“Hell yeah he is,” Silver agreed with a wide grin. But as she wiggled into the dress, her smile faded. “Do you ever worry that Beckett’s feelings for you would change if you changed?”
“I mean, I’ve changed a hell of a lot since he and I met and he still loves me. Why?”
“Nothing. Forget I said anything.”
“Hey.” Pausing with the dress halfway up Silver’s body, Ruby laid a hand on her arm. “What’s going on? Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah. I’m just feeling a little emotional, I guess.” She smiled again, but Ruby couldn’t help but notice it looked a bit strained at the edges. “Weddings always get to me. I’m a sucker for romance.”
“Same. But you’d tell me if you were sick or something, right?”
“Pinkie-swear.”
They hooked their pinkies together, and as much as she hated to when her friend was obviously going through something, Ruby let it drop.
They finished getting dressed, and then spent some time helping the others into their dresses as well.
Aria in particular seemed to be struggling with the halter-style strap on her dress, and when Ruby stepped in to help her, she noticed the other woman’s eyes were suspiciously shiny.
“You okay?” Ruby whispered, fiddling with the strap to give them some cover.
“Yeah. Just a little weepy.” Aria smiled, but her bottom lip trembled a bit with the gesture. “My dad’s waited a long time for this. I’m just really happy for him and Lottie.”
“A lot of daughters might be weirded out, having a stepmother that’s just a few years older than them.”
“I was, at first. But have you seen them together? I swear they shine so fucking bright I need sunglasses around them.”
“You’re not wrong. And Lottie’s good for him.” Ruby winked. “Keeps him young.”
Aria snorted out a laugh. “Tell that to the extra gray in his hair.”
“Holy fuck.”
Whipping around at the sound of Ivy’s strangled whisper, Ruby froze on the spot at the sight of Cordelia, dressed to the nines in a form-fitting tux and matching stiletto heels.
A knowing grin curved Cordelia’s lips as she tugged at the sleeve of her jacket. “See something you like, blossom?”
“Yes. Yes, I do. And I just made an executive decision.”
One of Cordelia’s pale brows rose toward her hairline. “And what might that be, babygirl?”
“It’s two decisions, actually. One, you and Jacob are both absolutely wearing tuxes when we get married. And two, I’m jumping both your bones the second we get to the club tonight.”
Crossing the room to her babygirl, Cordelia gripped Ivy’s chin, forcing her head back. “Who decides when you get to jump anyone, Ivy Mae?”
Eyes widening, Ivy sucked in a breath. “You do, Ma’am.”
“Exactly. Keep that in mind, or I will spend our entire evening reminding you who you belong to.”
Ducking her head, Cordelia pressed a short, hard kiss to Ivy’s lips before turning and striding toward the door, waving for Aria to follow her.
“Seriously,” Aria mumbled under her breath, her tone filled with awe. “Someone teach me to be her.”
At the door, Cordelia paused and cocked an eyebrow in Aria’s direction.
And as much as she might want to imitate the badass Domme, Aria was clearly not immune to her power, because she hurried to follow Cordelia out the door and across the hall for their own round of pictures with the groom’s party.
With all of the bridesmaids dressed, it was finally time to get the bride ready. Frankie and Lottie were both sniffling back tears, as were Eva and Portia, the other half of their childhood friend group as they helped Lottie into her dress.
And fuck, what a dress it was. While her arms were covered in intricate lace from her shoulders to her wrists, Lottie’s back was completely bare right down to her waist. She was a vision.
A real-life princess, and Ruby found herself blinking against her own tears as she watched Lottie take in her reflection for the very first time.
“Oh my god.” Lottie’s words were a low, reverent whisper worthy of any house of worship as she pressed trembling fingers to her lips. “I look…”
“Stunning, Lottie-baby.” Stepping up beside her best friend, Frankie slid her arms around Lottie’s waist and squeezed. “You are the most beautiful bride the world has ever seen.”
“I am.” In the reflection, Lottie’s lashes fluttered as she blinked rapidly. “God, I wish my mom could see this.”
“She sees you, baby. There’s no way she’d miss this moment. Even Jesus himself couldn’t keep her away.”
Lottie’s watery laugh filled the room. “You’re right. But fuck, I miss her right now.”
“We thought you might say that.” It was Portia now, stepping forward to join her childhood friend and holding up an old antique locket. “That’s why we all pitched in and got you this.”
Fingers trembling so hard now Ruby worried she would drop the necklace, Lottie popped open the locket, a quick, sharp sob bursting out of her as she stared down at the photo of her mother Frankie had gotten from Lottie’s father months ago when Portia had come to them with the idea.
“You guys… I can’t… Thank you. It’s perfect.” With another of those shaky laughs, she passed the locket to Frankie. “Help me get it on.”
“Actually we had a different idea.” Turning, Frankie picked up the giant bouquet of red and white roses from where the photographer had set it aside for pictures earlier and artfully arranged the necklace so the chain nestled inside the flowers with the locket resting just above where Lottie’s hands would rest. “Now she can walk you down the aisle with your dad.”
“Fuck, you guys. You’re going to ruin my makeup before I even make it down the aisle.”
One by one, she turned to hug each of them. Ruby was last, and thankfully Lottie didn’t seem as teary-eyed as she pulled Ruby in for a tight hug.
“I’m so, so happy you came to work at the club,” Lottie whispered. “I love you so much, Ruby.”
“Me too. And me too,” Ruby added with a tear-filled laugh of her own. “You guys are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Pulling away, Lottie winked, and Ruby was once again left with the feeling that she was being left out of something. But then Lottie turned, and the moment was lost.
“All right, girls. Let’s go get me married!”
Beckett
He didn’t consider himself an emotional person. But fuck if watching Braden standing there at the end of the aisle, fidgeting with his tux as he waited for his bride, didn’t have Beckett feeling some kinda way.
When the music for the bridesmaids began, his heart kicked into high gear as Emily made her way slowly down the aisle, a shy smile on her face as everyone watched her entrance. She was followed by Titania, then two women Beckett only vaguely recognized as old friends of Lottie’s.
Then came sweet Ivy, her smile practically lighting up the room, followed by a radiant Silver.
And then his world narrowed to the vision that was his Ruby Red, the fire in her hair somehow brighter than usual against the emerald green of her dress. It didn’t matter to him that she was wearing a variant of the same dress everyone else was wearing. On them, the dress was simply pretty.
On his babygirl, it was fucking breathtaking.
She looked up, her dark gaze latching onto him, and when she smiled, he swore his heart literally stopped. The ring in his pocket seemed to grow heavier as every step forward brought her closer to him. And damn if he wasn’t half tempted to drop to his knees then and there and beg her to marry him.
But not only would Lottie kill him for messing up the plan, his babygirl deserved better. She deserved a proposal she’d remember with fondness rather than horror.
So he would wait. After all, he’d already waited half a lifetime for her. What was a few more minutes?