Chapter 59 Derrick
DERRICK
“This is the moment,” I tell the room as we wait for Yvette to finish dressing Isla. My heart is racing because this is the moment all little girls dream of, and if I’m being honest, hopefully one day I’ll dream of. There’s a small knock on the door. It’s my cue to open it, which I do.
OMG!
I stare at the gorgeous creature that is Isla in a wedding dress.
She’s gone for a simple dress that hugs her slim figure, there’s a deep ‘V’ in the front that matches her elfin body perfectly.
The back of the dress dips low, which is stunning, and falls out to a mermaid hem.
Her blonde hair is pulled up in a simple low bun, and she’s covered in sparkling diamonds, gifts from Finn.
She is also wearing a gorgeous cathedral veil.
Beautiful. Finn is going to lose his mind when he sees her.
Then I notice her bouquet with two large pink proteas, white orchids, and palm leaves.
“Do I look okay?” Isla asks, running her hand down the satin. Does she look okay? She looks like a Norse Goddess.
“Sweetheart, you look beautiful,” her mom says, bursting into tears. We need touch-ups on aisle one. “I’m so proud.”
“Stop. You’re messing up your makeup,” Isla tells her, but her mother doesn’t care as she continues to hug her, enjoying the day.
Looking away from her mother, Isla spots her bridesmaids, Sienna, Vanessa, Olivia, and Stacey, all dressed in various shades of pink and purples like a Hawaiian sunset, and the emotion hits her.
Isla gasps when she notices Sadie and Ruby dressed in their little lace dresses.
Those two munchkins look so cute, I could eat them.
Camryn enters the room, taking in the wedding party for the first time, and asks, “Oh, wow. You all look amazing. How are you feeling, Issy?”
“I’m nervous … excited,” she answers.
“Totally normal. I’ll let your father and little ones in now that you’re ready.”
Camryn opens the door, and in walks Ryder, pushing Levi and Easton in a little car. They are dressed in cream shorts and white short-sleeved shirts with tiny pink bow ties. They look adorable. Easton claps his hands when he sees his mummy, and when she picks him up, he starts pulling on her veil.
“Little man has a present from Daddy for you in there,” Isla’s dad says, handing her a black bag.
“Here, let me,” her mum says, taking Easton from her arms as she opens the present. She starts reading Finn’s letter and tears stream down her cheeks, she’s going to ruin her makeup. Damn those rockstars and their swoony ways.
Her tears stop when she opens the velvet box and pulls out a gold key. She looks very confused, but this is where I step in.
“I have the missing piece for you,” I tell her, handing her another envelope, which she opens and gasps. It’s the brochure of the house Finn bought for her.
“He showed us the house. You’re going to love it,” her dad reassures her.
“He’s keeping that damn Dirty Texas tradition alive by buying their women houses,” I tease.
Isla is stunned as she stares at the brochures before bursting into tears again.
“Makeup, we need you in here,” Camryn calls out to the team.
“Sorry, guys, it’s just all very overwhelming.” Isla smiles through watery tears.
“It’s your wedding, babe, you can cry if you want to,” I reassure her.
The wedding was beautiful, of course, and finally Finn and Isla got their happily ever after.
There’s only one more Dirty Texas man to go, but Oscar and Stacey don’t seem to be in any rush to get married.
Those two will dance to the beat of their own drum and do whatever the hell they want.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they went on holiday and then just came back married.
During the reception, my eyes haven’t left Charlie. Seeing him in a suit has me weak at the knees. This man in normal clothes is hot, but in a suit, man, I would do just about anything he asks of me.
“Derrick, can we talk?” Chance asks, interrupting my thoughts.
“I don’t think we have anything to talk about,” I tell him, noticing the way Charlie’s eyes narrow on Chance. He looks murderous.
“Please, D,” Chance asks.
“Chance, you got a second?” Christian calls out. He stills and looks between his boss and me, and reluctantly heads over to Christian.
“Go, ask that hunk for a dance.” Sienna elbows me.
She’s right. I place my napkin on the table and walk over to Charlie’s table, his face lighting up with each step I take closer to him.
“Hey, would you like to dance?”
Charlie smirks and stands up. “I’d love to.
” He grabs my outstretched hand, linking our fingers together, and walking out onto the dance floor.
He spins me around, surprising me, before pulling me closer to him.
“I’ve been itching to have you back in my arms again,” he whispers into my ear, sending shivers down my body.
“Me too. You’ve had my dick hard all day in this suit,” I tell him, running my hands over his strong body.
“You like the suit, hey?” He smirks.
“Me likey. Honestly, you could be dressed in anything, and I’d like it.” The words tumble out, I’m finding it hard to keep my thoughts to myself around this man.
“I could say the same thing about you. But I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, mister celebrity stylist.” He chuckles as we sway to the music.
“Would be bad business if I looked like shit.”
This has him chuckling loudly. I love hearing his deep laugh. “You’re the handsomest man at the wedding,” he confesses.
“Of course,” I tease. “But there are a lot of good-looking men in suits here.”
“Like your rockstar friend?” he asks, raising a brow.
“You don’t have to worry about him. I’m not interested anymore.” I place my arms around his neck.
“Seems like he still might be.”
I shake my head. “Doesn’t matter what he wants. What I want is you and only you.”
Charlie’s eyes widen, and then he leans in and kisses me. “I only want you, too, D,” he whispers against my lips. A contented sigh escapes me. This man will be my undoing. We dance in silence for a bit, getting lost in the music. “Do you want to get married?” Charlie asks me.
“Are you asking me or is this a general question?” I tease.
His cheeks turn pink. “General question.”
“Yes. I want the entire fairytale, marriage and kids. I mean, you already know that I’m looking into my options about having a child.” He nods. “What about you?”
His brows pull together. “Before the accident, it wasn’t anywhere near my plans because my job was my world, but now …
I realize there’s more to life and having someone to share it with would be nice.
And kids … I think I would make a pretty good dad.
” He smiles. My insides flutter to life.
Images of the two of us sitting on a big old porch in the country, minus the bears, with kids running around us, a dog, some horses maybe, enter my mind.
I’m losing it. It’s too soon to be envisioning things with this man.
“I could see you being a dad, wearing a cowboy hat, those jeans showing off your peachy ass, and a tight-fitting tee. The school mums would be checking you out, wondering who this hunk is at the school pick up.” I chuckle.
“I would probably pick up my kids on a horse,” he teases.
“Now that is cowboy porn at its finest.” I smirk, leaning in and kissing him.
“Our kids would be the best dressed.” I still. He stills. Those eyes widen as if he’s just realized what he said. I’m not mad because I had the same thoughts about him. “I mean, you know … um …” His cheeks burn brightly.
Cupping his flaming cheeks, I smile. “Those thoughts don’t scare me.”
“They don’t?”
I shake my head. “No, they don’t, because I envisioned you in my thoughts.”
“You did?” Charlie seems surprised.
“Yeah,” I confess, leaning in. “But it’s nothing to freak out about, the future will be whatever it will be.”
“I’m so fucking lucky you let me in again.
I’m never going to give you a reason to ever shut me out again.
” He leans forward and kisses me slowly.
My heart is full. This man makes me happy.
And I hate the fact that we only have a couple of days left together on the island, and then it’s back to reality.
The rest of the night was magical, dancing with my friends, dancing with my man until it wasn’t.
“Derrick.” Chance grabs me as I walk down the outdoor path, coming back from the bathroom through the gardens in the dark.
“What?” I snap at him.
His face crumples at my tone. “Please, talk to me.”
“There isn’t much to talk about. I think we both said everything we needed.”
“You hate me now, don’t you?” His words slur, and I realize he’s drunk.
My shoulders slump. “I don’t hate you, Chance.” Because days ago, you were fucking him and were thinking you two would be dating again, until Charlie.
“You don’t?” He looks at me, hopeful. “Because I hate me.”
“Don’t talk about yourself like that,” I tell him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder, which was not the right thing to do because the next thing I know, he is pushing me up against a wall and is kissing me.
What the fuck!
I push him, but he’s too strong. Has he been working out? Then the next thing I know, Chance has vanished, and the sound of bone crunching follows.
“Don’t fucking touch what’s mine,” Charlie screams at him as his fist meets his face.
“Charlie!” I scream.
Moments later, Jackson pulls a seething Charlie off Chance. Those intense eyes look at me, and I see the hurt flashing across them, just when he was opening up.
“I didn’t kiss him. He kissed me. I didn’t ask for it,” I tell Charlie, who looks so angry and hurt. My eyes then drift down and see that Chance is knocked out, and Jackson is calling someone.
“I can’t do this,” Charlie says.
No. No. No. “Charlie,” I scream as he starts to walk away.
“Charlie, don’t!” Jackson calls out angrily at his friend.