Chapter 11 – Everly
EVERLY
I knew when the guys left the room that things would be awkward, but Liz and Linzie have been nice enough to talk to me at least.
“Okay, it’s too late to throw you two a party tonight, but we could put things together for the weekend. If you don’t mind waiting a few days,” Linzie offers. “It’ll give me more time to get the food menu together and maybe get some decorations together. Do you have a color in mind?”
“I, uh …”
“I know you didn’t have a traditional wedding, but if you were to have thrown your ideal ceremony, what would you have done?” she continues.
I shrug. “I never really thought about it. I never thought I would get married if I’m being honest.”
“What? Why? A beautiful girl like you? I was dreaming about my wedding day by the time I was six years old,” Linzie jokes. “Of course, my first wedding was nothing like I had originally planned, but you know stuffed animals were hard to come by at that point in life.” I laugh.
“You sound like you’ve been listening to Kaylie. She plans on having a big ceremony with all her stuffies and her Barbies as guests. Of course, Winston will be the best man whether the groom likes it or not.”
“Oh, I bet.” Liz laughs. “That girl is something else.”
“She is.” I smile. “I don’t know what my life would be like right now if it weren’t for her. I hate how we came to be together, but I honestly can’t remember what my days were like without her.”
“I bet you ate fewer Pop-Tarts,” Mason’s loud voice has me turning to find him headed in my direction. He comes to a stop once he’s pushed his body between my legs on the bar stool. “Hey baby.” He kisses my nose, and it’s like this is the way things have always been between us. It seems so natural.
“Hi.” My words come out on a breathy whisper.
“Did you ladies get anything worked out while I was gone?” he asks.
“We were just asking Ever if she could have had the wedding of her dreams instead of a courthouse quickie,” Liz glares at Mason. “What she would’ve liked to have instead.”
“She said she wasn’t sure. She never thought she would be married,” Linzie adds.
Mason’s brow furrows. His hands come up to cup my face. “We were always going to get married. You were just too stubborn to accept it. And to answer your question, ladies, Ever has always wanted a wedding out by the lake. We talked about it several times when we were kids.”
I blink in amazement. “You remember that?”
“Of course I do.” He kisses my nose, smiling when he pulls back.
“You wanted a fancy archway covered in pink and red flowers. Picnic tables for the guests to sit at while they watched so we wouldn’t have to go to two different places for the ceremony and the reception.
And you wanted chicken fried steak and gravy from Magpie’s Diner for dinner because it was your favorite and you only got it for special occasions like your birthday every year. ”
“Holy shit.” I breathe. “I had forgotten all of that. I guess I gave up on it when you told me you were leaving for boot camp. I tucked all my dreams away that day except the one where I would become an esthetician and own my own business.”
“Well, now you can have both. Whatever you want, baby. We can make it happen together.”
“I think I have a few ideas,” Linzie interrupts.
“Liz, maybe you could help me with some of this?” Liz nods, smiling like she’s got a secret, and I’m not sure if I should be worried or not.
“We told Ever we would prefer to wait until the weekend to throw you two a party. Give me some time to get a menu together and have some of the boys help me get things set up. That work for you too, Mason?”
“Sure. Whatever is best. We’re already hitched. The rest is just icing on the cake,” he says.
“Oh, that reminds me. I need to call Andi and get her recipe for red velvet cake. I don’t know what her secret is, but it’s better than store-bought. It all goes to my ass, but it’s worth every bite.”
“What’s going straight to your ass, and why wasn’t I invited?” Gabe calls after Linzie. “I seem to recall you enjoying everything I do to this ass.” He wraps his arms around Linzie, giving her ass a squeeze. She slaps his chest, her cheeks a bright shade of red.
“Behave or you might find something special in your ass this evening,” she threatens. “You seemed to like it when I …” His mouth seals over hers in a quick, hard kiss. Mason erupts in laughter.
“Not you too, Pres,” Mason teases. “First Hawk, now you. How the mighty have fallen.”
Gabe flips Mason off but hasn’t stopped kissing Linzie. He lifts her by her ass, making her laugh, then turns for the hallway.
Mason laughs. My cheeks heat.
Good for her.
“I think he’s got the right idea,” Mason says against my ear. “Let’s get Kaylie and head home, baby.”
We pack up Kaylie and head back to the house with two prospects following us the entire way.
When we finally made it to the house, the two prospects parked their bikes and sat on the curb talking to each other.
I offered to bring them inside and feed them dinner, but Mason quickly shot that idea down.
“They’re here to watch over us for the night. It’s just a precaution,” Mason says reassuringly.
Once inside, I send Kaylie to get her stuff together for her bath while I look through the refrigerator and find us something for dinner.
I find a couple of chicken breasts and place them on the counter.
Then, rummaging through my cabinet, I pull out a box of fettuccine pasta and the ingredients to make Alfredo sauce.
“Sissy, I’m ready,” Kaylie calls from down the hall.
“I’ll be right there, baby. Hold on a sec.”
“Here.” Mason comes up behind me, his mouth rubbing softly against my ear. “I’ll start dinner.” His lips brush my neck in a soft kiss, making goosebumps break out all over my skin. “You go help Squirt.”
My brain short-circuits for a second, not wanting to move away, yet knowing I should. I shouldn’t be encouraging this. I should be pushing Mason away and fighting for the annulment.
This isn’t real.
It feels real.
No.
“I-I’m just going to go help Kaylie.” I pull out of his hold, scowling when I hear him laugh.
“You do that, babe.”
I turn the water on and fill the tub with bubbles and toys from the cabinet below the sink.
Kaylie gets in the tub, playing with her toys and making sound effects.
I get lost in my thoughts as I turn off the water and begin bathing my sister.
She has bubbles up to her ears and giggles when I reach to clean under her arms.
Once I’m done, I sit on the floor beside the tub and watch her play.
My thoughts drift off to the questions Linzie was asking at the clubhouse about my dream wedding.
I knew what she was asking me and was shocked when Mason remembered everything I used to talk about in detail.
I daydreamed about getting married and leaving Oakridge for such a long time.
I always pictured Mason as my groom, but when he told me he was leaving, I put that dream and so many others away.
“Sissy, are you and Mason going to have babies?” My head snaps to the side so fast my neck pops.
“Uh, I don’t know about that, babe. We, um, Mason and I, we might not stay married forever.” The words tasted like sand in my mouth.
“Why not? He’s your Prince Charming. He always comes to rescue you and buys you pretty things. Why wouldn’t he stay with you? It’s where the prince belongs. With his princess.”
“Oh, sweet girl. If only life were as simple as your fairytales.” I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “Sometimes people do things to be helpful, but it doesn’t mean it’s permanent.” Kaylie looks at me like I have two heads, clearly confused by my explanation.
“You know what. Let’s not talk about this right now. Let’s get you out of that tub and dried off so we can eat dinner. I’m sure Mason could use a hand in the kitchen. What do you say?”
“I can help! I’m a big girl.”
“You most certainly are.”