Chapter Four
Stephanie
“You look amazing.” I’d seen Taryn’s costume before, of course, but now, she looked…perfect.
With her moss-green velvet suit, clunky boots, top hat, white face paint, and wonky orange-haired wig, she completely pulled off the look. This was my Taryn…but not.
She beamed. “Anything to get out of that dress.”
“Hey, I like you in smooth satin.”
“I know you do. Hence wearing the champagne-colored dress.” She poofed the orange wig. “But baby, this was always more my speed.”
I laughed. “Which is why I love you. First you wear a dress and heels. Now you’re indulging my Alice fantasy.
” I wore a sleeveless pale-blue dress with white heeled boots, and my hair cascaded around my shoulders in soft curls.
The ultimate in femininity. My happiest place.
I hated that anyone stereotyped lesbians.
We came in all different flavors, colors, and shapes.
Taryn extended her arm.
I happily wrapped my hand around it.
She led me through the doors to the main hall.
Cooper and Lachlan had preceded us by a minute—to let everyone know we were coming.
My brother looked magnificent in his red crushed-velvet dress with a boned bodice and gold hearts covering the skirt. He wore fabulous boots, fabulous tights, and a fabulous red wig. The light-white face paint worked perfect with the rest of the outfit.
He grasped Lachlan’s arm.
Poor Lachlan. His navy-blue crushed-velvet suit looked right out of the seventies. His makeup was perfection—including his whiskers. The wig of white hair hung around his face, and his bunny ears were…brilliant.
My heart tugged. He’d done this for me.
Well, he’d also done it for Taryn. He loved her and would do anything for her, and since she would do anything for me…
I blinked as tears stung my eyes.
Taryn tugged me forward as our guests burst into spontaneous applause.
I caught sight of my mother. She’d changed out of her lavender pantsuit and now wore a psychedelic sixties-style short dress.
A nod to Lewis Carrol’s supposed use of mind-altering drugs.
Something up for debate, if I remembered correctly.
Although after having read Alice, I certainly couldn’t find another explanation for the imagery in the book.
Dad still wore his tan suit, while Taryn’s mom wore a pale-pink dress and her husband wore a dark suit. Very classic.
We’d opted not to have a receiving line and, instead, we had everyone gather in a circle as we made our way around. This felt more intimate and meant everyone heard all the comments. The lack of formality suited our sensibilities.
Also, with so much face paint, it prevented cheek kisses—which were Taryn’s least favorite form of showing affection.
“I’m so happy for you.” Carmela grasped my hands. As my eldest sister, she’d clearly taken the first spot so as to maintain supremacy. At least that was my guess based on Ruby and Rosita’s annoyed glances when they thought I wasn’t looking.
“Thank you.” I gripped my sister’s hands. She was so much older than me that she was more of a mother figure—gone from the house before I turned five.
Taryn pressed a supportive hand to my back as I blinked back tears.
Carmela turned her attention to my wife.
Wife.
Oh, how I loved the sound of that.
Ruby hauled me in for a hug.
Rosita giggled.
Dickens, from the bookshop, and his husband, Spike, were a little more circumspect with their congratulations.
Noel, Cooper’s boss, and his husband, Aaron, wished us well.
Taryn’s coworkers Maddie, Holly, and Amber were all hugs and smiles.
They’d accepted me the very first time I’d stepped into their repair shop—treating me as if I was one of them.
To my surprise, Taryn was the first of their group to get married.
Maddie was bi, while Holly and Amber were, to the best of my knowledge, straight.
Dean snagged my hands and held me out, as if for inspection. “Lovely.” His Australian accent was adorable.
His husband, Adam, offered me a shy smile. “Yes, I just love the Alice theme.” Adam’s shyness worked well as a foil to Dean’s enthusiasm.
Finally, we were with my parents. My father kissed my cheek, then did the same for Taryn.
She rolled her eyes…and smiled. “Thank you.”
“We’re so excited to welcome you to the family.”
“Oh yes.” My mother’s vibrations made her dress pattern rotate in weird ways.
I blinked.
“Now we just need to get Cooper paired up.” Mom bumped against Dad as if asking for his agreement.
“Uh, he needs to sow his wild oats.”
Taryn’s eyes widened.
Mom whirled on Dad. “That’s very sexist.”
He scowled. “I said the same for the girls as well. It’s not my fault they were all married by the time they were twenty-four.”
“Happily.” I had to interject because I didn’t want this to become an argument. My father wasn’t by his nature, sexist. He’d treated all of us equally.
Well, except he might’ve been more lenient with Cooper.
Who was, currently, adjusting Lachlan’s wig.
Both men had odd expressions on their faces.
Uh…
“Thank you for welcoming me.” Taryn’s words pulled me back.
“Yeah, you’re awesome parents. Thanks for the help with the wedding.”
“My dearest, we want you to have the best start possible, and that means getting into the real-estate market.” Dad beamed.
Mom smacked his shoulder.
I moved on to the Briggses.
Taryn’s mother was a mirror of Lachlan—dark-brown hair and piercing brown eyes.
I was never certain if her gaze was now approval as she had an uncanny ability to have a completely neutral expression.
She very much kept her deep emotions to herself.
That said, she’d smiled when Taryn and I announced our engagement.
Today, she offered another bright smile. “Thank you for making my daughter happy.”
“I’ll endeavor to do that for the rest of our lives.”
For just an instant, she squinted. Trying to test out the veracity of my words? Trying to determine my sincerity? To divine if I could actually pull it off?
For a moment, my belief wavered. What if I couldn’t? What if I wasn’t the right person—
“You’re perfect for her. And we’ll make certain she keeps her half of the bargain.”
“Mom?” Taryn, finished with my parents, placed her hand again at the small of my back.
I leaned back into the support.
“Your mother was just assuring Stephanie how much we believe you’ve both made the right decision. You look radiant together.” He gave Taryn’s costume a long look. “Never let it be said my children aren’t wonderful.”
We all, as a group, gazed over at Lachlan and Cooper.
Lachlan was brushing something off the skirt of Cooper’s dress.
They both glanced up at the same time.
Cooper curtseyed deeply while Lachlan gave a little wave.
Mrs. Briggs sighed. “They need to get married.”
I nearly choked and must’ve let out a strangled sound.
She met my gaze and pressed a hand to her chest. “Oh, I didn’t mean to each other. Lachlan’s not gay, of course. I simply meant my son is nearing forty with no significant other in sight, and Cooper…” She sighed.
I knew what that sigh meant. The Briggses hadn’t spent much time around my brother, but clearly they interpreted his zaniness as something that might be tamed if he perhaps partnered up with someone more serious.
Someone like Lachlan.
And someone serious, in turn, might loosen up a bit if they were around Cooper.
It could work.
Except I didn’t want anyone clipping Cooper’s wings. He was a free spirit and a damn happy one at that.
He stepped forward and took my hands. “My dearest lady, your table awaits.” He leaned in. “Everyone’s starving. Those hors d’oeuvres didn’t last.”
We’d chosen some simple finger food for the guests while the wedding party posed for the obligatory photographs.
Pictures I was certain I’d treasure in the future.
Our photographer appeared, as if conjured. “One with the four of you just before you sit to eat?”
Taryn snaked her arm through mine. “We’d be thrilled.”
I met her gave with a huge grin. “Thank you.”
She returned an even bigger smile. “My pleasure.”
The photos went quickly, and soon everyone was seated and the food was served.
Cooper grinned as he dug into his chicken. “You know, this is pretty good.”
“You were expecting rubber chicken?” I arched an eyebrow.
“Well…”
“Given what Mom and Dad paid, I’d hoped it would be top-notch food.”
“Well, you’re in luck.” He buttered his roll and then put a huge chunk on his asparagus.
“Would you like some vegetables with your butter?” Lachlan frowned.
Cooper grinned and offered a little wave of…pleasure? Teasing?
I couldn’t figure it out.
Lachlan scowled.
Then bent down to rub his shin.
He glared at Taryn before clearly realizing Cooper and I were watching the entire byplay.
Cooper chuckled. “Bested by a girl.”
“Hush.” I hissed at him. “Don’t ever let Taryn hear you say that.”
“She gets my humor. So what’s for dessert?”
I narrowed my eyes. He knew we were having chocolate mousse or apple crumble. Wedding cakes were, as far as I was concerned, overrated. Plus, we had a couple of guests with dietary restrictions—better to give two simple choices that most people could enjoy at least one of. “Cooper—”
“I just, uh, need to stretch my legs. I promise I’ll be back.” He rose, offered a sheepish smile, and headed for the door.
What the hell?
Lachlan rose and headed toward the back of the hall.
Just beyond those doors were the washrooms.
I turned to Taryn.
She shrugged.
We engaged our parents in a discussion about our excitement over our honeymoon.
Dinner plates were cleared.
Still no sign of either man.
I requested mousse for Cooper while Taryn asked for apple crumble for Lachlan.
Still no guys.
I leaned in toward Taryn. “What are the odds they return bloodied and bruised?”
She rolled her eyes upward as if in deep contemplation. “Well, I don’t think they’d purposely do anything to ruin our wedding. Oh, thank you.” She offered a smile to the server. “Looks delicious.”
“I’m certain it is.” The young man put Lachlan’s plate down and headed back to the cart to grab plates for our parents.
By the time we’d finished our desserts, a vague feeling of disconcertion washed over me.
I caught Noel’s gaze and beckoned him over with my chin.
He nodded, whispered something in his husband, Aaron’s, ear, and rose. He strode to me and crouched so his ear was near my lips.
“Could you find out what the fuck Cooper and Lachlan are up to? It’s just about speeches time. Now, Cooper’s going to embarrass—”
“He said he wouldn’t.” His blue eyes darkened. “He swore—”
I laughed. “Noel, I’ve known him my entire life.”
He arched an eyebrow. “As his boss, I can make his life a living hell.”
“Tempting…but I’d rather you just track him down and make certain he and Lachlan aren’t—”
“Oh, he’s here now.”
I followed Noel’s gaze to the back of the hall.
Cooper and Lachlan were, in fact, coming back in.
Lachlan was straightening his wig, while Cooper was brushing something off his bodice.
“So all’s good?” Noel gestured with his chin. “I don’t see any blood. At least I assume that was your concern. Their antagonism is legendary.”
“Yes, I suppose it is. Thank you.” I pressed my hand to his biceps.
“No worries. Thank you for inviting us. Aaron’s having a lovely time.”
“We’re glad you could make it.” In the time Cooper had been working for Noel, I’d come to know the man quite well. He and Aaron made a charming couple, and inviting them felt natural.
Cooper nodded to Noel as he slipped into his seat. “Oh, mousse.”
I rolled my eyes.
Noel squeezed my shoulder, then made his way back to his table.
“Where were you?” Even as I asked the question, Taryn was similarly quizzing Lachlan.
“Oh, time for speeches.” He glanced over me and caught Lachlan’s gaze. “Speeches,” he repeated.
“Coop—”
The two men popped up.
Taryn and I exchanged looks.
She took my hand.
I smiled.
We survived the gentle ribbing by our beloved siblings.
She and I had the first dance.
Interestingly, Cooper and Lachlan danced.
Wonder what Coop said to Lachlan to convince him to do this? Because it never occurred to me that Lachlan would dance with a man. Which was heteronormative thinking, but as he pulled me into his arms as we switched partners, I couldn’t help but feel I’d never really seen him before.
He pressed a kiss to my temple as we danced. “It’s all going to be amazing.”
And I believed him. As much from the ferocity of his words as my eternal love for Taryn.