Chapter 9 #2
Hayden handed his over. The agent checked it against the list, nodded, and then did the same with Jase’s and mine.
The agent with the wand scanned us and motioned for us to board the bus.
We climbed on and found seats in the middle, with Hayden across the aisle.
More guests filed in behind us until the shuttle was full.
The shuttle passed through tall iron gates and rolled past a security booth.
After another quick ID check, we followed everyone off and headed for the lawn.
The ocean spread out beyond the bluff, waves breaking against the rocks below.
The breeze off the water cut some of the heat.
Guests filled in around us. People hugged, talked quietly, and took their seats.
I recognized a few faces near the front from stories and pictures, but I didn’t know anyone except Jase and Hayden.
“Ready to meet the president?” Hayden asked.
“Now?” I wondered.
“Yeah, let’s go say hi.” Hayden motioned for us to follow as if we were meeting any normal guy.
“Mr. President.” Hayden extended his hand. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“Mr. Foster,” President Donnelley replied. “How’s Hawkins these days?”
“Good. Keeping me busy.” Hayden leaned in and kissed the first lady’s cheek. “You look lovely, Mary.”
“Thank you.” She beamed.
Hayden turned to us. “These are Tyler’s brothers, Dylan and Jase.”
The president of the fucking United States stuck out his hand for me to shake, and I took it. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”
“Likewise. I hear you were drafted by the Carolina Crushers, and Jase, you’ll be playing for my Sox.”
“Well, we’ll be starting in the minor leagues,” Jase answered, taking the president’s offered hand. “But yes. Hopefully, we both get called up to the Big Show and can live out our dreams.”
“All in due time.” The commander-in-chief squeezed my shoulder.
We said hello to the first lady, and then they were ushered away to greet someone else.
“How does he know we were drafted?” I wondered.
“Fallon’s a Red Sox fan,” Hayden responded. “I’m sure he told his father.”
Or could it have been Faye? I wasn’t sure, but it was cool that they knew who we were. Or maybe they had an earpiece and were told the info as we approached. I supposed anything was possible.
Before we took our seats, we walked along the edge of the lawn and checked everything out.
Near the edge of the cliff, white chairs faced a wooden arch covered in flowers with nothing but the ocean behind it.
Staff in black moved around, putting on the finishing touches, while a harpist tested a few notes up front.
Then Faye walked out.
For a second, my thoughts derailed. The sapphire dress hugged her from her shoulders to her hips, her hair fell over one shoulder, and her earrings caught the light with every movement.
Heat shot straight through my chest and lower.
She scanned the rows, and when she found us in our seats, she paused for a beat.
Her eyes held mine, then slid to Jase, and her mouth kicked up into a quick grin before she looked forward again and took her seat in the front row.
“We’re in trouble,” I muttered.
“No shit,” Jase replied.
When it was time, the harpist began to play softly.
Tyler and Agent Day walked down the aisle.
I recognized Agent Day from Tyler and Hayden’s wedding.
He was the one who had shot the man who had shot Fallon.
Tyler waved at us quickly, then took his place at the front on one side, with Agent Day on the other.
Rhett’s daughter, Poppy, came down the aisle next in a blue dress with a flower crown, scattering petals along the white runner.
Rhett followed in a gray suit with a sapphire tie. He was with people I assumed were his parents, and all of them wore wide smiles.
Then Fallon walked up between the president and the first lady.
He wore a charcoal suit with a blue tie that matched Poppy’s dress and Rhett’s tie.
His grin was huge; he looked happier than I’d ever seen him.
The trio reached the front, then each parent hugged Fallon and went to the front row to sit with Poppy.
The officiant welcomed everyone and began the ceremony. “Today, we have the honor of witnessing Rhett Davis and Fallon Donnelley transform their love story into a lifelong commitment. To begin the ceremony, Fallon’s sister, Faye, will read a poem for the couple.”
She stood and went to the front. I tried to listen to what she was saying, but all I knew was that it was about love. Poetry was never my thing.
When she finished, she returned to her seat, and the officiant then addressed Rhett and Fallon.
“Rhett, in the presence of everyone here today, do you take Fallon to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love, honor, and comfort him in sickness and in health for as long as you both shall live?”
Rhett smiled at Fallon. “I do.”
The officiant asked Fallon the same question. “I do.”
“And now it’s time for the vows that Rhett and Fallon have written themselves.”
Rhett cleared his throat and began. “Fallon, when I met you, I had a feeling I was in for an adventure. But never in my wildest dreams did I think it would include falling in love with you. Not only did you capture my heart, but you also welcomed Poppy into your life. Every day with you is filled with love and laughter, and I wake up excited for whatever comes our way. I promise to love you, to always be there for you, and to make our home a place filled with happiness. Here’s to us, to our family, and to every moment yet to come. ”
Fallon spoke next. “When I first saw you, I thought you were hot.” The crowd burst into laughter, and Fallon grinned.
“The day you were assigned to protect me, I figured I’d have a little fun driving you crazy, but it didn’t take long for me to realize you were the person I didn’t even know I was looking for.
Every minute I spend with you makes me fall in love with you a little more.
And when we have Poppy with us, I can’t imagine life any better than that.
Today, I vow to be the best partner possible to you, to share in your joys and your challenges, and to create a life for us filled with love and continued adventures. ”
“Don’t cry,” Jase whispered.
“Shut up,” I murmured back.
After they exchanged rings, the officiant announced they could kiss. Rhett cupped Fallon’s face in both hands and kissed him as everyone cheered.
Fallon and Rhett walked back down the aisle hand in hand, both looking stupidly happy.
As soon as they reached the end, the planner took the mic and let everyone know there’d be drinks and hors d’oeuvres while the families took pictures.
The crowd drifted toward the reception tent, where several round tables and a couple of long ones were arranged around a big dance floor.
Tables covered with white linens and deep blue napkins were topped by flower and candle arrangements in glass holders.
At the far end, the band played low on a raised stage while people talked, laughed, and found their seats.
We followed the crowd with Hayden to a long table near the entrance, where all the escort cards were lined up. He found ours first.
“Table twelve.”
I grabbed my card and Jase’s. “We’re with you. Shocking.”
We found table twelve near the dance floor, with a clear view of the head table and the cake. I dropped into a chair with my back to the tent wall so I could see everything.
Jase dragged his chair out and sat, stretching his legs under the table. “At least we didn’t end up stuck next to the speakers.”
People kept filing in. Servers filled water glasses and set down bread baskets.
“Drink before it starts?” I asked.
“Obviously,” Jase answered.
Hayden pushed his chair back. “I need a drink.”
We hit the bar. Jase and I each grabbed a beer; Hayden went for a whiskey sour. As I turned away from the bar, I saw Faye walking toward us.
“Incoming,” I said, then took a big sip of my amber brew.
Faye stepped in beside me and reached for a champagne flute. Her sapphire dress was even more distracting up close and didn’t hide a thing. The slit revealed a long line of leg as she shifted, and the low back was a direct assault on my self-control.
Jase gave her a slow once-over. “You look incredible.”
“Yes, very … edible.”
“Thank you.” Her gaze drifted over him, then me. “You two clean up well.”
Faye glanced toward the head table, where her parents were talking with someone near the cake. An agent stood a few feet away, watching the crowd.
“I’ve got to get back over there,” she said quietly. “Here’s the plan. You eat, clap, and pretend to care about the toasts. When they serve cake and everyone’s distracted, I’ll slip out to the house. Give me a few minutes, then come to my room.”
She touched my wrist, squeezed Jase’s fingers, gave Hayden a quick kiss on the cheek, then headed back to the front of the tent.
Hayden watched her go. “I’m not asking what that was about.”
“Good,” I replied.
We went back to the table. The planner ran through the introductions as the wedding party came in to cheers.
Fallon and Rhett entered last, their hands linked, both enjoying the best night of their lives.
They shared their first dance, then danced with their parents before dinner began arriving in courses.
Salad first, then steak and vegetables. I ate, we talked a little with the rest of the table, and I pretended I wasn’t tracking Faye every time she crossed the tent.
Every now and then, she glanced our way. When our eyes met, she didn’t look away fast. My phone buzzed at one point:
Faye: Stop staring
You knew what that dress would do to us
Faye: Behave
I am but the cake needs to hurry up
Jase slid his phone out of his jacket pocket, checked the thread, then replied:
Can’t wait to see you out of it