Chapter 14 Frost
FROST
Ipace around the hotel room, trying to figure out what the hell to do with myself. I have six hours to kill and no clue what to do with the time.
I could go for a ride, see if Colt and Chaos want to join me. It’s raining, idiot.
Before I can make another bad decision, my phone buzzes in my pocket, and I dig it out. Amy’s name flashes across the screen. “Amy? Everything okay?”
“No,” Amy gushes. “We've got problems. Big ones.”
“What kind of problems?”
“The bridal shop sent the wrong dress home with Hope.
She's got some hideous pink bridesmaid nightmare instead of her wedding dress.
The storm has destroyed the outdoor venue.
The tent's got a massive hole, everything's soaked, and all the decorations are ruined. Also, the pastor called in sick with the flu.”
“Fuck. Why the fuck can’t we catch a mother fucking, break? I swear some son of bitch cosmic fucker is out to ruin this for us.” I grit through my teeth. “What are we going to do?”
“Leave it to me,” Amy huffs. “I need you to get over to Hope's parents' house right now.”
“Why? Wha—”
“Your fiancée is losing her shit, Frost. She's upstairs crying, convinced the wedding is cursed, and she needs you. So, get your ass over here, and be there for her while I fix this mess.”
I pause briefly and grab my keys, heading toward the door. “I'm on my way. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“Good. And Frost? Don't let her spiral. Keep her calm. I've got this.”
“You sure?”
“Have I ever let her down?”
“No,” I admit. “Never.”
“Then trust me.” Amy ends the call before I can respond or ask anymore questions.
The ride to Hope's parents' place feels like it takes forever, even though I push past every speed limit. The rain's still coming down. It’s lighter now, but steady, and my mind is racing. This is a nightmare. All I can think about is Hope falling apart without me there.
I pull up to the house, kill the engine, and take the front steps two at a time. Hope's mom opens the door before I can knock, her face pale and worried.
“She's upstairs,” she says quietly. “Second door on the right.”
I nod, already moving past her. The stairs creak under my boots, and when I reach the second floor, I can hear muffled voices. Hope's mom and dad must’ve followed me up, but they stay back, giving us space. I push open the door to what's clearly Hope's childhood bedroom.
Sitting on the edge of her bed, surrounded by chaos, is Hope. Her hair's pulled back in a messy bun, and her eyes are red-rimmed. The hideous pink dress is draped over a chair, and rain streaks down the window behind her, encompassing the mood we’re both feeling.
She looks up when I walk in, and her face crumples.
“Frost, you can't be here,” she says, voice breaking. “It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.”
I can't help it, I laugh. It's a dark, rough sound, but it's genuine. “Darlin’,” I say, crossing the room to her. “We’ve already had all the bad luck any couple can handle. I think we're good.”
She lets out a shaky breath, and I drop to my knees in front of her, taking her hands in mine. “You're here.” She rests her forehead against mine
“Of course, I'm here.” I squeeze her hands. “Where else would I be?”
She pulls back to look at me, tears spilling over, and I reach up to brush them away with my thumb. “We'll figure this out,” I tell her. “I promise.”
“How?” She gestures around the room. “The dress is wrong, the venue's destroyed, we don't have anyone to marry u—”
“Then we'll find another dress,” I say. “We'll move it inside somewhere. It fucking sucks, but it’ll work out.”
She shakes her head. “There's no time. The wedding's supposed to be in four hou—”
“Hope.” I cup her face in my hands, forcing her to look at me. “Listen to me. We can get in my truck right now, drive to Vegas, and get married at a wedding chapel. I don't care about the details. I don't care about the venue, the flowers, or anything. All I care about is marrying you today.”
Her breath hitches. “You mean that?”
“Every word.” I lean in and press my lips to hers, putting all my love into the kiss. I pull away first. “I just want to be your husband. That's it, that's all that matters.”
For the first time since I walked in, she laughs. “Okay,” she says. “As long as it's not by an Elvis impersonator.”
I grin. “I can't make any promises.”
She laughs again, harder this time, and wraps her arms around my neck. I pull her close, holding her tight, and for a moment, the world narrows down to just us. Her heartbeat against my chest and her breath warm against my neck.
“We're gonna be okay.” I rub circles on her back. “I promise.”
She nods against my shoulder, and I feel some of the tension leave her body. After a moment, I pull back and brush a strand of hair out of her face.
“I need you to trust me,” I say. “We're gonna figure this out.”
“I trust you,” she replies.
“Good.” I kiss her forehead, then stand, pulling her up with me. “I'm gonna take off and check in with the club. See if anyone has any ideas. Will you be okay with your mom and dad?”
She nods, wiping at her eyes. “Yep. I’ll be fine.”
I kiss her one more time and then force myself to step back. “I love you,” I tell her.
“I love you too.”
I head downstairs, giving her mom a reassuring nod as I pass, and step outside into the rain.
My phone rings before I even reach my truck.
Vegas.
“Yeah?” I answer as I climb into the driver's seat.
“Get to the clubhouse,” he says. No preamble, no explanation.
I frown. “I can't. I gotta talk to my club. Shit's hitting the fan with the wedding, a—”
“Your club's already here,” Vegas interrupts. “Both clubs are here. We’re waiting for you.”
I freeze with my hand on the keys in the ignition. “What?”
“You heard me. Get your ass over here, now.”
He hangs up before I can ask any more questions. I stare at my phone for a second, confused as hell.
What the hell is going on? Why didn’t Eagle or Chaos call me? Why are both clubs waiting on me?
My thoughts race with every possible scenario, but I don’t have time to ponder. I start the engine and pull out onto the street. The rain's letting up now to a drizzle as I head toward Saints Outlaws.
Whatever's waiting there for me, I'm ready.