Chapter 33
Chapter
Thirty-Three
Franklin
“How do I look?”
“Like a dork,” my younger brother, Evan said. “I think I’m going to get a cavity from all the sugary sweetness radiating off you.” Evan stuck out his tongue and made a gagging sound.
“Stuff it,” Erik said as a rolled-up sock flew through the air, smacking Evan on the side of the head.
Evan caught the sock, sniffed it, and threw it to the side. “You could have at least thrown a clean one. That’s just gross.”
“Boys.” I used Nana’s scolding voice.
“Ha! You sounded just like her,” Evan cackled.
Erik’s gaze traveled toward the window. I’d commandeered the guest bedroom while Boone was getting ready in the primary. “You think Nana’s okay out there?”
Evan rolled his eyes. “Are you kidding? Did you see how well she and that Mrs. Hart lady hit it off? I’m telling you, Franklin, Nana’s gonna be all up in your business come winter. The cold’s getting tough on her joints.”
“Evan’s right,” Erik agreed. “I told her she should get a condo down here. Nana could spend the winters in Mississippi and then head back to Chicago during the warmer months.”
“I’d be happy to have her.” I checked my appearance again.
The lavender tie felt tight around my throat.
I was used to wearing them and didn’t know why this one was causing me discomfort.
Boone had absolutely refused to wear one.
Honestly, I didn’t care one way or the other.
Boone could walk down the aisle in nothing more than tattered shorts, a thin t-shirt, and flip-flops, and all that would matter was that he was there, standing in front of me, getting ready to say our vows.
Erik ran his hands over my shoulders, smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles. “I’m sorry about Lynn. I’ve talked to her and—”
“And I’ve shouted,” Evan interrupted. “Nana’s even pulled out the I’m very disappointed in you card, and Lynn’s still being a dumbass. I blame Glen, but at some point, Lynn has to take responsibility for her own actions, and I can’t keep blaming her bigoted husband forever.”
“I know.” I hated to agree but couldn’t find it in me to argue.
I’d tried talking to Lynn too, but she just couldn’t—or wouldn’t—get over Boone’s species.
She still claimed necromancers were unnatural creatures and an abomination toward God.
I’d promptly informed Lynn she was full of shit.
That went over about as well as expected.
“God, it’s hot.” Evan tipped his head back while tugging at his shirt. “And it’s only May. And evening to boot. What in the hell is it like in July and August?”
I stared at my brother. “You probably don’t want to know.”
“Damn straight.” Evan stood. He was the baby of the four of us but the tallest. Standing behind me and to the side, Evan slung his arm over my shoulder, his hand landing on Erik. The three of us stared into the mirror, all of us smiling. “I’m damn proud of you, Franklin.”
“Ditto,” Erik echoed. “I’ve never seen you this happy before. Love suits you.”
My cheeks hurt from grinning so much. It felt like that’s all I’d done since getting out of the hospital.
Hell, my grins had probably started while I was getting my first blood transfusion.
Thinking back, that wasn’t true. I must have passed out somewhere between the house Huxley kept us in and the hospital.
I woke up to Boone’s worried face. I’d expected that worry to fade when he realized I was going to be okay. It hadn’t.
Boone had been sitting there, chewing his nails, worrying that I would hate him for what he’d done.
He’d flat out told me he didn’t regret it, but he’d understand if I couldn’t forgive him for keeping my soul from crossing the veil.
I’m sure my sister, Lynn would have had a different opinion, but I, for one, was grateful, not angry.
Boone asked me what I remembered during my time away from my body.
Truth be told, I didn’t remember much. It was more of a vague feeling than anything, and that feeling was reassuring.
The best way I could explain it was that I’d felt… safe.
I think Boone’s still trying to work through the trauma. I catch him looking at me sometimes, as if I might disappear at any moment. I hoped time would erase the haunted unease that dogged his eyes.
“You ready?” Erik asked, pulling me from my thoughts.
“I think I’ve been ready since I first laid eyes on Boone.”
Evan made another gagging sound. “That is sickeningly sweet.”
Turning, I lightly punched my brother in the arm. “Just wait. One day the love bug will bite you, and then we’ll see who’s laughing.”
“God forbid.” Evan placed a dramatic hand over his heart.
“Seriously, though, I’m happy for you, Franklin.
I like Erasmus. And even if I didn’t, there’s no way I can argue with the way he makes you feel.
When you find your happy, you need to grab ahold with both hands and hold on for dear life.
It’s good to see you took that lesson to heart. ”
A quick check of the time told me it was time to go.
Erik and Evan followed, ribbing me the entire way across the lawn and towards Mrs. Hart’s yard.
I’d installed a gate a couple of weeks ago, making it easier to get between our property and Mrs. Hart’s.
When she’d learned Boone and I didn’t want to wait any longer to get married, Mrs. Hart had kindly offered up her yard as the venue.
Boone and I’d taken one look at each other and agreed on the spot.
Mrs. Hart’s yard was a bountiful paradise of floral explosion.
“This never gets old,” Evan said as we passed through the gate. “That woman doesn’t have just one green thumb; she’s got at least a dozen.”
I couldn’t disagree. Pink and red azaleas were in full bloom as were roses of nearly every color. I didn’t know what the other flowers were. I only knew they were beautiful. The setting sun made them even more so as the lights Boone and I’d strung yesterday flared to life, illuminating the setting.
The arbor was where Boone and I would exchange our vows.
Rented lawn chairs filled every spare nook and cranny.
We hadn’t planned on having a large wedding, but the guest list seemed to have a mind of its own and had grown exponentially.
Currently, most of those guests were milling about, socializing with each other.
Captain Loretta Cicely was holding court off to the side. Officer Ebony Becks sent me an enthusiastic wave when she saw me. I returned that wave and a host of others followed. Dr. Evelyn Stowe, Officer Albert Johns and his wife, Detective Bethany Harrison and her husband… the list went on and on.
We’d invited Leander Dunn, but he said he couldn’t leave his dogs that long. Interestingly, he had asked if someone could livestream our wedding. Unsurprisingly, Becks was the one who’d agreed.
“Who is that lovely woman?” Evan asked, his eyes situated on the congregated group from the precinct.
“Which one?” I curiously asked.
“The dark-skinned one who waved at you first.”
My grin grew. “Officer Ebony Becks.”
“Oh, an officer. She single?”
My laughter came from deep within and exploded with happiness. Slapping Evan on the back, I said, “As far as I know. Why don’t you go and find out?”
Evan waggled his eyebrows. “I’ll be back in time for the ceremony.”
“You better be.” Evan and Erik were standing up with me.
Erik sighed. “I’m gonna go check on Nana. You good?”
“I’m good.”
“See you at the altar.” Erik smirked before he set off toward Nana and Mrs. Hart. Oddly alone, yet not alone at all, I found who I was looking for and made my way toward Boone’s Pops. Holland appeared irritated. Well, more irritated than typical.
“Everything okay?” I asked while drawing closer.
Holland huffed as his blackened fingers tapped along the side of a glass of something that had a distinctly odd color. At my stare, Holland said, “Burnt rum,” before lifting the glass and downing half the contents. I was hard-pressed to remember a time when I’d seen Holland more fidgety.
Raising an eyebrow, I asked again, “Everything okay?”
Instead of a huff, I got a growl. “It is that damned kitsune. He will not leave me be.”
A second eyebrow met the first. “Hikaru?”
Holland’s eyes narrowed. “Do you know of another kitsune?”
I smirked while shaking my head. By now, I was more than used to Warlock Holland’s sarcasm. “Not that I know of. Why’s he hanging around you?”
Holland rolled his eyes. “I’ve no idea, but it is…
irritating.” Holland’s teeth ground together, but his cheeks flushed, and he wouldn’t meet my gaze.
Interesting. Holland threw back the remainder of his burnt rum.
He was just lowering it from his lips when a sound from the far corner of the yard caught our attention.
“I’m going. Stop pushing!” The buzz of wings lit up the evening air as a mostly gray-haired pixie flew out of an atmospheric tear. The pixie was quickly followed by a broad warlock.
Holland groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. The word “Kines” was little more than a growl. “I had not anticipated his presence.”
I blinked as I stared at our latest guests. “Warlock Vander Kines?”
“The one and fucking only. Thank Gaia.”
“And the complaining pixie?”
“His one and only, Parsnip.”
“Oh! I know that name. He has a television show on Home and Kitchen.” I struggled to come up with the name. “Something about odd couples living together.”
“Interspecies Habitat,” Holland helpfully supplied.
I snapped my fingers. “That’s it.” Another pixie followed, one I easily recognized. Phlox flew through the opening, quickly followed by Leon. Both were then followed by a golden-haired pixie I also recognized. “Peaches.”
“Oh, this is lovely. Phil, you have to see this,” Peaches exclaimed as his head swiveled this way and that, taking in Mrs. Hart’s property.