Chapter Seventeen
DEE
The Next Morning
After several hours of making love, we wore ourselves out and drifted off to sleep naked, sated and holding each other.
Colt could have been a little rougher, but it was still perfect.
He’s really concerned about hurting me, but after four sessions of intense lovemaking, it’s safe to say I’m healed fully and that nothing’s going to hurt, except for my muscles, which are now aching from the workout, but in a very good way.
I’m lying in his arms, and I know he has an interview this morning, but if he feels like I do, then I’m sure he doesn’t want to get out of our comfy bed. When I look over at the clock, it reads nearly nine.
“What time is your interview?” I ask, and he nuzzles into my hair, kissing my head.
“I don’t care.”
“Colt,” I berate, and he chuckles.
“It’s at ten,” he murmurs.
“Well, um… you know it’s like nine now?”
“Sometimes I wish I could just lie in bed with you all day, every day, especially after last night,” he says as I roll over and look up at him.
“I know, but one of us has to be a rock god, and you’ve heard me sing?”
“Ahh, yeah! I guess the rock god job should go to me.” He chuckles and cups my cheek, caressing it tenderly, as I look up at him through my lashes. “I love you, baby. Last night was…” His smile is infectious, and I can’t help but smile right back. “Think we should do it all over again tonight?”
I lean in to kiss him quickly. “Last night was special. Sorry, I freaked out. That dream was horrible, and after it, I just needed you. I’m glad you finally gave in.”
“I’m an idiot. It took me so long, and it took you freaking out to wake me up and realize I was hurting you emotionally. I promise I will make it up to you as soon as I get home tonight.”
I nod, unable to hide my delight, staring into his eyes while I can. “I guess you’d better get ready. You’re already going to be late, and you know the guys will be pissed.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Stupid interviews.” He jumps out of bed and steps to the walk-in closet.
While he gets ready, I slowly get dressed, then we head downstairs to where the Hummer pulls up out front with all the guys inside.
Anna and Aston are with them, and she decides to stay with me at the manor and let the guys go off and do their thing.
It’s great because I need a girly day and have some great news to tell her.
We wave at the Hummer as it pulls out down the drive, then walk inside and into the living room with Princess at our feet.
“So you look like you’re in a good mood,” Anna comments.
I can’t hide my smile as she watches me intently with a smirk. “I am in a good mood. Colt finally made love to me last night,” I brag, and she squeals, making Aston and me both jump.
I laugh, and she rushes over, hugging me with Aston between us. “It’s about bloody time!” she says, then looks at me with an eyebrow raised. “And, did it hurt?”
“Not at all. It was perfect. Actually, all four times were perfect,” I gush.
“I’m so glad you two are finally back on track. You must be feeling better about it now?” she inquires, and I nod before we sit on the sofa.
“Oh Anna, soooo much better. I thought we were headed for disaster at one point, but I feel like we’ve reconnected, and we’re doing better than before.”
Anna smiles. “I’m so glad, Dee. I was starting to get a little concerned about it all. I bet you’ll be back to rooting like rabbits again now.”
“Yeah, probably. Now we have to start thinking about the wedding. Feel like doing some planning today?” I ask, and she looks down at baby Aston, waggling her eyebrows with a huge smile.
“Wanna help Auntie Dee plan her big day with Uncle Colt, little man?” she asks Aston in a baby voice.
Aston yawns and gurgles, then Anna dips her chin.
“Yep, that’s what I thought as well,” she says, looking back up at me.
“Aston wants to go dress shopping, and you can’t say no to a baby, Dee.
It just wouldn’t be right,” she explains with her most serious face.
“Well, if Aston thinks we should go, then I guess we have to, right?” I shrug, and Anna claps her hands.
With a smirk, I shake my head and we stand, then head to the car. A short drive later, we arrive at the bridal boutique, and suddenly I feel nervous. It hits me that in just over a month, I will be marrying Colt at our home.
A smile stretches across my face the second we step into the boutique. The space is elegant but cozy, with one side lined with dreamy white gowns and the rear corner bursting with color—deep reds, blush pinks, and soft metallics.
“Oh my God, Anna, there’s like a million dresses in here. How the hell am I supposed to find the one?”
“Easy. You’ve got the world’s best fashion advisors at your disposal.” She leans into the stroller and winks. “Aston and I make a great team. And don’t worry, we’re putting it on Colt’s credit card, so sky’s the limit.”
A shop assistant approaches, offering us a warm, polished smile. “Good morning, ladies. Is there anything I can help you with today?”
“We need your best,” Anna says confidently. “My girl’s getting married in just over a month, and she needs to look perfect for her man.”
The assistant’s brows rise slightly. “Well, we’ll need to find something today to allow enough time for fittings. Is there a set budget?”
Anna’s answer is immediate. “Money’s no object. She needs to look like a goddess.”
I chuckle softly as the assistant lights up. “Wonderful. Our designer collection is in the back room. This way, please.”
We follow her through an arched doorway into a secluded fitting suite, and I swear I just stepped into a bridal fairytale.
The walls are mirrored floor-to-ceiling, casting shimmering reflections of satin and lace.
A soft chandelier hangs from above, its sheer white fabric draping across the ceiling like a bridal veil. It’s intimate and regal all at once.
“This is…” I exhale, awestruck. “Wow.”
“We like to make the experience a memorable one,” the assistant says with a proud smile, gesturing toward a row of gowns, each one protected in its own delicate garment bag. Just looking at the bags, you can tell they cost a fortune. “Do you have a specific style in mind?” she asks.
“She’s trying everything,” Anna answers before I can even open my mouth.
I snort. “There must be a hundred gowns in here.”
“And you’ll look divine in every single one,” Anna shoots back with a grin, already pushing Aston’s stroller into a cozy corner when he starts to nod off.
The assistant pulls several gowns for me and places them in the fitting room. I run my hand reverently over the bags, feeling the textures beneath, and something inside me flutters—excitement, nerves, awe. Maybe all three.
“The room is ready for you whenever you are. Would either of you like some tea?”
“Yes, please… two cups,” Anna answers.
Once we’re alone, she claps her hands together. “All right, let’s get moving. We’ve got five hours until the boys get back.”
“Five hours?” I laugh. “We are not staying here that long.”
She lifts an eyebrow. “Watch me.”
With a sigh and a grin, I step into the fitting room where three gowns are waiting. I don’t even know how the assistant knew my size, but they all look like they’ll fit perfectly. I swallow thickly, the emotion of the moment beginning to press down on me.
The first dress is straight out of a princess fairytale—poofy, tiered, and dramatic. It’s beautiful, but not me. I’m not the girl who once dreamed of tulle and tiaras anymore.
Still, I put it on and step out.
Anna cheers loudly. “Dress number one!”
“It’s giving me serious Marshmallow Man energy,” I say, laughing.
“I mean, you’re not wrong,” Anna says, biting her lip to stop from bursting into full-on cackles.
And so the fashion show begins.
Some dresses are almost right, and others are so far off the mark that we can only laugh. One makes me look like a bedazzled swan. Another resembles a disco ball in motion. By dress twenty-nine, I’m sweaty, mildly sore, and convinced the right gown doesn’t exist in this store.
Then the assistant appears, a garment bag draped over her arm. “We do have one I haven’t shown you yet,” she says, a little conspiratorially, like she’s saved the best for last.
Curious, I unzip the bag and freeze.
My heart skips.
It’s stunning.
A deep plunging neckline draws the eye to its elegant shape, while fine ivory lace clings to the bodice with painstaking detail.
Then the fabric flows down into a softly flared lace train.
The back mirrors the deep V of the front, bordered in more intricate lacework that looks hand-stitched.
It’s a cross between the elegance of the old Deliah Norman and the sexiness of the rock chick that Colt fell in love with.
The woman he made me into.
A perfect blend of who I was and who I have become.
I run my hand over the gown, my heart hammering.
“Did you fall over in there or what?” Anna calls.
“No, just found the one… I think.”
I slip it on, careful and reverent. It molds to me perfectly, as if it were made for me.
The fabric whispers over my skin. The plunge in the front shows just enough for it to be dramatic and sexy, but not so much that Daddy will have heart failure.
The silk clings to my curves, making me feel like, despite everything I have just been through, that when Colt sees me in this, he will think I am the sexiest woman he has ever seen.
Because I feel it.
I feel like I am sexy in this.
I feel regal in this.
How a dress can make you feel both prim and proper, and like a sex god at the same time, is beyond me. But that is what this dress is doing, and that is exactly what I was after.
With a bright smile, I take a steadying breath and step out.
Anna gasps. “Oh, Dee,” she whispers, eyes glassy.
Even the assistant pauses, smiling softly.
I haven’t even seen myself yet.
Anna stands, walking over slowly. “There have been some great ones. And some horrors. But this?” She turns me gently toward the mirror. “This is the one.”
And when I see myself—really see—I know she is right.
I look radiant. Feminine. Strong.
It’s not just a dress, it’s a declaration.
“This is it,” I murmur, emotion thick in my throat.
“Colt’s going to lose it,” Anna says, squeezing my hand.
The assistant blinks. “Wait… Colter Slade? I thought I recognized you.” I stiffen. “Oh, don’t worry, honey. I won’t tell a soul,” she says quickly. “It’s an honor to help the future Mrs. Slade. And the whole band is dreamy. Especially the bassist.”
Anna snorts. “He is the sexiest. And his kid? Adorable.”
The assistant smiles widely. “You must be Anna! This is officially my best day ever.”
“Thanks for helping us find this dress. Colt’s gonna have a full-blown coronary when he sees her.”
“He certainly will,” she replies, checking the seams. “It fits like it was made for you.”
I nod. “I love it. Truly.”
Anna jumps up and down, clapping. “All right, get changed. Next stop, flowers.”
I groan. “Trying on thirty dresses is actual cardio.”
Anna laughs, waving me back to the changing room. “Move it, future bride.”
Once I’m dressed, I hand over Colt’s card. I didn’t check the price. That’s my mistake.
“That’ll be twenty-five thousand pounds,” the assistant says.
I choke. “It’s lace and a sash. Are they spun with gold?”
Anna grins. “It’s a designer. And it’s perfect. Colt’s got more money than sense. He’ll want this for you.”
I hesitate, but the knowing look on Anna’s face tells me everything. She’s already spoken to him.
“Fine,” I mutter, handing over the card. “But if he faints at the total, I’m blaming you.”
The assistant carefully bags the dress. “It doesn’t even need alterations. You can take it home today.”
And just like that—I have my dress.
We hit the florist next, and I carry the garment bag like it’s made of glass. No way am I leaving it in the car. I chose a bouquet of white and lilac David Austen roses. Clean, timeless. With coffee accents instead of pink, just like Colt wanted.
By the time we get home, the guys still aren’t back. Anna and I hustle the dress upstairs, hiding it in the guest room closet like it’s a state secret.
That’s when we hear footsteps echo downstairs.
We glance at each other, then hurry toward the stairs.
“Hey, girls,” Colt calls up. “Have a fun day?”
Anna grins. “Thirty dresses later, and we found the one. Colt, you’re gonna come in your pants when you see her in it.”
Colt lifts his chin in appreciation. “Well… that’ll be both entertaining and highly inappropriate on the day.”
I step off the last stair, and he takes me in his arms as Johnny kisses Anna on her head.
“I can’t wait to see you in your dress, baby,” Colt whispers against the shell of my ear, nuzzling into my neck. I smile and tighten my hold on him. “But I also can’t wait to see the dress on the floor,” he whispers, and I giggle.
“All right, enough of the loved-up shit. Can we jam?” Hux asks.
Dingo chuckles and slaps Hux across the head. “You’re just jealous ’cause you have no one to love.”
Hux rolls his eyes. “Whatever.” Hux walks off to the music room.
I look up at Colt, and he screws up his nose. “That arsehole needs a damn girlfriend.”
We all laugh before we head to the music room.
“Hey, Dingo, where’s Mama Sia?” Anna asks, holding Johnny’s hand.
“She was chucking her guts up this morning, so she’s at home. Mum’s over there watching her. Doubt I’ll stay long tonight. I should probably go home and, you know, do the whole supportive husband thing,” he says, and we all nod in agreement.
When we reach the music room, Hux is already seated with his guitar, fingers moving over the strings in a steady rhythm, but his expression is off.
Something’s bothering him.
I make a mental note to ask Colt about it later. Now’s not the time, especially if it’s personal. There’s no need to put him on the spot.
Anna and I release our men and settle onto the lounge suite at the front of the room. While the guys talk shop—riffing on melodies and throwing out lyrics—Anna and I lean in close, swapping more wedding ideas. It’s easy, light, and for the first time in a long time, everything feels right.
Then the music starts.
Colt’s voice wraps around the room, raw and magnetic, the band slipping back into their rhythm like no time has passed at all. I sink deeper into the cushions, letting the sound wash over me, watching him command the room like only he can.
My smile grows. God, I’ve missed this.
Them.
Together, on stage or off, it’s where they all belong.
Once the final note fades and the day winds down, the others eventually say their goodbyes, one by one, the house quiets.
Colt doesn’t say a word as he takes my hand and leads me upstairs.
And true to his word, he makes up for lost time.
Over.
And over.
And over again.