Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
CARLY
I was trying not to giggle at the sight of Sophia grabbing clumps of rose petals from her ivory basket and tossing them up in the air while she walked towards her mom and dad. Anna was on my side of the priest with Meagan, while Nic and Christian were beside Brandon. She was so entertaining that I didn’t even notice the shift in music from “Glasgow Love Theme” to the “Bridal Chorus” until Tommy gave me a little nudge.
“If you don’t let me get you down there and fast, your man is gonna have my ass.”
I tore my eyes away from Sophia to look up at my childhood friend. “Thank you.”
My words were softly spoken, but my gratitude was huge—and it was for more than his offer to walk me down the aisle. I’d spent the day surrounded by Brandon’s mom, Anna, and Meagan. They were all incredibly sweet, but I’d acutely felt the absence of my own family on this special day. Surrounded by Brandon’s family as they showered me with their love, I’d felt guilty for being sad about not having one of my own. I was about to marry a man I loved who adored me in return. His family was going to be my family. We were going to build our own family, too. I was going to have everything I’d ever wanted, but I still felt the lack.
When Tommy had knocked on the door to the bridal dressing room bearing four gifts, I’d assumed they were all from Brandon. It wasn’t until I’d already opened the first three—a pair of antique diamond earrings, a pale blue garter belt and a sparkling diamond tennis bracelet—that I noticed the wrapping on the fourth gift was different.
As I stared down at a sterling silver Tara brooch with gold beading, Tommy had hurried to explain that the earrings belonged to Brandon’s mom and could serve as both my something borrowed and something old. But he’d brought the brooch because it had been a gift from my mother to his many years ago. He’d thought I might like to have it as my something old instead, and he was right. It meant the world to know a piece of my mom was going to be with me on my wedding day.
My fingers trembled as they brushed against the silver circle and traced the golden pin crossing through the center. “I’m ready now.”
“And none too soon since your groom looks like he’s about ready to storm down here to get you himself.”
Sliding my arm through his, I turned and looked towards the end of the aisle to where Brandon stood waiting for me. Well, waiting was exaggerating it a bit since he’d moved to the bottom of the steps and looked like he was about to come drag me down the aisle.
“I guess we’d better get moving then.”
Some of the tension in Brandon’s body left as we moved towards him, but it wasn’t until Tommy placed my hand in his that he truly relaxed.
“Took you long enough,” he grumbled.
“Were you worried I was going to change my mind?”
He flashed me a sexy grin before leading me up the steps towards the priest. “It wouldn’t have mattered if you did. We’re getting married today come hell or high water.”
The priest cleared his throat, giving us a stern look when we finally stood directly in front of him.
“I don’t think he liked your choice of words,” I murmured underneath my breath.
Brandon returned the priest’s stare, not the least bit intimidated. “As long as he pronounces us man and wife in the next ten to fifteen minutes, I don’t really care what he likes or doesn’t like. I’ve waited long enough already.”
“The Italian Catholics must work differently than the Irish ones since I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to boss your priest around.”
The sound coming from the priest’s throat sounded like strangled laughter at this point, and his face was turning red.
“He’s known me since I was born. My bossiness isn’t a surprise to him.”
Apparently the priest was more than used to Brandon’s domineering ways because he somehow managed to perform our ceremony in fourteen minutes flat. Brandon’s mouth crashed against mine before the priest had finished telling him he could kiss the bride.
“Finally,” he sighed before lifting me into his arms and carrying me back down the aisle to the waiting limo.
“Finally?” I giggled. “That was the shortest wedding in the history of the Catholic church.”
“It felt like it took forever to me,” he growled, climbing into the back of the car after settling me inside.
“I don’t think so,” his mom chided just as he tried to shut the door behind us. “We still have pictures to take, and there’s no way Carly’s makeup and hair will survive the ride to the reception hall if you’re alone back here.”
Brandon groaned as his brothers piled in with us.
“Hey, if you want to muss her up a bit with us watching, that’s certainly your prerogative,” Gavin joked.
“You’re lucky I don’t knock you all out so I can get a moment alone with my wife.”
“Sounds a little extreme, bro,” Tristan chimed in.
“Enough,” Luca interrupted, pulling earbuds out of his pockets and tossing a pair to each of his brothers before using one set himself. He closed his eyes and everyone else followed suit.
“It’s not exactly what I was hoping for since I won’t be able to get you to myself again until late tonight, but I’ll take it.” And take it he did, kissing away every trace of my lipstick by the time we made it to the reception hall. Those stolen kisses had to tide us over through an hour of picture taking, a dinner where we barely had the chance to eat anything as everyone came to our table to offer their congratulations, and through the cake-cutting where we smashed the chocolate concoction onto each other’s faces.
We barely cleaned up before they announced the first dance. Brandon led me to the dance floor just as “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole began to play. He’d asked me to leave the song selection to him, and I was surprised by his choice.
“I didn’t take you for a jazz man,” I murmured as he pulled me into his arms and we began to sway together.
“It seemed like the obvious choice since you’ve been unforgettable from the moment I first laid eyes on you.”
My eyes teared up at his admission. “I thought you couldn’t stand me back then.”
With one long finger, he tilted my head up to stare into my eyes. “Then I must have done a damn good job hiding how you made me feel. I tried to fight it, but I was a goner from the beginning.”
We moved together, eyes locked, for another minute before his father interrupted us.
“Out of my way, boy,” he ordered. “I want to dance with my new daughter.”
“Only for you, Papà, ” Brandon grumbled, stepping aside.
“Go make your mamma happy and dance with her instead.”
I giggled at how my tough man hurried to follow his father’s command.
“Music to my ears, being able to make my son’s girl laugh.”
“You’ll have to teach me how to make him jump at my commands like that someday.”
“I don’t think you need me to learn how to do that. I’ve seen how my boy is with you.”
“Yeah, my tough enforcer is a marshmallow when it comes to you,” Nic added as he tapped Brandon’s father on the shoulder, making him grumble about not getting long enough with me. Then again, Nic barely got thirty seconds before Tommy interrupted us.
“How did the father-daughter dance turn into the father-in-law, cousin, and childhood friend dance?” I asked him.
“Just lucky I guess.”
Luck had nothing to do with it. I was sure the men in my life all plotted to make sure Brandon’s mom was able to get her dance without making me feel like I was missing out. Their plan had worked, too, except I really needed to step away for a moment.
“How about you escort me to the bathroom instead?”
“We’d better let Brandon know where we’re going,” Tommy answered.
I glanced over to where Brandon was dancing. “His mom looks so happy. I really don’t want to interrupt them.”
“Fine, but you better be quick about it.”
“Hey, you’re not the boss of me,” I griped.
“True, but your new husband is, and I know he doesn’t want you out of his sight for long.” Tommy pointed out.
“I’ll hurry,” I agreed, pushing open the bathroom door.
“I’ve gotta take a piss, too,” Tommy announced. “If you finish before me, stay put until I’m done.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I grumbled. It was my wedding day for Pete’s sake. The reception hall was surrounded by DeLuca and O’Reilly men, and I just wanted to enjoy this day to the fullest. If there ever was a time for me to not worry about the possible threat Sean presented, this was it. The bastard would have to be batshit crazy to try something today of all days.
“Nobody gets past you while she’s in there,” I heard Tommy instruct a member of the O’Reilly crew who was here to help with security as the bathroom door shut behind me. He had been coming out of the men’s bathroom as we’d walked up.
Peeing while dressed in a wedding gown turned out to be more difficult than I expected, but I still somehow managed to beat Tommy back out again. Peeing had reminded me that I’d forgotten one of Brandon’s gifts in my bag in the back of the limo. I’d been planning to give it to him during the ride, but the moment hadn’t been right with all of his brothers there. Luckily, the guy Tommy had ordered to guard the doors was still there.
“Follow me out to the limo,” I ordered him, moving quickly towards the doors. If I was fast enough, I could be back again before Tommy noticed I’d left.
“She’s on the move to the limo,” I heard him report to someone, presumably over an ear piece. Considering the level of security Brandon had put into place, it didn’t surprise me.
When we reached the limo, he opened the door for me and I climbed inside. Of course my bag was in the farthest corner away from me since maneuvering in my dress was a pain in the ass. I was on my knees reaching for my bag when the door slammed shut behind me.
“Hey!” I called out, turning to see why he’d closed me in. “What’s going on?”
The only answer was a slap on the top of the limo and the sound of doors locking before the limo roared to life and raced out of the parking lot. I crawled towards the seats and tried the door handle, but it wouldn’t budge.
“I’d get comfortable if I were you.” Sean’s voice came through the intercom. “Because you aren’t getting out of there until I have you exactly where you need to be so we can get married.”
Shit! I’d been wrong. The motherfucker really was crazy enough to kidnap me from my own damn wedding so he could try to marry me himself.