I couldn’t help but laugh at her confusion, because I’d felt it too, at least, I did right after Lance proposed. “If you aspire to be elegant or sophisticated, sure, or if that’s what’s expected. Otherwise, I think you should have the exact wedding you want.”
Her shoulders relaxed, and Maisie groaned. “I was afraid that’s what you’d say. What was your wedding like?”
“Me?” I closed my eyes and laughed at the memory. “I thought it would be a sweet but romantic backyard wedding because Lance and are from the Midwest where we keep things simple.”
“And it wasn’t?” Maisie’s eyes were big as she hung onto my every word.
“Not at all. My parents never forgave us for living together before we got married, so they refused to have anything to do with it. Lance’s dad and stepmom had left to go on a cruise three days before our wedding, so there was that.”
“Ouch. That’s shitty,” she said in solidarity, and I smiled in appreciation.
“I was pretty bummed about it at first, but Lance only wanted to marry me. He bought me a cute little white dress at a thrift shop and sprung for a fancy rose bouquet. We got married at the courthouse, me in that dress that I loved and him in his dress uniform, and you know what? It was perfect.”
“Really?” I understood her skepticism because I’d had it too before I set foot in the waiting area of the county clerk’s office.
“Really. There were older couples with money who just wanted to be married without all the pomp and circumstance and at the other end of the spectrum, teenagers who were so in love and didn’t care about anything else. Some people were making the best with what they could afford, some dressed in jeans and t-shirts, and some in big old white wedding gowns. But they were all there because above all else, they wanted to be married.”
I smiled, thinking of all the people we’d met that day, people who were happy to serve as witnesses to a sailor and his bride. “So I think you should do as Sadie said and have the wedding you want. And I’m happy to help you do it.”
It would give me something else to do while I figured my shit out.
Her eyes popped wide as saucers, and I knew I’d hit a nerve.
“Really? Are you sure? I don’t want to make you sad, Vanessa.”
I used to wonder how Maisie, so sweet and southern, managed to fit in with the Ashby family, but they were all just as sweet. They just did a better job of hiding it.
I leaned over and gave her a quick hug. “Why would I be sad when you’ve been a good friend to me, and you’re marrying the big hunk of your dreams?”
She let out a swoony sigh and smiled. “I am. I really, really am.”
“Then that makes me happy, Maisie. You have no idea how happy.” As I said those words, I realized they were true. I missed Lance, and I always would, but I wanted everyone to experience the magical love we’d had.
“You have no idea how happy I am to hear that. I know what I want, but it’s all a hodge-podge of ideas that might not actually go well together once the planning actually starts.”
I laughed, knowing exactly what she meant. “Like trying to make your thirteen-year-old dream wedding a reality?”
Her blue eyes widened in recognition. “Exactly. Oh hell, I am so happy you understand.” Maisie stood and wrapped me in a hug. “I’m so grateful for your help, Nessa you have no idea. I’ll make sure we have fun too, I promise.”
“As long as there’s alcohol and girl talk, I’m sure we’ll be fine.” I squeezed her back, a big smile enveloping me. I was enjoying the warmth of another person. I also felt a small measure of accomplishment because I’d found something else besides caretaking Kat to distract me from my lonely, aimless future.
Chapter Three
Emmett
Staring at the three community cards on the table, I looked up and carefully watched each man around the poker table Jasper had set up at his place. I had the nuts and based on betting patterns; these guys had fuck all for cards. So I pushed a few more chips to the center of the table and grinned. “I call.”
“Fucker,” Terry grumbled and folded his hand before he got up to get more drinks. This was the cardinal rule for the first person who folded.
“What do you have, baby bro? Nothing, I bet.”
Jasper chuckled around a big ass cigar and shook his head when I flipped Terry off, but I sensed his tension that I called his raise. “You’ve made me curious, Emmett.”
“It’ll be satisfied soon enough,” I told him cryptically and sat back while we waited for Virgil to make up his mind. He’d bet conservatively, which meant he was hoping to make good on the turn or the river, which also told me he had nothing.
“I’m out. Can’t lose too much money with a wedding coming up.”
“Excuses,” Jasper and I said at the same time, and then laughed when Virgil showed off his middle finger.
“It’s just you and me, Em. What’s it gonna be?” Jasper’s green eyes could be more intimidating than his big ass, rugby player physique, but I knew his tell. I wasn’t worried.
Much. “That’s up to you, Jas. Fold or raise, what will you do?”
His lips curled into a wicked grin, but his raise was cursory at best. I watched him carefully as Virgil flipped over the turn card, and his left eyelid twitched.
“Ah, shit, Virg, thanks a lot.” Jasper tossed his cards down and blew out a frustrated breath. “Well, Em? Show the cards, man.”
I tossed them down, one by one, to increase the effect of showing the guys they never stood a chance. Ace. King. Queen. Jack. All hearts. The turn had given me a ten of hearts, completing a perfect hand.
“Can you see ’em, Jas?”
He smiled and flipped me the bird once again before standing to stretch for the first time in more than an hour.
“Good hand, Emmett. You slow bet the fuck out of that hand. I really thought I had it.”
“You would’ve, if I didn’t know your tell,” I teased.
His dark brows dipped low. “Fuck you, I don’t have a tell.”
“Okay,” I shrugged because he did, and I would never tell him what it was.
“You hear this shit, Virgil? Emmett says Jas has a tell!” Terry was the most incredulous, since Jasper was his best friend, had been since they were little kids. “Can you believe it?”
Virgil nodded as he walked in carrying an unfamiliar bottle. “That eye thing? Yeah, he’s had it forever.”
“You’re fucking with me.” Jasper couldn’t believe it, and I didn’t blame him, given the level of responsibility on his shoulders. The news might freak me the fuck out too.
“Not at all,” I assured him with an innocent smile. “What’s in the bottle?”
Virgil lifted the bottle high in the air and smiled. “Well, Emmett, I’m glad you asked. This is a brand new whiskey straight from ye olde Ireland. I had it made special for Maisie as a wedding present.”
Jasper groaned. “Fuck, man, who’s ever gonna be able to top that shit?”
Virgil grinned and shrugged his wide shoulders. “Not my problem. It’s not like you’re dating anyone anyway, and well, the fact that it took them twenty years to get together means we’ve got another decade before Terry and Kat tie the knot.”