As he made his way to her, he thought about the whirlwind weeks that had passed since he’d proposed. He’d missed five days of his book tour while they’d spoken with her doctor and figured out their plans, and Amber had insisted that he make those days up at the end of the tour. She’d been right to push him. When he’d announced the rescheduling and their engagement, his fans had rallied in support. The doctor had added another medication to Amber’s regimen to try to ward off more seizures. In the month and a half since, she’d been seizure-free, Dash had moved in, and they’d made modifications to their lifestyle with the hopes of Amber eventually being able to forgo the additional medication. They hadn’t done anything crazy, but they’d taken her sisters’ advice and were going to bed earlier. They still went dancing at JJ’s and got together with friends, but when they knew they’d have a busy weekend, they planned more downtime around the events. Like they had today. They’d stayed at the hotel last night, slept in this morning, and after having brunch with some of the Bradens and Amber’s family, they’d gone back to the hotel to chill before the wedding.
After resting, they’d snuck in a sexy shower. As he slid his arms around her from behind, he couldn’t wait to strip that dress off her again. He kissed her cheek, whispering to keep from interrupting Pepper and Trixie’s conversation. “This is pretty magical.”
“It sure is,” she said breathily.
“But it’s not nearly as magical as ours will be. Guess who has a consult with Jax tomorrow for her wedding gown?”
Amber turned in his arms, her eyes dancing with excitement. “Are you kidding?”
“Would I kid about that?”
“Dash!” She threw her arms around him.
Pepper gave them a curious look.
He’d gotten to know Amber’s serious-minded, sharp-witted sister when he’d called and asked her to come home for the proposal. They’d talked for nearly two hours, just as he had with Grace, Reed, and Axsel. Although Axsel hadn’t been able to make it for the proposal, he’d video chatted with them while they were all celebrating. They’d spent Thanksgiving with his family and Christmas with hers. She’d gotten so close with his sisters, they texted her all the time, and he’d not only gotten to know her family better, but he’d also gotten to know Trixie, Jillian, and Amber’s other friends who were like family. He’d thought about planning future visits so those close friendships would never feel too far away for Amber, but he had a feeling with their wedding and Nick and Trixie’s coming up, the girls would be in constant contact.
“What did we miss?” Pepper asked.
“We’re meeting with Jax tomorrow to talk about my wedding gown!” Amber exclaimed, and the girls all talked at once about how much fun Amber was going to have.
Morgyn and Jillian hurried over, and there was another uproar of excitement. Dash stepped back, giving them space, loving how everyone gushed over his girl.
He felt a heavy hand on his shoulder seconds before Cade appeared by his side with Reed and Graham. He and the guys had gotten tight. But Cade was becoming more like the father he’d always wished he’d had. The evening after Amber’s last seizure, when he’d clued Cade and Marilynn in to his plans to propose, he’d worried that they might think he was too much for her, and he’d been ready to fight that battle. But they’d told him that they knew he’d move heaven and earth for her, that their love was meant to be, and they’d be proud to have him as a son-in-law.
“And I thought football huddles got loud,” Dash joked.
“Get used to it, son,” Cade said. “Women are a whole different species.”
“They have homing devices for gossip,” Graham said.
“Speaking of gossip, Sin and Clay were telling me that you’re thinking about creating some kind of fitness app and looking into buying a facility to open a gym,” Reed said.
“Please tell me Dash’s Darlings aren’t going to lose their morning motivator.” Nana had coined that name for their morning workout group. Cade lowered his voice and said, “Those morning workouts have led to more energy in the evenings, if you know what I mean. I’d hate to lose that.”
They all chuckled.
“No worries there, Cade. I’ll be working out with my ladies until they get sick of me. I’m talking with people about an app, and I would like a better fitness facility that’s close to home. But I think for now I’d like to focus on being the best fiancé I can be. Maybe after Maui I’ll take the next step.” They’d decided to go to Hawaii for their honeymoon, and if they made it through that trip seizure-free, they’d plan the first trip to see another famous bookstore.
He glanced at Amber chatting with her sisters and friends, and her radiant smile widened, hitting him square in the center of his chest. Taking a break and going to Oak Falls had been the best thing he’d ever done, second only to asking that bookish belle to marry him.
“I’M SO HAPPY for Zev and Carly,” Trixie said, watching Zev and Carly make their way around the room after holding hands, kissing, mingling.
They’d cut the cake about an hour ago, and then Amber’s father had absconded with her fiancé. Fiancé. She loved the sound of that and glanced at her gorgeous engagement ring.
“I remember when I first met Zev. He seemed so unsettled, like he was looking for something,” Pepper said. “Which makes sense, since he’s a treasure hunter, but I don’t get the same vibe from him anymore.”
“That’s because he finally realized what my family has known all along,” Jillian said. “He’d been searching for Carly, and he just didn’t know it.” She looked across the room at her cousin Victoria, Clay’s sister, who was waving her over. “I’ll be right back.”
Amber had never gone searching for love, but she’d spent a lifetime dreaming of it, imagining a future she was never quite sure she’d get. Now her dreams were coming true, and she could see them all so clearly. She glanced across the room at her one true love, who was talking with her father and brothers-in-law. Dash was striking in a black vest and slacks, his muscular arms straining against the material of his dress shirt. He was gorgeous in everything he wore. Even more so wearing nothing at all. Memories of the sexy shower they’d shared that morning rolled in, heating her cheeks. They’d spent the afternoon reading her latest book club novel, which had led to acting out their steamy revisions.
As if Dash sensed her thoughts, he looked over, and a slow grin slid across his handsome face, causing a swarm of the butterflies in her belly that had hit her the first time she’d seen Dash and had never left.
Would she ever get used to being so in love? So utterly and completely happy?
Jillian rejoined the group, grabbing Amber’s and Trixie’s arms. “You guys! You’ll never believe what just happened!”
“One of the hot Whiskeys asked you out?” Trixie asked.
All of Carly’s friends from Colorado had come to the wedding, including the Whiskeys, a biker family who owned a therapeutic horse ranch, had helped Carly through some rough times, and had several good-looking siblings.
“Ha! I wish. Sable’s dirty dancing with Dare Whiskey. That man has got moves,” Jillian said. “If Victoria hadn’t just given me the best news ever, I would definitely be planning a trip to Colorado right now.”