The boys chuckle, and my stressed sweat increases. I’m pathetic. “How did you do this twice?” I ask Danny seriously.
“Lots of Scotch.” He pulls out a hip flask and hands it over to me, before pulling out another for himself and swigging. “Drink up.”
I do, and it’s fucking glorious, the others all pulling flasks as well. I feel a tap on my shoulder and look back.
Pearl is holding up a white rose. “You forgot your buttonhole.” She forces me to turn and starts fiddling with my suit jacket.
“You look lovely,” I say, not just for something to say, but because she really does.
She smiles as she works. “Thanks.”
“Yeah, lovely,” Danny chimes in, nodding at her emerald-green satin gown. “Doesn’t she, Brad?”
All eyes turn onto Brad. He’s scowling. Standard when Pearl is around. “Lovely,” he grunts, turning his back on her. What the fuck went down between these two? They fucking hate each other. But . . . don’t.
“There.” She pats my pocket and fixes the jeweled hair comb keeping one side of her red hair off her face. “You’re ready.”
“Am I?” I laugh, facing Lawrence again, just as he gasps, loud and dramatic, very Lawrence-esque.
“Oh, here she comes.”
“Fuck,” I breathe, unable to look back.
“Music, please!”
My mouth falls open when London Grammar’s Strong starts playing, and I’m turning before I know it, searching for her. “Oh, Jesus.” She floats. She fucking floats. That’s how light she is. I swallow the lump in my throat, roughly wipe at my eyes, overcome by . . . everything. Her, me, this, the feelings overwhelming me.
I don’t take my eyes off her. Can’t.
I also can’t wait for Goldie to get her to me, so I push through the men, going to her, meeting her halfway up the aisle. Her head tilts in question as I bend and pick her up. “What are you doing?” she asks.
“Taking you into the light.” I move in, ready to kiss my bride already, humming when my lips brush hers.
That’s as far as our kiss gets.
“Oh shit,” Rose cries, winning the attention of everyone in the room. Her silver gown is taut over her bump, her long hair resting on top of it. Danny’s head bats back and forth between his pregnant wife and us. “It’s fine,” she declares, waving a hand flippantly. “I’m fine.”
Esther, looking incredible in a scarlet gown, moves into Rose’s side, whispering something in her ear. Rose smiles tightly, her body definitely folding over a little. “She’s in bloody labor,” I breathe, setting Beau on her feet.
“No, I’m not.” Rose laughs. “Braxton Hicks.”
“Mom, please.” Daniel passes her, going straight to Danny. “Her water broke in the bathroom this morning.” He looks at his mum. “She made me promise not to tell.”
Beau breaks away from me and goes to Rose, who flaps her away. “Get married,” she orders.
“Where’s Doc?” Danny asks, going to Rose, picking her up.
“No! I’m not leaving here until Beau’s Mrs. Enigma.” She virtually growls in Danny’s face. “Make it happen.”
“Get married now,” Danny orders, jerking his head toward Lawrence. Then he smiles, big and cheesy and fake. “Please.”
“I can’t believe she’s coming now,” Beau says, pulling me toward her uncle. “I can tell she’s going to be awkward like her father.”
I stare down at Beau, flummoxed, feeling Danny and everyone else doing the same. “She?”
Beau’s eyes widen. “I didn’t say that.”
“Yes,” Danny says, walking forward, Rose draped over his arms. “You definitely said she.” He looks at a timid Rose. “Do you two know what we’re having?”
Silence. Rose looks at Beau with straight lips. Beau looks sorry.
“Well?” Danny presses.
A girl? Fuck me, as if this family needs a little girl.
“We truly will be outnumbered at this rate,” Brad mutters, looking at Pearl but quickly looking away when she catches his eye.
“Answer me, Rose,” Danny demands.
“Well, you see . . .” She nibbles her lip. Then screams in his face, making him stagger back into Ringo, who quickly steadies him. “Oh, shit, Danny!” she bellows, puffing and panting. “Hurry up!”
Lawrence starts babbling, and I don’t hear a thing.
See nothing.
Only light.
It’s suddenly only us.
“It’s not too late,” Beau whispers.
I smile. It is way past too late. Following Lawrence line for line, I recite his every word as instructed, never taking my eyes off Beau, and then listen intently, full of wonder, as she does the same, a small, knowing smile curving her lips.
“You may kiss your bride.”
I swoop in, making the most of her mouth, eating her alive, lifting her from her feet, indulging in her. Until another scream from Rose kills the passion.
Beau, arms around my neck, looks over her shoulder at Rose. “I should go help,” she says as Danny carries Rose away. She reaches into the purse dangling from her wrist and pulls out a small box. “I got this for you.” She puts it in my hand, reaches up and kisses me, then leaves me standing at the aisle. “Don’t open it until later.”
Is she kidding? I look down, frowning as I lift the lid.
I’m quickly without the ability to breathe as I stare at two lines in the window of a white plastic stick.
“What?” I whisper, glancing up, just as Beau looks over her shoulder, smiling mildly.
And light, quite literally, explodes around her.