“Have you decided on a song?” Dario asked excitedly, keeping his voice low. “You know, for the wedding?”
“Oh, shit,” Jimmy squeaked.
“Gonna take that as a ‘no.’”
“Shit, shit, shit!” Jimmy groaned exasperatedly. “I have to sing something at the reception! I mean, everyone will be expecting me to!”
“You don’t even have to do it at the reception! You could totally be all romantic and sing it during the wedding ceremony! Like, dude, that could be your vows!” Dario pumped his fist. “Ultimate romantic gesture. Sing your heart out before you put that ring on.”
“We technically already have our rings, and that still totally sounds great except I don’t know what I’m going to sing!” Jimmy hissed urgently.
“Might I make a few suggestions?” Charlie asked, suddenly appearing between them with a sweet smile. “I actually have a playlist I put together for you and Mr. Legrand—”
“A playlist? Really?”
“I’m still your wedding planner!” Charlie defended, thrusting his phone in Jimmy’s hand. “Just take a look, see if anything tickles your fancy. I can absolutely have sound equipment set up if you want to sing a song for your vows. Nice touch, by the way, Dario.”
“I know,” Dario sighed, glancing skyward. “I have the heart of a hopeless romantic and the sweet fuzzy butt of an Ewok.”
Jimmy chose to make no comment about Dario’s butt, and he focused on flipping through the songs. He paused as a particular tune he hadn’t heard in a while grabbed his attention. He frowned, trying to recall the lyrics.
As the words rolled through his mind, he happened to glance up and catch Cold’s eye as he and Tamerlane walked back in. He blushed as they shared a warm smile, his heart skipping a few beats. He swore it was thumping in time to the music in his head, and it was all too perfect.
This was it.
“I know what song I’m going to sing tomorrow,” Jimmy said triumphantly.
Charlie and Dario stared at him expectantly.
“What?”
“Well?” Charlie grunted. “If you want me and Dario to help you, you have to tell us what it is!”
“Oh! Right!” Jimmy handed Charlie back his phone, pointing at the song title. “This one.”
“Awesome!” Dario exclaimed. “Cold will fuckin’ love it!”
“There! Was that so bloody hard?” Charlie sighed dramatically. “I’ll be over the bloody moon when this wedding is over.”
“Not gonna keep planning weddings?” Jimmy asked carefully, unsure if Charlie was wired still or not.
“No,” Charlie snorted, glancing over to where Jerry was eating his dessert. “Everyone deserves a happy ending, Mr. Poe.”
Jerry paused, seeming to sense that someone was looking at him, catching Charlie’s smile and quickly wiping whipped cream off his mouth.
“You’ve got yours,” Charlie said casually, “and I’m gonna go for mine.”
“Happy ending,” Jimmy echoed softly, smiling when Cold leaned down to kiss his forehead on his way back to his chair.
It wasn’t a fairy tale conclusion by any means, falling in with a family of criminals, but Jimmy wouldn’t trade this life for anything else in the world.
His father was here, he had new and exciting friends, and a dangerous man loved him with an incomparable passion. Maybe it wouldn’t be everyone’s idea of a happily ever after, but for Jimmy?
It was perfect.
