“I’m happy for you, Dad.” I squeezed his shoulder as we headed toward the small altar. “I’m glad you found someone to love.”
“Me too,” he said. “I never expected to. But—” he flicked his eyes to mine, the corner of his lips curving up “—Darlene is easy to love. It’s not the same as…”
I nodded when he trailed off. Mom would’ve been happy for him today, but it still seemed odd saying her name out loud on the day my father was marrying someone else.
“It’s quieter. Not as crazy. But still undeniable.” He lifted a shoulder, nodding a hello at the officiant, and peered down the aisle with a wistful smile.
Julie headed down the aisle first, holding a small bouquet of lilies, not too unlike the fake ones she’d had when she married me. She’d been growing her hair longer, a couple of inches past her shoulders and closer to how she’d always had it, but no matter what length her hair was, she’d always be the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. Her black sweater dress clung to all my favorite places, and I had plans for those knee-high boots in our suite later tonight. She flashed me a wide grin when she caught me staring, a flare of lust in her eyes as she did a quick sweep down my body.
Real marriage was damn good. Being at the first wedding since the Now or Never Chapel was already bringing back a ton of memories, although the dirty ways we’d reminisced last night were different from eating tacos on a bench after our ceremony that now seemed like a lifetime ago.
Dad was right. I’d known even then what marrying Julie meant as my heart had thundered in my ears the whole way down the aisle.
Darlene followed, beautiful in a long-sleeved gray dress, her spiked heels almost bringing her to my father’s height. I didn’t hear much of the ceremony as I was too busy flirting with my wife over my father’s shoulder. I’d handed over the rings when asked and cheered loudly when they were announced as husband and wife.
“They’re cute,” Julie whispered to me as we followed them down the aisle. “I’m happy for them.”
“Me too,” I said, despite the twinge in my chest when Darlene slipped her hand out of the crook of Dad’s elbow to drape her arm over the back of his waist. I liked Darlene a lot, but it would always be a little strange to see another woman at his side. Still, I was glad the woman he’d found had a big enough heart for all of us.
“You okay?” Julie asked as she slid her hand down my arm and entwined our fingers.
I replied with a slow nod and bent my head to brush a kiss to her lips. “I am. Getting married in Nevada is lucky. I’m sure they’ll be very happy.”
“It seems to be a trend for the people we know. And us.”
I laughed as we followed them to the resort connected to the chapel and the wedding dinner they’d requested. The long table in the back had a two-tiered cake in the middle and four full champagne glasses.
“This is nice, right?” Darlene mused as her gaze drifted to the mountains outside. The restaurant was upscale but not too formal or crowded with other guests. “Five-course meal for all of us with no receiving line.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Dad said, raising his glass. “To my new wife, and my kids.” He smiled at Julie. “Love, health, and happiness for a hundred years.”
“I will definitely drink to that,” Julie said, clinking her glass with mine.
“Look,” Darlene said after taking a long sip. “There’s a jukebox in the corner.”
We all turned to an almost antique-looking jukebox next to the bar.
“Feel like picking a wedding song?” She scanned the dining area. “Even though no one is dancing.”
“It’s our wedding day. We can do whatever the hell we want.” Dad pushed off the table and stood, holding out his hand for Darlene before they sauntered over to the jukebox.
“Feeling okay?” I asked Julie as I drifted my hand back and forth across her back.
“Pretty good, actually. Cold mountain air seems not to anger my joints. Maybe we should move here.”
“Maybe, except we don’t ski, and that’s a lot of snow to shovel.” I followed Julie’s gaze to where Dad and Darlene still swayed back and forth. “Sorry we didn’t have a wedding dance?” I draped my arm over the back of her chair.
“We technically did,” she said, meeting my gaze with a shrug. “We had a nice dance at Dean and Maria’s wedding. Besides, I’d be too stressed out picking a song for us if I had to.”
“Why would that stress you out?” I snickered and let my thumb drift back and forth over the nape of her neck.
“After twenty years with you, even though we’ve only been officially together for a short time, I’d want too many songs for too many reasons. I like the one we ended up with.” She set down her glass and crossed her arms, squinting at me. “Do you remember what it was?”
“The song we danced to at someone else’s wedding? I didn’t think there’d be a test after.”
“So, you don’t remember, then.”
“I didn’t say that.”
